Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Sand Dune Trip Report
| Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232120] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 15:48  |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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Thanksgiving weekend is when my two sons and I go to the Imperial Sand Dunes for a long weekend each year. I tow my Jeep, on a trailer, with the GMC and provide the housing, and cooking and sanitary facilities for the trip. Mark, my youngest son, drives the Dodge truck with the rest of the equipment and supplies on it, with other vehicles on another trailer.
We left Tucson a little after 4:30 Friday Morning and drove the 260+ miles to our usual campsite without incident, only a couple of stops for breakfast, 'rest' and gas. The coach ran great, as usual, at about 67 mph the whole way across AZ. The speed limit fro trucks (three axles or more) and trailers is 55 in CA, but we only had to go a little over 20 miles there.
The solar panel on the coach kept the batteries charged in spite of us charging various electronics and running the inverter for the first three days. According to the Trimetric meter, we were anywhere from 23% to 29% down on the house batteries in the early morning before the solar started producing a charge, but every night, they were back to 100% or very near. The boys slept in front and said the dinette was more comfortable (softer) than the Jim B. couch. Nobody took showers the whole time (we used wet wipes to freshen up, and went home dirty) so no hot water was needed. The propane refrigerator kept things cold and made ice in the freezer.
The trip home Monday was equally uneventful with one stop for lunch and another for gas. As usual, the coach made the trip a pleasure. This Thursday, Kathy and I will be leaving for a weekend Saguaro Jetset rally in Ajo, AZ, hosted by our friend Jim D (Jade on the net). Between those two trips and the last Jetset rally, we will have used the coach three out of the last five weekends.
Pics here:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51792-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51795-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51798-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51789-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232125 is a reply to message #232122] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 16:18  |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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| ljdavick wrote on Tue, 03 December 2013 15:00 |
Carl,
What a good looking coach, and I'll bet those wide Dodge wheels help in the sand.
Larry Davick
Fremont, California
A Mystery Machine
'76 (ish) Palm Beach
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Larry,
That trip is the main reason those wheels and the 255/70 BFG All Terrains are on there. It rained a week before we got there and the ground at our camping spot was nice and hard, so no 'stuck' this year. That wheel/tire combination, along with the 3.70 limited slip really helps.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232127 is a reply to message #232120] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 16:34 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Carl,
you had the rims before the limited slip right? did you notice much extra torque steer?
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: [GMCnet] Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232160 is a reply to message #232120] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 19:52 |
Steve Jess
Messages: 169
Registered: April 2012
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I love that first picture, with the sunrise reflecting off the coach and the tilted solar panel. it looks like the first GMC on Mars!
Steve Jess - Aguanga, CA
1977 GMC Palm Beach "The DreamLiner"The 10,000 pound antique Home Theater with plumbing
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> From: carljr3b@yahoo.com
> Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2013 15:48:31 -0600
> Subject: [GMCnet] Sand Dune Trip Report
>
>
>
> Thanksgiving weekend is when my two sons and I go to the Imperial Sand Dunes for a long weekend each year. I tow my Jeep, on a trailer, with the GMC and provide the housing, and cooking and sanitary facilities for the trip. Mark, my youngest son, drives the Dodge truck with the rest of the equipment and supplies on it, with other vehicles on another trailer.
>
> We left Tucson a little after 4:30 Friday Morning and drove the 260+ miles to our usual campsite without incident, only a couple of stops for breakfast, 'rest' and gas. The coach ran great, as usual, at about 67 mph the whole way across AZ. The speed limit fro trucks (three axles or more) and trailers is 55 in CA, but we only had to go a little over 20 miles there.
>
> The solar panel on the coach kept the batteries charged in spite of us charging various electronics and running the inverter for the first three days. According to the Trimetric meter, we were anywhere from 23% to 29% down on the house batteries in the early morning before the solar started producing a charge, but every night, they were back to 100% or very near. The boys slept in front and said the dinette was more comfortable (softer) than the Jim B. couch. Nobody took showers the whole time (we used wet wipes to freshen up, and went home dirty) so no hot water was needed. The propane refrigerator kept things cold and made ice in the freezer.
>
> The trip home Monday was equally uneventful with one stop for lunch and another for gas. As usual, the coach made the trip a pleasure. This Thursday, Kathy and I will be leaving for a weekend Saguaro Jetset rally in Ajo, AZ, hosted by our friend Jim D (Jade on the net). Between those two trips and the last Jetset rally, we will have used the coach three out of the last five weekends.
>
> Pics here:
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51792-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51795-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51798-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/trips/p51789-2013-sand-dune-trip.html
> --
> Carl S.
> '75 ex Palm Beach
> Tucson, AZ.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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| Re: Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232162 is a reply to message #232127] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 20:08 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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| lqqkatjon wrote on Tue, 03 December 2013 15:34 |
Carl,
you had the rims before the limited slip right? did you notice much extra torque steer?
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Jon,
I really didn't notice any MORE torque steer. It's really hard to tell since I've had those wheels on there for going on four years now. I don't really remember how it handled before I put them on.The only time I notice torque steer is when I'm towing the heavy trailer or when I get too heavy on the skinny pedal.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232163 is a reply to message #232120] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 20:10 |
Steve
Messages: 506
Registered: September 2013
Location: East Greenville, Pa
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Carl,
I love the striping on your coach. Adds a really classy look to what looks like the original color. I was just discussion potential stripe options on another post and then I say yours. Very nice.
1978 GMC Royal
Eastern Pennslyvania
1968 Chevrolet C20 396 Camper Special
1969 Chevrolet C20 Camper Special
1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
1992 Camaro 25th Anniversary Heretage Edition Black
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| Re: Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232169 is a reply to message #232163] |
Tue, 03 December 2013 21:28 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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| Steve Adams wrote on Tue, 03 December 2013 19:10 |
Carl,
I love the striping on your coach. Adds a really classy look to what looks like the original color. I was just discussion potential stripe options on another post and then I say yours. Very nice.
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Thanks Steve, I like it too, but I can't take credit for the paint scheme. The coach was originally a green palm beach. The PO had it painted in Puerto Pinasco (Rocky Point) Mexico. He told me he had to buy the painters a chalk line and show them how to use it in order to lay out the stripes. They did a passable job and it shines up really well. The paint was one of the things that sold me on the coach. Bruce also did some really nice interior work. I have spent the past five plus years upgrading the mechanicals and would drive the coach anywhere at this point.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232197 is a reply to message #232195] |
Wed, 04 December 2013 10:33 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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| Gary Berry wrote on Wed, 04 December 2013 09:03 |
Hey Carl;
We also went to the dunes but we headed to Coos Bay, OR. Had
beautiful weather and lots of fun. Was the first time that my son and
2 of his kids have been there. Had a great time. Here's a video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCjyhm7zfOY
--
Gary and Diana Berry
73 CL Stretch in Wa.Hey
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Looks like fun Gary. We didn't see any Manx type buggies out there, mostly high dollar long travel mid or rear engine machines powered by anything from a Mazda rotary or a Subaru boxer, some had Acura or Honda V-tec V-6s, and there are always the Northstar and LS-2 powered buggies. There was a group of front engine Jeep looking buggies with kind of a funny car body on them. Of course there were some VW powered old school rails too.
We take a much lower budget approach with our old Jeeps and toys, but still have as much fun. It's still not a cheap trip with a 525 mile round trip in a couple of gas hogs, not to mention running flat out in low range for 100 plus miles in the sand. The Jeeps use a lot of gas that way.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Sand Dune Trip Report [message #232461 is a reply to message #232197] |
Fri, 06 December 2013 14:58 |
Neil
Messages: 271
Registered: July 2007
Location: Los Angeles and Magalia, ...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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If anybody is looking for a buggy, I have a Buick 215 mid engine v8 old school rail to sell.
It tows on a trailer behind the GMC (GMC content)
Pm me for info.
Neil
76 Eleganza now sold
Los Angeles
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