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| Re: [GMCnet] Let the quest begin [message #196352 is a reply to message #196304] |
Wed, 23 January 2013 19:57   |
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Richard Andis
Messages: 261
Registered: January 2013
Location: HELL Paso, TX
Karma: 0
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| Gary Worobec wrote on Wed, 23 January 2013 13:11 |
Cascaders are having a rally on Feb 14 in Westport, WA. You might want go to
that one as a guest. Just give them a call.
Thanks
Gary and Joanne Worobec
1973 GMC Glacier
Anza, CA
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Depending on the weather, I may go ahead and pop over to Westport. It's only about 120 miles from where I live. I've been to Ocean Shores (just a little north of Westport). It's a blast being able to drive on the beach with the top and windshield folded down.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/andisnw/9-6-2011%20Ocean%20Shores/007.jpg
Sorry, apparently picture linking doesn't work the same here.
Valhalla - 1978 GMC Royale rear twin [SOLD]
Walküre - 1974 VW Thing (Toad)
[Updated on: Wed, 23 January 2013 21:06] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Let the quest begin [message #196370 is a reply to message #196301] |
Thu, 24 January 2013 08:48 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Richard Andis wrote on Wed, 23 January 2013 13:58
and I will only quote bits that I feel like responding to...
"I enjoy the almost cultish community associated with having a unique vehicle."
We are someplace between a Family and an Asylum and I'm not really just sure where.
"I come across a 26 foot 1973 Painted Desert sitting in front of a truck repair garage. It's been sitting there for a couple of years now. I stopped and asked the shop owner about it and he explained that it belongs to a customer that has since moved to Arizona and that the owner may wish to sell at about $7500. Nevertheless, the shop owner wants it off his lot pretty soon."
From boat buying, I will tell you that people with things too long in storage either have unrealistic dreams of the item's value, or will be hot to unload it. Advice: Get help from a GMCer to look it over. When you have established its true condition, pitch the owner a low ball and be ready to deal. Do not over spend. (you will find something you did not expect later.) Also be ready to walk, but be sure he has good contact information.
"The only major body issue I see is the exterior seam above the cab. Currently looks to have several tubes of silicon holding it together. What's involved in repairing this seam? Is this issue a deal breaker?"
The roof seam is not a real big deal. It just was never done right. The mistake was made and continued. The first step should be to clean the seam surface to paint or metal and then recover the seam with a marine grade caulk. The silicone stuff must be removed. Mine resealed just fine, the only issue is the white line across the blue roof.
"I'm looking forward to exchanging information and recommendations with you GMCer Vets. Thanks in advance."
And we look forward to hearing of your discoveries and progress.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Let the quest begin [message #196371 is a reply to message #196329] |
Thu, 24 January 2013 08:58 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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| Richard Andis wrote on Wed, 23 January 2013 18:20 |
Pretty sure I'm going for a 26 unless some smoking deal comes my way for a 23.
Not sure if I want to pick up a vehicle here (Washington State)and enjoy the 2400 mile trip to Hell Paso, TX or.... locate a vehicle in the Southwest and start off with short trips then work up to the big ones. Unless I hade some history with the vehicle I'm a bit hesitant to engage in a long trip.
I do like the idea of picking up a "fixer upper" and doing a total gut job, redesign, upgrade and rebuild. Just don't think I want to chance being in mid project when the house does sell.
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Richard,
I will suggest to you that this is not the best plan. There are more than a few that I have seen go by that were gutted and then the project abandon because of the then current magnitude. From my experience both before and with this group, it is best to start of with a serviceable unit and learn how that works or doesn't. Then, if you want to do the total build, find a pre-gutted coach (cheap) to rebuild.
Another problem with the pre-gutted coaches (and be sure to watch for this), is that they usually have been sitting for five or more years. This is bad for just about everything. If you can find one that has been use recently, you will be much less likely to get surprised by the dis-use problems.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Let the quest begin [message #196372 is a reply to message #196370] |
Thu, 24 January 2013 08:57 |
Robin Hood
Messages: 1078
Registered: April 2011
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Matt is right. The Barn Queen sat in a barn for 20 years with no
wheels, the dash partially dismantled, and the engine cover up with
the air cleaner off. The guy selling the property wanted two grand for
it.
I told him that with all due respect, I could get a rolling coach for
just a bit more than that. I told him that I could give him five
hundred for it, and even that would be a risk, since I would also have
to find wheels, air up the suspension, and drag the thing out of the
barn and get it flat-bedded. He declined, and I bought a Royale that
drove 150 miles under its own power for five grand.
A couple of months later, the guy selling the barn called me up,
desperate to get it out of his barn. It was an effort, but i got it
out of there. :) That's why I have two coaches.
On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 8:48 AM, Matt Colie <matt7323tze@gmail.com> wrote:
>
<snip>
> From boat buying, I will tell you that people with things too long in storage either have unrealistic dreams of the item's value, or will be hot to unload it. Advice: Get help from a GMCer to look it over. When you have established its true condition, pitch the owner a low ball and be ready to deal. Do not over spend. (you will find something you did not expect later.) Also be ready to walk, but be sure he has good contact information.
>
>
--
Robin Hood
Jackson, MS
2003 Buick Lesabre
1968 Pontiac Catalina
1978 GMC Royale motorhome
1977 GMC Palm Beach motorhome
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| Re: Let the quest begin [message #196376 is a reply to message #196301] |
Thu, 24 January 2013 09:53 |
habbyguy
Messages: 896
Registered: May 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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I agree with the others that suggest looking for something that's going to need less work. I'm a car guy too, and don't mind spinning wrenches - but the cost (in time and money) can really pile up if you are like me and can't live with fiddly problems caused by 40 year old components. You'll be miles ahead to start with if you find a late model coach, with all the engineering improvements that come with it, and ideally it'll be a coach that's been very well taken care of by the previous owners (you end up spending pennies on the dollar for all the time and money they put into it, making it the best bargain in the GMC world). Drop me a line if you'd like to see what I found after beating the bushes nationwide for a few months.
And don't be even a little worried about having "only" 403 cubic inches. There's only a 12 horsepower difference between it and the 455, and it's got lower compression so will run better on the gas that's available these days.
I recently did a spark plug swap after a 5,000 mile road trip, and checked the result by doing a zero-to-whatever romp on a 750 foot (or slightly less) section of road. I was indicating just under 55mph (real speed, probably 53mph). Not quite sports car performance, but a whole lot better than most motorhomes. The drive train is stock other than Doug Thorley headers and a Holley carb, and I'm running Cinnabar 3.42 gearing. I've been in 455ci GMCs that didn't run nearly as well.
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
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It looks like a nice coach (the one with the four speed) and very well presented. We could take lessons on how to photograph a coach for sale.