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Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder [message #110342 is a reply to message #110338]

Fri, 31 December 2010 08:10

Byron Songer

Messages: 1912
Registered: August 2007
Location: Louisville, KY

Karma:

Senior Member

There may well have been several reasons for discontinuing the TZE.

Some of us have read that a new VP of the GMC division wanted it killed
"just because". Some execs do live by whims. Steve Jobs returned to Apple
and killed the Newton Message Pad because it was developed under John
Sculley. Today we have the iPad, Jobs' pad development.

Another reason would be the high cost of fuel in 1978. Of course, the GMC
came to market when gas was scarce in 1974 and had to survive that. We
experienced the another slowdown again in 2008. Vacation places sat empty
and many RV dealers went belly up that year while inventory sat around.

Then there's the fact that the Toronado drivetrain (using the 455 and 403)
went away in 1979 as the Toronado continued the GM trend toward downsizing.
For muscle, attention was turned to the Chevy 454 which was mainly used in
trucks. By 1979 GM's hand had been slapped for putting one brand of engines
in another brand of car so I find it difficult to think that GMC couldn't
have lived on unless, of course, the newer front end wasn't quite heavy
enough or required too much retooling to fit. Even that argument doesn't
really hold water because Revcon started using the 454 teamed with a Dana so
they could continue with a FWD RV.

Several people are of the impression that by late 1977 GM had received it's
investment back in R&D. It was still the motorhome that stood out. Since it
made it through the rough times of late 1973 and early 1974 it could have
survived the slump of 1978. So, I come back to the impression that the VP
who ascended the throne at GMC just didn't like the idea of building
something other than a truck. Of course, look at what rides under the badge
of GMC now! You can't tell me that a crossover vehicle is a truck with a bed
that's covered; not when it sits on a unibody design with a suspension like
a typical car.

Just my opinion.

Byron Songer
1978 Royale by Coachmen
Louisville, KY
Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com

Steven Ferguson wrote:

> Byron,
> I have vivid memories of hundreds of Winnebagos sitting in their storage
> lot, never to be sold. Nearly all of the industry was failing at that time
> because of the gas crisis. I have heard from those in the know that a few
> more years of production just might have helped GM turn a profit on these
> coaches.
>
> On Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 4:49 PM, Byron Songer
> <bsonger@songerconsulting.net>wrote:
>
>> First gas crisis was in 1974. I remember it well. I had a 74 Bonneville
>> that
>> loved the stuff.
>>
>> Byron Songer
>> 1978 Royale by Coachmen
>> Louisville, KY
>> Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
>> Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Bryan Davies wrote:
>>
>>> Not to mention the Carter Administration financial mess and the first Gas
>>> Shortage... Remember gas lines around the block and 5 gal fill up
>> limits?
>>> Tuff time to be selling Motorhomes of any quality.
>>> On Dec 30, 2010, at 10:01 AM, Desmond's GMC wrote:
>>>
>>>> When I was shopping for my GMC, I was speaking to one of my shipmates in
>>>> the Coast Guard Auxiliary who is a retired VP from GM. I asked him what
>>>> he thought of my idea to buy the 33-year old coach. I only know him
>>>> casually and I think he was being totally candid when he told me,
>>>> "Desmond that was one of the finest products we ever built, a real gem.
>>>> The only reason we ever stopped making them was that they were too
>>>> expensive to produce..."
>>>>
>>>> DC
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> 1977 GMC ex-Palm Beach, 26-3
>>>> Treasure Island, CA
>>>> KC6VHG, KAG0675 "980"
>>>>
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>>
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>
>

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-- Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net

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