This could be a long one today! The rally this weekend was very refreshing and I finally got up the guts to take the Hum V turbo-diesel out on the open road! You guys who have worked on a project for so long, putting part of your DNA all over the thing and how it’s ready to throttle up….. what if that tranny line adapter popps off. That loose oil fitting loosens up again….. a drive shaft… did they double check the inner CV bolt…. man, there’s soooo much we’ve done to adapt that Hum V 6.5 GM turbo-diesel into that motorhome…. Manny worked his guts out AM General wants to sell motors to us even helped Manny design the retrofit kit! And to me it all came down to the first run this weeked…… thrilling but wait, the GMCSS club Christmas rally was in there to and that was great too!
Janie did piles more pics I need to get of everyone, there were like 20 or so…. didn’t ask the coach count…. but it was nice to see all the things folks have done to their coaches over the year. The sweat equity Janie & I have been investing into the new shop has kept us away from our friends. I want to give you a roundup of all that as soon as I can get those pics….. I took a few but it was more on the Diesel tech session we did Saturday morning.
One neat couple of pics I did take…. I was looking at the Christmas decoration in one coach window… Mr. Snowman was under attack from low air pressure but hey, you’re called a kook if you drive around with a Christmas scheen on your dash so doing it here once a year…. it’s cool… 
A a little nostalgia I’ve known this coach for several decades…. It was Harry Grant’s 78 Eleganze! Harry was one of those beloved guys always a bright smile, a joke and man did he love his motorhome! I will admit I kinda teared up there a bit seeing the ole girl again. And low and behold the club Prez. walks up and awared the new owners a decoration prize voted on by the members… right there, hey, what a photo op: 
Hey, Harry’s coach is in good hands, thanks guys for keeping Harry’s dream alive. I’d like to show you more of their “new” coach…. Here’s something I’ve been wanting to progress to in the new Co-op…. increasing social media plus expanding the web site to showcase coaches like this and the folks who appreciate them. Next year we’re gonna have fun with the internet…
There was a gift swap.. trade.. some thing kinda fun…. Janie did Well 
. Like I said, these are my pics, Janie did a much better job of the rally & I’ll show those later.
She did use my camera during the talk about the diesel. 
The question #1 did come up in it’s rightful place but getting past that I was able to give the boiled down version on what went into bringing a modification like this alive the right way. None of this project was done “one off in a shop out back”
WHAT THE…… my computer just locked up!!! Sorry…. I’m back
.I parked the coach near the meeting room so we all went out to see the thing. I have a great respect Frank’s opinion and he said….”not for me but it looks good” 
Hey and that’s the whole point in a nutshell… we all can’t afford a possible $30,000 drive train invest but if you have a coach that you can say it would be a positive step….. and you would be surprised on how many coaches out there that ARE in that caliber…… this would be the way to do it. Got a diesel Kubota generator too… 
Those of you there, I hope it was interesting 
So Mr. Wilson, we are close to pickup…. stay tuned….
Stay tuned heck….. I had one more thrill left to do the weekend. I have not come up to driving this diesel on the open road…. so here I am in Kissimmee some 20 miles from the shop……. Could this be the day? Do I have the nerve to go out there and pour on the coals? “Well punk, do ya feel lucky?”…
So the rally was over, I’m in the coach, Janie is running chase-car….. It was one of those moments as I pulled up to 192….. do I go left to I-4 or the back way up 441…… Remibnds me of another famous like… “So whatl it be boy….” Hey that bog boy up front took a right…. chicken!
Anttttttiiiiiccccipation……. I took a left to the super slab and tourist traffic going past Disneyworld!!!! 
There’s the I-4 sign and the ramp came up fast….. and I mean fast! 
Came up to highway speed right away! How bout the movie “Independence Day”…… “IGOTTA get one of these….” Dang man, I was a 60 right now… bout couldn’t get the camera out fast enough 
Sorry, tach is out… has to be changed out but take it from me that bugger runs! I took it to 8o…. no Osifer, I didn’t do that….. I walked Janie in the truck! It it was still digging! Then got cut off by a tourist! Trust me though this is a winner!!!! If you ARE building a machine that would fit this modification friend…. this is the deal! 
Holy carp Cedric…. Ruby is gonna be baddass! That’s the next diesel to hit the road…… OK.. I have
OK… there’s more but the day is on … I need to go… thanks to all who made the rally a hit, good to see everyone and we’ll see ya next month… I’ll try and do more with the club in 2017… it’s my resolution…. See ya later…and thanks again for dropping by.
I’ve been following developments with the AM General 6.5 diesel retrofit with interest. Questions, does this retrofit require the Manny “switch pitch” transaxle? How are the decibels as far as engine noise, both at idle and at cruising speed, any additional noise abating measures like Dynamat or similar? Is it a well behaved diesel meaning not a lot of soot or smoke? Last question, has anyone considered the second larger alternator to charge a battery bank as is popular with the new Class B MB Sprinter conversions? Sounds like that really works, many have abandoned having a generator at all to regain the space. Small solar array, good size lithium ion battery pack, 2nd alternator to charge them while underway.