7.16.15 Sorry for the delay, I pushed the lap top too fast… I need to let it sit here for @ 5 minutes before plunking begins…. stand by, let this thing wake up, I think I have something important to talk about…be right back…
OK, that’s better… I was looking through the box for this thing for a crank! “Leave it alone for a while when it wakes up”… I think a good lesson for me…
So I was thinking about one small tip when all of a sudden another one bowled me over. Takes a while sometimes to connect dots … but I stay steady. Ok, here we go!
Page 2 on Bill’s coach bringing it back to the road and all You know, the one I’ve been reporting on this last week or so… first let me give you the page 2 on delivering the coach and the numbers.
…. Dang, can you believe this!!! I was plunking awa, not looking up at the screen and all of a sudden it stated to update!!!! Waiting for that now it’s going slower than me pushing a lawn mower by hand! See ya in a minute…
Are we any faster yet? There we go.. OK, can you believe it let me quack until that point in the conversation? Hey, I couldn’t make that up… so lets get back:
So our budget was somewhere @ $5000, the reality is they felt they could put $6000 in it but for the sake of easy numbers to throw out I said $5000. As we progressed we did however find some things we did not anticipate plus Bill & Margaret asked for a few other things before leaving. Let me go through all that was done. If this is goring to you skip the blue print.
Things we knew were going to be issues that will need to be addressed:
o Locksmith made ignition key, got onto the trailer with a lock pic
o Replace 12 year old tires
o 2 front KYB’s
o A complete brake evaluation and replacement… hoses, calipers, pads, shoes, master & wheel cylinders, springs
o Complete fuel delivery update.. vapor seperator, hoses, socks, seals, selector valve
o Complete set of rear wheel bearings, front suspension and bearing evaluation
o Engine tune up with all disposable parts replaced, hoses, etc. Had throttle body fuel injection.. no codes.. ran great
o Baseline on all fluids and filters
o Air shut off on the air bags, being a 78, the entire air delivery system was non functional. Would need a complete refit, can run with bags shut off
o Replaced front roof AC with descent used one off my coach… I got a new one
o evaluate and repair a mess of AC wiring in system
o Replace weathered air bags with 2 good used ones… don’t spend $ on your rear suspension till you buy a Quad Bag system…
All that came to @ $4600.00…. materials and labor less tax
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Next came additional issues we found and things they wanted to do:
o Dash AC rebuild, only original parts not replaced were condenser & evap.
o Body pad set
o Fire Fight Products fire suppression systems for for motor & generator… the frig came out.. no good.
o Replace generator with good used.
All that topped out another @ $3500
So the grand damage on everything assessed, considered and updated was @ $8100.00
There ya go This was a common example of how a rebirth goes. I asked Bill & Margaret if I could share the round numbers and work with you guys as an example and they graciously agreed. So here ya go too, for those that wonder why things cost the way they do. There are no shortcuts to quality wether it be paint, interior work or mechanical aspects of having a GMC motorhome, there are things that will always need assessment and maintenance. The naysayers out there can hold these numbers up and say whatever they want to. Those that understand a great deal is a fair deal and the best you can hope for when keeping your baby on the road and keeping you happy is someone to help you do that.
So for the final page of this story and after this I feel Bill & Margaret will be good with their coach. Got a call yesterday evening from Bill… on the side of the road. Crap, what happened…. if you guys have hung around me you know how I just don’t recommend any sort of fuel injection system and why. As I have said, doing this sort of modification you… will need to be the the diagnostic tech and parts source. You will also usually need to have enough knowledge to help other work on the system. We replaced all the disposable components of the Fi system with no changes of tune or component.
The fuel injection system stopped the coach. Got Hank on the horn and we helped Bill trace fuel to the throttle body, from there it’s getting no pulse. In other words… The rigged up Fi system installed by the previous owner had failed. What’s there, how was it installed, what is it, what parts does it use, how is everything hooked up and what does Bill do when it fails? THESE are the questions now Bill has to deal with.
I wanted to and have removed a Fi system in favor of going back to the carb. for exactly this reason. If for nothing more Bill could have MADE a carbureted engine run to a safe place. Bill was towed to the tow shop where my guess is he will find someone there who has moxy and can trace it all out. If not I know one more thing Bill needs to have done…
The lesson here is you really need to know what you have and how to bring your Fi system to life out on the road or you need to swap back to a carb before you get further in harms way. We live in America and I do not want to get sideways with anyone who loves their Fi system.
Every and most any system will put you on the side of the road if you don;t know what you have. You must be safe and vigilant… and run a carburetor…
The End
When you contemplate picking up and getting involved with a GMC or any other vintage RV for that matter, this is exactly what you should not be surprised at in fact, even if everything was perfect, inspection of it all and fluids would still equal a couple thousand bucks! This is the story I want to tell all of you… you say well heck, I can do all that… yes, you may be able to and if you are use this as a guide as what you need to expect you will need to do. If that’s your way… don’t let Bubba & Scooter down the street do this and that because they do not have ownership driving their quality.. just consider that and if you do have someone do work for you be really sure your coach is not the first experience they have had on one. The outcome there will need careful scrutiny when done…
Other mechanics may be wondering why I divulge such information. Let me preface this all by saying “your coach will be different”. Everyone will differ because of mileage, age, maintenance, attention and the fingers of folks for 30+ years rigging up stuff in the interest of doing something good to the coach. Their heart may have been in the right place but man.. I have seen some stuff…
All of the posturing, discovery, learning, acceptance, appreciating then enjoying or not of your investment all comes down to this. Where are you on you path to enlightenment…. grasshopper… and how do you make your experience more appealing. It can’t be only about the money cause that stuff will give you everything… but what you need most.. time to enjoy yourself and the people around you. Guys, please use your vintage RV to further your enjoyment and not a negative object of frustration to you. They can do way more for you that that….
Ohh, I forgot the back page of the story above, if you didn’t see “The End” go back and read more…
It’s 9:30 and we have a big day today, we’ll see ya tomorrow and thanks Bill & Margaret for letting me show all this… be safe..
