Daily Pose Archive    

You have found the vault, this is where I put past daily pose posts as to not clog up the main daily pose page giving it faster downloads of the page for you.  Yes, I will update this page dropping older posts but you will have access to some of the older stuff here.  Tips and other instructional things will be assimilated into the main pages of the site over time.

 Thanks for your interest in what we do here, hope it helps you in some way. 

NOTE:  The latest posts are on top.

7.28.11

Wow, did the last few days blow past!  Here it is after 8AM and I'm just able to get here to plunk down some stuff for ya, I've got3 guys here, direction set of things they are doing so I'm squeezing is a few minutes to get some work done here.  So lets get at it!

Ah, Tom's car just made the turn into the lot-- now we're talkin!  Picking up where I blew off the other day, kevin now has Joe's exterior refinish finally in clear.  Kevin next went into Mel's coach supposedly "foofing" up his paint a bit where we hoped to not have as many issues with the body as we had on Joe's coach.  No such luck, I gotta tell ya it seems like all we do is fix the 30 years worth of crap work that's been done!  Bill was here cheking out his new Co-op / Koba motor so Keving was showing him all the mess we run into   .  Stuff like this come out of the woodwork as Kevin sands into the old paint.  Mel's LR corner     looks like a carbon copy of Joe's   , Joe's was a little worseactually.  See that small "pinhole'?  , forget the broken loawe grill valence, that pin hole is from the battery sitting in the larger made battery tray-- it wore a hole though the body!  Kevin will need to fix the battery tray, relocate the battery then fix the pinhole which from the inside is big then fix the lower valence which BTW was siliconed together.  Man, what were they thinking!  This is the stuff we seem to always run into, we can't just leave that stuff!  Joe's project is finally through all that fun and is not in clear as I said.    We're pulling the bags today and will have the coach over in the trim bay to start the assembly process.  Stay tuned for that.

Bill's new Co-op/ Koba motor is running in on the stand now.    The red light on the front gauge console means we have fire ,  readm and weep, the gauges say "we got game" , and oh baby, 18" says she's breathn nice .  Yea, now all that's needed is to run in the cam, drop his old motor, mate this puppy up to a Manny tranny   and we're "rock-n-roll"!

Oops, I need to get out there, more to come.......

7.25.11

Joe's coach got it's base color the weekend    The metallic red stripe color is under the "bags" Then the main base white color is added  then the stripe bags are pulled to reveal the red   Next we'll be getting into the clear.

7.22.11

Good to hear from of you guys from the daily pose Thanks for the support, this morning the counter read a little over 200, down a bit but there are a bunch of folks on the road this summer.   That's OK, we'll missm till they get back.  Have some exciting stuff to show you this morning so sit back, I'll do as much as I can.

There is a thread on the GMC Net about someone looking for a motor builder in N. Fla..  Hey, some one tell that guy to read todays pose, he should be interested.  I'm trying to get my phone to click in to show you pics.  We have received our first roller cam Koba motor for run in and installation.  I don;t know if this new phone is testing it's limits with me or something, so I picked up the ole stand by camera-- put in new batteries and go out to take some more pics of the motor ready to go-- come back in and there it is, the phone finally decided to talk to the lap top---- Dough!!!!  Ok, so we'll have the chance to compare the camera and phone pics-- lemmi know what you think.

So yesterday Drew pulled up with his big block, crew cab, duely wheel, full sized truck (must have cost him a pretty penny just driving that beast to bring in the motor) but he came in, chest sticking out delivering the first of many motors "Just for the GMC".    Pulling this eathshaking motor off the truck, we knew we had something special.  the heck with all that national builder stuff-- we're building our motors now ourselves, with what I would say is a if not THE premier Olds performance motor builder.  .  So here is the big picture, Drew with his baby   He's modest, it took a bit for me to convince him to take this pic but really, having a performance roller cam motor designed specifically to pull the load our GMC puts on a drive train AND built by the man who designed it-- what can I say, it's the way to go!  The next step we will be doing on every roller cam Koba motor will be a run in here at the Co-op on our own custom build stand.  A front frame section from a 66 Toronado  .  This fixture will hold our 455 and 403 motors giving us prime access to both check motor operation, run in our custom special roller cam valve train to assure things are right before the motor ever goes into the coach.  Can't tell you how important this is.  So guys, here ya go-- we are not playing games when it comes to offering the best motor for your GMC        (these pics were from the camera, this one is from the phone   So no more screwing around, you pick up one of our new Co-op/Koba roller cam motors, put it in the way we say and you will have a hot shot motor-- no if's, and's or butt's!  We have close to 100 motors out on the road, we have a road proven design and now we have a pedigree to prove every one of them!  Gun metal grey is our color because I'm not looking for a fancy motor, I want a big fat hunk of industrial grade power plant  -- no fooln', Chrome don;t make it better and I don;t care to spend money on that stuff!  Hey, you  can do that, what we do is make no fooln' solid power plants for one thing, for one purpose and for one vehicle--- and that's it!  Thanks to all who have had faith in our program, it's all brought us to where we are today.   If you can't learn as you progress there's something wrong so our program today has been built on the shoulders of our past and today I feel we are at a point where our engines are the thing to have.  Motors are NOT all created equal, all you can expect in getting a motor for your classic GMC is one built to do the job from folks who have the background to say and give you a drive train that will do the job.  We take every precaution needed to assure these machines do as perscribed.  If you want an actual "dyno run" with a printout, great.  it costs @ $500 to do that.  If a motor is built to spec, parts verified , machine work documented and the build done by someone who truly knows whats going on and then operation checked you WIll have what you want.  If you like, we can prove it!  These are the realities of motor building.  We have another motor about ready to test, call me if you are interested.

Spent a pile of time this morning talking about our Co-op/Koba roller cam motors, sorry but I just feel it's that important.  Yesterday George brought back in his cute little, and I do mean little 20' Argosy for a new digital TV antenna.  What a great journey George has started, he picked up this machine for him and his dog "Jack" to do all the things they've not had the chance to do .  Getting close to 70, he said I want to get out there before I can't.  Loaded with fishing rods, he hears the call of the water and will fish his way across the country-- good luck guys.  I'm jelous and how bout that 20' motorhome!  Has a 454 Chevy drive train, a 4500 watt generator with everything on the interior including a rear bath!  In great shape, he's learning more about his new home every day.  If you see George hanging out at a park or a truck stop, go over and make him feel at home because he's out there doing something he wants to do and isn;t that what it's all about?

Picked up the Duramax coach after it's 3 day exhaust operation.  Past that hurdle, we're off and running bringing this coach to the road.  It's gonna be great!

Today we fire up our Co-op/Koba motor, the coach owner will fly in Sunday evening to be a part of the excitement.  Monday we'll run it for him on the ground and then we plow it with a Manny tranny into his awesome Explorer II GMC.  This will be a road monster for sure and am I proud--- you betcha!  This is what it's all about guys.  Want one for your very own, come on down and lets go for it!  Gotta go, the day is on and as my phone on Pandora plays "American Pie" I think I'm ready to go.  Now Pandora plays John Denver's "Country Road".   I mean how more ready can I get for a quality day!  A clear blue sky, heat starting to register hot, hot, hot and I'm out to take hold of this Friday and make it my own.  Give a shot at making this day yours too...

7.21.11

"Wheel Stop" was the last procedural report from Mission Control as Atlantis landed and took it's place in history.  I was hovering over my bowl of Cheerios with Danzig, the family cat, sprawled on the tile floor in the kitchen when the double sonic booms startled us for the last time.  Living in Orlando, if the shuttle landed at Kennedy we always heard and felt that every time the shuttle came in, that's gone forever.  Forever being a pretty long time, this time this morning had to make an impact.  It feels like we should have done something more about this day, I'm sure they will over at the space center-- do something as they punch out for the last time.  What a bitter/sweet day.  Lets not forget this.

I heard a statistic just as I pulled into the shop on NPR, said the cost of running the shuttle program was more than they ever imagined-- I can validate that situation, happens to me alote too.  They reported that it cost @  $10,000 to get 1 pound of coffee to the ISS!  It's a good thing I don't drink coffee and I am sure in the future things will go through an economic filter before being done.  The shuttle had to succeed at all cost-- and that it did.  It's always that way on things done for the first time, they always require more of everything.  Not trying to use this as a smooth transition relating to things we do here, truly it does ring true. 

Yesterday evening Tom & I went over to Ben's muffler shop to again collect the Duramax coach from another day of exhaust fabrication.  Not done yet, I look at this like going to the dentist where he has to button you up to sleep off his construction so you could come back the next day to dig deeper.  We can;t leave the coach at  Ben's, security requires more consideration.  So this morning we will take the coach back for hopefully the final session.  Pulling up to the muffler shop again, there was a small crowd just hanging out at the back with Ben throwing sparks from his welder.  Pride swelled in my chest as I jumped out of the Suzuki heading directly to the scene of the excitement.  Looking up into the back of the coach, I could see what all the hubub was about.  .  About as far away from "stock" as you could get, we're running out of real estate under the coach, the single rear mounted original Workhorse muffler for the Duramax motor and the big ole muffler for the 1 cylinder Kubota diesel marine generator has to go somewhere, and as you can see Ben is the right man for the job.  You can see the final holding tank, we still have a maserator to mount up but before that we need to tuck in these pipes and we're close to done with that.  One more session and we're there.  Just a moment needs to be spent to describe Ben and for that matter, the team that has put this "shuttle" together.  It started with a perfect concept-- the baddest on the planet.  It first took a customer who said "go for it".  From there the clouds formed and the rains started.  One impossible thing after another, like the shuttle program, coming up with solutions to those impossibilities we discovered things never considered and spent money never considered as well.  This machine represents so many people doing there best I can hardly thank all of those that went into it's manufacture.  Ben is one of the team, I feel the relationships I have forged with professionals like Ben make all the difference.  Thank you Ben, you are truly the man!  

As soon as the drugs wear off and we get the coach back in the bay, the final fabrication will hopefully come together-- stay tuned. 

Got it figured out, you know it was operator error, all I had to do is hit "menu" and with that Pandora fired up on my smart phone.  It's that way with most of the technology of today.  If you know what button to push you're in there.  Just one more breakthrough and I can sit here, plunk on this lap top, talk to you guys while free music fills the room-- my music, musoc I would want to hear if in the past I was lucky.  Today it just happens-- man has technology given us everything we want or what!  If now is any indication of what is waiting for us in the future, what awesome things are ahead for us?  Of course that is if we can keep the world economy from imploding.  Our business and the interest in the GMC has been steady even through all of this economic upheaval.  So as Pandora asks me if I like the Dave Mathews song playing, I have to say yes which records the style of music that I like.  So the wheels are turning in the background as I sit here and just listen to the music, I think it's that way about many things we do.  They used to call it "Big Brother" is watching.  Heck, he's no longer watching, he's manipulating us all!  Taking ZDDP out of out oils, adding Ethanol in our fuels, inspecting everything we do to be sure we are not hurting ourselves or anyone else-- face it, we lost that battle with that family member.  Might as well just recognize this and live with it.  Hail the great shuttle, it's now gone-- gone just like many other things we used to take for granted.  We either accept it or just roll over and lock the gate, these things are here to stay.

So today starts of with the demise of the shuttle, everyone we see today heard and felt the sonic booms of it's swan song, my guess is when anyone says hello around here today, the shuttle program will be a subject of comment today.  "Job well done" people will now forget the cost and replace that with "we did it" and thats the comment that will last.  Staggering numbers of cost, it worked and we did it so it was not a waste.  Pioneering ideas always has it's price.

Kevin is laying out clear today, a good rain free day, we have high hopes on that.  the rest of the guys are also on a roll, I have high hopes on having a productive Thursday.  Come back tomorrow and lets see what happens.  Please honor the space program, tell someone how you appreciated how the shuttle changed out lives forever.  "Wheel Stop" is the ending of the beginning and as Pandora plays "If you could read my mind"-- how timely!  "I don;t know what went wrong but the feelings gone and I just can't get it back".  Holy crap, thats it, there is 'after' and we need to spend the rest of our lives to find the way home.

Going to take a rest on my sofa in the waiting room a few minutes to reflect on this morning and get ready to push past this apex of history.  Thanks for dropping by, go hug your coach, fire the thing up and take a run if nothing more than around the block and put yourself in the command seat of Atlantis because you can look at your coach as a testiment of that technology-- heck the front of the coach even looks like the shape of the shuttle-- both are based on that era's technology, we're thirty something too!  Ok, enough-- lets get to work, see ya tomorrow... 

7.20.11

Even with a layer of dirt on it from sitting under the awning getting worked on, the Duramax 26' coach looks impressive and then it was out on the road   After all that work, trial and error.  After years of saying "I think I can, I think I can", after dreams and the disasters that come along attempting something so bold as putting a GMC on a new chassis, it's running!  Of course this red letter event could not go without unexpected results.  The speedometer is reading off which kicked in the speed governor but the coach made it to Ben's muffler shop and up in the air the Duramax went for it's noise control    Ben does my work, all of my muffler work because he is the best.  The coach seemed to like being here, "Mr. Demill, I'm ready for my close up" I think I heard him say.   Ben worked all day but did not finish so I went over to collect the critter, pulling up there were 6 people just hanging around looking at the coach up in the air   I thought maybe there was something going on, may be a party or something.  No, they said, we're just looking at this thing--"What is it anyway?"  I have a feeling Raymond will have to spend a bit more time at the service station just to answer questions!  Brought the coach back to the shop and plan on taking it back over to Ben for the generator exhaust today.  I'll do pics  for ya.

I was corrected by a "Revconner" this morning, this Revcon looks big because it IS big!  I checked the plaque under the mirror bracket and sure nuff, it said "King 33"-- THIS THING ISN'T 30' LONG, IT'S 33'!  .  It seems that the coach enjoyed it's bubble bath and the outcome was an even more impressive vintage machine.  Our goal on the exterior is to refinish the rocker panels satin black, also black out the inverted front wheel flare then reseal the windows.  I think this thing should really turn some heads blowing down the road.  Stay tuned as we dress her up a bit.

The verbage I laid down yesterday about our wander lust for seeking out unique driving experiences was not complete, there is another most unique machine we're lending ourselves to produce.  Check out this Westfalia bus   Sorry, a terrible pic but I think you can get the idea.  Doyle picked up this beauty from the left coast and wanted more than just another hippie bus.  I had 2 of these in my past and always wanted to ramp up the features of one.  We have added a Honda EU series 2K watt generator on the front bumper as you can see, it sports a full 30 amp electrical system with transfer switch-- the works.  It will have a full fresh water system with a water heater and shower set.  It has a 11,000 BTU Pinguin roof AC unit, power converter, etc.  This is the bus I always wanted to build and we're doing one now-- very cool and much fun to put together.  "Another Dream is Alive"!  Hang around to see how this critter trims out.

It was a day of renewed beginnins yesterday on several fronts Jeff S. called with a pick up date of his machine of next month so after a year of waiting in the wings to get on the schedule, this machine got fired up and pulled from the storage lot for it's own bubble bath      The coach had previously been stationed here in Orlando as a UCF, Fighting Knights tail gate party bus with us maintaining it for close to a decade before it's purchase on Ebay.  It will need some TLC but I have a strong feeling that Jeff will take it home to the San Francisco area and do just that.  "The longer they sit, the worse they get" so it's time to get this puppy out of the hole and back on the road.   We get the pleasure of bringing the coach up to a ready state for the run home to California so stay tuned as I know Jeff will and watch the ramp up process.

So why won't my "Droid" phone pick up Pandora all the time?  Some days I sit here in the office listening to that awesome music source and it's great then other days like today I push the button and all I get is a black screen!  Does that mean it rains some days up there in the cloud?  Do you need a healthy cumulous cloud above you to get Pandora or are the Gods just playing with me!  Hey, we've gotten to the point that truly magic today really is "smoke and mirrors"-- well how bout "clouds and reflective paint".  Hey, the camera still works though you have to hold it really still.  Inquiring minds want to know and if you do have an idea why this thing will not work on Pandora some days can you let me know?

So today, the Duramax coach goes back to bens for "session II" of it's pipework, we're ripping the carpet up in the Revcon coach, we're knocking off the dirt dobbers nests in Jeff's "Green Hornet" (I think it's the unique stripe that shouted that name out)-- and the beat goes on.

Looks like Omar is going to pitch in on Mark's coach interior, thanks man for the help .  Omar "the tent maker" is our upholstery guy, used to build up tour buses from decommissioned Greyhound buses, a very exacting guy.  It's great to have him on the team-- good show, we're coming back together around here.  We also have Mike U. back, John and an engineer guy named "Weizel" with Rusty rounding out the team is bringing us new life.  Keep her comin guys!

Finally today I wanted to show you another race we have going on.  We're having a string of dry hot day, that sounds like bad news to many but for Kevin, our paint guy, it's a time to "get-r-done"!  He's at the stripe lay out on Joe's coach now   As you can see, when doing stripes to be under the clear coat, the stripe base color goes on-- then the stripe pay out bags that color and the main white of the body will go on.  If you ever see a paint job not done in this manner, mark down that painter as not knowing his trade well.  Yea, those are my feet propped up there in this pic while Kevin's wife Margie helps Kevin by bagging the stripes.  You might now be thinking, "Dang Jim, how can you sit there while work is being done"?  Hey, after coming in to work before dawn, as the sun sets, my energy is long gone!  I'm getting too old to just "damn the Torpedos" any more!  10 years ago, bout Kevin's age BTW, I could down a case of Red Bull and let-r-go, I'm just not wrapped tight enough anymore-- it's sad but true, the heat down here linked with the 4 hour sleep cycle I seem to have fallen in to simply creates gaps in my energy levels.  Hey, it will hit Kevin one day too, but for now he's rockn' so who am I to stand in his way of whipping himself out!  In many ways, Kevin is like me so who am I to slow him down, it will happen some day  by itself so until the wall comes up and hit him I'll let him enjoy himself.  Ya know, if this job were easy, they would do it at Jiffy Lube!  No disrespect to oil change places but hey, it takes a certain crazy person to do this sort of stuff day in and out.

OK, so I've got John, Mike and now Kevin has showed up, it's great to have helping hands around here!  Thanks you guys for letting me lean on you a bit blowing some of this stuff out of my noggin, it helps to get this stuff out.  The sun is up and the heat is on so it's time to say "Happy Trails", I hope you enjoyed watching our battles here at the Co-op, stay tuned for more and lets make this day all it can be...

7.19.11

Big news today, I hope to run the Duramx 26' to Bens for muffler work  Big time, this is a milestone!  I'll do pics, the first time off the sidewalk, we already have built "big Dog" who is off the porch-- this is so much more that "that.  Stay tuned for pics!

Had a guy post me to ask what kind of demented mind it took to get deeply involved in a GMC.  Man, now that's a loaded question!  You do not need to be a rocket scientist, nor do you need to be a motor head, but those things do not hurt.  You need to understand these are vintage machines so as such you need to listen to them, give them what they call for and think through issues.  Having imagination and a relaxed disposition also helps.  You need to remember *&^% does happen and sometimes "megga (*&^  happens so you need to be able to "roll with it'. 

It's also a good thing to be able to breath outside of the box.  make it work, do what you need to, understand the options and make decisions based on the best all around solution-- if you fix it for today, it will break tomorrow.  Don't get in a dead heat to do something the cheapest way possible-- yes, price is a serious consideration but forst decide which is the "best " way for performance and maintenance then plug in the cost factor--- and like I said, think outside the box!

Another passtime for folks that have this stuff will certainly spill out to other stuff--- aircraft enthusiasts really fit in.  There are many of you guys out there, mechanics fit, engineers, hot rodders, motor heads, bikers and just people who get into things they do.  In that direction, let me show you my "new and improved" bicycle:

Here is my "Road Worrier" electric--      The front wheel is a 36 volt brushed hub motor powered by 6 (countm) 12 amp hour SLA decommissioned computer back up batteries supplied by Bob H.-- thanks man.  It has it's charger on boars, a 45 amp PD Dynamics 12 volt motorhome charge-- we charge in 12 volts, run in 36 volts.    We have an electrical infrastructure (hey Steve F., I wonder where John got his bike wonderment!) with an ignition key, volt meter testing, GPS system running on 12 volts, and connection system for charging using a 7 pole trailer harness.  I particularly like the riders view of the console .  The handle bar controls are fun too All  in all, the rig will take me back and forth to work at @ 20 mph.  The doc said I needed "exercise", can't really understand that-- we run around out here like those little black *&^% ants all day.  I just can't blow time at 10 mph riding a bike, but pulling me as 20 mph, I can pedal up another 5 mph and now we can get something done.  Life at 25mph using no fuel works for me!        The bike sports a 7 speed "Nexus" rear hub for pedaling, at 20 mph, speed 7 gives you 25 mph at normal pedaling.  So thats the sort of stuff I do from midnight to 4AM! .  Yes, it could be better, I could spend big bucks on hot shot batteries, I could use a lighter frame but this is what we have, the price is right and maybe that's the point I am making for your GMC.  You need to balance cost, serviceability and the purpose.  It all has to match.  My son uses a 4 cycle gas motor that pulls him faster at 150 mpg-- a very cool rig but in Arizona you can run a gas motor on a bike, Florida you cannot.  Again, fit the use to what can be done.   Whenever you look at things yu are doing on your coach, don;t just do things the cheapest way, do them the best.  Cheap will always cost you more in the end, the "best" means the best price, use and performance for the need.  I'm thinking about putting the "ape hangers" back on the bike it came with   would be double tough to pedal but man, what a rake!  Tell me what your think.  I also have "mini rakes"

OK, enough of the frivolity, I've got people out there working, we have the Duramax coach out and ready to go to Bens for it's muffler work, I'll do pics.  Gotta go, thanks for dropping by...

7.18.11

Another Monday with high hopes of a productive week  Hey, you have to start there to be able to get anything done!  This weekend was filled with at least getting one machine off the property.  Joff's new toy, his 23' Birchaven rear bath coach got it's act together after some last minute issues that got solved Saturday   A good looker, a "survivor" not restored still the coach is ready to go.  Alcoas he picked up from Jerry P. used, new Nexen shoes trued & balanced and a good wash job are what you can see.  Under that skin we have the fuel system reworked, one of our new distributors, all new brakes, exh gaskets, oil dip stick tube, oil and filter change.  Looks like Joff & Sally will be making next season's rally schedule in style!

Sunday morning I got up early to do a drive test to Kissimmee, pulled the Suzuki as added stress (well, really not that much)   The test went well so a wash job and it was ready to go.  Hey, while I was already wet, I really get into my work on a wash job, I pulled Larry out to get wet too.  Sitting out there in the back 40 for months is no good for him.  He thanked me by cleaning up nice .  Man, I hope soon we can get Fire Fight back up and running.  When we do, you guys need to really consider fire suppression for your coach.  You know it's true, you don't miss something until you no longer have it and having fire suppression options is truly one of those things.  Guys come on, you just should not go out on the open road without some sort of fire measures-- there's just no other way to say that.  There was a good reason my brain told me to get involved with Ralph and his awesome products-- just didn't understand how important it all was until we had all of this mess.  I've seen too many coaches burn, just don;t want it to be yours.

OK, also this weekend we got jiggy with this monster   Rewired the living area electrical system to 50 amp service, replaced the pitiful original 30 amp breaker box  with a home style panel , dumped the old glass fuse 12 volt panel for this ATC panel and a new 45 amp PD dynamics converter   Replaced the furnace with a new digital Attwood, a new LP/AC water heater and topped the coach off (no pun there) with 2 new Pinguine low profile roof AC units.  Heck, just doing that made the beast truly "long-- low and fat"!      One look at the monster Onan Troll and I figured I would be living with this thing but a quick check out, replacing the locked up electric fuel pump and that bugger fired up bad gas and all! Chris, please take this in a positive way-- what a beast!  Man, is there a difference in 26 and 30 feet!  A little massaging of the paint and this will be a real head turner!  Stay tuned for finals on this one.

I tell ya, with the 26' Duramax, the 25' "car hauler" GMC, Mark's flare job and then Larry with his flame job you'd think we were building some strange machines here!  hey, we are!  The GMC is strange to most people, we're just extending the definition a bit.  OK, a lote! 

Here is is 5PM, just able to finish todays "pose", for for taking so much time but hey, that's the way it is around here.  See ya tomorrow...

7.16.11

Been wild and wooly lately being short handed, trying to keep up the pressures and dodging rain drops every afternoon really takes it out of you.  The back lot is being invaded by the weeds .  We are pulling weeds like mad men, it's almost paranoia trying to keep up with it, have Rusty taking on the task-- what a trooper   A really thankless job.  No drought here, the river is rising through the lot .  Kevin is pancho prepared wiping off the droplets of joy .  Today I'm starting life working on this monster Revcon rewiring the 110vac and 12 vdc panels .  The idea for this machine is to update the appliances, roof AC's.  The front 1 is already been swapped to a low profile Pinguine heat pump.  The rear Coleman will occupy the dumpster as soon as the 11,00 BTU Pinguine comes in.  With the beat up roof pod and mangled aldder off, with the low profile stuff on the top this vintage machine will take on a new fresh look.  Stay tuned for the outcome.

Got in our back order for the brass brake combination valves .  On the shelf right next t our custom Telfon liner brake hoses, give me a call if you are in need of one of these combination valves.  I have found that the "wild card" in doing brake system rebuilding was this regulator.  The original one is made of steel that rusts up badly on the inside.  It's such an important part to make the brakes work, most people would realize better brakes installing one of these.  Coming here, you will have to force me to not install one.  They are $89. 

So as it turns out, I am doing this backwards, I get up here early each morning, the temps are livable but I sit here in the office plunking here, then bout now , 9 AM, I pry myself out to go to work just in time to catch the door to the blast furnace opening-- rats, oh well, here we go!  I gotta get out there.  Have Rusty putting in body pads on Larry.  Hey, "plumbers pipes always leak", my fuel and air lines were being crushed.  Can't afford to take the time but I also can't afford to let those hoses to get crushed-- so there it is.  There are several issues we are understanding that must be done to keep our classic coach on the road.  Body pads is one of them.  These new pads reduce the cost of getting good pads for your coach from $75 down to $50-- they are a deal and a better "mouse trap" solution.  Give me a call if you want to tackle this project.  If you wanna know if you need them, look at your frame just behind the rear wheels, look and see if the brake and air lines are not being crushed on top of the frame.  If you have original body pads, betcha your lines are at risk-- it's all up to you...     

Have a great weekend, I'm off to the hot box, see ya later.  Call if I can help....

Update

Thanks to Paul B. from here in town, here are the first 2 pics from my new Droid phone Lets see how they compare  cut-n-paste to see the lot.

Over and out for now...

7.13.11

Wow, time has been flying!  So much happening, I feel like I'm bouncing from one side to the other.  This morning, lets spend a little time, got several things to show ya and talk about.  First, Joff I'm sure wonders what his new bundle of joy is looking like.  So here, Joffry gets new shoes   As 23' rear bath Birchaven-- a nice machine made better with new fuel system, brakes, frame repair and now some refinished Alcoas and Nexen rubbers-- trued and balanced Joff is back in the pocket, after letting his 26' GMC go in favor of an awesome Country Coach he still had the bug.  Hey, lets make this 23 a towd!

Been through a big change in my life this past week-- yea it finally happened and I saw it happen.  After a pile of years lugging around my "flip phone", keeping the crank and some starter fluid in my back pocket-- I saw the screen reduce to a black screen as I dripped sweat on it from my nose standing in the trim bay last week on a sweltering day just before the rains moved in.  I went into the office, told Janie to put on her good dress-- we're going down to look at cell phones!  Went down to the phone folks-- told m we were paying $52 a month each for 2 phones and we did not want to spend much more than that but I really felt we were ready to break into the new "smart phone" world.  Walked outa that place with a couple of "Droids" for @ $25 more a month-- guys, for those that have done it are smiling right now-- for those that haven;t as yet and feel all you need is the ole flip phone by your side--- go get a new phone!  Hey, not to keep up the the Jones-- no-- do it to make your life better!  I felt I would be the last guy drug from my normally aspirated motorhome, drinking Coke from a glass bottle-- talking on my flip phone as people giggled at me.  As Will Smith once said, "I gotta get me one of these!".  This Droid deal really does it all, here it is plugged into the office lap top-- both of them talking together having a good ole time   I have internet access, a camera (as soon as I can figure out how to download the pics, Email, GPS turn by turn navigation, Pandora any time I want, TV news, a super bright LED flashlight, heck it's even a really nice phone too!  It goes with me anywhere, the battery will last 5 hours-- I mean for $25 more a month--- sign me up and I can see the more I mess with it the handier it will be.  In the motorhome, I have music, movies all the time-- driving or sitting, I have a great GPS system so not my Tom Tom will strap down to the bike-- I tell ya it's an awesome improvement for our GMC for the road.  I'll stop on this but really, technology today really is improving our lives, get with it and go see your phone folks and listen to whats available today.  Now, when you call my cell phone just know you are talking through my "Droid".  You know how I am with names of things, meet my "brain", just bought a new one and I think it does a better job than my old one-- brain that is.  Now if I could just figure out how to get it to push the lawn mower...

OK, back to the business, Tom has been stuffed up under Mark's front end now for a while doing something really cool , heck he even brought his dog down to keep him from getting lonely!  What's he doing in there?  Check it out, an adjustable air front suspension system .  And just like most other stuff we do for the first time, there were some "adjustments" to be made as we discovered how to build this up.  Got the mondo new rim and tire Mark picked out on the coach, yep there were clearance issues there too but it's now in.  We'll need to plumb in air delivery to the system but it's in and operational.  Check out the profile of Mark's machine     .  Now ready for the trip back over to Walter and the "bad boy" paint job we go.  This coach will be nothing but cool-- cutting edge.  And as soon as Walter finishes his magic we'll be finishing on the interior-- can't wait!

OK, on to another project, the prep and paint work for Joe's coach   Kevin and margie, his wife, were working together sanding the front hood panels for primer then paint when Margie notice that the red paint was pealing as she sanded.  She took a razor blade and look what happened   The colored finish has not bonded to the primer coach put on for the last repaint.  The original paint was no good as a "bite" surface coming off in sheets like this   paint is not supposed to do this.  Kevin said whoever painted this coach last used lacquer primer.  Of course a single stage acrylic paint will not "stick: to lacquer primer and here is the proof   The paint on both doors pealed off! Kevin backed up and tested then had to scrape other sections of the body to keep the new paint from pealing off.  The new paint will stick to the old paint but with the old paint not sticking to it's primer, pretty soon the new paint would have flaked off.  hey, it's what you have to do with situations like this.  Hey, just another day in paradise!    Stay tuned, Kevin is closing in on color on Joe's coach.

I tell ya the heat and rain down here this time of the season is brutal , Tom has found his way of dealing with it all   Man, now that's a hard worker!  The day is on, everyone is here so I need to get going.  Thanks for dropping by, great things are happening here so thanks for your support.  Go get a smart phone, Nelso-- you were right, I really did need one of those thing!  Everyone have a great day now...

7.8.11

The passing of the torch Got word this morning that Bernd in Germany has sold his coach to a new "happy camper" and here is the changing of the plates all the way from Europe   Man, how bout that rear bumper?  Bernd carried his scooter up there among other things.  As you can see that "young blood" is now in the drivers seat of this machine as is happening not only in Europe but here as well.  All excited, the new owner is wanting to know everything about his new toy so I bet he'll be calling on us as Bernd did for info and parts. 

Guys, you really have to be an enthusiast to support a GMC overseas, I mean think about it.  That's like trying to drive some obscure eastern block car here in the states!  So if you think you are nuts about the GMC, just think of these folks!

Rained much of the day yesterday which means we need to peddle harder today.  We have the front suspension back on Mark H. coach.  If you will remember thats the standard body and frame sporting the Duramax ground effects.  That doesn't sound like a big deal until you understand that the coach now has an adjustable front--- yest front--- suspension now!    We need this for the ground effects to clean on a rough road.  Rough road--- this coach will end up living in North Canada where "off the grid" is a way of life! This new adjustable front suspension will be a very important thing to Mark.  So next week it's back to Walter and the finishing of the awesome paint finish that's planned.  Here is the rendered drawing of the paint scheme   Bling Bling will have a new play mate  .  This is a level of finish not seen often but one we can and do perform for those interested.  It makes for interesting work here, we deal with a modest up to something like this resotartion and do our best on each.  I feel it's important to be able to swap hats to whatever the customer is interested in.  Don;t try and compare the cost of machines such as this to most coaches on the road.  Yes, this level of restoration is up there but thats the great thing about the GMC-- the coach can support such a refined finish.  Don;t forget we also have the Duramax coach trimming out and will be hitting the road soon   Another "pushing the limit" of where a GMC has been-- these coaches, I feel, will expose many to just how cool the GMC really is and can be.  You may say ,"I can;t afford to do that to my coach" and I understand that.  But isn;t it great you cen show others just what is possible with this classic machine.  I am so proud of bringing coaches like this to the road, they are a handful to product-- many people say we are nuts to even consider building up machines such as this-- hey but isn't that where our mind goes when it looks for excitement.  As the song says "Mamma always said never look at the sun --but Mamma, that's where the fun is".  I don;t know if I could do this work day after day without this form of excitement so know we're here doing this stuff--- hell or high water!

OK, I've got tires to true, we'll talk to ya later-- thanks for the visit, I hope it was enjoyable...

7.7.11

Short time this morning have so many things happening around here but I wanted to at least catch you up with a few things.

This is something very important to me, we do this here at the Co-op for much more than money-- I know that sounds just too altruistic but it's true.  You could not work this hard just for the monitary gain, there has to be more and the pride in the finished product and how it improve the life of the owner and of the coach itself is a gratification born from truly caring.  This concept will get a LOL from many, that's fine with me.  "You can't show something to those that cannot see" and understanding that it only drive me to push harder for those that can.  Just such a couple are Tom & Marilyn S..  Their drive home to Oregon was not without problems.  Somewhere out there--- way out there on the road they lost their LF hub.  They did the right thing, they callud upon their support network-- they got safe and called me.  I talked with their mechanic for the day, an amiable fellow-- We built up a complete assemble, shipped it overnite up to the small shop out on the black strand (yea, UPS will probably send us a Christmas card but hey, so what).  The coach was repaired and yesterday they arrived home safe.  He's going to load up the other hub assembly and send it to us to make sure the other wheel does not meet the same fate.  I got word via Email this morning their journey ended in success and along with the post was a pic of the coach in a very different place than where we are.  .  Man, that pic brought a tear to my eye!  Damn, what a good looking machine and they will get their worth out of it.  He said they are scheduled to pull a float in a parade come up with the coach-- awesome-- and don;t you think folks will look at it and be impressed?  Guys, THIS is what it's all about!  The coach had not been named as far as I can remember when it left here.  I feel names are important, they may already have some name for the coach, other than &^^%#@@! -- I hope so but looking at this pic, "Western Flyer" comes to my mind.  The coach will hail from Oregon and the striping give the feeling of motion.  My Western Flyer bike was my first road rocket, it made me very happy which I know this machine makes them happy-- so if there are no other names for this coach, "The Western Flyer" does it for me.

OK, that said, we have more awesome machines in the wings getting ready to fly.  It's supposed to rain today, we can deal with that-- I have "water wings".  For those of you interested in seeing Fire Fight dire suppression products again available, I may have some good new coming.  Many times, you don;t know how much you needed something until it's no longer available-- I feel such is the thing with reasonably priced fire suppression solutions for your "mobile campfire" .  Fire Fight products really answers these questions and hopefully soon we all will again have the chance to protect ourselves, our friends and our GMC investment.  Don;t miss your best chance to do something great, stay tuned here and when you hear orders are being taken-- do not hesitate, Fire Fight will need your support and trust me when I say your coach needs Fire Fight support!  Do not hesitate when you hear you can get fire suppression for your coach.  I feel strongly about this so please help Fire Fight when you hear the word-- it's the best thing you can do for yourself and for your friends.       

OK, as much as I like the central AC in the office, I need to get outa here.  Have a great day, come back again, we have new things happening all the time.  BTW, we are now shipping our  (original)  (new)   Gotta tell ya guys, this is a "paperclip" sort of thing your coach I bet could benifit from greatly.  You need the 1/2" gap between the body & frame for the brake, air, fuel and LP lines, without it you are crushing these important lines.  Our kit tkaes the investment of body pads from $75 down to $50 so hey, what are you waiting for!  Have one of our paperclips on your coach.  Call me and we'll help you get this part helping your coach.

OK, that's it, I really gotta go.  The landlord is here trying to figure out how to keep our warehouse dry, everyone I have here (short handed but hey, what else can I do) are all here so I need to get out there and call the plays.  Thanks for the visit, we'll see ya soon...

7.6.11

Guess I should have expected that after a great weekend like there was here in Florida that it would not be easy to get the shop cranked back up That's what I hate about knocking things off, sometimes I think if it weren't for weekends and holidays we could really get something done!  Then I'm reminded how slave like a world like that would be so I guess we need to recognized the "manufactured downtime" excuses and just roll with it all.  Kevin & I were the only ones who showed for work yesterday, hearing your own voice and that of the radio made for it's own sort of depression.  OK, today is today and maybe someone will spin the propeller for me and we can get this lumbering aircraft off the ground!

John B. rolled in late in the evening from a straight shot from Destin in the pan handle.  John and Marie came down from Canada on a grand trip to see the last shuttle liftoff.  Jumping out of the coach on arrival I didn;t have to say "how was the trip", John looked at me with an exhausted, tired look and said "vapor lock".  John is running a throttle body fuel injection system but even with that he said the motor was certainly starving for fuel all the way.  Said he checked with a heat gun the temp of his fuel tanks when the issues occured and found 141 deg. F. temps. of the botom of his tanks.  Spraying water onto the tanks solved the issue for a time until the heat came back.  Seems like he has a line on something going on, it will be interesting throwing him up on the lift to see what else may be effecting his fuel delivery system.  I tell ya guys, this ethanol laced fuel is throwing our coaches this summer into a tailspin!  Had another report from Butch D. up in Mpls. that he found a solution for his direct port FI system and the vapor lock issues he had.  Turned out the heated fuel was actually boiling inside the injectors mounted on the fuel rails in the direct ported system causing a misfire.  He ran a 3" duct up to the top of his motors linked to a bilge blower fan to move cooler air up on top of the motor.  Brilliant!  But you know it's sad to think that a high dollar fuel system like the one he has fitted relies upon a simple bilge fan to keep it running--- just sad!

Oh well, we will have a little "search and destroy" mission on John's coach this morning-- that is if we have a mechanic on duty!  Hey, I'll just have to deal with it myself I guess.  It's sad that many of us could do so much more if we could just get people to help out.  I guess you can only do what you can...

I just strapped on my camera with the mission to take pics.  Yesterday, I forgot to put it on and in that I was running around so much I really did not have a chance to do any pics, sorry.  I'll do better today.

Gotta go, John just showed up, that's one here-- maybe that will set a trend!  See ya later, and don;t worry about the verdict in the Casey thing, I still feel out court system is the best in the world...

7.5.11

I hope you did something special for the 4th yesterday janie & I had a great getaway to the beach ending up last night at the Ormond Beach fireworks display at the Casements with the show out in the Intercoastal Waterway.  Sitting there in our chairs, a cool breeze blowing listening to a real American band, I say real because it was sort of bad music wrapped up in loudness which many there could appreciate sporting a good sized hangover-- I could not help but notice one family sitting on a blanket next to us.  They were "foreign" and when I say that I mean heck, we were all immigrants  well mostly at some time but these folks were definitely first generation over from somewhere in the middle east.  There young son was extremely well mannered sitting there no fidgeting like the youngster on a blanket in front of them.  They were all genuinely excited to be there but very cautious to not make a scene.  When the fireworks started the kid went bolistic, you could tell he had never seen such a display.  Bet the older kids saw and heard the fireworks which may have reminded them of other places where sights and noises like that meant something very different.  The Dad was dressed in fine slacks and pressed shirt, had is sandles off with bare feet them all just enjoying the show like everyone else.  But was it like everyone else, seemed to me most of the people around us looked on at the show as something expected, something that always happened and something they experienced as common.  Have we gotten to the point that we take all these freedoms we have as common, expected and nothing unusual?  I will tell you every time I looked over at that family all I saw was them looking at the show as something never seen.  Hey, they all could have been born here, I didn;t take a pole or ask to see their green cards and they did not have to show them because we all have the right to sit on that grassy spot under a cool evening sky and not have to worry about a thing save getting through the crowds to the car to leave when that comes up.  There are many places that you would probably have many things go through your head as you would watch a fireworks display like-- are those fireworks or machine gun reports-- should I run for cover and are those people next to me friendlies or bad guys.  I guess it's all relative but man do we have it made here in America, in our little world each of us has made for ourselves.  I've never gotten a passport, have never been challenged as to my nationality and never been through a lineup unless you count the TSA patdown because I determined I wanted to put myself in harms way to fly a commercial airliner.  This really is an unique place of freedom, The United States-- "We the People" have made it what it is and I sure hope that we the people can keep this place fro  harm.  Everything reats to the "bell curve" in market life-- fashion, product life, trends and everything.  When a product or  business "tops out" in sales, it's up to those in charge to reinvent that concern to keep it in public demand, it's that way with everything and my bet is it is that way also in popularity of countries.  We need to keep America great, we should not take for granted what we have-- there is a reason we give money and support to about every other country on the face of the earth-- because we can and should try to help when we can.  It hurts and somethimes does not seem to makes sense sometimes when we, ourselves are hurting from things like the economy, layoffs in work, energy costs and all that but hey, I'd be happy to wrooy about stuff like that then how close my house was to a checkpoint where home made bombs are detonated without provocation or the door of my house could be broken down in the middle of the night and I'm taken to a small room and "interrogated" until I tell them what they want to hear.  Yea, this weekend was both a wakeup call, a reminder that we are so far up the food chain that we sometimes forget all those struggling to just have food to eat and a place to sit.

The rest of the weekend, I'm regressing from the end of it back, was also thought provoking.  Driving up to Ormond from Orlando in my open, noisey, bumpy and slow Suzuki was a treat for me.  it has to be a "fingers on your forehead" sort of experience.  "I can;t drive 55" takes on a new meaning when driving that machine.  As usual as I am going up A1A I look over in a small RV park on the beach to see if I see a GMC in the midst-- WOW, there's one!  It was Bob H. and Donna-- Donna is this years prez of the Sunshine Statesmen club.  I whipped the cart around and had a great visit with them.  Hey, the farther I get from the Co-op I still can't do but be around a GMC.  That evening we all had dinner together, a great time away.  Sunday morning I got up early as I always do, some things just never change, hopped up into the Suzuki for an early morning ride down the "Volusia Loop", a scenes drive through the brackish marshes, along the beach on A1A where time really seems to have stood still for the past few decades.  Looking along the road just to see what I could see there were marshes, all sorts od birds, a big ole turtle lumbering along and then wait-- what was that-- it was a GMC!  Yep, I whipped around to find a family of 4 from Tallahassee hunkered down on a lot for sale-- a 78 23' Birchaven-- a "survivor" doing it's thing for that group.  The Dad had purchased the coach bout  a year ago and he with his family were just happy campers whith their little piece of freedom out just going for it.  Look at that, again, the more I try and get away, the more it comes back to me!

Dad thought at first I might be the property owner looking to boot them from their perch but after I squelched their fears we had a great meeting, I gave dad my card which he did not know of any "GMC community".  Can you dig that, he had a coach and had no idea of the support group he had to help him with his coach?  He was shocked when I told him about what we do, how the Co-op could help him and how many other GMC owners there were out there.  I tell ya guys, similar to the niche us Americans have carved out for ourselves in this crazy mixed up world, the GMC community is a niche all to themselves similar in that I feel we too may take for granted what we have and how many freedoms we enjoy because of simply being involved.

Yes, I had a great holiday away from things but still right in the middle of it all.  This morning I'm sitting again at my desk, back in the saddle looking forward to a hot day full of hard work-- man, I can;t wait to get going!  It will be another action packed week with all we have going on at the shop plus all the other drama I have to deal with.  I'll do my best to do my best, loive each day like I know I should and I hope I don;t forget the realities I found this great holiday weekend.  I hope you holiday was a good one, with all that's going on in this world we really need time away from it to reflect  what this all should mean and how we should react to it all.  We are so fortunate, blessed, lucky or what every you would like to call it-- please do your best to make today worth the sacrifices other have made to make it seem common.  I need to start up this day now, I have been promising a picture expose on the Duramax coach, I'll do what I can for that today-- I have other project I need to show pics of for the owners who are patiently waiting for news-- I'll do my best on that.  It's pretty difficult right now being actually 4 guys shorthanded.  Hey, it's what we live with around here bout every day.  Have a great day yourself, I may whine sometimes, it's just that I need something to go with the cheese!  Enjoy your day and make it something special in your own way...

7.1.11

It's Friday and it's been a hard week  I've been pulled in many direction so being the only set of hands in the trim area of the shop, it's been busy around here trying to keep up the pressures of all the projects many of them coming together now. 

One of the places that has suffered is here and in taking pics, sorry but it's just been tough.  It've been in George's coach  and yesterday we got his new furnace in place and the new concept vacuum formed door set is going in.  They really look great, I'll try and do some pics for you today. 

We have been motified so soon we will have another new concept part coing in.  We have had a striping kit developed of all new look metallic colors but in the fashion of the orginal deacal stripe compliment for the exterior.  Yes, looking to emulate the original style of a 1 color paint with an accent decal striping kit, we feel this will further the idea of a "new" look for the GMC.  I mean the original style coing from the decal kits, we feel this process will again make the GMC have a "factory new" look.  Stay tuned for this.  I'm also looking to install the blackout body side molding kit today so the exterior of George's coach will take on a new look soon-- stay tuned.

It's been raining or at least overcast now for several days-- tends to depress me, it's hard to keep pushing work in the rain.  The awnings help but soaked feet always slows me down!

This is not a big black worm squiggling through the astroturf in my office   This was a unique repair a previous owner (PO) did to try and keep water off of the steering shaft.  Hey, "any port in a storm, right" while this might keep water from drenching the upper CV of the steering shaft, it does nothing to keep the grease in it so part of renewing the mechanical aspects of Bill's coach, we will be installing out 2 piece steering shaft boot system -- 1 boot covers the upper CV with the other covering the slip shaft portion of the assembly.  No more wiggly worm look.

Realized yesterday from a call that no one knew we are now offering original style recored radiators done "in house" here at the Co-op for $650 exchange.  There has been talk about radiators of late & I must tell you it is important to retain your original copper radiator.  Your original radiator is designed to be repaired and even recored many times.  It can be repaired in just about any town you find yourself with a leak in your radiator.  This is a very important issue, do not exchange your rebuildiable radiator for one that cannot be recored.  The issue should be to have your coach repairable in the field, an original copper radiator can be while others cannot.  I hate shipping on pieces/parts like this, keeping the monkeys off of your package during the ship is a serious thing for a radiator so we would need to build a proper $50 crate which BTW, you could ship your old core back but what can I say, there are those expenses.  Our radiators use a 4 tube row, 14 fin per inch, high efficiency core , professionally put together by our mechanic Tom with over 30 years experience in radiator repair and building.   If there are spots on your core that look like this, remember -- radiators do wear out so don't let that happen on the road.  

OK, the day is on, I've got to get out the sweat rag and go for it.  Thanks for the visit and support, it's needed now more than ever.  A holiday weekend is upon us so keep your head down, fireworks around here with the dry forests we have is pretty dangerous.  I bet you guys out in Arizona and around have seen your share of fire so celebrate safely!  We'll see ya again soon...

6.28.11

The "Dog Days" of summer are upon us actually lately we have been getting rain in the AM, we usually at least get to have good weather in the morning with rain usually hitting us bout 3PM every day.  I would say it is effecting us but we're trying to make the best of it as we go. 

Today, we are installing a new Atwood furnace in George's coach, yesterday we finished off the rear wheel wells, detailing them out and mounting up the new Eagle rims and Nexen tires.    Let me go through what you are looking at:  First you can see the new KYB shocks, of course the new Quad bag rear suspension with the air control manifold mounted conveniently on the front upright.  Not sure yet if we are putting "T skirts" over the quad bag-- hey George, give me a jingle about this-- John has cleaned up the wheel whell and parts then backpainted the liner with satin finish "trim black" for a clean look.  These new Eagle rims save over $100 compared to the Alcoa counterparts, we are now supporting American Eagle-- the price is better and the manufacturer is working with us on exciting new offerings.  I like to support people who support us!  This work yesterday finishes off the rear suspension bringing us one step closer to completion.  Today, like I said, the new furnace should go in, I'll do pics for ya on that.

Tony called in sick today, I was going to have him and Jeff who he picks up periodically help me out with the Duramax punch list.  He has really helped out here with our shortage on manpower.  What can I say, it's hard to find people willing to work like this and even harder to get them to hang in and keep up the pressure.  Tony has been a great friend to the Co-op-- thanks man for your help-- get well so we can have even more fun!

Something I would like you guys to consider concerning your coach toward it's usefulness to you:  In the aircraft world, there are designed in backup or "coutermeasure" systems to help you keep on keeping on-- I mean you can;t pull over when flying to fix something silly which goes toward safety in aircraft.  If you use the samre logic to keep you out of an ant bed on the side of the road, I feel this should be a strong consideration of critical systems.  I have tried to always keep this in mind as we renovate coaches.  I want to have these backup concepts to help the driver out but I do not want to sacrifice ease of maintenance to offer these important backups.  These critters are too big to push and a tow bill will always split up your wallet so if there is an issue that takes you off the road, the coach needs to be kept where it can be easily repaired in even the most remote areas where mechanical repair support may be hard to find if not down right impossible to get.  Back up systems should be things that when the bad stuff happens, these systems will be ready to kick in.  You do not want to make the backup countermeasure more complicated than the primary system-- man, who knows if a system like that will be up to your challenge when you need it so coming up with these countermeasures, you must remember it needs to be simple and effective.  I have come up with several systems over the years, I have given many of them away for no or short money mainly because I really want you guys to use them.  Here is a list of some of the countermeasures you can easily incorporate into your coach:

o Fuel deliver system-- a backup electric fuel pump plumbed and powered by the "aux. " fuel tank switch.   This system gives you a second "pusher" electric fuel pump in case the "puller" mechanical pump encounters problems supplying fuel to the motor.  The boiling point of fuels has been dropped by the lacing of Ethanol into our fuel supply.  Vapor lock is a real problem and having a seconf pump to force fuel through a vapor lock situation can save you--- it has me.

o Alternator light circuit modification  Oh come on guys, after as much thats been written about the issue if the single stand nichrome "toaster heater" wire, you must know this is a serious situation and I am sorry but I must differ from on gentleman who offers a plug-n-play device he says protects from this problem.  I have had coaches come in here with melted harnesses who was sporting this little diddy who were shocked that they had that false sense of security.  Guys, seriously, you cannot guaranty there will not be a melt down issue unless you effectively turn off that original alt. light trigger circuit.  Go look at the "information" page on my site, scroll down to the "Alt. light circuit modification circuit" and read it all there.  This is not a hard thing to do-- yes harder then the plug-n-play other idea  but really-- the goal should be to solve the problem not bandaide it so I'm sorry but I simply do not agree with what many have done to protect their coach-- while I appreciate we live in America and thus we can do things the way we want, this is not the time to pick from colomn A or B.

o Air shut/fill kit  If you do not have a second way to stuff air into your rear suspension air bags--- get one.  If the air delivery system on your coach fails, you have basically purchased property where you stop because you reallt should not move the coach with the rear suspension down.  There is no maintenance on a set of leaf springs, there is however on an aire ride suspension so have a countermeasure if that system fails.  The new Quad bag system has this feature, if you are still running original air bags however is it hard if not impossible to air up the system in the event of a failure.  Long ago, we came up with the air shut/fill kit.  It's probably the best $65 you will ever spend if you have original air bags.  It can shut off and isolate the air bag on each side in the event of any failure situation having to do with your air deliver system.  You need this so think in that direction.

o 12 volt "combine" circuit  In the event of an alternator charging failure, you need a second way to stuff 12 volt power into your engine battery. 

More to come...

6.27.11

Today we're looking at rain so it will be indoor sports for us.  First I wanted to show Bill J. the frame rail rust we will be curing on his coach.   looks terrible but it's not that bad, we'll dig it all out, bend it back up in place and undercoat it from getting any worse.  More to come on this project.

I'm matching then installing our new door and drawer fronts for George H. coach    These are thermoform doors-- yes they are not real wood but what other vehicle save a Lambo is!  They look great, they are produced cheaper and better than you could pay to have made one at a time & I think they will work in this application great!

I'm also doing an interior expose for the Duramax 26' today, stay tuned for those pics.  The start of another week, a hot week filled with sweat and stressed out working-- oh boy!  It's going on 9AM so I need to get out there and sweat.  Thanks for dropping by and we'll see ya again soon...

6.24.11

Check out this machine that pulled in for some help    No, the pic was not altered-- this is a 20' rear bath Argosy, circa 1978.    A really cool little thing!  The guy with it lost everything because of the economy-- was in commercial properties.  Now, he's captain of his very own road rocket, not homeless and looking forward to the next chapter of his life   I think he made a good choice.  Yea, it's not a GMC but you know he'll be the hit of the park wherever he goes.  The coach is beautiful and in fantastic condition-- like from a time tunnel!  His generator would not fire, the electric fuel pump was dead.  Replaced it and that bugger went at it.  The steering wheel did the same thing as ours, got sticky and all that.  Put in the last 4 spoke steering wheel from the past-- it was blue-- I know that wheel was destined to be in that coach so I installed it and man, He's in hog heaven!    So if you see this machine out and about, introduce yourself and know the coach has a good home and thats all you can expect out of life.

Kevin has been whacking away at Joe's exterior.  Found a crack in the weak area on the front.  There's not much support in the front of our coach and right here many will find some sort of damage   Kevin ground the face down and reinforced the area with an SMC plate before gluing it all together.    (bad pic) using SMC compounds.  Again, for folks with this problem, DO NOT USE FIBERGLASS, it will not bond and the weakness of the body will allow the crack to come back.  Prep is everything for our GMC, really it's that way for any descent paint job.  Here is where we're at on Joe's body     The back in stable, new door in there are still issues in the body but Kevin is making headway.  He'll be basing color on the roof this weekend.

For those of you on the GMC Net, we have been shipping several of our new body pad kits.  I compare it to a paperclip in that it's a simple approach to a difficult problem.  We've also taken getting your coach updated to having new body pads to a new low-- only $50.  One thing you will have to do though if you want a set is not let anyone know what the kit is made of.  I think we have hit a home run in updating the GMC and it's almost so simple that I know everyone will want to copy the idea.  You guys know I want to help the GMC community but in doing so, I still have to survive.  The Co-op needs to benefit from our awesome design and in doing so, the community gets a savings from $89 where a body pad kit used to be now a "better mouse trap" can be had for $50-- I feel that is supporting the community so give me a call if you understand the importance of and want to renew your body pads.  You need a 1/2 clearance between the body and frame  for the brake, air, LP & fuel lines under your coach, this pad kit gives you that.  OK, this paid political announcement is over-- thanks for sitting through it.

Today, Ralph's son in dropping by for some word and hopefully a little bit more closure and support of the memory of his Dad.  Wish I had known more about my Dad from people who knew him so I feel this as an important step for Ron.  Wish me luck in imparting to him how special of a guy Ralph was, how unique a mind he had and how positive he was right to the end that tomorrow would be a bright new day.  Even though he didn't get his picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone, I still call him a winner and I want his son to never forget that.

Wish us luck on trying to piece Fire Fight back together, it will be difficult but I feel the product deserves the effort.  Have a great day and weekend, live it like your last has been used so much that many times we take our lives and what we have for granted.  Then one day it's your turn, each one of us will have our turn-- I feel it's what you make of your life is what endures so make it a good one!

6.23.11

Please let me reiterate the realities of whats happening in my world around here right now I know I've not been giving you much content as of late here, we have been deluged with stuff going on.  Things are coming together on the 6 restorations we have in house and factoring in the heat and the reduced workforce -- what can I say, days are wizzing by!  Sorry also right now because I cannot even be here any more right now.  let me try and find some time later-- please hit the site again a little laeter and please keep us in your thoughts...

6.22.11

Gout took over my knee last night which basically means it took over my life until I can chase that "green meany" away.  That along with probably fielding objections to my pointing out a few facts on the net it looks like the morning will be filled with paperwork.  made Ralph's gathering yesterday afternoon.  I want to thank the GMC Sunshine Statesmen for the rousing attendance, heck we could have had a rally with all the folks that came!  It was nothing short of heart warming to see all the people who felt it important to come together and celebrate the strong life force that was Ralph Kennerknecht.  There was not a dry eye in the house at time while others the whole place broke out in laughter-- was just an impressive collection of people who all loved one man-- it was nothing short of inspiring.  Maybe now I can start picking up the pieces of everything and get back on the rail heading forward.  I've been somewhat distracted and sometimes short with some issues of late, let me apologize to those folks who have put up with me, I'll be Ok and 'back in black" so lets keep going.

Got a call from Tom S. who left here headed toward Oregon and home sporting his new paint job   Seems that his paint didn't keep Murphy from taking his drive front wheel bearing from danger.  He pulled up to a Chevy dealer in Oakley Kansas where the driver knuckle was pronounced wasted.  It was a group effort to get a complete knuckle assembly built up, packaged and sent out over night.  Our neighbor business delivered the "football" to UPS the evening so Tom should be able to get back on the road by noon.  Yea, the shipping was a line list but hey, it's just a part of the journey.  They have a blog site where they document their fun traveling cross country, I'll try and get the addy for ya.

OK, I need to get over to the net to see what balls they are throwing at us, maybe I will be able to dodge them all, maybe even whack a few back.  Look, for those of you on the net and for those that don;t go there-- I will agree that the GMC Net is a great way to gather the GMC enthusiasts together and give all their taste of "GMCness".  It's obviously important and needed but--- and here is the butt of it, many of you lurk that site wanting to gleen out information and interesting things about your coach, things you might want to do yourself with your coach but certainly things you need to know.  The problem comes in when things are said that folks write down as the gospel according to those in the know when sometimes some of the facts, information and suggestions that come out of that list are simply wrong.  I usually don;t say much on the net until something comes out or gets distorted to the point that it becomes dangerous or nothing more than bunk.  This is bad for the community and thats where I feel if I don;t step in and say something coaches and owners will be lead down a bad path.  When that stuff squirts out of the screen I just have to get involved.  Some on this mailing listget their shorts in a twist when I do this, how can I do anything else.  It may not be popular to not "one up" a previous post rather debunk it and an aggressive way-- I have to say sorry but it's like everyone is standing there watching the emperor parade down the street with no cloths on-- someone has to tell him!  So what can I say, I seem to be perpetuating the "loose cannon" label I've been able to keep for this many years.  Frankly, I would be remiss if I did not speak up once in a while so don;t worry-- I won't let you down.  OK, I need to get to my Emails, the net and who knows, if the gout pills will kick in, maybe I can hobble out and get some work done!

Have a great day, I do feel that the sky is clearing a bit for me, the upcoming weeks will hopefully clear up more and as we can we'll get back on track.  It's hot here, really hot-- 97 I think today.  Afternoons there is rain, the humidity is growing mold at an fantastic rate and the mosquitoes are loving it!  If you like cool, don;t come here right now.  Tony just pulled in so I need to go.  see ya again soon, thanks for the visit and to those that think I'm nuts-- so what's your point?

6.21.11

Today will be another tough day Even moreso in that Janie & I will be attending the gathering for Ralph Kennerknecht.  Ralph was much more than a friend and business partner to me, at 74, he had more energy, enthusiasm and drive than I have seen in a long time from someone half his age.  He told me once he could not believe he was so old, said it just couldn't be and I would agree.  Fire Fight was but a recent focus.  Check out www.aerostealth.com .  This was a product ralph invented and was actually looking forward to spending more time with it.  Do a Google search "Global Aerotech" and again, you will find ralph.  He was involved in the Rolls Royce club owning 2 of them, he owned what is reported to be THE last 1946 Pinyan pleasure boat- an awesome wooden  boat with an inboard compartment sporting an outboard motor.  He was an avid model collector with everything from a hand painted Hess GMC painted up looking like his own motorhome to a valuable QEII and so many more.  A positive thinker to a fault, he was always upbeat and wanting to get involved.  I just don;t know what i will do without having Ralph to bounce things off of.  You've heard the phrase "Be like Mike", to me I want to "be like Ralph".  That's a desirable goal but one I will have to work hard at to even come close!  Everyone has people they look up to, can you tell one I did?

So thats it, is that it though.  Is going to a gathering, talking good things about the man then going home and keep plodding through life what we're supposed to do?  Is that what it's all about and now we're relegated to talking about Ralph and all the things he stood for in a past tense?  Not me--- I don;t think the life force that was Ralph is dead, I think there is more for Ralph to do to help us all through this place, he had just started and i for one sure want to see some of it through.  Everyone says things will get better and it will all come into perspective in time.  I would like to think time will prove out Ralph was so right on so many things.  I sure wish you guys had known more about the life and times of Ralph Kennerknecht, a real live enigma!  In the upcoming weeks we hope to get Fire Fight back on line producing RV safety products.  Think about your life, your RV investment, Ralph was frustrated that folks did not understand how important and needed Fire Fight products are.  Really think about this, don;t just say fire will never happen to me.  It does happen and the people effected never thought they would be touched-- don;t be one of those people.  Compared to the cost, protecting so much is so simple when you have an automatic fire suppression system in your RV.  People that see Fire Fight products in your coach know you care and think.  I feel that alone is worth the cost of having the products.  Hey, we all live in America and have the right to expose ourselves to risk, this is one time when that freedom can be a killer!  Ok, thats enough---- for now.  You will find me glued to this soap box maybe to the point of fault-- al I can say is I was enthused by the best.       

The shop will stay open today while we are gone, hopefully we will get things done.  We're working with a coach that really you just have to see.  This 23' coach was recently purchased sporting a long list of things done to upgrade and date it's mechanicals.  "Trust but Verify" is my motto and on this machine, it has shown us some things.  Putting the coach up on the lift with an eye on the fuel delivery system, check out the "new" high quality fuel injection hoses     Whats sad about this is that yes, this was "new hose" but obviously it was not alcohol resistent hose because something (ethanol) weathered and cracked the hose and I bet the inside of the hose will be in much worse shape than the outside we can see!  Also, the body pads holding the body off the frame-- well, they were not doing their job .  Weatherd, cracked and crushed, we will have to install our new body pad kit.  Though not what I would call critical, the frame rails on the coach will need some attention .  Rust has done it's worst between the main rail and sub frame.  We will descale the rust out, push the rail back into place then weld it together, Ospho the metal to kill the rust then undercoat it all with a high build rubberized undercoat.  It will be OK but we will need to deal with this issue.

I'm hoping for good weather today, we're in that afternoon shower routine that happens in Florida every year at this time.  This year, with the awnings we have I hope we'll be able to work through the weather-- hope springs eternal!  Thanks for the visit today, thanks for putting up with me and all the mess ups I do.  We all do our best and somewhere in between we get things done, some good some don't work but we all just keep at it.  I feel this is the only way to be.  We'll talk again I'm sure, we'll see ya later...

6.20.11

Sorry, too much happening this morning  could not do anything here-- we are in "rock-n-roll" mode though-- very neat things under foot, stay tuned for details.  thankd for being a part in the Co-op, every for of support is helping.  See ya back here soon...

6.17.11

First, the funeral gathering for Ralph Kennerknecht will be:

Beach Funeral Home
1689 S. Patrick Dr.
Indian Harbour Beach, Fl.  32937
321-777-4640

Tuesday , June 21st 
3-4PM with a service at 4PM
Closed Casket

Flowers for the service are being accepted, 2 local florists are:

Darling Florists-- 1-800-992-7809
In Bloom Florists-- 1-866-293-3331

If you would like to have a message delivered to Mary and the family, post them to me.  I would be happy to take them with me to the service.  Thanks for all of the posts of support thus far.
***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

One of the added benefits of diving deep into manufacturing our Co-op/Koba motors is the support of Drew and his considerable connections in the performance industry.  Along with the issues that go into our purpose built performance motors are many other performance parts which will soon be coming on line.  The first item is this awesome NEW HEI distributor.  Here is Drew bringing the first custom curved new HEI complete dist. in   Did you guys here, this is a "NEW" unit, not re built, there is no core needed! Here are the features of this exciting and needed new custom part for the GMC:

included with our "Koba Flame" dist are:

o HP 50,000 volt supercoil
o Adjustable vacuum advance
o Polished aluminum shaft
o Custom curved for use in the GMC motorhome
o HP cap, rotor, module & pickup

  This is a long needed improvement for the GMC, early coaches can now toss that outdated points dist. for the stronger firing, more reliable HEI system.  Later coaches with worn out dist. have an all new alternative.  Hey and the big news--- this all new part for your motor is only $195--- complete, ready to stuff into the hole and fire up. 
Drew has dubbed it the "Koba Flame"

Along with our "Kryptonite Cam" and this "Koba Flame" dist., Drew will be adding other GMC specific parts to our catalog of parts "Just for the GMC".  It's just wonderful to be able to surround the Co-op with talent such as Drew and also with all of you I have to say thanks for all the support.

George's coach got it's new pooper duper sewer scooper yesterday.  Society has progressed past the part of launching duddy down a flexible 3" tube, today with maserator technology your grind it up and shoot it out os a 1" hose to it's just deserve.  Here is the system we recommend.    Out of the original or new tank, here we are coming off the original tank with it's white Thetfort gate valve, our unit goes into a second new 3" gate valve in case that old poop gate is a leaker, into a T with a standadt Valtera valve baronet  outlet capped off then off to the side another 2" gate valve leading to the maserator.  Hard plumbed to the fitting is a reinforced clear 1" hose which heads out to the rear of the coach   into it's "holster".  Pull the hose out of it's holster, put Mr. Pipe into the appropriate sewer hole , flip Mr' switch located in the generator compartment and letr' fly.    Anyone who has "dump duty" will tell you not having a loose hose to fiddle with is only a good thing.  If you have ever dumped using a maserator, you will not go back to the old way of relieving your coach.  Not rocket science but finding the parts/pieces to put this system together sometimes is a pain.  Give me a call if you would lke to set this system up on your coach.

OK, the guys are gathering and before the rain hits, it does that now bout every afternoon we need to get stuff done.   have a great day, as the song goes "Live like it was your last" because guys-- seriously-- the guaranty only covers now and there are no refunds, rain checks or back orders so get your money's worth!

6.16.11

Here it is 9AM, I've been up all night thinking through things -- I would do no less for anyone and Ralph deserves someone to look into his death.  But, life does go on and there certainly is life after any event so lets move on.  As I said, I had some important issues to share with you so let me get back to that.  Go here and follow with me as I lay out what I would think a very important issue for us and our vintage GMC.  Body Pad Kit .

Sorry guys but thats all I can do right now, talk to ya later

6.15.11

It is my unpleasant duty to tell you that Ralph Kennerknecht, the heart, soul, designer and drive behind Fire Fight products lost his life on Monday   This is the last pic I have of Ralph as we did a talk on fire suppression systems at the last Sunshine Statesmen rally recently. 

Ralph and his worker Wayne was working in the Fire Fight plant in Melbourne when a large Halon cylinder began venting which turned that vessel into an airborne projectile in the building.  Ralph was reported to have tried to shut off the venting but was struck by the cylinder as was Wayne.  Both were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center but ralph never regained consciousness

We never appreciate something until we no longer have it and thats the case with Ralph.  His design for a retrofit fire suppression system was born when he purchased his GMC.  He wanted to protect his baby and there it was-- a paperclip, a perfect idea to knock down a fire in an RV-- a stand alone, passive deploy, easy to install system with no ongoing maintenance.  A one time purchase and a way to cheaply address the danger of fire.  When I saw what Ralph had come up with I liked it so much I threw in with him to promote his idea.  Little did I know at the time, Ralph was such a positive person.  Believing in his ideas so much that through his career he would try, get knocked down and try again.  Do a Google search for "Stealthguard"-- it was an ala borate alarm system with a pepper gas cylinder attached.  Try and break through his defenses and you would get a real surprise!  He believed in himself and would do his best to make you believe it too-- and he was not wrong.

Mary, his partner for many years had just retired last week, we were making plans to get Ralph out of the manufacturing loop of Fire Fight and they had plans on taking their GMC out on the road.  A hard working stiff had finally made it to his reward and then this.  It makes you wonder sometimes why you try so hard when it can all be snuffed out in an instant!  Enjoy every minute of life my friends because things can change in the blink of an eye.

Needless to say, we are all in shock, the people who knew Ralph personally.  Mary told me yesterday that she and Ralph used to laugh about the fact that it seemed ralph was the one who would outlive us all.  I honestly never considered life without having Ralph there to call and talk to.  He certainly was my mentoe-- I not only believed in him, his ideas and aspirations, I never thought of using the word "was" when describing him.  There was a distinctive rolling laugh that came from his mouth, a way he had of slithering his body motion as he spoke putting his whole self into his conversations and he always ended anytrhing he said on an upbeat note-- how can someone like this ever not be there?

I dove into Fire Fight with the understnading that he would not only show me the ropes but one day I would have a part of the business, his business, his ideas and his successes.  I simply do not know what will happen, I mean he do you carry on without the lifesblood of the business?

I had many more things to show you guys today, I think from my perspective I will start at it again tomorrow.  See ya then

6.14.11

Ran out of time yesterday to answer Emails so this morning I've got to get on that, I mean if someone went out of their way to pull up my addy the least I can do is read it.  It's actually enjoyable-- to bad I can;t spend more time there-- thanks for bringing me into your loop.

I also want to give you guys a few thing, Kevin's hard work for the day are aparent    The back of Joe's coach is back together looking pretty good.  Now it's on to the sides, stay tuned for more.

While that was happening, i dug into Tom's oil leaking Troll.  Murphy came out of Tom's glove box, the low oil sender did not need a reason to start leaking!  Of course the phone rang so it was double duty for me.   See, I will work on these trolls, Tom's actually runs very nice and with a new main seal, low oil sender and the bolts on the oil adapter good-n-tight we'll have to see what problem it will come up with next.  BTW, it's still great to see Tom's coach-- easy on the eyes   Driving his coach over to Melbourne to pick up his fire suppression system then over to the Tampa area, Tom said he's gotten all sorts of interest and comments.    That's part of the fun of having a nice looking GMC, there are always comments.

OK, so I'm off to my Email pile, if you sent something I'll do my best to answer you.  If there is something you need, feel free to call.  Thanks for the visit, sorry for yesterdays I guess you could call it rant.  Guys, there is so much going on in the GMC world, wish everyone could be in my shoes.  Well, maybe not that, you may not enjoy wet socks from seating but I think you get the idea.  See ya next time...

PS:  Ok, here is a great story, thanks Tom D..  Click here and then click on "Got Crack"  Stories from the Road

6.13.11

Have no fear, we're still here It's 6:15, looking out the office window at a     hazy morning the day coming alive with will probably bring us a hot 90's day, it's odd listening and reading all of the political, economy and just down right crazy stuff going on and then shift gears in my head to attend to all the work we have here.  Folks you run into always ask "How's you business doing" when they find I have a small business.  It's always, "Man it's tough out there, how are you holding up?"  The answer always feels a bit odd to me because it's not finding the business that is our issue but finding people willing to work.  I though this morning for those that always do (and I appreciate the concern) ask and are concerned about our business.  The problem in my eyes in the economy is most people who have the propensity to do this sort of work seem to be looking for a job where they can do the least amount of work for the most amount of money.  Yea, I know that sounds like a no brainer and something we all would like to have-- "money for nothing and chicks for free" but as we all know-- maybe not-- but thats only in a song or maybe in a government job.  No, there is no wash or backwash for that matter in this crazy business of piecing back together 30+ year old mechanisms in fact I usually do not need to scare off those that simply can't keep up, they usually leave when they find there are no holes in the floor they can hide in to get pay for doing little.  In short, my problem with renovating GMC's and other vintage RV's is not finding the work rather finding the people willing to do the work.  Sure, I can find warm bodies to stand around here with their hand out but soon those find out it does not work that way around here and then I have the problem with manpower.  Maybe I should just throw money at workers -- no I tried that, doesn't get quality work done, that only goes to deplete what little we have.  This is hard work, not for everyone so whenever I can I do all I can in appreciation of the folks that do hang around here helping out.

People say, "Oh, the economy stinks, you as a small business must be sucking wind too".  The reality is that's simply not true.  It has proven out that when things get tight, people still need a few toys and cutting back is not "cutting out" because we all simply can;t pull the covers in over our heads.  Thats not what we were put here for and it's certainly not what Americans do which is probably why those that care wonder what to do right now.  The new reports tell ua all to hunker down, stay under the mattress where it's safe.  Hey, there is no real "safe place" and stopping everything will only go to making you life not only difficult but then it would also be boring!  Having a vintage RV is not like blowing your money on a stamp collection, a hot tu in the back yard, taking a cruise which BTW, business is up.  Focusing your misplaced aggression toward putting together and having a classic motorhome to do your bidding is actually a very cost effective thing to do.  As my banker says "Your business does what?"  They are so caught up in the mainstream of businesses, SobilK's subs, mini markets, car dealerships and such that they loose sight of the fact that unique things and having unique things makes people happy, we are in that business and being one of the cheapest toys in the box more and more people are seeing the good sense in having one of thise neat machines that makes them happy-- and it does not hurt to be one of the only places that actually tells people they do this.  Sure, there are places to buy parts-- parts are important, especially places that promote the gamut, likewise there are places that are willing to do brake jobs, oil changes and domestic stuff like that but how many places to you see that are prepared and willing to take on everything from lug nute to toilets with your coach--- AND have been doing this same thing for whats inching up on 2 decades doing this exact same thing?  There used to be a few places, Buskirk, CLASCO and a couple others but look around at the market today and you will see there is no one else out there.  Some will give it a go but is that what you're looking for-- somone who will try, heck we have, are and will continue to do exactly this one thing and with luck we'll keep doing this.  Day after day, the battle I focus on and must is getting all of this work done.  It's tough and the main problem we have.  With the reduced work force I have, I am constantly looking for qualified talent, people who will do a days work for a days pay.  People who don;y look for the easy stuff, people who do the hard part of a job first.  Thats not an easy thing to find so in essence the hard part of this job is not the restoration work itself but finding people to help do the work.  It's a shame and something we could sit here and write volumes on but what would be new about that story and interesting enough to come back tomorrow to read more about.  Thats the reason I don't bring this up too oftern here and probably the main reason folks ask me all the time what they ask everyone "How are you doing in this economy?"  My answer to paraphrase a classic line "It wasn't the bullets, it was beauty that killed the beast".  What other thing could you build up that would keep you from being homeless-- take you and all your stuff places you want to go, give you descent economy traveling (10 MPG ain;t bad when you consider you get close to that with a Suburban or one of these new pony cars if you put your foot down their throat.  Hey, and if the economy does take a serious dump, you can simply board up the homestead, give it back to the bank as so many people are doing and go live in the motorhome--- your economy escape valve is ready and willing!

All this verbage brings me back to now being 7 AM and I'm waiting to see how will be here to help make the donuts.  Joff F. put his goggles down and limped in with his new acquisition, a 23' coach.  Sally & Joff sold their previous 26' GMC opting to cruise in a beat as sally calls it and thought they still enjoy that comfort, Joff got bitten with the GMC bug and picking up a little "grocery getter" coach to tool around Florida with really makes great sense.  Just wait till we get their little bit road ready-- they are going to love it!  So waiting for them to call for landing lights Saturday they came in and made a safe 6 point landing.  We have Tom S., yea the coach just left with the paint job-- his Onan troll decided to start marking their spot because of a leaking main seal and his dash AC compressor has too much head pressure-- probably a clogged up expansion valve.  We'll see this morning.  Along with those projects there are many who have their coach here that know how slammed we are.  What can I say, if I had that big fat bank account, maybe I could simply throw money at problems  but that's not the reality of this business.  We have built the Co-op by scratching our way up the side of this "tin can" not as much as a money making business but more as something important that needs to be done.  Hey, and all you guys coming here every day, living vicariously through the mud, blood and beer that is what we do don;t come here to see boring but wonder I bet every time you click on our site wonder what pile I stepped in this time.   Thanks for that confidence that I will in fact always seem to get alittle on me and I think maybe thats the reason you guys come here day after day.  Who am I to let you down so day after day, I try to not let you down.  Please don;t hesitate to tell me how I'm doing please because thats really why we do this!  Why would I look forward to digging into Tom's troll to try and stop the oil letting?  Exactly, I wonder if that will do it, so maybe tomorrow I'll let you know and maybe remember to take a few pics.

So if you've waded through all of that, I think you deserve some content and in cleaning out my camera, here are a few items of interest to rest your reading eyes:

But doctor, will it actually live again?---   Kevin sizes up his formidable taske, mixes up his wizard mixture of SMC glues and pretty soon Joe's coach has a new butt cheek   and who says he's no Picaso-- making this piece from old body parts will bring Joe's coach back from a fate much worse than death oh and look-- from this falling off    to this all back together and brother that is NOT fiberglass, bondo and aluminum plates.  No sir, thats body work done right!  Stick THAT in your cheap "cave and pave" body shop and smoke it!  When Kevin gets on a job like tis-- he is brutal-- maybe thats why hee too can't find someone to help him with a days hard work.  Joe, rest assured your coach when done will be done right. No, this is not fiberglass, remember it will not stick, this is SMC resin and actual pieces of donor coaches all coming together    

If we never find time to do anything on it, we'll never see it done-- if you have a 23' coach you know about the odd size window beside the entry door.  This 73' coach will be getting late model windows so that funky window has to go.  Here Kevin has marked for an original bedroom window , cut it out, relocated the side support and is now holding the window in as John screws it in .  Margie, Kevin's better half, watches as he puts it all at the side of the coach  , thanks man for the hard work.  To stay sane, I used the weekend to exercise "Old Gold' now renamed "Rat Wing" after the satin blackout paint job   .  Man, what a great ride-- no, it's noisey, idles @ 1700 rpm, is seriously cold natured with the single hole VW carb but hey, it fits me and makes me happy.  So bling to the shop, I wired up Tin Soldier-- it lives, it charges it's own battery, can run it's roof fans under it's own power and all that.  Good on ya-- Tin Soldier!

While working on Joe's dash refinish, I also worked over Tin soldier's dash donut too .  This is our new "carbon fiber" look dash overlay with the "donut pad" refinished .  Starting with this .  The weekend was progress, at least in something. 

So here we are, it's coming on 9AM, Kevin is or course here, have Tom and another coach in here waiting for work so I need to stop plunking here and get on out there in the frey.

I'll leave you with a pic of something else that sets us apart-- it's our 6 wheel Hunter alignment machine   Eugene got benifit from this beast last week straightening out his suspension after his pin replacement job.  I mean where else can you go to get use of a machine like this?  I think you know that answer.  Gotts go, have a great day and thanks for sifting through all my verbage today..

6.9.11

Sorry bout leaving you hanging yesterday I got too involved in a fire suppression thread on the GMC Net and lost time.  Probably got too mouthy about it-- hey, we live in America and it's our right to take as much chance with our lives as we like.  Who am I to chide someone about not protecting their RV investment or themselves.  I mean who didn;t want to see Evil Kaneval jump that canyon on his jetbike anyway?  He was nuts and you could go as far as say stupid to try that-- what they hey, it's what makes us great!

Funny but while all that was playing out yesterday, Tom S. pulled in from a visit in Melbourne with Ralph at the Fire Fight manufacturing facility with an SS100AFFFR4 for his motor and an SS25 clean agent gas unit for his generator.  Right in the middle of me upset because folks were not protecting themselves, here comes Tom doing exactly that.  Thanks Tom, you reaffirmed my faith in humanity!

Was a descent day yesterday, got several issues resolved.  We have 6 restorations underway but with a short crew it makes for slow progress.  We will prevail, make no mistake.  Kevin is here, it's just after 7:30AM so I guess I need to get the sweat going.  Janie is out on vacation this wek so it makes for a strained day having to answer the phone, take orders and do work as well.  At least the new cordless phone is working well!

So Kevin has been over in paint working through the body damage on Joe's rear section.  He has picked a suitable replacement for the LF tail light basket , too much damage so the entire assembly must be replaced   Kevin's shop is reminding me more and more of a donor yard with pieces/parts being harvested.  Then he comes in and says, "bring your camera" which is never a good sign.  Following him back, I could see the LR section ready to go-- so what is the big whoop now?  On the other side of the rear, he was showing me how the last soul who performed body repair not only had used the wrong materials (polyester resin) but had done a sloppy job to boot.  kevin had a reinforced donor section made up there too and had made pieces to glue in properly     .  Then he moved doen to the spot where the awning arm had been attached.  It had been previously damaged so he was preparing that reinforced panel when in fitting it--- something happened.  the entire lower section of the body broke off!    This is like pruning a tree and the entire limb fall off!      OK, so "Murphy" isn;t done with us on the body repair yet!  Kevin can handle it but this just goes to show you that something that loooks like a small issue seems to bite you when you least expect it.    Kevin has the technology, he can make it go but guys, whenever you do body work on a GMC, use the right materials, don;t "cave & pave" it.  You will only be postponing fixing it properly.  Joe had no idea about all of this and it's a good thing he brought the coach to us.  Someone else might have paved over the cracks and just left all this mess in the coach-- it would have only been a matter of time...  

For those of you new to this page and to the GMC, the body is  covered by aircraft grade aluminum panels on the roof and upper side walls, the rear, front and lower sides of the GMC are composed of SMC (sheet mold compound) or simply called "Corvette plastic".  Standard fiberglass (polyester resin) will not bond properly to SMC and in a twist or bind, the fiberglass will crack free of the SMC plastic-- thats not a maybe, it will!  Don't do that and if a crusty ole body man says thats bunk, please smile and say have a nice day because he simply is not the person who should work on your coach.  I see it every day so please, if you are thinking of having your coach painted, ask the painter if he has worked with SMC before, see if he knows the difference and what it means.  If he has no idea, please do not have him do the work for you.

So Joe's coach is in good hands, Kevin is on his machine hard and soon it will be repaired properly and will be ready to accept the new colors.  The rest of the day will be on other issues, we have Eugene's coach in to go on the alignment machine.  After replacing his rear suspension pins, his coach is pulling to the right.  Bummer, hey we have a 6 wheel alignment machine, we'll fix that.  We have new Eagle rims going onto Paul's "Chimera".  It's at that point so stay tuned for that one.  Looks like the Duramax coach will get a wash job, I'll do some pics for you on that.

See ya later, thanks for the visit, call if you need to and again, thanks for your support...

6.8.11

Trying to catch up on my Emails has put me in the spot that I'm out of time to talk to you today.  Sorry but there is just so much time!  Rest assured we are going at it.  There was a thread on the GMC Net about a coach burning up, the thread talked about all the things to consider to help guard against fore dangers but the real thing all should have-- a dedicated automatic fire suppression system.    FMCA says the #1 reason for complete losses of RV's is from fires, they know the problem first person but for some reason us GMC owners and our community at large simply don;t seem to get it.  Yes, there are many of you who do have "fire measures" and we've helped you guys put in a system.  You not only get peace of mind and maybe even a discount on your insurance when you do install and automatic fire suppression system into your coach--- yea, but there is money involved.  Every time I start talking about automatic fire suppression systems folks think I am trying to "sell" them something and they back away.  I hate people thinking my conversations are based around the almighty dollar-- I hate to be thought of as a mercenary sales guy-- I hate the typical "car salesman" concept and run away from looking or acting like one.  I guess I should talk more about this subject but I just get a bad taste in my mouth when I feel something thinks I'm trying to "sell" them something.  Guys, I bring this up mainly because it is something you really need to think about!  One of the most visible companies in the market offering the RV community automatic fire suppression idea is owned by 2 GMC owners.  I know because I am one of those 2 guys.  I thought so much of the concept of RV fire protection that I threw in with the company and I'm the natl. sales manager, VP, head guy or whatever you want to call me for Fire Fight products.  Go check out what we offer www.firefight1.com .  Look at the contact number, it's my personal cell phone number!  I am first person in the loop for fire suppression in the RV community and I tell you the rest of the RV world is far ahead of the GMC community in recognizing fire dangers and doing something about it.  Man, why is that?  Why can;t us "smarter than the average bear" people who can recognize how unique and effecting owning and using a GMC in their daily life in general

6.7.11

The weekend was a long one which made Monday that much harder to deal with  See that's the problem with relaxing for a couple of days, getting "back up on the horse" hurts just that much more and yesterday was a classic example of that.  Add to that a guy walked into the front door of the office and pilfered my wallet!  Yes, I know it happens and probably more than we ever hear about but dang I missed it yesterday just once and even saw the guy pull up on his bike.  I went out the back to see who he was when he walked in the front and got me!  Man, does that ruin your day!  Homeland security will be upset, I had my 3 forms of ID in there!  No money of course, Janie doesn't allow me to have any of that so all that accumulated ID is probably soaking in a ditch somewhere-- oh well, so we just get up and get back at it again is all you can do....

A marked day, Chimera got out from under the awning for a bath and then a trip to Ben's for a new custom exhaust system.  This wash job is like pealing away the eggshell from a baby chick--- a moth popping out of it's cocoon or maybe that homeless guy who stole my wallet shedding off the layers of newspaper getting up from his domicile in the woods.  Anyway, the first rays of light hit the bright metallic paint and for the first time you can see the still a bit blurry shape that is a must unique machine.

        Yep, the overall shape is a bit different, a forward door 23' coach with a long overhang-- a 25' GMC, a big back window-- no roof AC (yet, we still are thinking about that) and when the new Eagle rims and tires are installed a pretty snazzy looking color scheme--- or should I say flashy.  There will be no doubt that Chimera arrives when it does!   The exhaust getting installed today will be another rear single muffler system running down the driver side of the coach.  yes, the fuel tanks are in with the fill on the pass. side, a big fat fuel fill door on the pass. side.  Yep, this puppy is odd!  Hey, it was designed for a special purpose and for that it will work great.

Having a meeting at our machinist this morning at 6:30 so I'm in here at the shop pretty early to get all this done and make that meeting.  We are still putting together what I feel will be a first in a motor program, the builder, machinist both are working with sales (me) to come up with our special motor.  it takes real communication to build up what we feel is the best motor for the GMC.  Everyone needs to have say in it all.  Stay tuned for more on this.

The Duramax coach may come out for a wash job today too, we're on the downhill side of it now, Raymond wants some pictures of our progress so I need to clean her up for the shoot.  The dash is coming out pretty good so stay tuned for that.

It's still pitch dark at this time of the morning, I'll be in a bit later hopefully with good news-- Arch, your name will come into this meeting so don't be worried if your ears burn a bit this morning!  I need to go, have a great day and really-- thank you guys so much for your support, several of you called last week renewing your CMW membership, buying parts and all around weaving me into your GMC experience-- thank you very much for that honor.  We'll talk later, right now I'm off...

Oh, oh, BTW and all that, we have our new body pad kit out now, it's $50 + a $12 tube of Euroseal gel if you like to glue in the pad kit.  This is a new low price on a new designed product.  Sort of like a "paperclip" I feel we have discovered a new way to isolate the body from the frame.  This has become recently the new thing in updating your GMC.  These now crushed original body pads are falling out and even if they are still in place are crushed down and need replacing.  A needed updating procedure, give me a call if you are interested in having a set of these on your coach.  After you get and install this kit, I think you too will chuckle and say what a cool idea.  let me know if you want a set.

OK, thats it, I need to go-- see ya later...

6.3.11

A big day and a good weekend attached  It's always a red letter day when a coach goes home, it's not that I don;t like a pile of coaches hanging around but our job isn't to have the place filled with machines to work on-- it's to get the coaches back out on the road so with Eugene coming in this morning to collect his baby makes this a good day.  Here is his pride and joy all ready to go-- new pins & bushings, repaired dash AC evap, repaired dash heater core, flushed brakes, adjusted belts and motor running on all 8  A good looking Explorer II GMC ready to take on the road-- Bon Voyage...

Another one that makes today great-- Tom is coming to maybe collect his coach, the tint job I think is ready to see the light of day, I'll take pics of the coach and maybe post them before the end of the day.  Tom's machine has occupied space here for a time, coming in a good runner but a bit on the needy side on it's exterior     Then with Kevin opening his magic bag out pops Tom's coach sporting new colors   and thats what this place is all about.  Oh sure we do brake jobs, replace friges, do carpet and all that but turning a seasoned war horse back into the glory machine that turned heads big time when they were new-- brother now this is what it's all about!  I'll do some "glamour" shots this morning so you can see what Tom's coach finished off as.  Now remember, this coach is heading back to Oregon-- yep, Tom brought it to us why-- I would like to think it's because he felt he could do the most good for his coach bringing it to us-- hey and he has a place here in Florida but it makes me feel good that another person on the left coast understood the difference. 

OK, I've got to get out and do some final checks on these machines, the most tense time is delivery and we may have 2 today!  Wish us and these coaches well. 

Oh wait, here's another wild one, hey Mark-- what are we going in to do?    Yep, the wheel comes off boy and what a wheel!  The original front suspension is exposed   and so the fit begins   yep, it's an air adjustable FRONT suspension!  Shhhh, don't tell anyone!  I think we have this figured out, I'll let you know when you can tell about this one.

Update  Just fielded a cal about carbs and thought it was a good subject to talk about.  Yes, most new cars use fuel injection, fuel injection has a better maintenance curve but you WILL NOT get more mileage or performance.  Yes, it will be quicker but do not mistake that for more performance.  A FI system will adjust for altitude changes, shut off and on better but guys-- really thats about it!  Add to that the fact that if you do modify your motor to FI, chances of getting help on the road to repair the system will be slim to none and you, yourself will have to know your diagnostics, have cross reference parts with you-- in short you have a morphodite no one will work on.  I have to tell you to limit your help in the field like that-- for many is just not sound thought.  For those of you who do this for fun, who like to tinker with your machine and would not think of looking for help on the road a FI system is fine.  Hey, go for it but for many of the folks I see your really don;t want to do that.  You want to be able to say "This is a big boned 197? Toronado and all the parts of the motor fit.  maybe then someone in a shop will help you work on it but without the ability to say that brother you are not doing right  (in my opinion)  Now on carbs, the Q-jet 4 bbl. carb that came with the coach is a really great match and set up properly will give you great economy and reliability but--- and this is the biggie-- just rebuilding the carb is not enough.  This is a 30 something year old collection of spring loaded leaks both air and fuel.  Thats how a carb works and it does need maintenance and by this time it may need more.  Simply rebuilding the carb is usually not enough.  The unit needs to be remanufactured by someone who has the tools and knows what he's doing.  Parts need replacement, needles sleeved maybe and butterfly valves replaced.  It needs to be put on a flow bench, bolted to a motor and checked with a 3 gas analyzer.  In short it really needs to be checked and set up.  From this   to this is what you need.  We can have this service done for @ $265 to your carb.  This is a very intricate part, you really cannot rebuild this yourself-- please to go cheap on this part.  You just need to handle it.  Ours comes with a modified electric choke and is ready to go when you get it back.  Follow our instructions on set up and these really do a great job.  Don;t go buy a carb kit and try it yourself, you just can;t do the job professionals can-- no offense.

OK, thats it-- I feel better.  Not trying to load you up on cost but really, this is the right thing to do.

6.2.11

Yesterday reminded me why gave up my tinting businesses years ago Yea, I know a whined about his all yesterday but in finishing off Tom's windows yesterday I did get into that rhythm and while the pain of doinf it still reminded me of years gone by, the feeling I got when it was done also reminded me of those days.  It's done and I think the windows look great and thats the joy I remembered doing tint work.  The stuff really does help the heat, it looks great and folks are appreciative I do it so heck, I guess I should do more of it.

With John's help, we a bout finished refinishing the windows on Paul's "Chimera" yesterday .  This process not only recolors the frames black but also replaces the rubber lock beads and seals the window frame to the body .  Guess next I'll be tinting them too!  We'll replace the dr/pass. felts today then look into the tinting.  Stay tuned for pics, there were a couple of Emailed questions about tint so I'll try and answer them with that report.

I think Jeff will be here today so we will be into the Duramax coach today.  With the dash AC/heat working, we will be starting in on the finals of the dash, then it's carpet -- seats and we'll be close to done.  Our plan is to drive the coach cross country to LA to deliver it to Raymond Cruz.  Cal T. said he wanted to be co-pilot on the trip -- so did several other people but sorry guys Cal asked first.  this will happen this summer, hopefully soon in fact.  I'll do a schedule and try and stop along the way -- stay tuned for the schedule.

With our paint area closed down because of a death in Kevin's family, it has been pretty quiet around here.  Dave too has a family issue and with the 2 of them away, it's Tom, John and myself-- Tony is still pitching in which really helps.  The past week's work has worn me a bit thin.  So many neat projects and so few hands, it could be worse so I'm happy with what we have.  The end of this day should see all those windows done and who knows, maybe I get to tint some more!

At least the sun is out, the heat will be back and all is as it should be-- sweat balls hanging from your nose!  Thanks for the visit and your support, it makes this all worthwhile.  Let me know if I can help, have had several people join up our CMW project lately and when I asked how they heard about us the overwhelming answer was someone told them about us-- and for that I have to say thanks again.  Ok, I need to get going, John is here, looks like he's trying to take Kevin's place as being #2 arrival.  We have a shot at a good day so I won't jinx it by saying more.  See ya next time...

6.1.11

Never happened before and will never happen again  It's hard to say "never" about things but last night was one of them.  About 2:30, the sound came in, it was the double sonic booms of a shuttle landing.  Endeavour comes in for it's last flight and Atlantic rolls out on the creeper first put together for the Saturn rockets.  A first and the last-- think about it, we will miss the periodic boom of a shuttle landing and that huge con trail as a shuttle blasts off.  Only one more blast off and that's it-- the end of an era, I feel honored to be living close enough to say "I was there".  Follow this last flight of Atlantis-- be there in your mind because one day you can sit back in your chair and say to those around you "I was there". 

Yesterday I had the opportunity to remember why I don't think of myself as a "tinter" any more.  Hey, that's hard work!  In my past, I have owner several tint shops, had a great time doing tint graphics, defroster cuts on curved back windows, even had the franchise "Tinting by Sears" but gave it all up to do something else and remembers why when I started tinting Tom's windows on his new exterior refinish.  Oh, it's not hard like coal mining or septic tank pumping but cutting a decal the exact shape and size of a window then trying to get it stuck on the glass without creasing it or getting any dirt behind it is -- well, just a pain!  Remember that 1 window has 2 pieces of glass, each piece of glass has 4 sides so each sliding side window in our coach takes 8 precision cuts.  That's 76 precision cuts on Tom's coach, he has 2 glass slider windows at his galley and door so that makes 19 pieces of glass that have to be patterned, cleaned, flushed, stuck & squeege'd out and I'm 13 pieces in.  I hope to get it all done and out in the sun to dry today-- wish me luck.  Tinting is one of those things you have to get practice at to do well so maybe after I get Tom's coach done the pain of it all will subside a bit and I'll be able to do more tinting with less hassles, we'll see.

Hope springs eternal and yesterday hope turned into reality-- the custom dash AC systems in Chimera AND in "Cruz'n" (the 26' Duramax coach) both bore fruit.  Yes, we have cold air coming out of their dashes--- oh happy day.  These were both full blown heat cool units from Classic Auto Air  , it does away with the entire black box in the front of the coach-- like I said it's a big deal and connecting this servo controlled unit both to an original GMC compressor and condenser in the case of Chimera and to the late model compressor condenser compliment in the Workhorse LF-72 chassis was both a unique project.  Hey but they work, we'll get in on the Duramax heater system next.

It's getting more organized at the shop, coaches are in their place and John has done a great job at getting the place cleaned up.  In the past, the most impressive thing at the shop was the musical chair way we had the placed organized.  Today, at least you can pull one coach out without moving 3 others, here are 2 pics that show how much better our working conditions are.      You can cut-n-paste these pics together to get a better feel of what it's like around here.  Supposed to be a 30% chance of rain today, we need it to battle the brush fires around here so I'm not going to complain when it comes.  We have places to work and things to do inside.  Yesterday, 2 of the guys were out on family issues-- we still progressed but in being out there working keeping the rock from rolling backwards, my paperwork in the office has built up.  If I am late getting back to someone on the Emails-- sorry.  I'll try and maybe catch up today. 

A rather short report today, I need to get back to work, thanks for the visit, call if I can help and go enjoy your coach-- this does not have to be a "never again" opportunity-- we have control on how many times we use our coach so lets not put them on display in a museum, lets keep them on the road!

PS:  Eugene, here is the leak in your dash AC, the evaporator has a fitting leaking above the fitting itself where the bung is brazed to the pipe.    Tom will remove the evaporator and hopefully fix the crack.

5.31.11

Off of a long weekend and ready to go  I'll be finishing up on the electrical set ups on Paul's coach.  The 1 piece dash is in I think for the last time   and with the classic austo air control panel cut in and the radio cage mounted, we are that close to mounting in the dash cluster   Even though there is no living area electrical system in this coach, I am still thinking on using a battery isolator and a boost solenoid to keep one battery "on the side" for emergencies but have it available at a button's push for boosting or selectable with a switch   I'm doing this today so stay tuned to see which way I go.

If things happen right, we will have a renewed drive on the Duramax 26' coach, this could be a biggies so stay tuned.Along with that one we will be working on the other projects so yea, it has promise for a geed week even though it will be a short 4 day one. 

Wish us luck, thanks for the visit and your support.  So, what do you think about our new motor program?  I would like input, it's pretty ambitious so it's important for me to hear your thoughts.  Have a great day, see you again soon

5.30.11

I hope your holiday is going well I must confess that it has been a good one for me.  With the shop closed, I again get my chance to get involved in things I could not do this way when with the shop open and the phone going (BTW-- Janie & I perusing Sams Club hit on the great idea to replace the old cordless phone which has been a boat anchor around our necks with a new set.  Of course it had to be one of their "one time buy" discounted items but after charging them up I can now actually answer the phone from mechanical!  Yea, no more running closer to the office to get the phone to kick when it rings-- oh happy day) off-- it's quality time alone with these machines I find are the most satisfying and effective as well.  Can't help it, I enjoy mornings-- it seems my frazzled brain has more nerve synapses connected or someting.  So the past 2 mornings it's been me, myself & I in here.

Chimera is coming alive, after being passed over several times because of a bad motor out of the box (hey, it happens) then the guys leaving that had the knowledge of where we were on several important parts of the restoration I have now caught up and have a handle on the electrical portion of the project.  This is something I enjoy messing with, I'm doing some unique wiring concepts in this coach in that it will actually not be a "motorhome" as we know them.  Chimera started out as our "car hauler" which had been pictured on our gallery page for several years.  An exciting project that lost the wind in it's sails, the coach sat here half done and deteriorating every day of it until Paul M. came in loking for a most unique machine.  Paul is the head of a small band, he is a traveling musician --- not a member of the Rolling Stones, not a one man band traveling on a unicycle while he played, Paul explained he needed a road machine, something to take say a 4 man band, equipment and enough grip to maintain the 3 s's while on the road, he wanted something reliable, cool looking, efficient and custom  built to their needs.  Hey, you know me-- I said we could do that and when we both started painting pictures in the sky as to what a machine for him would be, heck this machine stepped right out-- like a benched outfielder-- "Put me in coach" it came to pass that this coach would get it's face lift completed   A wild child born of standing outside of the box in a pile of something, this is a 1973 23' coach with a 2' stretch on the back.  OK, ok I can hear it now-- what a 25' coach, whats that all about.  Let me tell you just how special this machine is-- being a 23' coach means it has a shorter wheelbase and will turn tighter and be easier to maneuver.  The entry door is forward, not in the middle of the coach so the back can be loaded down and packed tight.  The front can be set as a travel area with the back totally devoted to freight.  Ah, and this is another unique thing of Chimera (which BTW, is a medial term I'm told for a compound made of many different other compounds-- sounds good) is it's opening tailgate        The rear section taken from a 78 Transmode which is now the "Flat Bed" here at the shop Chimera has been a long time coming but today I can tell you that nestled up next to the 26' Duramax , both of these projects are getting ready to get a strong push out the gate and on to what is next for them and their new owners.  The rear glass is still not in the opening rear panel because until we get the door to patch and operate smoothly, I did not want to brake the glass.  Chimera has been through paint though I still have the window frames to do along with a few other exterior touches but man, is this not a cool looking machine or what .  We have the Eagle rims and new tires here now so they will probably go on this next week.  It needs it's new exhaust system which, BTW, will run down the driver side of the frame totally backwards from the original design.  Check out the fuel fill on the pass. side midway down the coach, hope it will fill better than the original which is our goal.  The front has one of our 1 piece fiberglass dash panels gel coated gloss black.  In fat, the entire front area of the coach will be finished in black-- you know, sports car colors.  It will be what it looks like, Chimera has one of our roller cam 455 motors linked to a Manny tranny, it had a 4 bagger system, Brancscome's stainless cable Ebrake systems, center wheel dics brakes (were on the machine from way back).  Check out the rear side window, it's the large size of the front side windows most of us have.  At this point no generator or roof AC, we are looking to have the all new Classic Auto Air servo controlled heat/cool unit condition the inside weather.  We may toy with the Honda EU series 2000 watt portable generator and a low profile roof AC unit but we'll see as the machine comes together. 

Just wanted to give you guys the run down on this coach because you will be seeing more about it soon.  I have a pile of work to do to get the electrical aspects of the coach up and running but I'm on the job now so stay tuned.  We no exh. system, Chimera spews out verses of the "Redneck Lulabye" right now, yep-- it sounds like a C-130 loaded taking off with rocket assists.  Let me say it another way, the motor is loud and sounds muscle ready.  You know that sound that shakes your diaphram standing next to it running-- I love it!  We'll be putting a rear single exhaust system on the coach hopefully next week-- we'll see. 

"Next week" will be a 4 day one so I have to be careful what I want to get accomplished, we have so much that I usually trey and cram in more than is possible.  Hey, you have to try if you want to get anything done!  Well, this morning is very nice, nice and quiet.  I've got the fan out to battle the mosquitoes, my tools rolled over to the coach and am ready to go after a few more electrical issues before the one piece dash goes in for the last time.  I'll do some pics for you guys on this.  It's been my dream for years to finish this project.  From dreaming up the idea, to the design then the prolonged opportunity to bring it to reality, I am just so happy to breath life into this thing.  Through all the wild ideas of a double slide, 2 Duramax drive train coaches, ground effects exterior design, our motor program, the redesign of the rear suspension, a 2' stretch on a 23' coach, Larry, the back door postman-- ma n I gotta tell ya isn't it exciting doing this stuff?  I really enjoy doing unique things with this platform-- the GMC.  There are just so many possibilities and I'm in the middle of the mess doing just that.  That was the original intent of the Co-op so for me, this really is a dream come true for myself.   Standing by me over 30 years, Janie has helpd me do my best, it's the combination that makes things work-- it's not a solo thing so I say hats off to everyone who is making this happen-- thank you.  Ha, sounds like a PBS commercial-- sorry.

So now I am rewriting the "Crate Motor" page on the web site this morning.  Go over to "mechanicals" from the front page and look for "Crate Motors".  Follow the update and see if there is anything there that interests you.  It's important for all of us to support eachother and thats what the motor program we have put together now.  We have had 5 years of building custom motors for the GMC, I've listened, learned and watched for ways to improve our product.  That is what our revamping is doing, a "next level" in the evolution of these custom built motors.  It's about more than the accumulation of parts that makes up the new "Co-op/ Koba" motors, our "Kryptonite Cam" (yea, I still chuckle a bit at that name but it really is the --- program--- for the big ole computer (403 & 455 Olds motors) to power well our 12,000 lb., 26', antique hot rod with plumbing yea, thats a little corny too but thats also fine.  Have a great holiday, do something you want to do because thats what will remain in the end....

5.28.11

Ended up an overall good week. We got off our hands on several fronts, the guys helped by coming in and working hard toward the end of the week and from a start off that was not good, I do feel we ended up OK.

Yesterday, I laminated the interior bulkheads on George's coach, our custom steering wheel order showed up so with his new wheel, George's dash looks good to go   We have ordered in some custom mahogany overhead and cabinet doors for his coach too.  A new idea, these are vacuum formed doors.  We're going for a gloss look finish, stay tuned and lets see what happens.

So now we have Joe's coach in the strip bay to go after the exterior refinish process.    Jeff and Kevin are pulling off all the rails, ladder & rails, lights, bumpers, pod getting ready to go after the paint.  First though there is the body repair and you guys have seen some of the stuff we have found in the past.  As many hands as these things have been through, you just never know what you will find.  Kevin gets a kick out of some of the repairs he's found on coaches.  While I was laminating over in George's coach, Kevin scoots over to say "bring your camera".  Oh boy, thats always how he starts when he finds something while picking at these coach bodies.  He hurried back with me in tow to see what he found   Being the NAPA paint specialist fora little over a year, it amazes him what he sees shops doing-- it's called "whack-n-pack" or "cave-n-pave".  Folks find devious ways to hide stuff they do to fix bodies-- it's one of those "soap boxes" Kevin seems to stay up on!  So what is it this time man?  We knew there was some previous damage and questionable repair on the LR corner where the tail light is on Joe's coach but --- Dude-- thats Hanus man!!    Hey, why is the tail light painting right?  Check out the duct tape, aluminum siding rivited together holding Joes tail light together!          We'll have to mold in a donor tail light enclosure-- there is nothing left of this puppy!  Don't worry Joe, we have that technology, all will be good.  The top side rails had a selection of sealant-- impressive how folks over the years have tried to stop the water leaks.   We have found a new material to work in this area.  The coach will be painted with the rails off then sealed-- stay tuned for that.

We finally found a machinist that could properly reem the smaller 1 1/4" pins for Eugene's bogy pin replacement project, now renewed his rear suspension complete with quad bag system is in and he's on the ground.    It was odd, this is an Explorer "frame off" restoration, a 76 coach I think but it was fitted with early style bogies with the smaller pins-- really threw me for a loop!  The smaller pins are no problem and properly lubed will never be a problem again.  We have the 1 1/2" pin ream tool but so few coaches were fitted with the smaller pins, we had to find a machinist who could do the ream job for us.        You might ask the question," How could his bogy pins be bad if it was a "frame off" restoration?"    Hey, a good one, my guess is they pulled the frame off the body, took a good bogy set from another coach (an early year model) , cleaned up, painted and installed them on this coach.  In some ways you can call this a restoration because it's not the list of things you do but where you find you can stop that defines the extent of a restoration-- my guess is we found out one of there dark secrets.  So it's done now and Eugene can now worry about all the other stuff keeping his coach afloat.

Today, I'm editing the site a bit, working on explaining our new motor program and doing some cleanup on the site.  It's tough trying to keep this place going AND the site up to date and looking good.  I have some tinting to do on Tom's windows as well as some electrical issues only I can deal with on Chimera so my weekend will be filled.  We'll be shifting gears a bit doing some focus on George's interior, final mechanicals on Chimera and we've got a cool Revcon in here that needs some TLC so there's no space for just hanging around.  The heat is good, I would much rather have it than the cold.  I will try and relax a bit the weekend too, after all, "burnout" is a serious thing in this business.  Just so much to do...

Have not had much time to monitor the net or club sites, anything going on I should know about-- please let me know if something comes up I should know.  Nelson is still working with me on the "big ole bag" project, I'll tell you more about that as we find it out.  Gotta go, thanks for the visit, call if I can help...

5.27.11

First some why this page is here  Behold, a new sharp looking GMC.  It's the first impression that lasts so yesterday we pulled out Tom's coach for he and his wife to round the corner and see their coach for the first time with it's new colors and as they pull into the lot with their gold minivan I could see smiles through their windows.  After so much planning, design, color choices, lay out and detains it all comes together and Tom likes it .  So soon it will be home to Oregon.  Some feel that it's worth the trip for this level of work.  We'll be finishing up the coach with new window tint next week, stay tuned for a few tips on tint.  Yea, I'm pulling out my ole tinting tools and doing the work myself.  If you have ever been interested in tint for your coach, I'll show you about what you should consider then so hang around next week for that.

Now, I've had several posts asking more questions on our new roller cam motor program.  The main thing that makes this a "new program" is not as much changes to the parts, machine work and build rather it will be the one on one attention that will go into putting the motors together.  Drew will be checks spec. on every component part then hand fitting the motors together.  We will run up every motor here at our shop "running in" the cam and checking all aspects of every motor before it leaves our shop.  "If you want something done right, the best way is to simply do it yourself" and thats the new concept our motor program will contain.  It's a big deal designing a purpose built motor to pull 12,000 + pounds and we want to be sure everything is done right.  Hang the pressure to build the motors cheaper, I do not want to sell a "cheap motor".  I want to sell the "cheapest best motor" and that we can do.  Ask anyone, a roller cam motor is a big deal, a motor that is designed to live with todays oils also sets our motors apart.  If your motor has a flat tappet calve train, you cannot use regular available motor oils.  These new oils are designed to work OK in the new motors but not in our old war horses.  Also, let this be a warning if you have a vintage car or anything with a flat tappet valve train-- do not use just any oil off the shelf-- good luck if you do.  Our roller cam motor can though I opt for putting as much lubricity in any motor we work with.  Just like aircraft today must use special oils and other liquids, now vintage motors must also protect themselves.  Doesn;t it only make sense to modify a motor when you build it to run on the oil supply now available?  Sorry but it seems like a no brainer to me.  There is much more that slapping in a roller cam into a 455 Olds motor.  There is much to do about how to do it, we have been building these unique motors now for several years and have it down.  Talk about this and that all day, we do it and our roller cam motors really are different-- ask any motor builder and while you have their ear ask them how much you will pay for such a valve train modification.  You will see how unique our motors are.  Ok, enough of that, I'll keep you guys up on how things are going.

Some of you have asked how my Mom was taking to living here in Orlando, thanks for asking and here we are yesterday evening.  As I pulled into the backyard, she and janies sister Laurie were using the sidewalk between the houses as exercise She's doing great and we're having a great time together.  it was the right thing bringing here to Orlando and the family we have here.  Thanks to all for asking.

OK, that's it for now, they are calling for rain this afternoon so theis morning is important time for work.  Kevin is here so lets get started.  Thanks for the visit and your support-- it's what keeps us going. 

Oh, oh, forget, hey mark, the teak trim is going into your bathroom and folks have been asking why I don;t use "presslock" air fittings--- thats simple, they leak!  We use a really neat fitting with the interior ferrel built into the fitting and a plastic outside ferrel that will not pinch the plastic air line.  Here is a "union" fitting   I want to tighten down the air fittings that hold the back of a coach up-- I think it's just too darn important to "push-n-go" these vital air fittings.  I'm not looking for fast and easy, I want it to not leak now and down the road and call me old school but I know when I finish wrenching down a fitting that it will stay there and these are the best fittings I can find.  if you want to upgrade your air ride system easy, replace all those old fittings with new fittings like these, call me if you are interested.

OK, lets try again-- I'm outa here, have a good weekend and call if I can help...

5.26.11

A good day yesterday A full house on help, Nelson dropped by helping me work on the "Big Ole Bag" concept, Tony really turning up the heat (like we need to do that with upper 90's) on some interior work, both my mechanical guys working like madmen on Chimera to get it outa here Kevin "picking" on Tom's exterior refinish, it's the last 5% that takes a good 25% of the effort when you go for the quality we seek.  Thanks to everyone who made yesterday what it was-- now if I could do that everyday....  Naaaa, I probably couldn't handle the stress to keep everyone working but hey, you gotta have a goal!

Another side of this business is always evolving different aspects of the things you have to deal with.  The only thing guaranteed in this life is change and it's also something that can get you in trouble if you don;t pay attention.  Let me talk about one here thats been budding me for some time.  We all know that recently we lost Joe Mondello, a real wealth of knowledge from that school of hard knocks he came up through.  One of the last soap boxes he was bullying was the quality and consistency of motor parts being offered today.  If you will remember if you sat in on any of his seminars he drummed into everyones head on how the quality of the pistons, bearings, this and that all had to be checked and matched.  Now with parts coming out of 3rd world countries, you simply never know if the part you buy really will do the job intended.  As of late, I have learned first person how critical this one statement that Joe made truly is!  There are now only 2 manufacturers making a quality low compression piston to fit the Olds 455, one is a race piston note necessarily fitting our low RPM high torque requirement and the other is now being produced in India.  Hey, it's not that I have anything against India but the consistence of those parts MUST be checked and expect a bad egg here and there.  It's this way about all of the parts, not just pistons.  So you say, "lets inspect and measure every part--- hey, you simply can;t do that when your motor program is through a 3rd party.  It takes too much time to check the spec on all those parts that go into a motor-- and let me tell you, if you rush through this check you are only hurting yourself!  I know, ask me how I know!!!!!  And Joe was right when he said this problem is getting worse.  Joe was working with parts suppliers pushing them to make more consistent parts for him.  One good one --- lifters---- Johnson is a large supplier of flat tappet lifters and for a time back a couple of years ago, their lifter business ran into troubles and the replacement lifters came out of India.  We then started seeing lifter issues, noisey valve trains and all mainly because my production builders even though they were building our purpose built motors custom, we were having noisey motors.  We had to go to American made adjustible push rods to fix the unreliable spec issue of the flat tappet lifters.  When we went to our roller cam spec. to battle the oild without ZDDP, the roller lifters had to be modified to fit-- further consistence issues.  Joe worked with a number 1 lifter company to design and offer a custom roller lifter specifically for the 455 motor.  We were all benifactors of his work there trying to keep quality parts in our pipeline.

Sorry about this long verbiage but I think you will be excited where this is going...

So now we have lost our strongest advocate for quality parts and we're now at the manufacturers mercy.  What to do, the quality of our motors is in danger of suffering--- what can we do, it's too expensive to have everything checked by the production companies we say we must rely upon to build reasonably priced motors.  Our roller cam long block motor for $5500 is so down right cheap in the industry for what it offers it's only a matter of time until either the cost will have to go up or the quality and reliability will surely go down.  And, if we don;t do something before hand we will all be in a serious pickle.  These are some of the things that keep me awake at night.  OK, so no one is going to help you-- you must help yourself-- I have been working behind the scenes actually since before Joe's death trying to find that balance.  How can we continue to offer these high tech, hi quality, hi output torque monsters in the future.  If you ask anyone with a Co-op motor they will tell you something is special about them-- seriously and this is no hype, I feel from the beginning with the push from Arch and the concept on a low RPM, hi torque motor, low compression for regular gas, a motor designed to pull you out of the hole is exactly what we need for our vintage 12,000 hot rod.  How can I face offering less than our best!!

After much soul searching with this, so much thinking my thinker was sore, pressing to keep the price still as low as we do and somehow keep on track to keep the quality, reliability and dependability hi---- I think we have it!  You old timers will remember how Arch challenged me to build a "better mousetrap" when his old girl needed a new power plant   Arch was very demending, he was not happy with the folks we had building motors-- he wanted more expertise-- he wanted a better machine for his machine and thats when I got Drew Koba involved.    We sat and talked, talked and sat.  Talked about what a motor would need to pull a 12,000 hot rod.  What it would take in all aspects to make that power plant live in our environment.  I'm not talking an hours conversation but days, and weeks of it.  Arch was camped out in our lot in his coach for 3 months building up the original Koba Motor concept.  Drew and his guru buddy (BTW, for you guys who have the "Mondello goodie book" look on the credits page for Drew Koba's name-- he's there)  Drew used a computer program (PC Dyno) along with computer time at a major cam manufacturer to come up with the :Kryptonite Cam" profile.  Unique in the industry at that time    We were all very proud of all this work and when the motor was Dyno tested we were all there like a family hanging out at the hospital for the birth of a baby,  heck Arch was all over it!        Heck, I was all over it too.  Having this sort of work put into a part was unique and when the dyno pull was over, "Dyno Dave" said he had never seen a torque curve so low range come up so strong .  We had truly come up with a interesting answer to powering a 12,000 pound Toro!      Strong where we needed it, efficient on regular gas-- Wow, what a winner.  Then we got some time on the road which proved it worked. 

OK, so now you know our beginnings, Drew built our "Koba Motor" program and we started spitting out exact copies of this awesome motor.  The problem was though we could not keep up with demand.  Using local machinists it took too long to put these power plants together.  I once told Drew that waiting for one of these motors was like standing in front of that little window at Dairy Queen waiting 6 weeks for that awesome milk shake-- kinda takes away from the taste if you know what I mean.  So, to keep up with demand we were forced to apply our custom design to national production builders for both a descent standard of quality, price and speed of production.  This transition was a struggle but for the past 5 years we have built so many motors that the question of wether this motor makes it in the long run is pretty much answered.  It's a winner and everyone with one loves it's performance.  OK, now we have a new nemesis-- parts quality and consistent availability of quality parts to go along with an increased spec and quality inspection on parts selection.  We need more QC, we need more hands on quality assurance and consistent building and all that.  Our part production suppliers simply cannot keep us out of troubles-- we need more--- guys and now we have it!!

Soul searching does not even come close to what it took to try and answer this issue.  We have a "Champaign idea but with a beer budget" as is described after those in the know look at the perameters of our motors.  I went back to Drew, we simply need to go back to our roots, we need "The Man" to keep us on the straight and narrow--- and we have it!  We have contracted Drew Koba to build up our forst motors in our "Koba Roller Cam" motors.  Yes Arch, you saw us now come full circle, Drew Koba is again building these custom motors, adding in the years of expertise we have learned, keeping record of parts testing and selection.  Doing all of the things that our guru Joe Mondello said had to happen.  The number 1 machine shop in Orlando has partnerd with us to put our custom motors at the top of the line promising superior attention to detain and a quality job done quickly.  Usually you cannot talk about quality work, speed and price in the same breath-- with the economy as it is today and the past successes of our custom motors, we have now attracted the pieces/ parts and labor needed to take our Co-op Koba roller cam motors to a new level.     Exciting--- you betcha!  Hard to pull of, you betcha there too but needed brings another "you betcha".  We simply cannot let something like low quality parts manufacture effect our quality motors and the only way to make sure is to check, check check and make sure everything is as we need it.  WE MUST be in the loop first person and now we have that!  So-- the new "Co-op Koba Roller Cam Motor" is born out of a quality past.  From the best breeding, we have a horse that simply will not quit.  Run this idea up the flagpole of the gurus in our community, they will tell you this is a worthwhile endevour!

OK, here is something I need your help on-- spread the work, let the community know there IS an option.  We need to get out feet wet in a big way, if your motor is tired and you want that "better mouse trap", com e on man, give one of these machines a drive around the block!  If someone needs a motor, tell them to call me.  This weekend I will be rewriting out web site to explain how we got to where we are, we need to show Drew and the machinists that believe us and are out on that proverbial limb to give us what we need that we can make doing this worth their time and effort.  We have 2 motors now in process, one is sold with the second being built for you!  A 5 week turn around is unheard of in the industry but is the commitment from Drew and our machinist.  Drew now has to procure, check the spec. on all the parts needed.  The machinist must take our older war horses and whip them into shape on an expidited basis to make this program work.  Drew has to check it all out--- to make this all work.  We need a volume of work-- to make this all work.  So, I need your help-- someone needing a quality motor, please promote us, I promise I will make this work for them!  It's the only way we can offer a quality motor like this.  The world revolves one "money" and we need to support those that support us.  Help us make this happen-- put us in the spotlight, expect the best and get it.  Drew Koba is now not only building but checking and taking upon himself making our motors the best they can be!  Here is Jim G. fresh Koba motor from the past-- ask Jim G. what he thinks about this motor-- we have them again and now they use our Kryptonite roller cam design!

Gotta go, I'll talk more about this later-- ask me questions..  Let me answer the first question everyone asks, "Is this motor worth the money"--- yep! So lets start there...

5.25.11

Ok, a good nights sleep, a good dinner mixed with a little Drama watching the recorded collective pile of whatever from the Casey Anthony trial and I'm ready for today.  It's going to be a tough one, please don't call me today unless you really have some important things.  I must be out in the bays doing whatever I can to push this square rock up this hill.  I'm not depending on anyone being here though I do know a few I feel will be here to help.  Kevin & Jeff in exterior are always here to do their work, Tony always does what he says and I'll have to hold back throwing him at all we will try to accomplish.  I'm not expecting any contingent from my mechanical area if fact I would rather not have to wonder if they will be in or not-- so lets just say they will not so I will get greasy and hold that side of the wagon up.  I have some valences to finish and ship out today so I'll do that before the grease sets in.   Rasin Bran this morning-- good fiber so I should be good to go--- right?   Hunker down boys and we'll see ya on the other side...

Update

The second day in a row (that makes it a movement-- right?) I found a few minutes and the energy to plunk a little here in the evening.  Today was not a good one, getting prople to work on this old broken stuff I guess is starting to effect even me!  my 2 guys over at the mechanical side were a no show today.  Already being 2 -- well 3 short in trim and now this-- well I guess my path is clear-- I'll be out in the shop the rest of my life!  Ray, you remember Ray-- he was here in this building before I was here   this is Ray helping me get caught up with shipping-- a great friend and is always there when I need him, tomorrow Ray will be here to help out.  

Got this post among a couple other really good ones that I think does capture a good parallel to the (*&^% , sorry, that you  have to put up here with.  George R. thanks for the support:

So with that, I'd say also thanks greatly to Tony who is pitching in.  Here and Tony thought he was going to get away from here after his coach was painted  .  You really gotta hand it to a guy who sees a need and wants to help out.  Tony is picking up Jeff, my electronics guru thats been helping put the 26' Duramax project back on track   Known Jeff for a good 30 years, he's also a keeper  and then there is Janie here every day-- putting up with me and all this, what a job!  Yea, I can sit here crying in my beer-- that is when I get home I can do that, but you know it's true-- "you get by with a little help from your friends" and around here it's a test on that for sure.  Really, thanks to all who are helping us keep going around here, just Emails once in a while like I get from Don T. when I get outa line, or Scott hitting me with that Latin Carbusunom or what ever.  Man, hearing from Arch was a real treat last week, sorry it had to be about his girl swimming.   Yea, I am blessed-- heck I already feel better and I have a bump,bump, rattle, rattle ride home on the side car bike, that should just about do me in for this one.  Tomorrow will be better, I know what I'll be facing.  Tom, Kevin has your charriot about ready to go, give me a call tomorrow.  Hey jim G., I have a guy in West Va. that wants to get his coach here to the Co-op, gimme a call, he's near you.

Gotta go, hey I did get out of here before dark-- this will be a new one!  See you guys tomorrow and thanks again for dropping by...

5.24.11

Boy, yesterday really was an odd one I looked up and like a semi blowing through a red light, it was there and then it was gone.  Today though promises to make up for it a bit, I have plans to be out with Tom pulling Chimera together.  He's light on wiring-- good because I love it and getting Chimera's motor on all 8 now I need to help get the dash, gauges and lights going.  I like that stuff so no skin off my teeth to sweat a little in that direction.

We have Tom's coach in the bay now with Kevin "picking" the exterior.  This is one of the last but very important parts of an exterior refinish.  In it's delivery "cocoon" , the next time we see it in the open air it will be done.  Another survivor brought back to former glory, this is one of the great things about this business-- you are a part of something I truly feel is bigger than us all.  These coaches have outlasted their designers now and are well on the way to watching the next generation have their fun.  Truly an enduring testement to the grand time of mass production, GM would have been the only "super power" in the auto industry to make such a bold move in building up such a unique machine and here we are, continuing it's reign.  I tell ya this is worth doing.

I'm also building 3 sets of valences, one for Tony which is closing inn on him finishing his grand project.  The blinds and valence system we use was developed from years of new (*&^%$# words on fitting useful window treatments to this application.  There are always "unexpected results" when it comes to things going into these coaches.  Not being any straight angles, fitting things that want to move straight has always been a challenge.  And, like I said, after years of trying to fit that square peg in it's round hole, while we do live in America and have the right to mess up anything we want, covering the huge windows in the GMC is one of those things many have tried all sorts of things but in the end-- through all the ideas it's still down to a few fitment issues of which there is no way around.  Side vertical valences is all but a must to finish off the windows plus give the blinds what they need to work.  Maintenance is an issue so you need a way to service the blind and our valence system does that too.    Stretched with our "pleather" vinyl inside and out, these valences look good and keep the hard aluminum blind from rattling-- yea thats right, no rattles!  As I said, there are many ways to cover windows, I feel these work best.  A set of 7 blinds custom made to spec. are $400.  The custom cut and covered valence set is $50 per window-- together the set of 7 are $750.  Sounds like a lote, go price them and know these WILL actually fit!   So George R., Tony and another will get a set of these and I have the fun of building them.

That along with wiring on Chimera and all the rest around here should make for a fun day.  Hot, oh yea, it's going to be hot today.  Hey Andy, the PVC pipes holding the shower broke in the wind last week, we'll be re building that.  Chuck, we finally got all your grease from delousing the underside of your coach off the lift-- man, what a mess!

And with Tom pulling out of the bay all pretty, most of the time around here the coaches we have are all apart, good to see one together and ready for the road.  Stay tuned for the "glamour" shots of Tom's coach.

OK, I need to get a leg up on this day, I have Emails to try and do, a pile of paperwork and the shop work so I should see this day blow  by too.  Have a great day yourself, thanks for dropping by and call if I can help...

PS: Just finished Emails and looking around at whats going on with the NET.  I don't get a chance to do that much any more.  Let me just say please reserve the right to make decision on your on on subjective issues.  What one person calls 'really nice" another looks beyond to see what could be better.  It's all relative in the end and seriously guys, you get what you pay for and there are no short cuts to true quality.  Paint should do more to the outside of your coach than give it a color.  I risk upsetting folks with this statement but guys I'm really sorry but there is a difference-- the question is does having that difference make economic sense to you.  Some will say yes while others say no, not for the money.  Please follow the delivery of Tom's coach-- compare it and I know pics sometimes are not a good way to compare but I thnk even that way you will see the difference.  There are no bad upgrades, they all show you care no matter what they cost so I'm good with it all, we though do things our way and most will see the difference.  Viva la Difference--- Viva La GMC!!

Update:  Wow-- that day hit me in the head!  Man the phone rang and it was all over-- so much happening, great things but with glue on my fingers sticking to the keyboard and a 3 hour exposure to tune dip, I'm just sitting here locking the place down and all I can say is where did it go?  Some relief and I think it will be a good idea, Eugene has a big trip in his coach up north to run from the heat down here.  He said he could wait til he got back-- he said let that paint bake one more summer-- lets do the du in the fall.  Smart man!  The roof is not pealing away just yet and with the sun being what it is, the fall will be a good idea plus it puts us one step closer to the finale of some other great projects-- thanks man, we'll do it up right in the fall. 

Stop me now1  I gotta get home--- and there is always tomorrow...

5.23.11

Well, Friday happened though for a while it was touch and go.  One of the stresses of this business is you have basically 2 different but extremely important types of work coming in-- the first is what actually has take n us so long to put together, a shop who can handle most any aspect and what it takes to do an up to complete restoration on one of these machines.  I see this as the main mission of the Co-op.  There are placing to get things done and in that our vintage GMC could be called a "big boned Toronado" and that it's not rocket science there are places to get thigs done-- heck, alote of the work maintaining these things can be done by the owner if that what you feel like doing.  Hey, try and do some diagnostic work are part replacement on one of those monster diesel pushers-- good luck!  The other very important thing we do around here is repair and maintenance.  Someone id traveling and finds they have no brakes-- the motor seems to be getting hot or a tire starts to vibrate.  These jobs can't wait.  The family heading to the Keys for a vacation did not figure in waiting a week to get some part fixed.  No, when someone calls with troubles we need to turn too.  Also, there are repair and maintenance issues that are planned, say you need an exhaust system, you know the brakes are acting funny or something like that.  We here at the Co-op need to be sensitive to those needs and be able to take those jobs in but wait, where are the priorities?  Every job in here is a priority, most every coach in here was brought because mainly no one else either knew or could do the work needed.  Those coaches are brought to us because this is what we do.  Restorations are here again because this is what we do and usually there is no one else that can handle the scope of all the work that needs to get done.  Hey, we've worked hard to be able to do all aspects of a restoration--- yea but the big problem comes in because of that broken down traveler--- we need to get him back on schedule which means dropping what we are doing to free up the manpower needed to fix their issues.  We are thin when it comes to labor here so when someone comes in on the "foamed runway", we need to stop all and get their work knocked out.  The negative side of that coin is the repairs and restoration stops until we can get that traveler out of here!  It stinks but for the grace of God that out of luck driver could be you.  You could be out there on the fringe, run into problems and limp in for help.  You would feel the need and we are always here to fill that need.  So-- the beat goes on, last week we had several "fires" to put out.  Now we can lick those wounds and get back on track ourselves.  Sorry but that what happens here, don;t know how else to do it.

In between the hassles last week, we did get "Chimera" fired up at long last.  Had some motor issues, today we will start getting the rest of the drive train stable and pull it out of it's caccoon bay now.  Eugene gets his rear suspension on this week.  We have all new pins and bushings on his coach plus we're repainting the roof of his Explorer II coach.  The clearcoat pealed off.  What can I say, the new base/clear finish systems are much improved over even 5 but certainly the 15 years it's been since the 3 process base/clear finish was layed out on his coach.  The top surfaces take the hit first and thats what we will fix.  Joe M. coac is getting it's exterior strip for his paint, we have the interior continuing on George H. coach and the beat goes on with the Airstream motorhome going to Sapin and the Awesome Revcon coach we have in here. 

It's going to be hot today-- in the upper 90's.  Oh boy, I'm getting the blast furnace in the face today!  No rain in sight, sorry Smokey Bear but we here at the Co-op love the hot, dry stuff! 

5.20.11

Who stole this week?  I man Wow, it's gone!  We got stuff done and we're looking today to get Tom's exterior refinish completed,      Kevin got the front end together then got the wheels cleaned up and back on and the coach is now in the "delivery bay" getting final touches done.  "Chimera fired up yesterday and we got Mark's retro cam in and with the valves adjusted that one will be one step further.  There is just so much blowing past us right now -- heck, Kevin & Jeff are here, I need to get out there.  Sorry, maybe in the morning I'll be able to catch up.  Got a post from our ole buddy Arch, man the high water has turned his vintage home in the woods into an Island  , his coach went swimming and it looks like it won;t rise again!  You can see his towd hunched up on the back of his island.  Hang in there friend!  Like I said before, how can Texas be drying up while houses are turned into islands-- don;t we have the technology to do something!

OK, gotta go, have a great day-- I'll see if I can come back tomorrow

5.19.11

Sorry for the time away, just had so much going on-- so many things pulling me hey, something had to give!  We are working hard trying to make use of the awesome weather we're having here.  Though I know we need rain here in Central Florida, we love not having the wet stuff to contend with while working.  This would be a great reason for relocating to Arizona if it weren't to danged far away!  I'm a Florida boy, born and raised-- what can I say and I'm not sure if those folks out there could handle us so here we will stay.

I have been getting posts lately of off shore parts with really low costs infiltrating our parts supply lately.  Guys please, "price" is certainly important but when a cost is 1/2 what someone else has for the supposed same part-- guys please, there has to be a difference!  I'm not a chemist, an engineer or someone who can fully investigate those differences but there are no free rides in the world, quality is what it is and you must recognize that "cheap" is usually the most expensive way to do something.  Also, there is more to getting a part than just the part itself.  Having someone to help you understand the unique issues with the installation, adjustment and maintenance as well as other issues and options associated with the installation-- tips and what it takes to not just install the part but to make it work well is what you should seek.  We don't sell parts-- we sell parts we use and thats a huge difference.  The only consideration when buying parts from other places is price-- don't let that be all you base your purchase on!  If you have comments on this subject (for or agianst0 I would like a post.  No names but I want others to hear first person how the whole package is what you should consider.

There's just so much happening around here, I wish I had more time to show you it all but hey, there's just 1 of me.  It's been quite stressful around here trying to keep all aspects of this place moving forward.  I still would rather be doing this than anything else, I just wish everything could run as smoothly as I wish.  "It's all about the $" and I understand that but life has to be about more than that-- capitalism sometimes makes me think the end result of all of this is to make us all "Ferengi" (if you watch Star Trek).  I think it interesting that in that show, the human race rejected working for the almighty dollar, instead targeting their persuits of freedom, life and service to a higher goal.  Sounds pretty "altruistic" but it looks like right now in the world, we need a little more than money to sustain our lives.  Can we make the jump or are we doomed to simply stack coins all day!

Gotta go, see ya later

5.16.11

Wanted to get here and plunk down a little before the team shows up it's on the overcast side this morning which means really descent working weather if the rain holds.  This weekend we had quarter sized hail, Kevin said the lot looked like the Mississippi river delta with water all in the trim shop, guess we have a really good reason now for tossing all thise little pieces of scrap wood!  Will be interesting to open the bays and see what we have.  This weekend Janie & I drove JayGee to St. Augustine to the last Sunshine Statesmen rally of the season.  Missed last month, just too much happening.  This one was close and well, I really needed to support the club.  Did a talk on the Fire Fight fire suppression systems you guys have heard me talk about. 

The head guru and my partner in Fire Fight Ralph was also there and together we fielded questions and basically layed out the reasons folks need to consider fire suppression for their coach   Had a good group with the message not as much for the coach as for the people and precious cargo in the coach, heck-- let the coach burn if you like if a fire suppression does nothing more than give you a few extra moments to get clear of the fire it's done it's job.  Some of the members who own "SOB;s" (thats some other brand) had already seen the light to protect their major investment       The general RV community has been exposed so much to the dangers of fire in an RV and with their investments so high, adding a fire suppression system simply makes so much sense it's a no brainer.  Sorry but I have to say us GMC owners are out of the loop on the fire danger warnings but that does not make us immune to that danger.  Nope, a GMC body may not be made of wood that rots or metal that rusts but hey, everything burns! So in an effort to not pay Capt Hook, I really want you to consider your options   This is not a "sales pitch", this is one friend talking to another.  Yes, there is money involved up front but I see this as one of those pay now or maybe really pay later.  I have seen the outcome of this issue first hand and thats why I am involved.   Less than to sell this stuff, I see it as a public service and a very cost effective one if I may say so.  So, please go to www.firefight1.com and look through the site-- call me and please lets talk about what can be done to protect you, your family and your classic coach as well.  Folks say, hey I've got insurance-- let r burn but if you, you family or your pet is in there too, really would you have made that decision at that time and if there were a way to prevent that from happening would you feel good you made that decision ahead of time?  As the popular phrase goes today "I'm just say'n".  Sorry for all that, I'm just coming off my seminar soap box about protecting people, places and things-- please let me know if you have any questions.

The rest of the weekend went very well, a lttle rain on Saturday did not stop us from hooking up with Bob & Donna for a trip to the Flagler museum in St. Augustine to see how the other half lived at the turn of the century-- not this one but last one   Of course Bob & I were immediately attracted to some vintage rolling stock thats happened to be in our way going in   What can I say, once a motorhead-- always a motorhead!  Hey, but there really was much to see.  Like how elaborate could they make a simple desk back then--   yea, well thats pretty spiffy but oh come on, what does it take to put you on the top of having a cool desk?    OK, ok I can;t keep up with that but guys, some wood worker really had too much time on his hands so does this thing have a USB plug and power cord for my lap top?  And the rest of the place was dripping with opulence that could only be a part of the "gilded age" and all this stuff was in St. Augustine?  Whodathink!  Guess today mimics yesterday, take a look at the Hum V-- I rest my case!

Anyway, the officers for the club's next years board were sworn in using a GMC shop manual of course , somthing I had done back when I was thrown in there as prez. and the rest of the rally that I loved was driving our coach to and from the rally.  108 miles 1 way made for a wonderfull maybe 3 hours in the weekend which really was great.  I've said this many times before but you retired guys with nothing to do but set your own schedule and do things at your pace really need to wrap at least some of your life around your coach.  I mean how many more weekends and holidays do we have left and what else can you do that can make you as happy as driving your special machine?  Come on guys, get out there, just go to the store for milk or something!

Anyway, have kevin and a couple of the guys here so I need to get on, read through my Emails and get out there and work.  We have much to do, I'll try and get pics of it all for ya for tomorrow.  Thanks for the comments on B.O.B., I'll let you know first how the testing went.  Thanks for the visit, sorry my frequency has not been daily as of late but it's just getting difficult to find the time.  Got some great reports from the GMCMI convention, many wish I could have gone-- maybe next time.  See you guys soon, thanks for dropping by so as the "world turns" hold on and we'll see ya later...

5.13.11

Andy, don't come down to Florida right now, they are cracking open the blast furnace doors!  Yea but I like it, it's been dry (no rain) so long I bet we'll have new leaks from stuff shrinking up.  Supposed to rain this weekend a bit, we'll see.  Figures, this is the weekend of the last rally of the season for the Sunshine Statesmen, it's over in St. Augustine.  Talked to Jerry the rallymaster who said we have 35 coaches registered.  Wow, looks like we'll end this season with a bang!  Going to do a talk on fire suppression systems and will install an SS30 Halon auto deploy system in the frig compartment on Jerry's coach.  Guys I gotta tell ya you should think hard about this option.  The #1 reason, according to FMCA, for total loss damage on motorhomes right now are fires caused by Norcold & Dometic absorption refrigerators.  Not me saying this, there are currently recalls from both companies on their gas/AC non compressor driven frig units.  Having a countermeasure for something like that is easy to have.  Please go to www.firefight1.com and read around.  Ralph K., my partner in this business, is a genius on this passive auto deploy system.  It works and it can work for you.  Please just check the site out, read and do some thinking.

OK, got something new, different and interesting for ya.  Still in prototype stages, thanks to Nelson W. for help in moving this concept closer to market.  Meet B.O.B., thats "Big Ole Bag"    Can you see him?  Pretty cool hey, something I've been thinking about for some time.  Different pressures, different concept and not ready for prime time yet I thought you might be interested   Lou D. helped me yesterday to yank out the old air bags from our 23' coach "Tin Soldier", I think it was time that original Firestone bag was done as more and more coaches will be dropping their original air bags.  There is a great solution on the ground right now but sitting still in this progressive world means you will be move backward if you stay there too long so here is a new idea   Yep, this "bog ole bag" is holding Tin Soldier up with 25 pounds of bag pressure!    I'll keep you informed on how the prototype acts and reacts.  Shhhhh, mums the word on this, you posers are the first to see this.  You can talk about ideas all day long but no one can really know until someone does it.  I've seen this system on a coach and want to investigate.  Stay tuned for more on B.O.B. 

Tom was about ready to extract himself from George's motor compartment from reinstalling the intake manifold , new carb, blockoff plates and oh yes, replacing the burned up coil when we found something else.  In tuning the motor I found the pass sibe. exh. header gasket was leaking.  Hey, we have that technology, lets replace it.  In changing the oil after the intake job, we found the dig stick would not go back in the tube-- hmmmm, lets look at that.  Found a really cute solution to a problem.  As we find in many motors, the oil dip stick tube had rusted and broken off at the block somewhere in it's past.  A previous owner couldn;t figure out whar to do so they stuffed this piece of pipe on top of the original rusted off piece of pipe stuck in the block   Don;t ya just love that glob  of sealant where the stick met the block?  .  You can tell this is a rig, the tube should go into the block by 3-4 inches, this was basically glued at the joint.  So, how do you get out a piece of dip stick stuck in the block?  OK, here is a tip, drain the oil, run a coat hanger down the dip stick hole and find the drain hole in the oil pan and have the coat hanger stick through it.  Now with a 3/8" pipe, hammer down the broken off tube piece into the motor.  It will travel down the coat hanger and come out the drain hole.  Sounds nuts but it works!  The alternative is not fun so if you have this problem, try it.

Take a looksee at the front rims and tires Mark chose for his awesome Duramax flare restoration   Pulling the coach up on the lift next to the real Duramax machine, you get a full feeling of just how unique this coach is becoming You know I like "out of the box" stuff and this deviant is good looking!  Now this diddy is not for everyone, Mark and family live in northern Canada, Ft. McMurry, to be exact.  It's still snowing in their summer right now.  Mark needs some shoes for rough road conditions and this is it.  Along with a 3.55 gear and one of Jim K. limited slip diffs, there is no need for "spacers" here with this offset   This is a big tire on a big rim, very manly and yes, it does fit!  Yes, "mods are us" and this concept flies in the face of many past theories but with a front air ride system (yes, I said a front adjustible air ride system), these tires & rims, the Duramax flare set along with the 3.55 limited slip diff oh and our "kryptonite cam hooked up to a roller set up baby, this is a new monster!  I just love it when people say "do it", thanks Mark for being game.  I know you guys will stay tuned for this!  Hey, go back a minute, isn't this a great pic with the 2 flare coaches side by side, the only thing thats missing is their smaller brother the 23d   This stuff is just so much fun, may not pay the bills but life is about more than just that.  It is though a main reason why we're here so keep'm commin!

So this weekend I get the supreme opportunity to drive my coach (JayGee) to St. Augustine , hey-- kinda looks like this machine well, it feels that way to me.  Oh what a great weekend, great drive and great seeing many of my GMC friends-- if yu are in Florida the weekend come on over to Indian Forest Campground

 http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/103451.html

Like I said, 35 coaches registered, it sounds like we'll have a great end of the season rally-- you'all come!

OK, I've talked enough, have to get ready to go.  The shop will stay open of course, Kevin will keep everything happening.  I do need a break so I'm not sure what internet access I'll have.  Bob H. may be there with his WiFi broadcaster-- we'll see.  Have a great weekend, I hope to.  Go out and do something with your coach, heck even if it's just a wash job-- it's there for you, be there for it.

5.12.11

Did anyone get the tag number of the dump truck that ran over yesterday? The phone rang and from there I really can't say where everything went, we had people doing stuff all over the place.  The evening I took some time to focus on a dist. that was sent in to check and rebuild if needed.    At first glance I can see the pickup wiring has some funky connections-- a good indication that there is more to this piece.    Understand that those cobbled up wires allows the motor to run and with only 1 going out-- well the motor stops.  Inside the dist. I found the ravages of time had done it's job   The mechanical advance with it's swinging weights and calibrated springs were solid.  Solid in that this dist. had no mechanical advance.  Oh man, wait till this baby goes back in, there will be more power from the motor than I bet it's had in many a year!  Pulling the mechanical advance mechanism out was fun all rusted together as it was but it finally gave up and I had a chance to take it apart to clean up   How do you get that out/  Push out the drift pin on the lower gear and the center shaft pulls out.  Now 2 of the 3 parts of the ignition system are accessible.     Well 3, the module is that flat black thing with the 4 connectors on it.  The pickup is the coil of wire around the hole and the condenser (yes, an HEI dist. has a condenser) oh and there is onew other important part here, the vacuum advance.  That's the round thing sticking out from the side of the unit.  We are replacing all of these parts and on the vacuum advance, we're installing an adjustable unit where we will be able to crank up or down the advance of the vacuum system   Sticking the small allen wrench into the port input will allow you to increase or decrease the pull as vacuum is applied to the diaphragm-- this gives you another tuning adjustment.  The pickup was close to it's edge of destruction   Still working yes but the coil of wire showed heat damage with the insulation pealing off.  This is exactly why you need to renew critical parts even though they may be working.  Along with the condenser, the part included new wiring to the pickup harness -- another good thing to replace.  Stripped out, we are now ready to build up the new ignition system   Here is the dist. with it's new components waiting for the install of the new Delco module  Now, with the new module in place the mechanical advance system is reinstalled we are ready to investigate the dist. cap and coil.  I use only Delco parts in the ignition system-- there are all types out there and no doubt many are just fine, I just don;t like to play with that stuff so Delco parts go into my dist. work   OK, check out the old dist. cap with the original coil, see any differences?   Well yea, it's rusty but a closer look shows problems waiting to happen.  The 3 wires on the original coil were not only touching but getting ready to melt together   They are going all over the place, crossing eachother hey and it gets hot in there!  The dist cap gives a routing location to keep thise wires away from eachother, this is how the wires should route   Nothing touches and nothing crosses.  Look close at the previous pics and you will see heat damage on the coil and wires.  This part too was waiting to fail.  In fact this is the part and location that put Larry (my coach) on the side of the road coming back from the DuQuion rally last year.  So replacing the cap and coil, this problem was bypassed in this dist. So we're done, we have a pile of old parts, we have the mechanical advance free'd up, we have a new cap, coil, module, condenser, pickup and an adjustable vacuum advance.  We have cleaned up wiring and all Delco main components.  My work here is done and just in time.  Tom D. carb showed up from it's remanufacture.  Tom pulled his intake, cleaned it up and will be putting his reworked carb, & dist. on top of his cleaned intake complete with stainless steel Mondello block off plates and fiber gasket set.  The dist. will again do it's thing as it should have, his carb reworked to our better spec. and any excapting vacuum from the crack in his intake will be gone.  Oh boy, we're off to the races now!

The sun is up now, Kevin and Jeff are here doing finals on this Beck Porshce thing we painted         Yea, thats a condenser and  AC compressor on that bug motor-- how boutcha -- and they said it couldn;t be done!

Funny but we just dropped down George's coach from getting the exact same work done as the dist./carb job I just wnet over.  Here is George's coach running in the middle of tuning   Before it started though, it wouldn;t.  No spark, checking things out looky here, a burned coil .  Probably need to go through his dist. too.  George has the cleaned intake, the blockoff plates, the remanufactured carb and a new coil, wonder how HIS mechanical advance it?  Dang, you look deeper and you always find more.  Further proof that it's not what you want to do as being the hard decision rather where to stop! 

Headm up, we're out of the office and out in the bays.  Gotta go, have a great day, it's going to be hot here--- I love it...

 5.10.11

Sometimes we get so wound up in whats in front of us we miss some things that are important I would like to give a heart filled thanks to Steve, my worker-- friend and just all around good guy for the decade plus of service he has supported the Co-op and me specifically in good times and bad.  Steve is retiring from the good work he has been doing here behind the scenes.  Retiring not by his decision rather his doctor told him strenuous work like some of the crazy things we do around here is not good for his heart.  You would think with a heart as big as his there would be no problem to continue to pour out to us all of the things we have grown accustomed to have with him around but hey, it's all going to happen to us all one day and by golly it's time for this sailor to put his oars on his shoulder and make his way to what comes next.    I met Steve in 1991 doing the carpet binding for CLASCO, thats right every stitch on those awesome carpets in the first concept of renovated GMC's were from his hand and her still has the machine and does binding .  One day he was doing some binding work for me at the Co-op and mentioned that there were not as much work for a specialty labor function such as just binding work & I suggested that his give it a go here.  Always up for a challenge he came on in and had been with me ever sense.  A true supporter of the work here, Steve put up with all of us here, especially me and my stressed out rants, irritating hovering I sometimes do trying to get stuff done and simply all the tough things that go into working with these beat up ole war horses.  He was the behind the scenes guy here, getting the grunt work of the interiors done.   He picked up so many things the way I feel they should be done, it will be difficult to replace him, the enthusiasm he brought to the table and talent he had perfected over the years.  Steve-- my brother, you will be missed   Never had anyone retire like this, don;t quite know what to say.  I guess I'm getting to the age I maybe should start planning my "exit strategy".  Hey remember, none of us will get out of this place alive and there is just so much we all need to do to make our lives here the best it can be, it will be exciting for Steve to step out into the "retirement zone", looking to see what comes next and trying to find something fulfilling and important.  Steve will do well, his enthusiasm he puts into everything he does will sustain him.  He has an awesome wife, a good life, a son with a kid so Grandpa will have a better chance to dote a little on this grandson and all that.  Lets all give Steve a big hand shake, a smile and thanks for all he has done.  His handiwork has been in every coach thats come out of the Co-op-- every one of them and brother, thats a pile of work!

With Steve not here, Craig & Eric doing other things, Jason too gone we have a near total rotation of manpower on hand.  The touble with that is finding people who will give the heart ans soul it takes to work with these special machines.  The problem I will have with this is loading in the knowledge needed to do all this special work.  I will have to not only be out in the shop more to get the work flow to continue but also to try and train up this next team.  This will be a big job, one I have already started.  WE have Tom with us now in mechanical .  He's jumped right in head first into the frey , with him and Mitchel who started yesterday we are on track to getting mechanical back up to speed.  I have a new guy John helping in the interior trim shop starting in yesterday on Joe & Sharon's new carpet .  He starts at the bottom, well exactly scraping the old foam pad from under the 30+ year old carpet in Joe's coach.  A tough job but one that will show him what it's all about around here.  Hope he hangs in there. 

While he was cleaning the fifty million staples and funked out pad in the coach, I was going at the new dash install on Joe's machine.  Here is what I'm starting with   With the front bezal off, the mondo hard steel back panel shows what's in front of me.  The Sparkomatic (yea, that was the brand name "back in the day") radio was installed by the Barber of Seville , the shaft knobs were chewed into place.  A big part of installing one of Mac's dash clusters is the wiring and after removing the steel bezel the pile comes forth.   No big deal and raking out some of the past transgressions of work people rigging stuff in the coach, it's now my job to get it sall out.  Check this running wad out   If you notice, there are 2 wires going in, 2 going out -- so like whats the rest on that crap?  Don't know but it's gotta go!  Hey, and look at the circuits with no fusing coming off the "vehicle battery positive Everything needs fuse protection but hey, hanging a circuit braker by the wire is not what I had in mind so all this has to go .  The end of yesterday I got all that handled with a new isolator, boost solenoid, fuses, new proper gauge wiring, each circuit labeled and all that .  Just had to happen and the extra wire will line the dumpster .  Heck, might even lighten up the coach a bit! 

OK, now that there are less of us here, my time will be that much more important.  John and Kevin are here now so I need to get out there.  During that day, Janie will be taking messages so I can stay on task out in the shop.  Sorry but we all must make sacrifices on this reorganisation!  It's getting oven hot around here and I'm out in the middle of it so if there is a really important call you need to talk with me on, let Janie know & I'll talk with you, the rest I'll call back when I get a minute.  This is going to be hard, bear with me.  Please think good thoughts for us, for Steve going to do whats next and us trying our best to replace his efforts.

Have a great day, mine will blow past without seeing most of it! 

PS and BTW:  I've had questions on how things are going on the 26' Duramax-- yes, it's still here and custom work like whats needed on that project will be a serious problem until I can get us back to parody but here is the dash Jeff is getting together for the machine

  5.9.11

Was a action packed weekend along with celebrating Mothers day and all, having my Mom with us for the first time made that a real event then also seeing Skip off made for a full last several days.

Yesterday morning, I came in to see Skip off-- turning his coach into the wind, pointing it toward the gate and doing last minute checks probably the way a head mechanic for an aircraft frets about hooking his pride and joy up to the catapult on deck watching to see if as the plane is slung off the deck does it rise up into the air-- I too had butterflies that after working his coach since Oct. of last year it was finally ready to go-- did we get it all right!  I finally said it's all I can do and decided to wash up the ole girl so he would fly the Palm Beach green colors with pride.  You could tell where I washed the beast .  Heck, the thing cleaned up pretty good   and just sitting there on Mother Day, early before any of the designated celebrants were awake, decided to piddle a bit and add a few little things to help Skip out-- here's 1:

If you have an aftermarket volt meter, connect the input of it to the center terminal on the battery isolator .  The meter will only read the output of the alternator and read the actual output voltage of that alternator rather than reading some voltage reaching the meter after going through the (failsafe) fuse link, fuse block, ignition circuit then split off to run the rest of the dash gauges.  Connecting it to read the alternator output, you can see at a glance if you are charging-- I mean if it ready anything it should read that the alternator is working and how well it is working.  It can be a "no charge" indicator as well as a condition gauge as well.  A really good logic.

I put that in Skips electrical system just as he pulled up to pack up, get his towd connected then get out on the rods heading to Arizona.    Then with a wave and a hardy "HiHo Sliver" he was off   Past Prez of the Suaro Jetsetters (boy, that spelling stunk), Skip was a really understanding customer and even though it took a bit to get a right motor he understood it had to happen and was pleased with the outcome.  You guys over there in Az, hook up with Skip and check out our all new design roller cam 455 motor.  I feel we are now over the hump with out transition from having Jaspers "authentic" division building up or power plants to what we now have.  To spike the gun, now all of our motors are dyno run at the plant to assure proper break in and that all is well before we put the power plants in.  This is also the main reason Manny flies out here to build us up transmission-- we want only our best foot forward when we do this work.  From the first motor built by this group that was shown at the DuQuion GMCMI convention, we have been proving what we knew and proving we could put it all into action and I now feel I can say we are there.  Motors are NOT all created equal, you get what you pay for-- there are no "magic bullets" and the only way to have a quality alternative is to work hard at it.  That is what we try and do and thats what you will get when you work with us on your power plant.  We have another motor being delivered this week to a GMC owner in Texas, another one being test driven this week too so we are rock-n-rolln on motors again.

Greg S. Emailed me asking how the Suzuki he saw fit to get to me was doing, Greg here is our baby

5.6.11

Big day today Skip drove in yesterday to pick up his coach from some rather extensive mechanical work.  Was a long drive so he picked up a room with plans to leave out today.  Always a stress day for us, we need to be sure all is ready for his departure.  Wonder if the ground crew at the airport have these feelings just before the plane heads out for the runway?

Of course there were some last minute things.  The previous owner had ripped out all of his plastic air lines in favor of braided stainless high pressure hoses---- don't do that!  Man, just to change out a height control valve was a bear!  Had 3 of the 6 solenoids inside leaking, the compressor was gone pulling enough juice to fry a 30 amp fuse in 3 minutes flat.  His regulator was toast from that, leaks everywhere and after it all got in with no leaks (amazing), then it started acting funny.  Cleaning the points on the control switches up front I left the coach yesterday evening to see if it would stay up overnight and to get a fresh run at it this morning.  Other than that and the oil dip stick was a (**&^% to get the stick in, I think it's ready to fly.  The new roller cam motor backed up to a Manny tranny with a Jim K. 3.55 gear I think this puppy will be a screamer!  Still carrying the Palm Beach original paint, it may resemble that witch in the cartoons with bobby pins blowing behind her as she whips out on her broom, Skip will be ready for the road in not looking awesome it will fly!  So watch for a Green bullet heading west on I-10 this weekend pulling a Satrun, if you can catch him say hello to Skip and his new toy.

We finally got a window open to get Joe & Sharon's coach opened up for some interior work.   They are also getting a complete exterior refinish but first things first, we need to break down the interior for that work   Step 1, remove carpet, to do that the dinette seats come out, driver/ pass. seats out to be replaced and oh look, the good looking (not) original carpet was under the sofa so it had to come out too   You have to break a few eggs to build an omelet and until the thing is cooked it doesn't look like much but make no mistake, all those pieces/ parts will go back in oh and of course the egg shells need to go to the dumpster so on we go.  With all that out of the way, we'll be installing a Mac dash, stay tuned for that.

Remember how I found George's intake cracked when I plipped the engine cover to install his new servo controlled cruise control?      Brought in the big guns (that would be Tom and his muscle hands) to pull the intake for a crossover blockoff, intake clean and check and set up the motor.    I tell ya after an hour for "throwen fur" he had that motor right down to the block valley with the intake on the ground .  As soon as we have Skip on the road, George's motor will go back together so watch for that.  There has been a pile of talk about intakes, what to do and the problems with them so stay tuned for how we treat this issue.

Hey Tom, Kevin has your entry light location moved .  This 78 coach complete with the upper louveres in the body (thats how you know this is a 78 coach) had to have the outside light location moved down a bit to accomodate the cool new motion sensor light Tom wants to install.  Today, Kevin will match and blens the black paint sealing the old location holes to give room for the larger light.  Yea, if we would have known the light was too large for the position we would have done all this before the paint but hey, things don;t always happen when they need to so hey, we'll handle it.  Stay tuned to see this neat new light.

Guys, for those of you looking for a really nice coach, don;t let this onr slip through your fingers       This is "Waldo", build some 5 years ago, Dean has had his fun with it and now someone else neeeds to take it home for his own.  Like I said, coaches come and go for sale, this one will be gone so if you don;t want to mess with all this coaches needing so much, Dean has already done a pile of work for ya and buying this coach will be the cheapest way to have a soup to nuts nice machine.  If you are interested, give me a call.  It's listed on the "coaches on the lot" on our "for Sale" page-- take a look.

And last, if you have secretly wanted a vintage military side car bike like mine, Burke is selling his and man is it pristine!    Burke picked this up from me when I got mine but never really rode it much and when the reality set in he really had no need for it he brought it over to see if I could help him find a new home for it.  My bike :Attila" has had a good time being around another like him while I got the machine back up to par and now with it running pretty nice (as good as a 70+ year old bike design can) the thing is ready to go so give me a call if you have interest.

OK, Kevin just pulled up, the sun is up so I need to get out there and get Skip's coach on the road.  Have a great day and Mothers Day weekend, don;t forget Mom-- hey without her, where would we be!  Hey and as far as all the "official" holidays go, this is a pretty important one so do something special for her this weekend.  Gonna be good weather around here, hope you have the chance to do something special.   See ya again soon...

5.5.11

Got a late start this morning, had a post asking a question I felt important to answer fully  yea, it turned into a book, just gotta be careful when you ask me a question--I feel the urge to answer questions fully!  Hope the guys ears recover!

It's delivery day on Skip's coach with a new roller cam motor, Manny tranny, 3.55 Jim K. diff, reworked fuel delivery system, reawoken air ride system,  reworked dash AC system, front suspension rebuild-- gosh what else!  A pile of work, I'm eager for this puppy to go home.  The job expanded as we got into the work-- it's done now-- I think-- and all thats left to do it put it out on the road.  Skip is driving in today, maybe stay the night and then it's out on the road so lets all wish him well.  He drives the wheels off his coach so we'll see how things go for him.

We have other imminent deliveries coming up too.  We have Tom's paint work along with some mechanical stuff, George's full restoration looming, Mark H. coach is deep in restoration, I hope we can keep all happening well.  We have Erwin;s Airstream interior to finish off, the Revcon interior systems to check out, interior and paint on another coach heck and yesterday I got a call for a total restoration on a rear bath Royale.  Oh, and we are closing in on the 26' Duramax so it's busy, busy around here.  See thats the funny thing about this business, our work is not depressed like other small business in this down economy.  Not exactly sure why but my guess is being the "cheapest toy in the box" the GMC is a sure bet that folks recognize that investing in one of these custom machines is a far cry better than trying to reach nirvana messing with most any other toy.  Look at it this way, spend $50,000 restoring a 57 Chevy-- when you are done, what can you really do with the investment other than polish it, sit in a lawn chais next to it and let other gawk at it.  You could take a ride in it but you would need to check the weather, bring a buff rag to knock off any road film and forget taking the machine out in love bug season!  With a GMC, you can take a shower in it if you like, take a nap, pile in with a buch of buddies and go to dinner and if a tornado, hurricane, earthquake or anything else happens where you are-- grab your cell phone, wallet and a change of shorts and you can be outa there!  You can never be "homeless" when you own a GMC, never have no ride, a place to sleep or a place to call home and you do not need a covered storage if you don;t want that expense.  Hey, what else could you put your money into that gives you such a return?  And recognition-- hey, you have to beat folks off with a bat at the gas pump when you have a decked out GMC!  Yo will usually get a great campsite at an RV park and chances are even in a Wal-Mart parking lot that says no overnite parking no one will say anything if you hunker down in fact people usually want to have a tour of the coach.  I mean what else could you invest in that gives you all of that?

Yea, there are some downsides, there will always be that when talking about an older machine such as this but when you weigh it all out, understand the good-- bad -- and ugly of it all most folks will say lets go and put some bucks in happiness and build up a GMC for their needs.  I could be wrong but thats what I see from my seat.  What else can you buy that is more recognized as a special machine, a special, historical thing custom made for your use?  Hey and whe you are done with it, there will always be someone interested in buying it from you.  Thats not saying your will "make" money but at least it will have A value, some things you buy are worth poop when you are done with it.

OK, enough of that, I need to get out and double check Skip's coach, he's on the way in and I need to feel good about his leaving.  See ya again soon, thanks for the visit.  Call if I can help and we'll talk again...

Let me leave you with this-- kinda scary!

5.4.11

Yesterday was a blurrrrr Have so many things trying to happen all at the same time it has been difficult to focus.  let me focus a little here-- have so many things to show you plus a white paper on whats happening with our GMC drive shafts, really important info but let me start with a few things happening here.  The original intent of this page was to give folks with coaches here a glimpse of whats happening so lets focus on that a bit.

Working with Eugene's beautiful 77 GMC 26' "Explorer coach" which means it was a total "frame off' restoration done in 1997 .  So you ask, why would we have to replace the rear suspension pins on a frame off coach , which BTW is not a small job?  Well, how bout having to replace his frame just after he purchased it from the original owner who bought it directly from Explorer?  I want to use this coach as an example to say all work is not created equal.  Not taking anything away from this fantastic coach, each time we have found issues like this, Eugene has done things the right way and has renewed that item all the way which has put this coach on sort of a pedestal.  Yes, Explorer Vans did remove the frame from the body (a huge job), they did sand blast and refinish the frame before remating it to the body BUT and this was a killer-- they did not seperate the sub frame from the rails when they refinished the frame and locked in rust between the sub frame and rails-- what happened was the frame rusted away from the inside!     From that first repair when the coach was bought, it came out a better coach for it with all new frame.  Now, in doing some routine maintenance, we checked the rear suspension pins on a lube and found a huge amount of play-- how can this be?  I mean this WAS a "frame off" restoration!  As it tirns out, they may have taken the coach apart but as it is with our work, it's hard to draw the line where to stop looks like their line was drawn closer to the surface than anyone knew.  My guess is they removed the bogies, cleaned them up and determined they were within some tolerance (that is hoping they did actually consider the pin wear) and just put the original pins right back in.  Bummer--- because now he's looking at renewing the pins on his coach.  Some might get upset but the right way to look at this is the coach is so nice that when the pins are in fact renewed the coach again, will be better off after the job is done and in fact more valuable with the new pins so here we go---

The guys got the suspension bogies off and up on the bench.  Everything has to come apart for this job.  Not only does the rear bogies need to come off the coach but the drums, hubs, knuckles, brakes, backing plates all come off then the swing arm pins are driven out of the bogy box so you end up with the arms seperated, the pins loose .  The pin is captured by a pair of bronze bushings in the arm.  Our first test is to see if the pin is "egg shaped" from the wear.  You can see there are 2 opposing surfaces showing wear with the other sides bright and chrome slick, this is not a good sign.  Checking the diameter with a mic, you can see we have an egg shaped pin from the wear   .  This means we will not only have to replace the obviously worn bushings but the wear has gotten into the pins so those also will have to be renewed , bummer!  Ordering up the pin set, the guys will pressure wash all the pieces/ parts then paint them up.  They will remove the original bushings and make ready to press the new ones in and size them with our ream tool.  Eugene, we've got it going so stand ready, parts will be here soon.

Guys, it's just so dang important that you have folks work on your coach who know what they are doing.  I mean Explorer did thier best, of that I am sure, but they simply did not consider the long term implications of some of the decisions they made when performing their "restoration".  Their guys knew full well how to build conversions vans-- they were one of the premier conversion van builder in that day but restoring a vintage motorhome is NOT building a new topper van so they did not know their stuff when it came to this sort of frame off restoration.  I remember how Explorer was set up and their production techniques, we supplied parts to Explorer from CLASCO.  They invested deep in the project but were short on expertise and this was the outcome.  When we are finished with this job, this "Explorer II" coach will have better "bones" than it ever did so again this coach will be in the upper % of quality coaches and that always should be the goal in any maintenance work performed.

On that same note of having quality people do quality work on your coach, lets talk about drive shafts.  Don't gat "shafted" when it comes to renewing the split shafts on your drive train.  As our vintage coaches slowly become more "vintage", it is inevitable that some parts will become more difficult to find which makes it all the more important that you find the real story on parts availability and quality.  In that our business is all about this one coach, each time a part becomes "rare", it's important for us to investigate the issues associated with that part.  many times we will be able to cross reference to more readily available parts, maybe substitute for a more available part or it may take a whole process to renew these hard to find parts.  Whatever it takes, critical parts to the survival of our coaches must remain available.  This is the all consuming job we must constantly be on the look out to have to do.  And, unfortunately as the coaches get older, more and more kinks in the armor are found and we have to work just that much harder to keep our classic machines on the road. 

OK, so now comes in our drive shafts.  While it is true that the Toronado and Eldos both used the same inner and outer CV jounts on their drive shafts, the shaft length is different so this part is not a direct replacement. In years past, the option was to purchase a rebuilt drive shaft for a Toro then swap the actual shafts and "Vwala" you could renew your drive shafts easily.  So in steps Murphy, the originall Precision brand inner & outer CV's have now gone through the rebuilding mode so many times by so many people that the tolerances are out, some rebuilders got jiggy with their work and caused problems which quality builders could do nothing with when the ends came back in for renewing and the end result was the larger rebuilders went off shore to source an all new drive shaft for the Toro and Eldo applications. So we say great-- we have a new inner and outer CV for our GMC application.  Oh, but wait, the dudes over there did not faithfully reproduce a similar part, the races, cages and balls were lifted from a smaller car application, maybe a Cavalier or something, which means under the extreme loads our GMC puts on them, the CV's failed.  If you go to a parts house to pick up a new drive shaft, if they bring out something that looks like this eith an inner CV that looks like this , well just give it back because not only will it not work, it will not fit your original shaft (spline count is off) plus it is totally un rebuildable even for the Toro application--- it is junk!

On the left is an original inner CV casting, on the right one of the refitted ones (there were several after market shafts produced)    If you have the one on the left in your coach, without knowing it you have been screwed!  That CV is of lower spec. and when it fails it is no good as a core and cannot be rebuilt.  Now, thanks to someone in the past repair of your coach, you are faced now with a hefty core charge!  Bummer.  The problem with even the good original parts is the age and wear.  Here you can see the indented wear of an inner CV damaged beyond use   This wear is deep into the casting   The rebuilder would oversize the surface hoping to install larger ball bearings.  If you go more than 20 thousanths, the CV will not work long term-- we cannot accept that jont as a core.  Here, you can see how this outer CV was machined trying to get rid of the wear     This outer CV is unuseable.  This is why "good cores" are so important.  The previous rebuilder did the best he could with what he had, our rebuilder will not go over 5 thousandths so "cut" CV's go in the drek pile!  Our inner and outer CV's are remachined to useable tolerances, each is hand fitted with refinished component parts by us      Here is an inner CV bearing assembly with rust and wear on the riding surface and while it may have fitted back together, shortly it would fail.  Our outer CV's are refinished in volume then refitted by hand by us to fit using our new outer CV "sticky boot" and our "double wrap" CV bands which BTW are also available if you are just renewing your drive shaft boots.  All of this says our rebuilt drive shafts are much different than most any other you will find   Yea, this may be called a bit of gratuitous advertising but until recently we too were unaware of how important it was to follow our line of renewing this getting harder to find part.  So you can see how important a good core is and why the core actually is worth more than the rebuild!  We charge $180 for a properly rebuild drive shaft and have a $200 price on a good, rebuildable core.  Yes, that stinks but what can we do?  The industry itself is screwing the GMC owner, re rebuilders have little to work with and with a mandate to sell, many are doing the best they can and calling that done-- bad Juju!  Heck, even is an original drive shaft pops up from a rebuilder, it is important to open it up to see what those folks rebuilding it have done, it may or may not be a part your coach can live with!  So, as a recap, if you try and procure a drive shaft locally, be sure the inner CV looks like this   If yours does not look like this, be prepared to pay for the core.  If the shaft they come out with looks like this politely thnak them but do not buy the shaft because it will not work and you will be shafted!  How do you know you need a new drive shaft?  If you have a "wobble" under acceleration, your inner CV could be damaged.  If you hear a clicking noise when turning, your outer CV joint could need work and if the boots are split and the insides rusty and contaminated, you really need to have some investigation done.  BTW, it you remove your drive shaft, ythe 6 inner CV bolts are stretched into place with the 75 fp of torque on them.  You must replace those bolts, they are a "one use" part.  Yep, we have those too so give us a call if this is something you need to deal with.  There are more and more parts falling into this category of parts wearing out and needing remachining.  We also have hubs and knuckles rebuilt.   which also have refinishing issues.  On these cores have been critical for some time.  Guys really, I gottas tell ya all of this makes sourcing parts sometimes a real crap shoot.  Hey, we have them and they are right!  Give me a call if you are into these pieces/ parts.

There it is, it's 8AM and I'm outa time.  I have more stuff we're doing, more stuff to show but I have to "focus" again and get on out to work.  Pass the word on with these drivce shafts, hubs and knuckles.  We try hard to help not just sell parts.  We carry parts because we use them, we're not just a parts house like some folks you call.  You need to have someone who understands your needs and issues-- we do that.  Those that buy parts from us know, there's more to getting a good part than just whats in the box.  We have quality parts because we use them, we install, set up, adjust and maintain these parts in coaches and thats the guy you need to get your parts from.  Hey, it's what we do best!

Gotta go, will try and post more later but short handed as we are, my time is important.  Thanks for the visit, call if I can help and we'll see ya again soon...

5.2.11

So time moves on, after a decade of playing his shell game we finally finished all the plausible deniability, collateral damage assurances, diplomatic ranglings and all that goes with being above reproach and we just did the job-- went in there and nailed that bastard.  Who-ha so meet Ala, I hope you were right!  Take all of it away and those folks out there in the mud hills really need to all go to Ala and I now hope we will stop messing with them and take care of the rest of it.  Sorry but thats my political commentary-- may  not make some happy but it does me...

So we start this week off-- no AC in the office, hey-- a good reason to get out in the bay and work.  N3eed to do that because last week came in way undermanned.  We have Kevin as always doing his thing but it seems like the rest of the crew is having problems.  Friday it was Kevin and me ending the day.  It's difficult to find people willing to work hard at hard work and string several days together to try and pay the bills.  Guess I'm not immune to this age old problem.  Will be interesting to see what sort of crew comes in.  When in this economy small businesses are seeing business off, customers not coming in the doors, products not selling and all that-- heck we are sitting here not able to find folks to do the work!  It's said this is awesome but it's really a first class problem, without manpower, hands to do the work the volume of work simply cannot get done.  So here we are, the gate is open at the appointed time and us chickens are here, thats about it.

I'm posting right now from Janies computer, seems like my lap top is running today at the speed of stampeding turtles!  I have some neat pics in my camera, I'll go over now and see if I can get the lap top to speed up a bit.  If you see no add to this morning post you know it didn't work--- so here we go... 

Hey, it's working again-- so before turtle power returns, let me see if I can get a few people covered showing their progress so I can get this done and out to work.  Will have to forget about Emails this morning, if you sent in a question sorry but if it's really important call & I'll do my best to help.  We are in serious short hand mode -- my guess today so please bear with that.

Tom's exterior assembly has suffered a bit but being next out kevin & I agree that we need to push that project on outa here.  The thru bumper trailer hitch finally arrived so Kevin went at that project.  It's a bolt up situation and it went together along with the spare tire bracket

4.29.11

Back from that thin limb and we're here to tell the tale  So pushing the red X on the computer, there was nothing left to do but go out and get in on Les coach.  The sun had made it now possible to back Craig S. coach off the lift and with Kevin showing up, he guided me up on the left with Les coach and it was time time to get jiggy with the pieces/ parts that is supposed to supply fuel to Les motor.  As a reminder, this is more than one of those designer situation shows where the overbearing boss puts some arbitrary time table to get some rusty old car whipped up.  No, Les was a day late trying to get home to get back to work.  This is stress at it's best!  Sometimes no matter how hard you try there is little you can do other than make a reservation for another night but sometimes you have a shot at it and that is what we have here.  les motor runs great, sitting that is but right now don;t try and shift to 3rd-- ain't gonna happen, his beast runs shy on fuel and well, just shuts down.  This condition just happened while the coach was in storage.  Did Murphy get lonely, no one to pick on and figured it was payback time?  Maybe some fairy nome made a fatwa on Les without him knowing, could be some critter set up house keeping while the coach sat here in Florida-- you know we just borrow this place from the insects, animals and snakes-- oh and don;t forget the gators which now I understand outnumber us.  Of it could be just *&^% happens and it's our turn, for whatever reason Les coach cannot deliver the fuel his motor needs, we have to find it and do that right now!

Other than going diver down to replace a rusted and burst brake line, we had not been under Les coach.  Tom did the brake line on his back (tough work) so looking up from under his coach is the first glemps I've had.  He did have his share of surface rust, being from New Hampshire there is little way around that.  The steel frame is a weak link of the GMC and it's important to keep up with frame rust.  Of course that would not prevent fuel from reaching Les motor-- or could it.  Remember, in a situation like this you always keep every option and possibility open.  Assuming-- well, you know that one.

OK, at first glance I see an issue, Les had a mechanic install an electric back up fuel pump into his system recently, not while the coach was sitting in Chrystal River but it was obvious it and the steel can filter was new.  Problem was though the pump was placed on the main feed coming out of his selector switch and headed toward the motor.  The problem with this was the Carter cylinder pump presented opposition to flow of the fuel when it was not energized.  It's important to have an unobstructed fuel flow (a "home run") fuel path from the tank to the mechanical fuel pump.  This could not have been the complete problem because les came down from New Hampshire with the rig but it certainly did not help the issue.  He had said before that when the motor was acting up, it would literally shut down completely with the pump off but fun in the expected slow speed with the pump on.  This supports the notion that the pump was stopping flow when it was off.  Inspection of his fuel hoses showed no cracks or weather checking and there were no loose hose clamps or apparent broken fittings, nipples or hose connections.  

Time to break down the fuel system.  We could have a clogged sock within the tank which would mean the tanks would have to come out, the way to test that is to test everything else then through process of elimination  decide to open the can of worms to drop the tanks.  First, there were other fish to fry so I went at inspecting each and every part from the fuel tank to the motor.  Les said he had a new mechanical fuel pump packed away so my plan was to have tome R&R the mechanical fuel pump when he got there along with replacing the short hose from the pump to the steel crossover line going to the tank and backflush it when it was open.  It was still early when Les called me, for pickup.  I was elbow deep in dirty grease so calling Tom I asked if he could swing by the EconoLodge and pick Les up.  Tom is an avid slow pitch softball player and oes out every morning to bat a few balls out into the outfield-- we all have our morning rituals.  i like that fact because when he shows up for work he's already got a sweat going-- good stuff! 

Starting in, I pulled down the Carter pump, new in line filter and the connecting hoses to the fuel selector valve. .  The pump was pretty new but not being the one I'm familiar with, I decided to not use it in favor of the facet square pump we use.  I want Les to have exactly the system we use and it's plumbing so if he ever needs to call me and discuss a problem I will know what he has.  Alao, even if this pump we use ever fails, it is of a design which will "pass through" fuel not being an obstruction which I feel is important.  This new pump will not go back in where his old one was though, it will go before the selector valve on the aux. tank hose.  This way when pulling from the rear (main) tank when the selector switch is on main, this electric pump will not be in the fuel flow.  Next I pulled out his selector valve which was not an easy jo b.  It was obviously the original -- that or someone used a textured brown rust colored paint.  Now wait, as important as getting fuel to the motor is, I just don;t see it as prodent to leave an old war horse like this in a position of importance.  OK, lets check the solenoid out-- this part selects the rear main tank or when you press the "aux> position will energize and switch the fuel flow over to the front or aux. tank.  In 1 position flow will be from the top left port to the single port on the other side.  Blowing through the valve, no air should leak from the lower left port.  lets try it---- wait-- wait-- wait, I have air excaping from the lower left port!  This means the solenoid valve is either stuck half through it's stroke or the valve wall is breeched!  This means if one tank was out of fuel, the mechanical pump could not create enough suction to pull fuel forward-- it would pull air.  Oh baby, I think we found the smoking gun!  Guys, look up under your coach, if your fuel selector valve looks like this-- Get it outa there!  OK so now it looks like a case of replacing the selector valve and relocating the new electric fuel pump where it will act as an aux. or "countermeasures" if les needs it.  One feature I try and build into critical systems like fuel delivery is a backup or countermeasures when there seems to be a problem.  In this configuration, you can easily follow the fuel path on the main line going straight through the selector valve and on to the motor without having to pass through the new electric fuel pump.  When the aux. is selected on the dash, the selector valve awitches over to the port sporting the electric fuel pump and wham, with the power for the pump scabbed off the selector valve, the valve switches, the pump fires up and we have a pusher pump in line.  The filter being on the ouput side of the selector valve will still filter fuel from whatever source is selected. 

Not only the plumbing is changed but in the electrical system, there has been these connector fitting in there how long?  .  The 2 tan wires are triggers to the fuel senders, they power the fuel gauge-- resistance issues due to rust will make the gauge read off.  The black wire powers the selector switch, heck we're rewiring all that so lets get rid of those old connectors-- yep, that's in the cards on this job.  So with the new plumbing and wiring, Les and Tom went for a ride.  Yesterday it was pretty much impossible to even get to the fuel station.  If they had, it's a good bet that both senders would be under fuel and the problem might just mask itself.  With the selector valve stuck as long as both senders were in fuel you may never have had the problem.  Troubles started when he ran the tanks low on fuel.  Good thing he did cause one day when it really mattered would be the wrong time to find the problem.  The way it is now, he has a main "home run" circuit plus a "countermeasures" fuel supply if needed.  This concept has saved more than one soul out on the road.  To prime the fuel system, to give options if you have vapor lock or simply a second fuel pump if needed is a great safety measure and I'm happy I got the opportunity to set les up with that option.

Coming back, Tom came in and said it was working perfect!  Awsome, we did it and going out to the coach les, giving me the thumbs up was ready to bug out and with that and a little paper work les took out of here before lunch-- Fair well man, you have a long trip ahead.  new Hampshire is a journey and the weather looks like it's not going to help.  At least maybe he will be able to drive over 30 MPH.  Oh, there are certainly other things for him to attend to on his coach but it's a fair bet we have his fuel tanks sorted out.  Remember, if you have a thing like this lurking under your coach get it outa there , don't keep yourself in that harms way.  Know your fuel selector work, have a backup system for supplying fuel to your motor-- plan on having something to to when something goes wrong and possibly thats all you will need to do to keep moving!  Murphy, go screw with some other system because we got your number on Les fuel tanks!

4.28.11

I think the best way out of any funking feeling is to get your butt kicked and yesterday provided  Woody, I'm going back on on another limb here to show just how a coach can mess with you.  If anything be happy this did not happen to you and like les S. said, I'm just glad it happened here.

In a perfect world, it would be great to be able to toss out every component part in a suspect system just to be sure it's fixed and will stay that way for a length of time, unfortunately sometimes it's just not possible.  Either because of time and of course financial constraints you have to inspect to see pieces/parts meet a minimum standard but zero in on the issue at hand and take care of it without going once around the world.  Such an issue wacked us in the head yesterday.  Les S. lives in New Hampshire, he's had his GMC some 26 years, has the original power plant still kicking and maintains his machine well.  The coach looks great and he uses it primarily to escape the winters perching in the Chrystal River area each year.  This year he left his coach here in Florida to fly back then 6 month later came back to pick up his coach and that's where the troubles started.  For what ever reason, firing the coach up after it's mothballing he could not get over 30 MPH, the coach simply would not go.  Calling me we went through several scenarios and decided to have the beast towed to us with him flying home back to work while we chased his Murphy's out.  Oh, and after the thing showed unwillingness to get out of 2nd gear, it also simply stopped starting up.  Yea, it was like the coach had a death wish-- just would not go after that so Capt. Hook was his only option.  You might remember the coach coming in a bit ago

My first blush was it's possessed and we should bring in an exorcist.  It could have been upset when it was left behind here in Florida but for whatever reason the buck needed to stop here.  First, we needed to get the thing to fire up.  Following the purple wire (really Andy, it was a purple wire) starter circuit to the start solenoid we found that Les had bypassed the neutral safety switch so that was eliminated.  Going to the ignition switch, I poked at the purple wire coming out of the switch and wham, the starter engaged and we were running!  Great, the contact there was pulled back and simply pushing it in we were hot-- problem solved.  OK now lets see about this slow run thing.  Checking for a vacuum leak-- no go, fuel issue, we had fuel coming out of the mechanical pump-- no solace-- Tom yanked the short body carb filter cylinder-- oh look, somehow someone had put the carb filter in backwards.  What---- it can't go in backwards right, well it was so lights came on, the rain clouds parted and we felt we had found our phantom!  Tom then hopped up in the drivers seat and went for a ride.  I told him to get the motor hot, if the issue ended up being in fact a cracked intake it would take heat to open it up.  It's not hard getting a motor hot doen here in the heat so in that test we came up still running so in our mind the troubles were over.  The coach would start on command and drive seemingly as far as one would want to drive.  Hey, and we did it without throwing out the kid with the suds!  Mission accomplished.  Now all that was left was some maintenance issues, his AC belt had thrown off, we needed to change the oil and just have it ready when Les flew back down to collect his critter.  Les still is working up north as a machinist so he needed to get and go.

Well yesterday, Les called when he landed and in short order he was here to pick up his baby.  We were just checking the Freon level in his Dash AC and finding it low started pumping in some cool juice when Murphy stuck his head out of the glove box--- the new compressor belt started to squeel.  I turned the motor off so Tom could retighten the fan belt only to find the belt was too long.  No biggie, lets just get a shorter belt.  Got that and going to fire up the motor guess what-- the starter would not engage.  Dowwwwww!  I punched at Mr. Purple wire and it fired again.  Oh no mister, we're not playing that game--- I turned the motor off again and again twisted the ignition key and guess what----------- yep, it would not fire!  DowwwwDowwwww crap!  Now the sweat beads started to form and it was "Stat Time".  I ran for my test probe and after another glance at the floor to ceiling wiring diagram we have, I picked the test points and ran out of the shop like a pilot running for his Corsair on the Carrier Intrepid ready for a bombing mission. 

Test purple wire here at the neutral safety switch-- we have go, at the ignition swotch-- go then at the starter -- no.  Daddy make the bad man stop!  Listen man, how can a wire go defective!  There is nothing between the ignition switch and the starter-- hey, go check your diagram.  OK, we're at the "curtain climber and the cleaning agent situation again and you know me, I'll do it!  Running back the the trim shop I hacked of a length of 12 ga. wire and some connectors.  Hey there Mr. Purple wire, you want to make us think you are dead, so be it you are dead because I will run a new tickle wire for the starter.  Done, in 10 minutes with Tom below and me inside, we routed a new circuit to the starter and it all worked.  OK, disaster overted and now lets get back to tightening the AC compressor.  OK, so Les is cool about all this, this is not his first walk in the park and he knew we were on it.  One more can of freon with a tight belt and-- whats that, belt squeel-- oh no, this in not happening!  His compressor was freezing up and I'm not talking about cold.  The compressor had obviously thrown it's belt before because it had too much internal friction.  OK, our mission has changed-- get that compressor outa there right now!

We were installing a new compressor in Skip's coach when all this started to with all hands on deck we started yanking the compressor.  Now remember, none of this had happened until Les showed up, further proof the coach was mad at Les--- maybe or was it just bad luck.  Who knows but at this point we were all in "get-r-done" mode.  Les had to miss Disney traffic so we were on the clock.  OK, got the compressor in and a new drier, got it vacuumed down and pumped full of Freeze 12-- and how boutcha brother the vents were blowing cold.  We dropped the coach off the blocks and in the words of that famous song we fired that mother up.  Les waved bye-bye and we all fell against the wall, our job was done here!

Talking about how screwed up that had been around the corner the face of les coach came back in the lot.  Les smiled and said she won;t go over 30 MPH before shutting down!  Double Dowwwww!  Tom ran for his door, "lemme in the driver seat and he backed the coach out to the road and sure nuff, the coach maxed out in 2nd gear and died right there in front of the shop!  He fired it back up (hey, at least it WAS still starting) and we went back in.  I put a vacuum gauge on the motor, fired it up and started a power brake situation to see if I could make it stall-- be careful for what you wish for,  vacuum was good until it wasn't and when the needle started to drop the motor shut off.  We were out of fuel in the carb!  The fuel inlet line to the carb was touching the thermostat housing, maybe that's it.  So while Tom made up new words for the 5/8 fittings on the mechanical fuel pump I ran to get one of our new pyro shield pump to carb fuel hoses.  I again pulled down the carb filter just cause I was there-- no issues, we installed the new fuel hose and had just enough time that if this worked Les could still make it past Mickeyland before traffic snarl time.  Tom backed the coach out, here is the test---- will it work?  The coach came back into the pot, almost out of 2nd and the &^%$##@^()_(**&&^^^ motor died!  And here I thought the bad man had stopped teasing us!  Oh no and now it's hotel time for Les and a sleepless night for Tom and me. 

Ok, so this is where we are right now-- we have a fuel delivery issue, it's not a motor issue.  The carb runs out of go juice and thats it-- no go.  I stopped a little bit to give you this story, now Im going out to get les coach up on the lift and bubba it's gonna be a serious session in the next couple of hours around here.  This coach has made a fool out of us, Les is cool and thats a huge help, I said he had been here before and knows we'll figure out the worlds problems along with his.  So I'm outa here now with a mission.  We have to deal with this problem now!  Now means now and now I'm out of the office and under les coach.  So what do you think the problem is?  Bad mechanical fuel pump-- cracked hose sucking air when the fuel delivery needs increase--- clogged filter somewhere in line, crushed hose, Murphy with his finger in the fuel tank outlet, broken nipple on the fuel selector valve?  Tell ya what, when we find it today-- and we will-- I'll let you know.  It's stuff like this, the challenge of it all that pushes us to do our best.  So I'm gone right now, please thing good thoughts for us, for les and for his &^%$#@ coach because there will be a nashing of teeth soon.  Talk to you when the smoke clears...

4.27.11

3 days in a row of verbage is simply too much so have no fear, you won't have to sit through another full on rant today I have to say that those who posted and called with comments both pro and con do make me feel like what we're doing does make a difference and that's what it's really all about I guess.  Some have said it was rather eye opening seeing the exchange from the other side of the table was eye opening.  Folks want a great running GMC but cannot justify the expense of keeping it maintained-- it's the same as wanting tax cuts from the government but still want increased services-- not possible.  Next time you take your coach in for work, put yourself in the tech's shoes, I have had people know they had this or that wrong with their coach but did not divulge the problem to the tech then expected that issue to be fixed or got upset when the issue was raised and was unwilling to pay the man to fix it.  Do everyone a favor, when you take your coach in for services, give the tech as much input as possible and for gosh sakes, let them know of problem, things that had happened and things that had been done to help make his job a bit easier.  Had a guy who wanted me to check out his air ride system once-- said it stopped working and he had simply pumped up the air bags manually for some time but the compressor had been rebuilt eluding it was fine and he did not want to hear he needed a new one.  Heck, the compressor was disconnected, sitting in the hole, both lines to the air bags were disconnected with dirt dobbers living in the lines, the plastic air lines had been removed with braided hydraulic hoses replaced and the dirt level on the entire system was extreme!  OK, where do I start and what will be said when I charge for reconnecting the system before I can even find out what the system will not do?  This is what I mean.  Oops, I'm getting long winded-- so lets end all of this and say, thanks for the support-- know we are here doing our best for the GMC community, we though need your help, help and understanding that along with the support we also need your help to do our best.  Thanks for it all and I promise to always do our best.

How many of you have an "Electro Level" or "ELII" air ride system on your coach?  That means you have a 1976,7 or 8 coach.  The number 1 problem with this system is corroded contacts in the up front control switches (BTW, this is George's completed side wall with his new Ramco mirror control, 6.5" speakers and rebuilt air ride control panel).  Yes, these control switches do get gummed up.  Every coach I work with sporting these switches get the switches dismantled and cleaned   There a 4 "prongs' on the sides of each switch, pull them back and the switch will come apart.  Please pay attention to how it was put together to be sure you can get it back together the same way.  Now with a scraper, maybe some fins sandpaper or even a razor knife, remove the film from the contact points, get rid of the deteriorated foam gasket, clean up the outside spade terminals and then reassemble the switch.  Do this on all 3 switches and you will have taken out my guess 50% of the phantom problems in the air ride suspension system.

Hey George, know what that amber light means on the wall over the galley counter?    There are 2 amber lights showing, that means not only that your 110 vac electrical system is operational-- AC's work, frig is on, etc but the 2 lights on means the system is wired correctly!  One more step...

Today we get 3 coaches finished up and pointed toward the gate.  We'll get the rear suspension off of Eugene's coach today to inspect the damage to his rear suspension pins-- stay tuned for that-- we do a test drive on our latest roller cam motor install, Kevin is pushing to get Tom's exterior refinish done, it comes out of the bay today.  The next paint job comes into the bay for an "extreme makeover" , George's coach gets a bit more work on the interior and I think we might just start loading in the teac trim into Mark's custom bathroom   It's all cut so not we install! 

Sorry guys who made the GMC Intl. rally, I could not make it-- too much oing on and things just could not line up.  Sounds like the rally coming up at Bean station seems like it will be a good one.  Mary Mondello will be going so if you do go please take some time to go see her.  Joe's passing caught everyone including her by surprise. 

So did you see the 1978 Coke gadabout coach on Pawn Stars this week?  One thing I will have to agree that they said was that coach was the number 1 original condition valued coach ever produced.  This means it is the only one I would never change a thing on.  We had the pleasure of working with one of the 5 give away coaches here at the Co-op.  Terry B. picked up one and we had the pleasure of bringing it back up to road worthy condition before the coach was sold to a big Coke memorabilia collector our west.  You have to hand it to the guys, they did offer a sum of money but it was great that the owner mentioned while he was interested to sell it that it was simply too much fun to give it away and he turned down the offer.  Good for him, $25K was way too little for such a well maintained rare machine as it was.  If you are interested to see this episode, it's still on late night cable slots or you can probably pick it up on Hulu-- check it out, it will make you proud!

So finally, check out what someone did with legos     hey wait a minute, did they use JayGee as a model?    .  They are opening a "Logo Land" soon here in Florida, maybe I need to give those folks a call!  Hey Pawn Stars, I won't sell for $25K either in fact "you can't touch this"!  I love my coach, bet you love yours too!  Hey, mine is a lego legend!  Cool...

4.26.11

Wow-- OK, stop the posts about yesterday a minute Seems like I found a button that did something!  Hey and when I get a post from Don T. it means I have a bit more explaining to do.  It may be that I'm yet another casualty of being too close, always working on old, greasy, beat up machines that most every mechanic I talk to says "you work on what?".  I really don;t see the big deal working with these vintage machines but then I hear from someone on the road in trouble that to me has a small problem but to some Buba on the road can't understand whats happening and sometimes will not take the time to just understand the issues.  Yea, it's difficult when there is "no cake' in the work-- when every issue usually would do best taking it all out and starting again.

Hey, maybe there is the difference-- when you are working on a late model car, diagnosis is everything, the manufacturers made it everything by linking everything to the OBD-II computer diagnostic device that without using the electronics to diagnose the problem you may never find it-- with a 70's built vehicle, unless you pretty much go through completely, usually take it all out and replace most all critical components, there is no way to say you have added integrity to the system, that at best you have made it work for that day and just maybe that "diagnostic" concept is all wet in our case.

Sounds like it will be another wordy pose this morning-- sorry and I'll try to stay on track but really, this issue is at the cruxt of the stresses we face bringing older vehicles back from the  brink.  And remember, no matter how cool looking, how stylish, and all the GMC looks, it IS still a 30+ year old machine.  Stop and read that again--- a 30+ year old machine!  Is there anything in your house, any appliance in there that is 30+ years old that you rely upon in your daily home life?  Maybe a frig but do not unplug it because it may never fire up again.  Also, in comparing your house to your GMC, take all of the stuff in your house, except maybe the stairway, toss it all into a building with wheels, run it down the road at 60+ mph, hit a few bumps maybe nick a curb once and see how all those pieces/ parts of your house fair.  A motorhome is murder on appliances and about every part in the coach.  Now add to that the fact that many of the parts are old, sorry to say it that way but they are really old.  Now consider a system that does not work for one reason or another, lets say you want it to work-- so you start working on the problem-- you find a screw holding 2 pieces of rusted metal together, you losen the screw and the metal falls away.  First, those now rusted apart pieces didn't even have anything to do with the system not working but now that will have to be attended too as well!   So digging deeper you do find a broken wire or a hole in a hose-- you fix that and the thing fires up.  Oh goody, now, how long will it last, looking at your watch you count the second hand until it goes around once then you start counting in minutes then in hours.  Is the system fixed?  No, it's just working again. 

That scenario is not a repair, that's a rig and rigs by definition are problems waiting to happen again.  And when it does fail again, was it the fault of the rigger who got it working before?  Heck, his duct tape could still be doing it's job, the next weakest link down the line may have failed-- now who's failt is that?  See, looking for fault with the last guy who touched the system is not fair.  And just maybe this is where the frustration raises it's ugly head from the coach owner as well as from us, the people who diagnosed the current problem only to fix that and cause the next weakest part to figure it was their turn to die.  Let an old machine sit, let a system fail and understand there will be more to repair the system than simply the part that failed.  You have to completely go through that system to bring it up to a reliable state.  There it is, there is the problem working with old machines and the ole addage "if you fix it for today, it will break tomorrow" just rings so true it hurts.  Even folks who have had these machines for years, who feel they know them inside and out--- hey, the machines are getting older every day and what used to work now is only a patch.  17 years ago when I started messing with the GMC, you could diagnose a system and effect repairs by simply replacing a part or a gasket or seal, today, with all that water under the bridge, that concept simply no longer works and I really am sorry but I just cannot rig something to keep the owner in harms way.  The number 1 overwhelming thing I ask you guys to do is to understand what it is we are working with and please raise or lower, depending on how you look at it, your expectations of what is possible when working on your coach.  Someone asks me how much it will cost to repair their dash AC unit-- my answer is $1000.  After picking them up off the floor I take the time to explain that there are 30+ year old hoses, drier, expansion valve, compressor, evaporator & condenser and if we fix what is found to be bad that the next weakest part in line will get stressed and fail soon.  Hey, maybe not, maybe patching the hose will let the system work for a year or more but sooner or later, something will fail and you will blow hot air again.  What are the odds, there is no chrystal ball in a real way the tech is trying to protect himself from being acused of not repairing the system.  Hey, he is right, patching that hose IS a rig-- a rig to make the system work and get the customer out the door, take their money and let someone else hit them with the real repair which will usually cost more than the owner is prepaired for.  Hey, why not fix it all the way the first time-- sure, still something may happen but just as everything else you are playing the odds but with more card-- more parts are renewed and if they all work well the chances of the system staying together is greatly increased-- not guaranteed mind you but greatly increased.  We are at a point in the repair of these older machines that a hole in a plate is wearing out.  What I mean is the normal wear parts can all be replaced and there may still be an issue with something totally unavailable that fails and will need replacement.  Engineers call that use after it's viable life span and like it or not boys and girls, the GMC is there!

So get mad at me if you like, get upset that a repair does not take, your frustration will be misplaced.  You must not get frustrated when something goes wrong-- guess what, it will not help you get out of your delima, it only stresses you out.  You need back up plans, you need a support group, people who will help, ways to bypass critical systems to get you back on the road and these are the things we try and build into a coach when we do restoration work.  Back ups on getting fuel to the motor, getting recharging power to the battery, getting air in the air bags, getting the door open, heck there are many systems you can prepare to bypass and get your coach back out motivating-- this is how you need to think when working with a GMC.  Be sure your roof AC and generator work so when the dash AC goes out you still have cool!  Your generator not working, come on man, make all of your machine work.  Yea, the fix may not be cheap but it sure would have come in handy when the dash AC went out.  Now you are hot, your dog is mad at you, your wife is also hot and that could be the deal breaker!  If you do not maintain your machine, you simply cannot rely upon it and that my friend is the whole 9 yards!

So Don T. said I was being maybe a bit too brutally honest in my post yesterday, as in that movie "truth, you can't handle the truth" and for some that may be true.  The GMC was designed so well it will actually run broken and maybe many people are relying on just that, for the coach to continue to run broken.  Boy, now I really mey be digging a big hole!  If you took account of the systems in your coach that are not well but are still motivating that may really scare you!  So one drops out, what do you do.  I am working on one thing, I look over my shoulder and see another grevious issue-- what should I do?  Just fix what I'm there for or dig into that other thing.  It's totally a true statement "it's not what you want to do thats hard but figuring out where to stop".  Hey, and is it the fault of the tech that he sees many problems, and if one is not atended to is it his fault that system failed leaving you on the side of the road?  Guys, we are at a point in the maintenance and repair of our classic coaches that more has to be done than what is apparent.  The age of our cxoaches has caused theis, not you and not the tech thats trying to fix it.  The best you can hope for is someone willing to give you the straight story on your coach and guys, like it or not, like me or not, like the way I talk about this or not this---- is what you need to focus on.  The older these machines get the more you will need to do to keep them on the road-- sorry but thats the truth of the matter.

So now I have probably scared away anyone from getting involved with an older motorhome-- hey, the good news of it is a new motorhome is no better!  Ouch, now that hurts but it's true, add to the fact of so many systems that few people without specific training can even do any repairs on new vehicles.  Gone is the day of lifting the hood and with a set of Sears tools fix something.  Most all the  bolts now are metric so double the size of just your wrench selection automatically.  If you do not have the electronic diagnostic geer, forget it, just leave the hood down and call the wrecker-- thats what the industry wants, return business.  Now think about your 70's GMC.  The 1 original bolt on the coach that was metric was the nut on the alternator output terminal, the rest of it is standard "real" wrenches.  You can lift the hood and even Bubba over on the tractor can understand the systems and who knows maybe fix the thing.  I think that simple fact is worth more than all the diagnostic stuff, all the computer controlled doodads on all that new stuff.  hey, and that is exactly why I say do not add any of that crap to your perfect GMC, why complicate your life-- everything else in your life is getting more and more complicated, keep at least your GMC free from that mess.  Don't add a computer, you are adding in possible catastrophic problems!  Hey but thats a rant for another day-- right Don T.?

OK, now that most of your eyes are glassed over, let me just say I and the Co-op are trying really hard to bring these classic motorhomes back onto the road as a viable option to driving around in a toaster shaped machine.  I feel this is certainly worth the hassles to do what we do, I think my frustration is getting everyone on the same page as to what we are doing.  IT IS NOT CHEAP OWNING A MOTORHOME, there is simply no way around that.  It will cost you more to maintain 1 than a family car, it does so much more than your family car.  Tell ya what, go sell your house, get rid of all the stuff you maintain in your life having to do with your house and you will find living in your GMC will cost you less-- am I right Andy?  Like the Who song said "let the police and the tax man miss me I'm mobile"!

Thanks for letting all this acost your brain, sorry-- no affense meant, it's frustrating sometimes getting everyone to see things in the same light-- hey, but it's my job and yep, I'm looking out my office window, the sun is up, Kevin & Twinkles is here and I'm hoping for more workers to hit to make this a productive day.  You really do have the best machine to put you out on the road but you must do some things to get it there.  Take care of your GMC and it will take care of you.  Neglect it and it will not work out.  Call if I can help, I talk to so many people every day with their issues-- I enjoy it, makes me feel I'm dong something important so hit me with it, lets see what we need to do.  Thanks again for the visit, lets see if I can get back on track tomorrow...

4.25.11

Been a couple of days since the last post, had a bunch going on.  Hope your Easter was a good one  Got a later start than usual this morning, took  my Mom to Daytona for a nice Sunday dinner with my son Ray, Erica his girlfriend & of course Janie who whipped up some killer beef.  Yea, I k now it takes more to digest, is fatty and all that but I still think the best advertising campaign ever was "Beef, it's whats for dinner".  But I do wonder when you look out over a pasture where a couple head of cattle are with that sign perched in the middle of the field-- probably a good thing those cattle can't read!

I've got something here I feel is extremely important to me, I get an inordinate amount of prospective owners and even new owners call and come  by many talking about their investment, how to, how much, what about, whats it worth, what should I do-- about how screwed up things are on their coach, what about what this guy, that report, those posts mean-- simply put these are not questions as I see them rather I see the need to really straighten out many concepts on what should be expected from and how to get the best use out of a 30+ year old vehicle.  Look, I don;t care how well or badly a coach has been kept, what has been done or not done to it and I gotta tell ya sorting through some of the down right crap thats out there about the GMC and whats right and wrong about messing with them--- I just have to tell ya it's a major obstacle to wade through it all.  The next bit may be construed as a rant to some while others may look at some of it and laugh-- remember guys there are others though that are not! 

To many, this "hobby" is not like many others, RC airplanes, antique cars, maybe a handcrafted pot holder collection or coins.  It fills in many that primal lust for something they want to have and hold-- hey, there is seriously nothing wrong with that-- heck I've collected at one time in my life coins, stamps, 1/25 car models, marbles, antique cars, even motorcycles.  I like that stuff and my guess is many of you out there do too.  OK, then it's agreed many of us out there are on the stranger side of life, OK, how bout on the interesting side then.  You have to admit there are those that simply do not and cannot understand some of the things that turn us on.  Well then that in itself should put everyone involved in a GMC on a different plateau, we have to make allowances.  I don't drive new cars and when something happens even to Janies 2000 Dakota, I don't first thing say "who screwed this up", look for some blame wether it be fault of the &^%$#% motorhome or that (*&^$$&^ guy that checked the air in my tires.  That tire got a bubble and it was that guys fault that checked my tire pressure!  Someone has wronged me and I bet on purpose, someone is an idiot, someone did this to me and by God they are going to pay.  GUYS, YOU ARE DRIVING A 30+ YEAR OLD AMERICAN MADE, AUW MADE, 70'S ERA MECHANISM!   That was your decision, no one forced you to get this thing and I don;t care what was done to it, who owned it last, what it has on it or how much money you spent on it--- the dang thing will do what it wants to, it has been around long enough with old parts-- maybe some newer but still and even new parts need to proove to me they are even as good as the old dead ones-- you simply must expect things to happen and make plans if things do.  This is the reason you need to have "backup" or contingencies on critical systems if you expect to do well on the road. 

Man, am I getting cranked up or what!  You just cannot look for blame or reasons why you are thrust into an issue and I gotta tell ya the best you can hope for is people to help.  You need to rely on a support group, you need to look at critical systems and have those backups, you need to understand your vehicle, it's attributes and limitations.  Simply put, go into a relationship with a GMC with your eyes open!  Example:

Your dash AC does not work, it blows but not cold.  You have no data as to maintenance on the system, no idea when it was checked out last and no idea as to what has been done-- if anything-- since the coach rolled off the assembly line.  OK, now-- what should you do and what should you expect.  So you slap a set of gauges on the system, find there is no charge, no freon in the system.  The tech will first put a vacuum onto the system to see if it holds-- this means to see if there is any chance of tossing some freon in the system to see what happens.  OK, he goes 10 minutes and the system holds vacuum and he says "lets charge it and see what happens".  The only way to do that is to buy @ 3 cans of freon, pump it in and see what the pressures do.  Maybe the low & high sides will come up, maybe there is a clog, maybe the drier (trash can of the system) is full, who knows what will happen.  Oh looky, there is cold stuff coming out of the vents--- Halleluiah the thing is healed!  You have dash cold and life is good.  You pay the man to recharge it, pay for the freon and you are out on the road with your new dash AC.  Is that rue?  Heck no, you are out on the road with a failed system from before that is now somehow working!  Is there any warranty, responsibility or liability on the part of the guy who was willing to throw his gauges on your coach to see what's up?  Is there some reason you need to throw any dissatisfaction toward anyone, the last owner, the original worker who built the coach, the guy who just pumped 3 pounds of freon into the system?  No, there has not been any repair work done and even if the tech had replaced the seals, the drier or hoses to make the system work, is the integrity of that system his responsibility?  Hell no it's not but I cannot tell you how many times someone has gotten upset because a tech made their dash AC work and shortly after the system again stopped blowing cold!  Guys, and I just have to grab all of you by the collar and make you hear this-- even if the tech did replace parts, many parts maybe even a pile of parts, there is nothing that will say that system will keep working like a new watch!  It might and you may be able to boast about how cold your dash air is but you simply cannot point blame at the last guy who touched your tire that went flat-- not all the way.  You are driving a vintage machine, does a farmer get crazy because his 50+ year old tractor won;t pull the load!  Thats why he gets an big, expensive tractor-- he simply cannot take the risk to break down.

Our GMC is a fine machine, engineered to the hilt and in most cases ready and willing to do your bidding-- BUTTTTTTT, it is not new, it is not impervious to the ravages of time, weather and all that goes with living on this earth.  You cannot get upset at it or anyone who has worked on it!  Hey, maybe something wasn;t tightened up, maybe a screw was left out-- but maybe not1  Maybe that system was at the end of it's useful envelope and you were the on in the drivers seat when it came apart.  There are just so many systems and so many reasons things happen-- don't immediately look to place blame that someone has done you wrong.  YOU are the one that crawled up into that drivers seat!  You bought the machine and it is up to YOU to keep it going!

Now, for you guys looking to buy a coach, you want the best one out there for the lowest price possible--- right?  Hey, thats what we all want, along with a bottomless cup of coffee, gas for a buck a gallon and whiter teeth.  Do not get upset if you cannot have all of that and do not freak when a coach you bought developed a problem you or the previous owner knew nothing about!  That stuff happens!  Sometimes it happens a lote and sometimes it happens over and over, welcome to the wonderful world of keeping old stuff going!  Take your issues one at a time, investigate the best way to proceed and do as much as you can (not as little as possible) to assure that system will do it's thing reliably.  Doing the least possible to get something going is not the best way to rely on that system--- and it's not the way you want to treat an issue on a GMC.  Anthing that is not replacedd will be the next suspected failure.  If you fix it to work just for today, it will surly fail tomorrow!  The question is NOT what to do to fix something, the question is where do I stop to make it work well?  Anthing short of that and there is nothing you can say when something fails. 

Guys I'm sorry to go on ranting like this but lets go back to our dash AC example:  So after 6 weeks of blissful cold from the dash vents, they again go hot.  What's going on!  I thought you had that thing fixed!  No, you had it pumped up, there was no repairs done or maybe you had a new drier installed, maybe some hoses but still, everything was not renewed-- there is no responsibility, not even yours other than doing more to the system if you want to get it working again.

I guess I should end this, probably upset folks enough, but I am about to answer an Email to someone looking to buy a coach-- wants someone to assure him before he flies to wherever the coach is that it's a good buy and then he wants to drive it home with his family--- friend, don;t do that!  Do your best to ask questions about the coach, have as much checked out as possible but understand that information is for YOU to make the purchasing decision, not to be upset at someone who said the coach was nice but you find something wrong with it when you fly out to drive it home.  You are setting yourself up for failure on a recovery like that!  You are setting everyone up who is trying to help you to be upset or you upset at them for making decisions for you.  YOU and only YOU must be the one who steps into the bucket of stuff-- no one is forcing you and YOU must take that as a decision you make.  I cannot comment on a coach for someone to take as "gospel" because I do not know every coach and cannot see into the wear envelope of all systems.  There will always be a problem with a coach no one knew and you should not put yourself into harms way by relying on a machine like this you know nothing about.  Do not start off your relationship with a fine vintage machine like a GMC like that.  Just do it yourself, get to know the coach and only then should you get out on the road with it.

I may have bored some of you to death, upset some and irritated other but this is the reality of being a GMC enthusiast.  Driving one of these coaches can be an awesome experience, it cam also be a nightmare, you must understand this.  When something happens with your coach on the road-- pull over, get safe, fire up the generator and give me a call.  From there, we will ID your assets, diagnose as much as possible the issues and take it from there.  Level heads will prevail, communication of the issues & identification of what is going on is the key-- not making your schedule so keep your schedule open when driving a GMC-- anticipate problems and maybe Murphy will stay in his space and leave you alone!  So after all of that, if you haven;t totally lost interest in ever driving your coach, get on out there and enjoy yourself.  It can be a blast!

Thanks for putting up with this, I know it was long, cryptic and somewhat distressing to some but hey, roll with it.  Talk tomorroe, have a great day and just don;t worry about it--- how does that annoying song go----- "Don;t worry, be happy..."

4.22.11

A good looking day ahead which means we have hopes of strong work   One toughy to report, my buck seventy nine breakfast is gone-- yea, it's times like this that imprint upon you-- it's now a buck ninety-nine.  Oh where will this end, first we pay more for gas now food!!!!!  Guess I'll have to start carrying more change.

Kevin is bringing Tom's coach back to life, with the headlight bezels and a new grill the front of Tom's coach will be ready to go .  The satin black bumpers with new stainless steel carriage  bolts has a nice look.  The gold pin stripe brought the stripes together (metaphorically speaking)     The final finish is always determined by the details.  With the flare T skirt kit on maybe today, the coach will start taking it's shape.  Still no name yet, guess the coach will have to wake up before it will talk to us!

It's so good to see a mentoring process under way.  Tom has taken Garret under his greasy wing to show him the nuances of rebuilding front wheel bearings .  You can read all day long and watch videos on how to do thins but there is nothing like hands on learning.  people ask me what are the tolerances on the hub, knuckle to the bearings-- my answer is what does it feel like coming apart and going back together?  The fit is an "interference" one and numbers mean less than the 3 actually feel like going together-- you can't write that spec down and I'm sorry but there is no short cut to hands on expertise!  We have many people who understand this bust off the knuckle then send it to us where we will pull it all apart, inspect then pack a bew matched bearing set and install them with new seals all for 1 hours work each ($80 each side).  Now think about it a minute, why take a risk and make up all those new cuss words for such short money?  Guys, this is one of those times it simply does not pay to do it yourself.  Send us your complets assembly, we will send it back to you correctly built and if you do need a remachned hub or knuckle, you will not need to pay UPS extra moola to get the parts together.  Shipping of parts is the killer and in most cases, if there is a tolerance issue it will be usually in the hub or knuckle, not in the bearing set.  Do it once, do it right and you will save money in the long run.  Putting the completed knuckle assembly on after a good build really is the way to go.  Ask anyone in the business and they will tell you.  There is no need to buy all the special tools to do your bearings yourself-- just send them out and you will have a better job-- it's just the right thing to do!

OK, the sun is up, I've been plunking here on this keyboard while swatting a mosquito, I need to get outa here and get to work.  Maybe that little critter is here to remind me to get out and work!  It's easter weekend, I'll be here tomorrow, a good quiet time to get work done.  Hope you have a good weekend-- make it 1-- OK?  See ya later...

4.21.11

Have a bit of a late start this morning but I have feelings I want to get out of my brain this morning before I can get out there and work  Being short handed with Craig gone, Tom my mechanic sick (man being sick here in Florida when the weather is just so nice is like extra hanus!) -- with Andy now back up north, Dave not here to see his smiling face in the morning-- Tony being in California knowing I will not see his white van pull in bringing his upbeat attitude -- all that bundles together this morning to make me feel a bit out there on the limb without as many tools to battle the day with.  Yea, Kevin is certainly here keeping the exterior side of our work trudging up hill, Jeff -- his helper is bringing Garret in, our damp empty sponge will to learn but not having expertise to fall back on adds a bit to the frustration around here.  Ah, Tom just pulled in and I'm excited to have our mechanical arm going to help pull this rock up hill today.    It helps to see when someone pulls in, each time I feel like a lifeline is thrown in the water to help me from drowning!

And for a minute on that note, I feel just a bit more left alone with the passing of Joe Mondello, there was a bit of akaldes thrown his way last couple of weeks and that was the proper thing for the community to do-- I feel the true worth of his talents will live on and as time goes by we all will slowly start to realize how our lives will be changed without having that resource to pull from for our vintage Olds motors.  We are lucky to have copies of his "reference book" and we do have Olds motor assets to pull from but there was noting like how I used to puck up the phone, call over to Joe at his tech center and he would stop what he was doing just to talk to me.  Wow, what a great thing!  He would laugh with me about our motors saying I had a "champagne idea but with a beer budget and that was soooooo true.  See I feel he pegged our problem right on, the general GMC owner did not and for that matter could not justify investing $8-12,000 for a motor, no matter how good it was.  That's like putting gold plated lug nuts on an older Alcoa rim.  Just too much moola thrown at 1 aspect of a restoration.  Sure, some of the things he did to his motors was cool but just too much for the scope of what is being done.  His comment was on our $5500 roller cam 455 and 403 long block motors.  No one from the local shade tree engine production shop to even a performance builder like him and others woulc and could build the likes of our roller cam motor at the price we offer our-- just too little money for that much motor-- and he was totally right!  See but that did not stop him from talking with me any time I had a question and there were many things I got from Joe that went in to our design-- for instance, Joe designed the Morell lifters we use in our roller cam design, hos cam button too.  Like I said, I feel just a little more alone jumping up and down on that thin limb without Joe were to help.

Boy, I sure am feeling melancholy today!  For me I guess today is one of those days you feel the weight on your shoulders.  Oh well, this too will pass and we'll all keep on keepin on.

Several people have asked about who some of the players are I talk about.  Here is Mark H. from the great white north (Ft. Mc Murray Canada), as you can see in his face he is just lovn life helping us play with his baby   The ground effects we're installing on Mark's coach creates some tire & wheel issues.  The front end needs to have the wheels outboard somewhat to fit the wheel opening and just like installing spacers on the front suspension, the coach ends up looking that much cooler.  Hey, now thats the look of pleasure as Mark stands back to look at the fruits of his labor   Yea, that looks cool man!  Sure, this brings to the race just that many more issues but hey, it's part of the chase!  With the wheel turned, the profile of the coach looks like one of those slinky fashion devos hitting the runway striking some obtuse pose   Am I right?

Spent time yesterday understanding how and doing a little practice then work on milling the raw teak for Mark's nautical bathroom styled project   I have to be left alone to do this work so most of it is done after hours alone in the shop so getting a pic of me grinding away with the router is difficult.  Andy put together the design of the marine styled bathroom and was his chicken.  Too bad as in most things, we ran out of time to get this done before he had to go back to his real world and do real work.  Hey, I got it done Andy and I think it will work out pretty good , thanks for the help getting here.  Today maybe I'll start doing some install on the trim I milled down.

So anyway, it looks like we have a no rain, sunny hot day today so all thats good for the shop.  I think as soon as I get a sweat gong I'll shake off this funk I'm feeling as will get back up on the horse and ride, it's just how I feel this morning and I have that right.

Thanks for the visit today, I saw yesterday by the hit counter that we still have a couple hundred of you coming to read this mess, it does make me feel warn and fuzzy khowing your guys are out there and care.  It takes more than a 9-5 "waz it pay" mentality to do this stuff and just knowing there are others out there who are out there watching your back really is a good feeling.  I hope Joe Mondello had that feeling as he did his best-- I bet he did.  So our flag bearer is down, we need to pick up the flag and continue the charge and as it seems thats happening we will all get through this.  I have people out in the shop working so too need to be out there-- I gotta go.  Like I said, thanks for the visit, I hope there was osmething in there that interested you.  If you have any questions give me a call, would love to hear from you.  Take care of your coach, heck go step out there and fire that mother up if for nothing more than to hear that big block breath a bit.  Have a great day and we'll do this again tomorrow...

4.20.11

One thing you have to say about George's motor is it's been untouched    I finally got some time to get with George's coach to try and button up his dash.  We have hidden 12 volt "power plugs" where the pull out ash tray used to be and switching to control his AV systems, I needed to get the rest of the new servo controlled cruise control installed before the lower dash close out is installed So I opened up the engine compartment to finish that project only to find much to be done.  It looks like George's motor could be original.  The stickers on thr valve covers and the original paint tell me that this motor has done a great job over the decades but I think now is the time to do some investigation.  The coach was brought to us on a flatbed, would run but not much else is known.  There are 3 basic systems we need to renew to try and regain the reliability of the drive train--- fuel--- fire---- & mechanicals.  We have renewed the fuel delivery system but what about where the fuel is delivered----- namely the carb.  One look at the fuel inlet on the carb and you can tell the motor has not been updated through the years   The 5/8" hex on the fuel inlet line is hopelessly stripped out, we can install our new "pyro shield" braided stainless Teflon carb to pump hose-- that is if I can get it off.  The mechanical fuel pump is also original so I think a gold watch would suite it as well.  The carb is looking rather nasty and pulling it off the intake there lies hidden a whole nother can of unsavory worms .  Right across the large secondary ports you can see what the heat from the exhaust crossover has done.  The carb base gaskets is cooked and well done .  This is a main reason we reccommend blocking off the crossover ports on the intake.  Well there it is, look carefully at the thin wall seperating those big secondary ports-- yep, thats a crack   A chipped off piece of carbon marks the spot where the crack is and if you look you will see the faint line going down to the floor from there .  I will say that most of the intakes we look at have this crack.  If increased reliability is our goal, this intake will need to be removed, checked and stainless steel block off plates added before a remanufactured carb can be installed.  Now that we know the problem is there, we must do something about it so stay tuned and follow this project.  If you pull up your carb, chances are you will also see a crack like this.  Tom P. came by yesterday to pick up his remanufactured split shafts to report he too had a crack on the secondaries of his 455 intake.  Yep, it's out there.

On another project, folks have asked how can you determine if you have issues in your front wheel bearings/ knuckles and hub assemblies.  There are many approaches to maintaining front hub-- I've seen everything from installing grease fittings and pumping them full of grease often to simply using the "don't fix it until it breaks".  I think the place to be is somewhere in between.  The knuckles need to be removed with the bearing replaced, the book says @ every 25-35,000.  This spec is not because the front bearing wears out quickly, no it's to perform a periodic total front suspension inspection with everything "unloaded" as it's described.  This means removing the knuckles with the hubs and bearings together.  The bearing to hub and knuckle tolerance is an "interference' fit  which basically means the best way to know the fit is to "feel it".  Certainly if your move the tire in and out from top to bottom there is a tolerance issue with the real way to check it is to feel how the hub, knuckle and bearings come apart.  Take a look at this pic of 1 of Skip's front hubs The inner bearing has spun causing heat to discolor the hub surface.  The bearing came off without pulling which means this hub is damaged and tapered.    Yuk-- the grease has solidified--- Bad Juju!  We will need a hub on Skip's front suspension.  He reported of play in the front end, this hub had a broken lower ball joint.  There was slight movement in the knuckle on the first tire wiggle test-- good thing we took it apart!  These are things you need to know abot your coach and checks that we do every day.  Do not simply add grease to your bearings and think you are doing what's needed, you really do need to take it all apart.  If you like, take the knuckle off and send it to us, we'll break it all down, check it out and ship it back ready to go.

Boy, we sure got greasy this morning!  Hey, it's part of the job.  Today, Mark H. will be coming in to do some more work on his coach-- I'll be going at George's interior, Kevin has his sights on Tom's exterior assembly and Tom over in mechanical has all sorts of things going on!  A big day is on deck, good dry, warm weather means we have a good shot at a good day.  Kevin just pulled up so I need to move on.  Call if I can help, thanks for the visit and we'll see ya tomorrow...

4.19.11

Another day, it's morning again and again we start up again pushing this big rock up the hill  That may sound a bit on the negative side but I find it reassuring that there is something this much fun to do!  I can't imagine getting up to nothing pressing to do and it's always interesting to see how things go each day.

Mark H. is here from Ft. McMurray Canada, he's coming over every other day breaking his fun to hit Disney, Gator Land, Universal and all that tourist stuff with his family.  Maybe I should say he's breaking his vacation to come over here with us-- depends which side you look at it I guess but when he's here it sure looks like he's enjoying himself!  Been trying to get a pic or 2 of him but it just doesn't seem like I have the camera when we're doing stuff.  He helped work with his coach by helping with the new frameless window install .  I would like to say it's a drop in deal  but Coachmen BTW had a hack cutting window openings.  Lining up the smaller lipped frameless windows up in a wacked up opening is a thrill as he found out.  Hey, there's the operative phrase when working with our classic GMC's-- "It almost fits perfect!"  I know you guys run into Murphy's motto yourselves so don;t think just because a coach is here that things go any easier.  As I tell the guys here, "If it were easy, they would not need us and Jiffy Lube could handle it". 

I though I should feel bad saying such a thing about our valiant quick oil change industry until I pulled into 1 in Jacksonville when I was using Larry to move my Mom's things.  I pulled in with Larry, flames flaming greeted by the entire quick lube staff.  First thing I did was to make sure their bay was wide and tall enough.  Height was fine so I squiggled in the rather narrow opening onto their pit.  I explained what the drive train was, they started in on their cross reference books and calling the home office to figure out the oil filter.  I really didn't think it would be such a big whoop to russle up an oil filter for a piece of 70's iron like this thing  and finally they came out with a dusty, beat up ole box which their boox said would fit Larry's 455 Olds motor.  I asked them what type of oil they had where I found out they carried Exxon oils exclusively.  I asked if they had something with higher levels of ZDDP-- the look back was similar to the look on that apes face on 2001 (A Space Odyssey) and as his head started angling I restated my request and asked for a high mileage oil upon which his head began rotating the other way.  OK, hoe bout a single viscosity 30 or 40 wht. oil?  The answer there did seem to contain some understanding, he said we have 10/30 and 10/40 oils.  I asked to see the can upon which he held up this large hypodermic projectile that scared me a bit and said the oil came in a big ole barrel out back.  Oh boy-- I wonder if Larry would get mad at me for using this stuff but I knew I just had to get the oil changed, it had been well over 1000 miles since the new motor was fired up and I had not even looked at the oil since then!  Bad Jim, "do as I say, not as I do" so I figured what could the stuff do, afterall I was sporting the "any oil" roller cam valve train configuration which is why we spent the bucks to put it all in anyway.  OK, I said, fill er up and as the "Down under Bubba" in the pit took out the oil drain bolt he hollered up, heck you only got maybe 2 quarts of oil inner!  Hmmm, maybe thats why I've been hearing funny noises!  Guess I got the full measure from that oil, guess my premonition was right, I did need an oil change!  Gosh, I'm so bad to my equipement--- does show you how resiliant these beasts can be!  So I told the guy that seemed to be in charge that I wanted him to put in 5 quarts of oil, he looked back at me with a perplexed face and said his books told him to install 6 quarts.  I started in explaining how our roller cam design specifies 5.... then I stopped and simply said please put in 5 to which he said he would have to make a note of that on the invoice.  Oh, so now we're getting picky!  So after spinning on the filter and pumping oil in using his scary injector thing.  Another, looked to be the "kid" of the bunch pulled out the dip stick and said it was at the full mark-- Heck, how could it be, I asked them to put in 5 quarts not 6!  Oh heck, what am I doing here-- they had only 1 ancient oil filter and I felt I was in a bar that had all types of music-- country AND western!  I pulled out the company charge card and handed it to the fellow who stared at it a moment and said "you wanna put this on your charge card?".  All I could come up with was "Yep".  I signed the sheet noting they had pumped in 5 quarts from their vat out back not the 6 their record specified.  He pointed out this would void any warranty or liability of the oil change at which I simply asked if they could double check the oil drain bolt.  That at least verified I figured what ever liquid I had in the crankcase would continue to stay there until I got home so I fired Larry up and pulled straight out back toward the road.  I will admit the motor did sound better-- guess I did need more than 2 quarts of spent oil in the motor-- sorry bout that Motor Gods, I'll do better in the future.

So I said all that to say maybe there is a reason not to go to those places with a specialty vehicle.  And maybe my saying "If it were easy they would do it at Jiffy Lube" may just be more right on that I had ever imagined.  Folks drop by the shop while on vacation just for an oil change-- thought before that was a bit on the silly side, guess now I know what service there is out there on the open road!  Hey, come on by any time for an oil change, I keep plenty of WIX 51258 filters and I have-- in  bottles--- Valvoline VR1 30 and 40 wht. oil chocked full of ZDDP!  Hey and maybe my guys can read a dip stick?

Gonna be a good day today, The Tin Soldier is all but off the jacks with new late model bogys, a freash set of bearings and brake, now if the gas has not turned to jello we'll be OK.  Here is the carb filter after @ 50 miles of use   Thank you Mr. Ethanol!  My tanks are now totally contaminated from the coach sitting around here-- dang if it's not 1 thing after another!

Oops, the day is on--- gotta go, see ya later...

4.18.11

The weather here in Florida is the reason we live here , just a perfect place to be.  Saturday, George H. flew in for a day to look over progress on his coach.  Some 6 months ago or so, George had his frightfully original 77 Palm Beach trailers down from North Carolina for a makeover   Sitting in the lot next to one of the "silver/black" renovations I can only guess it dreamed of a day when it too would have a new coat of color-- today it does have it's own new look and more.  George H. was pleased with our progress and coming in was able to look at particular issues and help make some final decisions. (This pic was as the sun rose over the back 40 at the shop bringing the light low from the east, what a great way to start the day)   We have a great direction on some new design "vacuum form" door and drawer fronts.  Actually costing less than making doors from scratch, stay tuned as we integrate a new idea into the GMC.

Jim G. rims came back from mounting after getting a complete cleaning and buff out by Kevin then new tires mounted we were ready for their truing process.  While it's certainly true that the new design tires are much more "true" than in the past it's the last 5% we're looking ro refine the ride by truing each tire/rim assembly   to a perfect (well, as perfect as we can have here in this imperfect world) round condition  then we static balance each now round assembly right on the truing machine.  People ask "does it work?"  If the laws of physics are not repealed it has to make the tire run smoother, cooler giving more mileage and performance.  I mean think about it, if a tire does not "bounce" down the road it's gotta be a good thing!  Anyway, it looks like "tire truing" is becoming one of those lost arts and I'm please I have one of the great Amermac machines that give me this option.

Those of you who have followed our exploits over the past couple of years have watched the guys here do all sorts of things, 2 of the team you will remember around here has been Craig O.    and his son Eric.    All kidding aside, Craig & Eric have been a real help these past several years.  Knowing Craig over 30 years, he & I could speak on a gibberish level that takes years to perfect.  In consumer electronics longer than me, Craig certainly has earned his wings also in the GMC business doing the things many people run from-- holding tanks, plumbing issues, electrical things and just all around "lets get-r-done stuff.  Eric was an empty sponge starting with us but quickly picked up "how too" on so many things he masters things from transmission R&R    to making sure his dog Max food bowl kept full.  I'm speaking here in paste tense because Craig has helped out around here and in that has propped up the Co-op to the point that he and Eric both will be missed as they broaden their horizons to yet another interesting project Craig has in that logical mind.  Will be impossible to replace that combination of cool, calm and collection many times Craig was the one mediating factor in this crazy place and Eric was ready to do anything-- heck it looks like I'll have to find another "diver down" for doody duty!  Craig & Eric had that down.  I'll have to take back control of the electrical work, Craig knew stuff I was saying before I could get it out.  Yes, it just won't be the same around here, I know those of you who know the team of Craig & Eric will agree that it is a strong "Bon Voyage" to both of them.  They will still be here for the next couple of weeks as we bring in new hands and get them trained up.  Craig had designed a retrofit amplified design for use in late model cars with factory "premium" radios and had decided to pick that idea back up.  Eric, having some background in tile work, has looked to move to the coast where he'll pick back up on that work-- man, my back starts throbbing just thinking of that work.  He but the only thing in this life that is guaranteed is change -- well there is also taxes which today is drop dead for and death which we're all hoping to duck but remember-- none of us will get out from this place alive so the best we can do as life throws a wrench into plans is to simply roll with it all and the Co-op will keep on keepin on too.  Thanks Craig for seeing I needed help around here and stepping up to the plate.  Your drive, dedication and determination  has been the glue that has held us together.  If there were a medal for helping a friend in need-- you got the gold plated version.  Thanks for the help, the good times and all that you and your son Eric brought to the game.  You will be missed

It's rather hard to come up with something after that.  It was a dream to have such an old friend come in for the time her was here to help this dream come a little more true.  There has been a long line of folks who have helped put the Co-op where it is today.  Starting with "Smokin Jack" came with me in the beginning fromthe other GMC place here in orlando, George & Christine, upholsters that worked with me in the "CLASCO days", Nathan who was a nextdoor neighbor starting back in the early 80's, Jason who I would say has the most experience of anyone in the GMC community, Kevin who is still here with paint after a decade of building expertice in his field, Steve P., my carpet binder from the "CLASCO days" now still working with me on interiors here at the Co-op and well, just so many more people who have come and gone wanting to help make a mark for the GMC, the Co-op and themselves-- it takes more than the obligatory "What'll it pay" mersonary mechanic to make a place like this go.  Doing this work is about much more than the pay, you have to feel this business to stay sane in it and you have to put value on more than what you get for doing this work-- you have to feel it, you have to take pride in making these classic machines all they can be and you have to care about people because in the end thats what this place (earth) is all about and what life is all about too. 

I'm feeling a bit whatever this morning, the sun is up, Kevin is on duty, it's quiet right now but pretty soon the phone will start in, questions will start flying, noise will come out of the bays and one more day will grind out here at the Co-op.  The wheels will spin a bit more and we'll all move closer to what we're looking for.  Countries will come and go, seems like so many are going I sure hope there will be some coming back.  Lives will change, yours, mine and everyones-- technology will continue to reinvent the world and how it spins but our classic GMC will continue to be what it is and I'm impressed we have a chance to perpetuate at least that 1 small part of our world.  I have seem GMC owners come as well as fade away.  One of the tough parts of this business is meeting, being a part of the lives of GMC owners and I've been there when they go.  Just think about us loosing Joe Mondello last week.  Not just a pillar of our community but the absolute bedrock  that Oldsmobile performance was built on-- he's now gone probably telling the vehicle maintenance facility up there how to do things.  Hey, it's his right and place.  We're all here being a small part of something really too big for us to understand-- I just hope that along with the 21 GMC clubs down here on earth in FMCA that there is a chapter up there for all of us to join when it's our turn. 

Boy, where did all that retrospecive stuff come from!  I think I need to come on back down here to Anno Ave. and get going on the days work.  Hi ho, hi, ho--- it's off to work we go.  Tony S. is out to California to visit his daughter for a week or so, Skip's front end will go back together today , "Tin Soldier" will get his new rear suspension,  Eugene's coach will get pulled apart looking for his new rear suspension and the beat goes on.  I hear Kevin out there grinding away which is my Q to get out there myself.  I still have Emails to do-- bear with me on that.  Have agreat day, thanks for dropping by, I hope there was something that made your day a bit better.  My heart goes out to the folks in NC, man you just never know what Mother Nature is going to hand us-- all the better reason to live for today--- "Be Here Now" and just go for it because now is the only time we know for sure we have.

I need to close with this, got this link in a post, made me tear up a bit because really, changing the way we communicate sometimes is all the difference that's needed.  Have a great day

The 26 foot, 12,000 pound Antique Hot Rod with Plumbing -- GMC Motorhome