Check it out, a 2 bucks a guzzle, it’s not cheaper to put gas in your coach than to roll over your 401K! “Do It Now” as my buddy said, get out there in your coach and go man go! Let whatever economic, social or political reason the pump has become our friend… make it your friend too and use it up. Want a reason to drive that thing… well here it is!
And I have to tell you folks are doing just that. We are being bombarded with new owners right now and if you are or are hoping soon to be there yourself I have to tell you to “Be Prepared” like the scout motto says. Bullets are made to hurt you, there are ones you can dodge from time to time but for your own good you really must hope for the best but be prepared and expect something less. This is the drama playing out right now with so many of you right now.
God some pics from Chris R. who recently came to the US from the Netherlands to vacation in his recent Palm Beach with his family. His trip went well after spending a fair amount to update the key functions. Still there was a punch list of other things it needed before the ship overseas. After that a shop visit will be difficult so preparing the coach is super important. But they did have a great time as the pics show:
Spacley is coming to pick up his Minion today after his “first rake” of fixing stuff that he needs. Now with new American Eagle rims and 16: tires, all new brakes, some fancy frame repair we found on the last test drive his steering CV was really wasted— actually locked up on Hank! 
Pulling the shaft out you can see the rusted bearings in the CV. Found a good used unit and put that in. 
His Minion will be pointed toward the gate eager to get out on the road and again strut it’s stuff… 
Actually we have 3 Minion like coaches here…
kinda scary… 
Last week, a young couple from here in the Orlando area dropped by and spent a few hours learning about the GMC and what would be ahead of them see they had laid bucks down on a coach up in Pa. and were going this week to go drive it home. Looked in pics as a well kept, club guy coach with many recent extras. The PO changed the oil for them, tires were old but he did the best he could to get the coach ready for the run south. Hey and for @ 6 hours things went well. The compressor in the air ride system failed.. called me and I talked them through installing an air bag shut/fill kit the PO have never installed but he gave it to them. Nice guy, it saved them. Then a couplle hours later the coach would just shut off, fire up and run… put her in gear and that’s it. He did bring some tools so I sent him for a mile walk to get a vacuum gauge me thinking in that it ran so well then started this shut down thing they may have cracked their intake. THEN he said when he held in the boost switch the coach ran but died when he let the spring loaded switch up…… Alternator out and a dead battery… Generator worked so now they were un hunker mode… drive 8 hours, stop and turn off the generator cause IT was allowing them to charge their battery. Good to go… 30 min. later a call and the generator stopped… Doughhhhh!!! Without a meter I could not have him troubleshoot the electrical system (guys, go buy a cheap $5 meter at Harbour Freight), now he will have a meter from the parts store when they open (he’s camped out in their parking lot tonight and we will diagnose his alternator circuit… will probably need to learn the fine art of swapping out the alternator. Welcome to the wonderful world of driving a new purchase that has not been checked out. The best intentions were there but age has doner it’s damage. He stopped and at least got 2 new front tires, the other ones had seperated cords. So he’s on 4 really old 16.5″ tires… pray for them and as soon as we get Mr. Alternator happy they will be off again. We’ll foam the runway.. and you know I can do it… they will be coming in hot and heavy….
As a contrast haven’t heard a word from James from wanderlustestate channel on YouTube after pulling out the other day… no news is good news for him…. 
Squatting down for it’s last dump before hitting the road his coach is about as ready for the road as it can be 
Leaving out of here he now has more in the coach than the initial purchase price but guys sorry that’s what it might take… and more! Those other folks have learned this and are hoping to get 200 miles from us so their AAA Plus with the RV endorsement will bring them on it. It needs it and now I think they have a greater understanding what I’m talking about.
While all this is playing out, I did a coach recovery of my own yesterday. I helped this coach get 35 miles to the shop 
Recovering this pretty descent coach from a Bubba & Scooter buy-here-pay-here lot, Louie recognized the value of the coach and is looking to get her stabilized and make a buck and turn it. Now yes, I have always said you can’t flip these things and I want no part in buying or selling these coaches. But wait, “There IS a lagitimate income derived from helping folks so I am supporting Louie in this not in taking a cut but in him supporting our community and picking up a worthy coach and getting it back into the fold. The coach drove pretty well the 35 miles towing my Suzuki chase car and getting the coach up on the lift I wanted to get a looksee 
A descent looker, if 2 shades of maroon is good with you, the metallic silver stripe isn;t bad either 
The bumper needs help so we’re thinking of color keying them to the body color… inexpensive and will pop the paint. 
has Alcoas, a huge Onan Marquis 7000 watt generator double shoehorned in, an older Mac dash with VDO gauges, CD , DIN srtyle removable face remote radio and more. Brakes were weak so we’re working those today. Guys this coach will be offered soon in the $15,000 range and will have a descent chance of getting you home and use it while other things will be getting done. You guys looking for a starter coach… above you have seen folks jumping in with a coach, there are now 2 coaches here already at the shop that are available… not from me… but I can help you get it in shape so you may not be so in harms way taking it home. Bet right now the couple hunkered down in the auto parts parking lot in Pa. would agree with this one! Theirs will also end up a goo coach but it will need as all of these coach do some work to get it up to the raliable condition you must have.
I have 1 here… not mine… a good starter survivor for $7900.00 which will also be a descent $15,000 drive out coach. Up to you, buy it cheap and do the work or get one that’s been gone over and is on it’s way… take your choice. These are both GM floorplan interiors, both 26′ and both are 77′ models. One was a Palm beach… this maroon one with the other still wearing it’s Eleganze colors and caps
Now this coach has an awning, a partial Golby interior @ 12 years old, aluminum bumper fills and drove in. Needs brakes for sure but also all the rest of it…. a really Descent $15-20,000 coach you can use while you do the rest of what it will need.
Guys, this is how you do it!
short cuts will burn you…
Oh heck, last but really not the least, lemme show you what Kevin is doing to Ron K. 1974 23′ “back to the future” coach named “MoHo” … stand by…
It’s always fun to come in, Kevin already in there and walk in to see what the knomes got done over the night. There he was on the ladder installing I think the new Cat’s Eye style 17 element LED top clearance lights 
Here’s now the new larger galley window installed. On the other side, he had the top rails seperatly painted, straightened out best he could and has the scaffolds ready for him and Arther to install and seal the top rails 
Man, check out the front end of the coach with his Ramco mirrors installed 
Yeah I know… long winded again but I know you can see how important it all was. Thanks for the visit, see ya tomorrow…
