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| GMC newbie [message #119360] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 16:55  |
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tex-n
Messages: 13
Registered: March 2011
Location: Oakland, CA
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Hello,
I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see how they are.
I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here that would like to show off their GMC?
If I went with a GMC, I think the layout that would be most useful to me are the layouts with the rear dinette that converts to a bed, and a dinette in the front. Then I could have the kids sleep in the back and I could sleep in the front. I am intrigued by the sofa that converts to bunks, but wonder how comfortable those actually are (for kids or adults...) Those seem to be only in Eleganza models? The number of configurations and models is a bit overwhelming!
My other main concern is with how much upkeep it takes to keep one running, I am not much of a car person, though I am mechanically inclined.
thanks for any info!
tex
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| Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119371 is a reply to message #119360] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 17:36  |
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Tex, I am in San Lorenzo and my coach is currently in my drive vs storage. Email direct at n6mon at pacbell.net
Sent from my iPod
On Mar 20, 2011, at 2:55 PM, tex nielsen <tex@zeitgeist.net> wrote:
>
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see how they are.
>
> I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here that would like to show off their GMC?
>
> If I went with a GMC, I think the layout that would be most useful to me are the layouts with the rear dinette that converts to a bed, and a dinette in the front. Then I could have the kids sleep in the back and I could sleep in the front. I am intrigued by the sofa that converts to bunks, but wonder how comfortable those actually are (for kids or adults...) Those seem to be only in Eleganza models? The number of configurations and models is a bit overwhelming!
>
> My other main concern is with how much upkeep it takes to keep one running, I am not much of a car person, though I am mechanically inclined.
>
> thanks for any info!
> tex
> _______________________________________________
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Terry Taylor
'74 ex-Eleganza SE
San Lorenzo, CA
http://www.n6mon.org
http://dldesignstore.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119373 is a reply to message #119371] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 17:43 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Tex,
There are around 20 of them around and there are at least 7-12 here if
you want to see them.
On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 3:36 PM, Terry Taylor <n6mon@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Tex, I am in San Lorenzo and my coach is currently in my drive vs storage. Email direct at n6mon at pacbell.net
>
> Sent from my iPod
>
> On Mar 20, 2011, at 2:55 PM, tex nielsen <tex@zeitgeist.net> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see how they are.
>>
>> I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here that would like to show off their GMC?
>>
>> If I went with a GMC, I think the layout that would be most useful to me are the layouts with the rear dinette that converts to a bed, and a dinette in the front. Then I could have the kids sleep in the back and I could sleep in the front. I am intrigued by the sofa that converts to bunks, but wonder how comfortable those actually are (for kids or adults...) Those seem to be only in Eleganza models? The number of configurations and models is a bit overwhelming!
>>
>> My other main concern is with how much upkeep it takes to keep one running, I am not much of a car person, though I am mechanically inclined.
>>
>> thanks for any info!
>> tex
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: GMC newbie [message #119387 is a reply to message #119360] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 20:11 |
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tex-n wrote on Sun, 20 March 2011 14:55]Hello,
I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see how they are.
I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here that would like to show off their GMC?
Tex, you are in good hands with Jim K in Fremont. A wag once told me that we all wind up with $25,000.00 coaches, and that's maybe close to the truth. Almost any coach you find will need some work; you will see as you look on this Net. Jim K is there to help you anytime you need it. I bought a '73 for $8000 and have put about $17,000.00 into it, mostly parts and my labor. It is a wonderful project and lifestyle.
geo groth '73 260 Sequoia
Carson City Nevada 89703
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| Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119395 is a reply to message #119360] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 22:56 |
UziYaH
Messages: 282
Registered: July 2007
Location: 10-O-C
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Hi Tex, ...welcome to the clan.
I couldn't help but wonder if you have had the opportunity to visit many of the
picture galleries provided by forum members? I offer a few pictures of mine.
Enjoy.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=2110
Also, there are a number of videos on YouTube you might enjoy. Simple 'search'
"GMC Motorhomes" and enjoy.
Our humble contribution can be found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5C3qsOFBAQ
Happy trails,
Howard and Doreen Nylander
Royale Class of '78'
Greeneville, Tn. (formally from Chico, Ca.)
________________________________
From: tex nielsen <tex@zeitgeist.net>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Sun, March 20, 2011 5:55:59 PM
Subject: [GMCnet] GMC newbie
Hello,
I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the
past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a
few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see
how they are.
I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here
that would like to show off their GMC?
If I went with a GMC, I think the layout that would be most useful to me are the
layouts with the rear dinette that converts to a bed, and a dinette in the
front. Then I could have the kids sleep in the back and I could sleep in the
front. I am intrigued by the sofa that converts to bunks, but wonder how
comfortable those actually are (for kids or adults...) Those seem to be only in
Eleganza models? The number of configurations and models is a bit overwhelming!
My other main concern is with how much upkeep it takes to keep one running, I am
not much of a car person, though I am mechanically inclined.
thanks for any info!
tex
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Howard Nylander
Royale Class of "78" "Rocinate"
E-10-o-C
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| Re: GMC newbie [message #119399 is a reply to message #119360] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 23:53 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| tex-n wrote on Sun, 20 March 2011 14:55 |
Hello,
I'm thinking about going the GMC route for a motorhome (all I've ever had in the past is a Eurovan camper which was nice but small) and have looked at quite a few web sites and blogs, but would like to actually see some in person to see how they are.
I am in Oakland, CA - is there anyone within a couple of hours drive from here that would like to show off their GMC?
...
|
Tex,
You are in luck. Overall coach prices are lower than they have been and there are quite a few coaches close to you. (There is even one on Treasure Island.) Some might even be for sale. Being mechanically inclined is a plus when thinking about a vehicle over 30 years old... with an old house attached to it. Being a car person would be nice... but not required.
It might be a good idea to find someone with ONE coach as your first stop. Going down to Jim K's (Applied GMC in Fremont, CA <http://www.appliedgmc.com/>) would be like jumping in the deep end of the pool before learning to swim!
Well... maybe not THAT bad. You'll find that most GMC owners love to talk GMC's. (Getting them to STOP might be a problem!) Anyway, a "one on one about one" with an owner showing HIS (not for sale) coach would be a good primer before stopping by a business... Even an excellent business like Applied.
There are many sites to give you information about GMC's. Well over enough for information overload. I wouldn't dig too deep a first, but sometime after your "first exposure" but before your "Applied trip" browse through the following sites:
Good first site: <http://www.gmcmotorhome.com/faq/index.html>
Good second site: <http://gmcmotorhome.info/>
Yo might want to pay a little more attention to this part:
<http://gmcmotorhome.info/buygmc.html>
This a good site for almost all things GMC: <http://www.bdub.net/>
I find this part interesting: <http://www.bdub.net/publications/index.html>
You might like this:
<http://www.bdub.net/publications/gmcsearch/index.html>
Be sure to see this:
<http://www.bdub.net/Black_List/>
Be sure to stop by Applied before buying ANY coach. Do NOT buy the first coach you see... unless you have looked at several more and came back to the first. (I bought the first one I could... now I have 2 more...  )
Good luck and have fun. From my experience the best thing about GMC's are the people you find around them.
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: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119400 is a reply to message #119392] |
Sun, 20 March 2011 23:55 |
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ljdavick
Messages: 3548
Registered: March 2007
Location: Fremont, CA
Karma: -3
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Senior Member |
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Tex,
I'm in Fremont, though I pass through Oakland 5 times a week - on BART!
Go see Jim K. He, Nick, Mary Jane are all very friendly and will certainly have a couple of coaches for sale, as well as a bunch of 'em in for repair. (They'll probably let you peek at them too) The coaches Jim has for sale are probably all road-ready and turn-key. Me, I'm a bargain hunter and wanted to earn my lumps myself. I found a coach in Ohio from a failed ebay auction, bought it sight unseen and had it driven to Tom Hampton - one of the mid-west's "Jim K's" - to make it safe for travel back to California. <http://www.appliedgmc.com>
My story ends well, as I have a 1976-ish Palm Beach that the previous, previous, previous owner loved and lavished some attention on. It has true-trackers, Marvin Peck gears (lower gears), lots of Ragusa stuff, a replaced Heater, fridge, Air Conditioner, and Microwave. Other goodies were here too, though they removed the rear sofas and put in a full-time bed. Tom had a Palm Beach green rear sofa set in his attic that he sold me for a song!
As they say, you'll end up somewhere near $25k in the end, though I'm only up to $15k so far. Fuel injection, wheels, tires, paint and interior should help us get past that mark soon enough. We really have driven it quite a lot since October of '09 when we picked it up. We have better than 10,000 miles since then, and all of them on the West coast. Our biggest trip was from Fremont to Anaheim, then to Las Vegas and home. That doesn't account for many of these miles. The coast, the wine country, and Disneyland are where we accumulate most of those miles.
By the way Disneyland has great parking for RV's. No overnight stuff, but you are just a short walk to the tram. Great for lunch, or a siesta, or even a stiff drink! I try to be cynical about Disneyland, but they really are very good about making you feel good while there. I haven't tried it yet, but a stiff drink might make me positively giddy! Lots of RV parks in Anaheim and most of them have shuttles to the park.
We had been taking it out almost every Friday night to Half Moon Bay, just for the night, to make the weekend seem longer. It's a great treat to wake up with the ocean out that big picture window. Family needs have kept us close to home recently, but we'll be back on the road soon enough.
Keep in mind that lurking here is for free. I did it for almost 10 years, and kick myself for waiting so long. It's not really that much money (at first) and the fun is not only in the destination, but in the journey as well. You know already how comfortable it is to travel with a fridge and potty on board, so this is no mystery to you. It was to me, and I wish I'd bought a coach many years earlier. What you get with a GMC is this marvelous bunch of goofballs who love these coaches. These goofballs have great compassion and grit that they will often drop whatever to help a GMC'er in need. If you have a question about these coaches post it here - we all have opinions, and many have great knowledge, that we're eager to share. The GMC net makes our coaches more valuable than any SOB over 6 years old (in my humble (?) opinion.) Don't forget the aftermarket community - almost any part needed for this coach is readily available.
Look around. Kick some tires. Go to a rally. We don't bite. The Bay Area needs another owner. I would wager that Oakland is the only place with 2 original owners (thought one might be in Berkeley.) I met one fellow from Oakland (dang - it might have been Berkeley) who was not only an original owner, but the owner of a '73 - 1st year motorhome! He talked his buddy into buying one, and they both still own them. I met him at Jim K's place.
Dip your toe in the water to see if you like it. You will, and before long I'll be calling you a Goofball!
Larry Davick
The Mystery Machine
1976-ish Palm Beach
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Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
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| Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119841 is a reply to message #119838] |
Thu, 24 March 2011 17:35 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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I'm hardly one to judge value with what I paid for
"The Money Pit" but $3,800 with no interior at all
seems more than just a bit high to me. I wonder
if it was a project a Sirum's that fell apart before
completion.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ D C "Mac" Macdonald ~ ~~
~ ~ Amateur Radio - K2GKK ~ ~
~ ~ USAF and FAA, Retired ~ ~
~ ~ ~ Oklahoma City, OK ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ ~ "The Money Pit" ~ ~ ~~
~ ~ ~ ex-Palm Beach, 76 ~ ~ ~
~ www.gmcmhphotos.com/okclb ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> From: tex@zeitgeist.net
> Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:11:49 -0500
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie
>
>
>
> So far I have seen Terry Taylor's GMC project and went down to Applied GMC to check things out. From that I am pretty sure the layout with rear dinette, front dinette, and sofa that goes to bunks is the best of the stock layouts for my needs.
>
> I am somewhat interested in the idea of finding a GMC that has good mechanicals but a bad interior (perhaps a failed renovation project?) so I could do my own interior. That would help reduce the startup costs; then again as I have never had an RV it might be more useful to have one that is usable for a while so I can see what features I do and do not like. Perhaps something like this one in Florida:
> http://www.gmcmh.com/New_Folder3/1977_Eleganza_Cream_Green.html
>
> Going all the way to Florida to check it out and see if it can make a cross country drive is a bit of a hurdle though.
>
> I've also recently checked out a Vixen SE, which was surprisingly nice, but too small if everyone in the family was on a trip. Wish I had known about them back in the mid-nineties when I was buying a Eurovan, I think I would have liked the Vixen more.
>
> Of course, I still have to decide if I should instead focus on paying down the mortgage instead and put off the RV thing for a few years!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
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| Re: GMC newbie [message #119856 is a reply to message #119838] |
Thu, 24 March 2011 20:42 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| tex-n wrote on Thu, 24 March 2011 15:11 |
... then again as I have never had an RV it might be more useful to have one that is usable for a while so I can see what features I do and do not like. ...
|
I think this was your best idea.
If you have never USED one, it will be very difficult to design and build one.
There are many coaches going for little more than a song, that have (mostly) original interiors. Even if the interior is a bit rough, they can be made usable. (Cover the upholstery with a cheap blanket.) Use it a season or two.... then you can change the features you do not like.
During that season of use, check out other coaches (both GMC and SOB) for features you would like.
It might take a year longer to get to the end point, but I am pretty you'll prefer the result... I KNOW it'll end up being cheaper.
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: [GMCnet] GMC newbie [message #119893 is a reply to message #119838] |
Fri, 25 March 2011 07:25 |
robert caudle
Messages: 25
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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not intending to wax philosophical, but , will paying down the mortgage make
you smile like driving a GMC ?
We only get so many tomorrows and not all of them will be healthy, or our
own to use as we wish. Family obligations, deaths and funerals, weddings,
graduations, etc.
If you pay the mortgage you will have more money later, but may need that
money for doctor bills and not a GMC
----- Original Message -----
From: "tex nielsen" <tex@zeitgeist.net>
To: <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] GMC newbie
>
>
> So far I have seen Terry Taylor's GMC project and went down to Applied GMC
> to check things out. From that I am pretty sure the layout with rear
> dinette, front dinette, and sofa that goes to bunks is the best of the
> stock layouts for my needs.
>
> I am somewhat interested in the idea of finding a GMC that has good
> mechanicals but a bad interior (perhaps a failed renovation project?) so I
> could do my own interior. That would help reduce the startup costs; then
> again as I have never had an RV it might be more useful to have one that
> is usable for a while so I can see what features I do and do not like.
> Perhaps something like this one in Florida:
> http://www.gmcmh.com/New_Folder3/1977_Eleganza_Cream_Green.html
>
> Going all the way to Florida to check it out and see if it can make a
> cross country drive is a bit of a hurdle though.
>
> I've also recently checked out a Vixen SE, which was surprisingly nice,
> but too small if everyone in the family was on a trip. Wish I had known
> about them back in the mid-nineties when I was buying a Eurovan, I think I
> would have liked the Vixen more.
>
> Of course, I still have to decide if I should instead focus on paying down
> the mortgage instead and put off the RV thing for a few years!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
>
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> No virus found in this message.
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