[GMCnet] Order of work

[Virgil Pearce via Gmclist]

I’ve got my ’76 Birchaven w/rear bath on cribbing with the wheels off - finally after about 3 years - (did replace the 6T Jack Stands from Harbor) going to get busy renovating. Have been reading the gmclist as much as possible.

I have the quad bags and will be ordering the reaction and sway bars. Also will be dropping and replacing the fuel lines and checking the tanks and also the water tank lines. In addition am looking for low energy furnace and the same for the water heater. Have placed LED’s in all the interior and will do the same for the exterior lighting. Is there an upgrade for the rear brake and backup lights? Also putting an in & out vent fan for the forward vent, and maybe replace the rear bath vent if there is a more efficient fan.

Also looking at renovating the pressed board areas and putting in cork for the floor. I don’t know about the ceiling insulation, but will have to run some wiring for the fan and just as well put wiring in for possible solar wiring for ceiling to batteries. The 4K Onan seems to be working.

Am also re-doing the interior 30A wiring and using some of the marine switches, etc for that. So any thoughts about that would be appreciated.

Anyway, am open for all thoughts about this, since I do have time.

Virgil Pearce
76 Birchaven 455 “Aluminum Falcon” w/rear bath TZE ….0703
Newby since Sep 2015
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

[Randy Hecht via Gmclist]

Great time to add cameras so you can see the sides and back. Back up detection is also something to add, I even thought of adding it to the front even with the visibility the coach has.

Chaplain Randy Hecht
Roswell, GA
Chaplains are ready to Listen when you're ready to talk.

1974 Canyon Lakes GMC the Unicorn Express
80mm Front Disc and a work in progress
Electric Brake Vacuum System

> On Jun 7, 2020, at 09:57, Virgil Pearce via Gmclist <gmc...@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
>
> I’ve got my ’76 Birchaven w/rear bath on cribbing with the wheels off - finally after about 3 years - (did replace the 6T Jack Stands from Harbor) going to get busy renovating. Have been reading the gmclist as much as possible.

[Billy Massey via Gmclist]

https://www.gmcmhforum.com/threads/tail-light-upgrade.720/

On Sun, Jun 7, 2020 at 8:57 AM Virgil Pearce via Gmclist <
gmc...@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:

> ... snip ... Is there an upgrade for the rear brake and backup lights?

[James Hupy via Gmclist]

Virgil: Whatever you do, Remember this. "You can dress it up any way you
choose, add all those electronic gadgets, etc. etc. But at the end of the
day, you still are left with reality that says, It is just lipstick on a
pig".
Remember, it has to get you and your family, back and forth SAFELY to
wherever your dreams are taking you. It has to START, STOP, AND STEER first
of all. So concentrate on tires, and wheels, and brakes, and wheel
bearings, and steering and suspension. Cosmetics? Nah, not so much.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

[Mike Kelley via Gmclist]

Jim Hupy is absolutely correct:
Invest you money and time as follows:
1st Safety
2nd Reliability
3rd Comfort
4th Looks
And of course Good Maintenance all the way thru.
Enjoy the journey!
Mike/the Corvair a holic

Sent from my iPhone

[Thomas Phipps via Gmclist]

LED replacement bulbs are readily available at any auto parts store, but they do not increase the size/area coverage of the stock bulb. They are
brighter, cooler and turn on quicker. You would need to replace the stock flasher with one designed to use with LED bulbs. They are true electronic,
not a semi-mechanical design. Amazon has them, look for motorcycle led flasher.
Because of the way GMC did the front and side marker/signal lights, it would require new wiring to put these lights on separate leads. Check you
wiring diagram.
I lucked out many years ago and purchased a flat multi-bulb led panel designed for your desired use. Company out of North Carolina, but that is all I
remember. But they worked great, especially with the later Chevy van all red lenses. Looked good and were very bright.
Tom, still reading the forum
--
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG

[6cuda6--- via Gmclist]

Yup, get it moving safely...then play as you go. I use to shake my head when i was restoring cars as it never failed.....people would always want the
engine/trans rebuilt before even stripping the car to see what you were working with and alot of the times the nice new motor had no place to go
because the body/chassis was so bad.

Get it on the road and enjoy it as you figure out what you need to play with next...like Jim said but with a little twist...."put shoes on the pig so
it can move with ease then put lip stick on it" :d
--
Rich Mondor,

Brockville, ON

77 Hughes 2600

[Larry Nelson via Gmclist]

Way back about 15 years (or more?) ago, I had the brilliant idea to trade my old, faithful Palm Beach for a GM 4106 bus. I owed my engineer money so I
gave him the Palm Beach (even Steven) and forked over WAAYYY too much for that 1963 bus, very roughly fitted out as a travelling tour bus for a Gospel
group. The "busnuts" are a parallel universe to our GMC group. I was told to get the bus ready to use and use it, then finish it....not doing it that
way spells disaster because sometimes we don't know when to stop and maybe we lose interest. That is sort of what Jim Hupy is saying and it is spot on
advice. After being a busnut for 8 years, even though shifting that 4 speed spicer up and down came easy, but with my wife never going to be able to
drive it (she hated it from the git-go), I sold the bus and came to my senses, and found my coach up in Illinois (Willis Rowell) and the rest is
current history. I want things to work. If they also look good, that is okay too, but not that important in the scheme of things. This last weekend we
went to Roaring River State Park, near Cassville, MO. (The Flatlanders know this place because we have had campouts there). This park is down in a
valley that has a grade that really gets your attention. Each time it is time to climb out of that park, I wonder it that is the time the engine will
quit on the way up and I will be heading downhill backwards with a Sammy in tow. So, you see, I am all stock. I appreciate the improvements in braking
systems, but I have never had an issue with what GMC provided me. I do want to make sure the A/C works as good as it can, and that the tranny and
engine are happy in their task, aged as they may be. My MH is 12' from where I sit here in my office. It lives in air conditioned comfort, out of
harms way from offending birds that would decorate it if it were outside. Maybe I will go out there today and polish an Alcoa :x Keep up the good
work, keep expanding the envelope, but for most of this I will be a spectator.
--
Larry Nelson Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT

[James Hupy via Gmclist]

Sound like a couple of "Wrong Turns", momentary lapses of good judgement,
etc., etc, that I have to accept ownership of. Buying the GMC wasn't one of
them.
Going in "whole hog" in a partnership with a binge drinking alcoholic
in an automotive machine shop was one that comes to mind. That one cost me
$200,000.00 of hard earned money. My entire life savings, at the time.
Gone, like exhaust vapors on a chilly april morning. Never to be seen
again. All I have to show for that one is some hard earned memories.
So, don't feel too bad, or be too hard on yourself for what I call
momentary lapses of good judgment. Humans are all susceptible to that
illness.
Learn from it, and lace up your work boots, pull up your "Duluth
Trading Company" pants, and soldier on. Love your friends, and your family.
Life is short. Eat dessert first.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

[Johnny Bridges via Gmclist]

How did the operating cost of thebus compare to the motorhome?

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell

[Larry Nelson via Gmclist]

Johnny I got about 10mpg so the math on that depended on the price of diesel. It was never THIS low, I can tell you. If I had switched to an Allison
(730 or 740) transmission, that would have cost about 2 mpg. It was nice going down the road holding that 48" diameter steering wheel (only slight
exaggeration). I learned along time ago that the more vehicle is behind the drivers seat, the further down the road your eyes have to be. It would be
fun to find an old Flxible but if I brought one home, I would have to immediately move into it 8o

--
Larry Nelson Springfield, MO
Ex GMC'er, then GM Busnut
now '77 Eleganza ARS WB0JOT

[Johnny Bridges via Gmclist]

I looked at a couple, the manual shift appeals to me and lowers the sale price. But it's still pricey relative to my coach... and I really don't have
any place to put one without adding to my RV slab and cover.
Hal StClair has the best of both worlds - GMC or three and an Eagle bus. Out of my reach.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell