Refresh my memory please-GMC motorhomes

magnusfide wrote:
I've been flirting with buying a restoration GMC Motorhome that's nearby. Please refresh my memory- was it the handling on the road that was difficult? Here's a link to what they look like http://gmcrvforsale.com/

What were some other problems/issues?

Had a 78 Palm Beach for 10-15 years - the issues we had were the compressor and check valves and the Brake lines rusted through.

The good far outweighed the bad, might have been the most fun I could have ever imagined in an RV -- was a great transporter to Games and then gave us a great spot to tail-gate. could sleep a ton of people, they lack any real storage -- the ride rivals a high end Luxury Automobile.

I could go on and on -- they were great but if you are looking for something to use as a camper they would be very limited and a little tight for a long period of time. Was perfect for when were were young and all wanted to be close, today give me 4 slides and house on wheels.

BOL,

Before you believe anything else please look at the picture in the sigfile. As I type this, my wife is driving on the way to do the Natchez Trace and then on to a GMC rally in Montgomery TX. There are no new ones and nothing quite like them built since. We have effective upgrades for all the things that have been issues in the past. To date, there is only one orphan part and that is the inner tie rod end. There is still stock, but there is also no demand. If you are serious about this, first sign into GMCnet and start reading. Then, sign up for the forum and then log in, when you have, go to the control panel/account setting and build a sigfile of your own with a real name, a geographic reference and the something like "hope to be an owner". Open a new topic and tell the forum what you would like. Then, stand back. There are a very few "ready to travel", but a plethora of "ready for love". A standard line is that a dependable and ready to travel GMC will cost approximately 25K$. All at once or as a kit. If you are capable and willing to supply a lot of that effort, the cash out of pocket can be very reasonable. We ran near 12k miles last year and spent 20$ on repairs. (Not bad for 140K and 40+ years in my book.)

Matt

robsouth wrote:
I am going tomorrow to look at a 1976 GMC Palm Beach advertised as "good condition, drives and runs great, etc etc" for $3500.00 and that is the least I have seen one for in this area. I love the looks of them and am curious to see one up close.

Let us know what you find. Whenever someone says "it drives great" I'm tempted to ask them "WHEN did it drive great?". Sometimes the answer is 20 years ago. ;)

I am going tomorrow to look at a 1976 GMC Palm Beach advertised as "good condition, drives and runs great, etc etc" for $3500.00 and that is the least I have seen one for in this area. I love the looks of them and am curious to see one up close.

We had some great times in the 76 GMC my fil had. Drove and rode like a dream, just a little cramped.

Great info! Keep it coming if you don't mind.

Handling on the road is one of the things they do pretty well. What is said is that they are much better on the road than they are at camping. That is probably referring to the fact that you have more beds than you do storage or bathroom space. Along those lines, most have a wet bath, which means you shower over the toilet. There are rear bath models that have a separate shower, or '77 or '78 Royals that have a separate shower, but those are hard to find and one pays a premium for.

The drivetrain seems to survive as well as anything from that era, except for the front wheel bearings which require attention about every 30K miles. Probably the best inexpensive solution there would be to cryo the spindle, the hub and a new set of bearings. Cryogenics equalizes the hardening process, so you don't initiate pitting on the bearings. Secondly, it stiffens the metal, without making it more brittle, which is why you need to cryo the spindle and the hub to reduce bearing walk.

When I was shopping before I bought the Revcon, the GMC I looked at had some sag in the side walls, which meant the entrance door did not seal along the top or bottom. The side had also pulled away from the interior wall. I have since read that this is not totally uncommon, but apparently not universal either. Something to look at when you are buying. Some other issues to look at would be the condition of the plastic cabinetry. Plastic of that type tends to get brittle with age and crack. Look around the interior windows for wall rot from the window seals leaking. Nothing insurmountable, but all factors in what level you want to restore to.

I looked hard at them, know two guys well that have had them for years and years. They drove well. They are hobbies. 1973-1978, so 35-40 year old vehicles. They have weaknesses eg rust, leaky air suspension, weak spindles and ball joints. There are fixes for almost everything. THere are Hummer suspension part upgrades, the motor and trans are simple to rebuild. Both of the guys I know that have them are dedicated to theirs and gloss over the times they have been left stranded or towed. I toured Golby Motor Corp in Orlando. They do complete frame-off restorations with custom interiors, mechanical upgrades, etc.
I had the budget for a completely rebuilt one but went with a new DP as after I sat and looked at it, they are too small, bathroom too small, not enough tankage and very little storage. I like having outdoor cooking equipment, tables, an EZ-UP, etc and the GMC's just don't have the storage. One of the guys that has the short GMC actually bought a 40' Safari Cheetah but kept the GMC for weekends and state parks.

BUY one!

Then soup it up like those good ol' Sequim boys did back in the day, they then using it to set the Motorhome Land Speed Record at the Bonneville Salt Flats! Link to video

The record stood for quite some time, though I think it's since been broken. Maybe you can get it back! :B

I'm no expert, but I have heard that the engine and front suspension is from an Olds Toronado. The RV is a bit front heavy for that suspension. I have heard they eat front wheel bearings.

Lots of people are restoring them. I feel they were ahead of their time. Today, that RV would sell well. Its the right size, it still looks modern and has a low center of gravity.

You could probably buy one already restored for much less than it would cost you to restore it yourself. But then again, there is the labor of love concept.