| New GMC - Trip Report [message #102915] |
Wed, 13 October 2010 23:20  |
Jerry Hartley
Messages: 17
Registered: May 2004
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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This weekend I am flying to Macon, GA to pick up my second GMC, a Birchaven with a 500 Cad engine, Applied GMC 3.70 final drive, instrument panel upgrade etc. My first GMC is a 76 Royale which will soon be for sale. Will be driving back to the Seattle area, almost 3,000 miles. I am taking a few tools, my son (a real mechanic as opposed to me, an amateur), AAA card, credit card, Black list, Jim Bounds' phone number. I will keep track of the mileage and report how it drives when I get back.
Current route plan is Macon - Atlanta - Nashville - Kansas City - Lincoln - Salt Lake City - Boise - Pendleton - Portland - Sequim. I would appreciate any comments if anyone has experience with these highways or possibly a better route through the Rockies.
I am hoping for a pleasant and uneventful road trip.
Jerry Hartley
77 Birchaven
76 Royale
Sequim, WA
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| Re: New GMC - Trip Report [message #102921 is a reply to message #102915] |
Thu, 14 October 2010 00:31  |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| Jerry Hartley wrote on Wed, 13 October 2010 21:20 |
This weekend I am flying to Macon, GA to pick up my second GMC, a Birchaven ...
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Good luck!
I hope you have a better time than I did on my 1977 Birch retrieval. I fought rust in the tanks for two days before buying an outboard motor tank (6 gal) to use to get home. (The first day I thought I had vapor lock.) I only had 1000 miles to get home.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: New GMC - Trip Report [message #107408 is a reply to message #102915] |
Fri, 03 December 2010 16:14 |
Jerry Hartley
Messages: 17
Registered: May 2004
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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In October I flew from Seattle to Atlanta to pick up my “new” 1977 GMC Birchaven. I already own a 1976 Royale but wanted the Birchaven with a 500 CID Cadillac engine (w/4,000 miles), 3:70 Final Drive and upgraded instrument panel. I took my AAA Card, credit card, a few tools and my son who is a real mechanic. I found the Birchaven to be as described by the seller, no surprises and no complaints.
The tires and the airbags were old but correctly judged to be OK for the return trip to Seattle. The oil was changed and the three batteries replaced. The only mechanical “problem” encountered on the 2,800 mile trip was the brake system warning light which came on but required only the addition of some brake fluid to fix.
I am retired but my son is not so it was a hurried trip. The route taken was through Atlanta northwest to Lincoln, Nebraska, West to Salt Lake City (where my son had to fly back to work in California), then northwest to Seattle. There were times, particularly when traveling by myself after I lost my mechanic, when I wondered about the wisdom of flying so far to drive back in an unknown motorhome. It worked for me but I would caution others, and I don’t think I would do it again. There are many miles of desolate country without service stations or cell phone service. Overall, though, it was an excellent road trip.
Mileage was 8 – 9 mpg. I didn’t buy it anticipating great mileage though; I wanted the horsepower and the torque. The Cadillac 500 delivered both. I don’t remember the GMC ever lugging down or shifting down, even when crossing the Rockies (I80).
The 3:70 final drive worked well but would probably work even better for towing. The one comment I have is that at 60 mph the engine ran at 2600 rpm. It was not particularly noisy but I don’t like listening to an engine turn that fast hour after hour. I have perhaps become accustomed to my 2002 ford F-150 5.4L which at 60 mph turns 1750 rpm in overdrive and 2500 rpm when not in overdrive. The GMC turning 2600 rpm at 60 mph just doesn’t sound right. I once rode a Japanese motorcycle but I never got used to an engine turning 20,000 rpm.
The most surprising characteristic was the handling. It is superb. Not at all like that of my Royale. I am not sure why it is so good. I will talk to the guy who did the work on the Birchaven.
Another pleasant surprise was the 6-wheel disk brakes. It may not be a fact but when pressing on the brakes it feels like it would not be difficult to lock up the wheels. Again, not like the Royale in which I have occasionally found myself putting both feet on the brake pedal and wondering if I would get it stopped.
The upgraded instruments are fun. More stuff to wonder about
On the unpleasant side the particle board tabletops and cabinet doors are at least 5 steps below the quality of the Royale. I am a woodworker and I will have to fix these.
I am in the process of replacing the tires and installing the Quadrabag system, but that is another story.
Jerry Hartley
Sequim, WA
1977 Birchaven CAD 500
1976 Royale
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| Re: New GMC - Trip Report [message #107424 is a reply to message #107408] |
Fri, 03 December 2010 19:02 |
Craig Lechowicz
Messages: 541
Registered: October 2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Jerry,
One thing to think about is that your F150 has a 4 speed automatic, with a lock up torque converter, and the GMC, a 3 speed without the lockup. So, the F150 is turning so slowly, because as you mentioned it is in overdrive, and can essentially go to the 3rd gear which is probably a 1 to 1 (same as the GMC) ratio when you need the power at that speed. So, if you went to a taller axle, you would be turning the engine slower in 1st and 2nd than the Ford does, with more than 2x the weight of vehicle to move. There was another thread on axle ratios, and Jim K who probably knows more than anyone on it mentioned the 3.70 is probably a better match than most people think. The newer trucks are going to 6 speed automatics, to achieve even greater ratio spreads and slightly (as in important to a manufacturer facing CAFE laws, but barely noticeable by the customer) better fuel economy when unloaded, but virtually all the manufacturer's recommend staying out of OD for a reason, when towing.
Craig Lechowicz
'77 Kingsley, Waterford, MI
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