Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home
| Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home [message #59409] |
Thu, 08 October 2009 13:09  |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Larry.
YES, bore us with the details -- most of us love a good "first drive home" story.
In addition to ride height -- check the tire pressure.
Safe travels.
Dennis
Dennis Sexton
73 GMC
Germantown, TN
USA
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Davick <ljdavick@comcast.net>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Thu, Oct 8, 2009 1:03 pm
Subject: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home
Well, we picked up the Mystery Machine from Tom Hampton yesterday and
we're driving to California!
Runs great. No issues.
Now I know why there are complaints about the steering. The steering
seems to have dead spots and it wanders around a lot more than I
expected. I'm going to try to lower the rear - it's now at 33" to
the top of the T Skirt.
Lot's of gas smell when we shut down the motor. But this thing runs
great down the road. Tom's brake lines really are like jewelry! We
ran out of gas on the freeway, but switched to the aux tank and made
it in to Terra Haute. This old girl is a good one!
I'll be boring you with more trip details, I'm sure!
Larry Davick
The Mystery Machine
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Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
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| Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home [message #60212 is a reply to message #59409] |
Thu, 15 October 2009 16:22  |
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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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- Warning - Really long message -
To close the loop on this thread I have to say I'm smitten with my "new" coach. Although I bought it over a year ago, I've only laid eyes on it for a week. She ain't pretty, but she's beautiful!
With great confidence in the skills of Tom Hampton, the collective wisdom of this net, the security blanket that is the Black List, and more than a little luck we made it home Monday morning - ran great - no issues - well...
The one safety related item I did not have Tom Hampton do while the coach was in Ohio was the fuel lines. It would have been rather expensive to have him drop the tanks, etc., and I thought since the coach made it 100 miles to Tom, it just might be good enough to get home. Also, Jim K. asked Tom to leave some work for him to do, so I suppose this was for Jim!!
On the first fill up I'm sure I blew the vent lines and Onan fuel line right off the tanks. There was gas spilling everywhere. We were extremely careful filling up all the way home, looking for the slightest drip of gas and shutting off the nozzle. With our crazy gas gauges, and my uncertainty about fuel consumption, this is just the way we filled up.
Back in California the coach is at Jim K's place where my wallet became significantly lighter, but for good reason. All the fuel lines were in bad shape. The vapor separator needed to be replaced, which accounted for the awful fuel smell inside the coach, and somehow the tanks had been reversed.
That nasty "while we're there" creeped in and I had them install the electric fuel pump and block off the old mechanical pump. I'll pick it up this evening, but I'm thinking the safety issues have been pretty well covered. To date I've had these systems checked or updated:
New SS brake lines (They really are like jewelry!)
Service all brakes
New 4 bag rear
New "Wagon Wheel" Firestone tires
Service all bearings
Fuel lines - as above
Engine tune - check compression - etc.
Service Transmission
New Macerator (WOW can that thing pump!)
I really got lucky and fell in a pot of jam with this coach. As you might recall I bought it sight-unseen (and I wasn't even drunk!) but it's in good shape and has the following going for it, stuff a PO did:
Marvin Peck Gears (I'm not certain of the ratio)
Larger front calipers
Stainless Steel Water Heater
Updated Norcold fridge
One Fantastic Fan in the rear
Updated roof air with heat
Updated furnace
Side engine vents
Big fiberglass box on the roof
Fiberglass (?) Spare tire cover
6 stainless wheel covers
Big heavy duty trailer hitch (not a receiver)
Updated recirculating toilet (jury still out)
Updated buzz box (broken needs repair/replacement)
Ragusa stuff -
Entry step
Front bumper steps + lic. plate step
Transmission pan
Ladder
We did replace the house water pump on the road. My buddy had it installed before I finished paying for it!
It's needs are few - a stereo, some TLC to the interior. Gordon has been kind enough to send me a lock cylinder for the door. There is a leak somewhere in the rear that I know about, and others that I don't. The PO had removed the rear sofas, but Tom had a nearly new set in his attic that I'll install, lots of cleaning, and someday new paint.
I suppose the paint should go under - Gilding the Lilly. My future wish list includes:
16" wheels (+ tires - duh!)
Paint
I want to update the interior, but I'm not sure what yet.
New dash
2 more Fantastic Fans - front + bath
Fuel injection + electronic distributor
Rear disks with the reaction arm
Oh - I NEED an awning!!!
There is probably a motor in my future too. Tom tells me that the compression was around 135 per cylinder. Consistent from cylinder to cylinder, so he wasn't too concerned.
Of course after spending so much on the coach I'd certainly be divorced, so I'll have a nice place to stay. I think I'll just focus on the fundamentals, and keep my bride! Truth be told she likes it nearly as much as I do. And my teenage daughter isn't even embarrassed to be seen in it, yet.
Sorry for the long post, but I do love to read other people's love letters to their coaches, so I thought I'd share mine.
Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
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| Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home [message #60221 is a reply to message #60212] |
Thu, 15 October 2009 17:14 |
corunnadon
Messages: 18
Registered: February 2004
Location: Cournna, Michigan
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Larry, how ironic, I brought my coach from Fremont (Jim Ks place) to
Michigan last year, with Ken Burton help and no problems other than blowing
snow, freezing rain, sleet and 45 mile winds all the way. It was a comfort
to have some one to share the driving. I was fortunate enough to have Dan
and Terri Gregg while there, went over it, rechecking from top to bottom and
front to back, also Ken B and Jims guys went over and changed belts, hoses,
water pump and several other thing. So thanks again fellow GMCERS.
Best of luck Larry
Don
Michigan
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Don Hart
Corunna, MI
75-76 Glenbrook
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| Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home [message #60241 is a reply to message #60221] |
Thu, 15 October 2009 20:27 |
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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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I've been lurking on this list, off and on, since about 1999. I've soaked up a lot of stuff, despite myself.
That old adage that any coach turns into a $20k coach in time may actually prove itself. I'm getting closer every day!
I don't care. I love my Palm Beast.
Larry Davick
The Mystery Machine
----- Original Message -----
From: hartdna@chartermi.net
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:14:53 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home
Larry, how ironic, I brought my coach from Fremont (Jim Ks place) to
Michigan last year, with Ken Burton help and no problems other than blowing
snow, freezing rain, sleet and 45 mile winds all the way. It was a comfort
to have some one to share the driving. I was fortunate enough to have Dan
and Terri Gregg while there, went over it, rechecking from top to bottom and
front to back, also Ken B and Jims guys went over and changed belts, hoses,
water pump and several other thing. So thanks again fellow GMCERS.
Best of luck Larry
Don
Michigan
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
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| Re: [GMCnet] Bringing the Mystery Machine Home [message #60246 is a reply to message #60212] |
Thu, 15 October 2009 21:18 |
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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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By golly I forgot to mention that she has TruTrackers, too!
I'd rather be lucky than good...
This time I was lucky.
Ljdavick at comcast.net
On Oct 15, 2009, at 2:22 PM, Larry Davick <ljdavick@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> - Warning - Really long message -
>
> To close the loop on this thread I have to say I'm smitten with my
> "new" coach. Although I bought it over a year ago, I've only laid
> eyes on it for a week. She ain't pretty, but she's beautiful!
>
> With great confidence in the skills of Tom Hampton, the collective
> wisdom of this net, the security blanket that is the Black List, and
> more than a little luck we made it home Monday morning - ran great -
> no issues - well...
>
> The one safety related item I did not have Tom Hampton do while the
> coach was in Ohio was the fuel lines. It would have been rather
> expensive to have him drop the tanks, etc., and I thought since the
> coach made it 100 miles to Tom, it just might be good enough to get
> home. Also, Jim K. asked Tom to leave some work for him to do, so I
> suppose this was for Jim!!
>
> On the first fill up I'm sure I blew the vent lines and Onan fuel
> line right off the tanks. There was gas spilling everywhere. We
> were extremely careful filling up all the way home, looking for the
> slightest drip of gas and shutting off the nozzle. With our crazy
> gas gauges, and my uncertainty about fuel consumption, this is just
> the way we filled up.
>
> Back in California the coach is at Jim K's place where my wallet
> became significantly lighter, but for good reason. All the fuel
> lines were in bad shape. The vapor separator needed to be replaced,
> which accounted for the awful fuel smell inside the coach, and
> somehow the tanks had been reversed.
>
> That nasty "while we're there" creeped in and I had them install the
> electric fuel pump and block off the old mechanical pump. I'll pick
> it up this evening, but I'm thinking the safety issues have been
> pretty well covered. To date I've had these systems checked or
> updated:
> New SS brake lines (They really are like jewelry!)
> Service all brakes
> New 4 bag rear
> New "Wagon Wheel" Firestone tires
> Service all bearings
> Fuel lines - as above
> Engine tune - check compression - etc.
> Service Transmission
> New Macerator (WOW can that thing pump!)
>
> I really got lucky and fell in a pot of jam with this coach. As you
> might recall I bought it sight-unseen (and I wasn't even drunk!) but
> it's in good shape and has the following going for it, stuff a PO did:
> Marvin Peck Gears (I'm not certain of the ratio)
> Larger front calipers
> Stainless Steel Water Heater
> Updated Norcold fridge
> One Fantastic Fan in the rear
> Updated roof air with heat
> Updated furnace
> Side engine vents
> Big fiberglass box on the roof
> Fiberglass (?) Spare tire cover
> 6 stainless wheel covers
> Big heavy duty trailer hitch (not a receiver)
> Updated recirculating toilet (jury still out)
> Updated buzz box (broken needs repair/replacement)
> Ragusa stuff -
> Entry step
> Front bumper steps + lic. plate step
> Transmission pan
> Ladder
>
> We did replace the house water pump on the road. My buddy had it
> installed before I finished paying for it!
>
> It's needs are few - a stereo, some TLC to the interior. Gordon has
> been kind enough to send me a lock cylinder for the door. There is
> a leak somewhere in the rear that I know about, and others that I
> don't. The PO had removed the rear sofas, but Tom had a nearly new
> set in his attic that I'll install, lots of cleaning, and someday
> new paint.
>
> I suppose the paint should go under - Gilding the Lilly. My future
> wish list includes:
> 16" wheels (+ tires - duh!)
> Paint
> I want to update the interior, but I'm not sure what yet.
> New dash
> 2 more Fantastic Fans - front + bath
> Fuel injection + electronic distributor
> Rear disks with the reaction arm
> Oh - I NEED an awning!!!
>
> There is probably a motor in my future too. Tom tells me that the
> compression was around 135 per cylinder. Consistent from cylinder
> to cylinder, so he wasn't too concerned.
>
> Of course after spending so much on the coach I'd certainly be
> divorced, so I'll have a nice place to stay. I think I'll just
> focus on the fundamentals, and keep my bride! Truth be told she
> likes it nearly as much as I do. And my teenage daughter isn't even
> embarrassed to be seen in it, yet.
>
> Sorry for the long post, but I do love to read other people's love
> letters to their coaches, so I thought I'd share mine.
> --
> Larry Davick
> The Mystery Machine
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, Ca
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Dizzy
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