| Florida Panhandle trip [message #138687] |
Fri, 12 August 2011 10:11  |
bobby5832708
Messages: 237
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winter Springs FL
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Decided to take a week off and go to the beach, we've been working way too much lately (where's this 'economic slowdown' I keep hearing about).
We left Central Florida yesterday and drove to Destin in the Fla panhandle, about 450 miles. We will be at the Henderson Beach State Park. Here is my trip report so far:
1. Started cold engine at home, cranks for about 3 seconds and starts, put trans in gear, press pedals and turn steering wheel, coach drives fine through city traffic and out onto the expressway and never misses a beat.
2. Stop just east of Tallahassee and add gas. Leaving the engine idling I put in some BP regular, get back on interstate using about 3/4 throttle and coach picks up smoothly to 70 and never misses a beat.
3. Stopped to eat lunch at a rest area west of Tallahassee, watch a local tv weather report where they say the temp is 98. I've got the Onan and 1 roof air running along with the dash air (MIL is along for the ride so we have to keep her cool back there). After heat soaking about a half hour the engine restarts with about 4 seconds of starter and foot off throttle. Pulling back onto I-10 I get just a bit into the secondaries and the coach gets up to 70 without burping, missing, farting, hesitating, or any other drama.
4. Once we get to Destin we are in bumper-to-bumper traffic on US-98. I added some gas at the local Walmart/Murphy USA and while refueling the manager comes out and wanted to see the inside of the GMC and had me take his picture by it so he could show his brother. We dropped MIL off at SIL's house and make our way to the state park. The engine runs fine even while driving in heavy traffic. It never even hints at running on when switching off the key, probably because I have the idle set at about 575 in gear with ac on and the dist vacuum on the manifold.
5. I have to adjust the dash air thermo switch (I added an externally mounted one because the original one died) to cycle earlier as the evaporator freezes up after about 45 minutes. I just switch to 'vent' for a couple of minutes and when the airflow returns I go back to 'AC'. I've been meaning to do this for about a year now, but...... you know how that goes!
In summary, it's yet another boring (in a good way) trip. When I get back home next week I will figure the gas mileage, rough guess right now is about 10. Hopefully the return trip will be just as uneventful. The GMC never ceases to amaze me for a 37 year old vehicle, so far (4.5 years) it hasn't stranded us, it runs fine, and it doesn't cost the proverbial 'arm-and-leg'. What more could I ask for?
Bob Heller
2017 Winnebago 29VE
Winter Springs FL
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| Re: Florida Panhandle trip [message #138689 is a reply to message #138687] |
Fri, 12 August 2011 10:18  |
Don A
Messages: 895
Registered: October 2008
Location: Dallas, TX
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Thank for the great report.
That's what keeps us wannabe's coming back.
Sounds like it not only did well but you took the steps to be sure it did.
Don Adams Dallas, TX
'76 26' Glenbrook, '90 Sidekick
rebuilt by R Archer, powered by J Bounds, Koba
[IMG]http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6109/G2.jpg[/IMG]
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| Re: Florida Panhandle trip [message #138743 is a reply to message #138687] |
Fri, 12 August 2011 17:43 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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if you get over to Pensacola give me a call. there are 3 of us here and we could get together for lunch.
Fred Veenschoten
8509418432
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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| Re: Florida Panhandle trip [message #138830 is a reply to message #138743] |
Sat, 13 August 2011 08:32 |
glacierfl
Messages: 444
Registered: June 2011
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Hello Floridians - We are in Monticello near Tallahassee - Would like to catch up with some of you sometime.
Steve & Debbie
Steve & Debbie
Monticello, FL
77 Palm Beach :- Aurora
EX G4WDT
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| Re: [GMCnet] Florida Panhandle trip [message #138836 is a reply to message #138830] |
Sat, 13 August 2011 08:49 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Steve & Debbie,
Both the Sunshine Statesmen http://www.gmcss.com/ and Dixielanders
http://www.gmcdixielanders.org/ have frequent rallies, in and near your part
of Florida. Dixielanders are planning a rally at Lake Park, GA but I don't
know the schedule yet. That's just up I-75 from you.
Wonderful folks in both groups. After meeting them and participating in the
activities, you'll want to joing GMC Eastern States and GMC International
also.
If you get just a little farther up I-75, swing by here -- only 35 miles
west and you can take US-19N for a better route from here to Atlanta.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 9:32 AM, steve & debbie <zzdebz@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hello Floridians - We are in Monticello near Tallahassee - Would like to
> catch up with some of you sometime.
>
> Steve & Debbie
> --
>
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: Florida Panhandle trip [message #138841 is a reply to message #138830] |
Sat, 13 August 2011 09:24 |
C Boyd
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
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Senior Member |
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| glacierfl wrote on Sat, 13 August 2011 09:32 |
Hello Floridians - We are in Monticello near Tallahassee - Would like to catch up with some of you sometime.
Steve & Debbie
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Steve & Debbie: The Dixielanders next Rally will be close to you.
The fall rally will be held at Lake Park, Georgia (near exit 5 on I-75). The rally dates will be on October
6,7,and 8. The camping fees will be $20 per night and include breakfast each morning. We
are looking for hosts for this rally. As an incentive, rally fees are automatically waived for the host
and one co-host family. Anyone interested should contact John Richardson.
If you might consider joining Dixielanders http://www.gmcdixielanders.org/
Fmca is offering 1 year free membership for new members. I can send you the voucher and Chuck Chambers will be glad to take your $10 annual dues + $15 one time charge for badges. Here are some Rally pics.
http://tinyurl.com/3xcs8j
Our winter rally in Jan will be at Lazy Days.
Even if you don`t want to join right now, come by anyway.
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
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| Re: Florida Panhandle trip [message #139801 is a reply to message #138687] |
Thu, 18 August 2011 10:19 |
bobby5832708
Messages: 237
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winter Springs FL
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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The return trip was, as usual, uneventful. The GMC ran flawlessly, not even a hiccup after sitting on I-75 for 35 minutes because of an accident south of Lake City FL (that one was a real mess). The Onan 6K ran great too, we used it to run 1 roof A/C.
I filled the tanks this morning and my numbers were:
96.9 gallons of regular E10 (whatever was cheapest), 909 miles, 14.9 generator hours. Assuming the Onan used 1/2 gallon per hour that would make the 455's fuel usage 89.45 gallons which gives 10.16 miles per gallon. I kept at the speed limit for most of the trip, usually 65 or 70, but the GPS said I hit 76.2 as my maximum speed. I used the cruise control about half the time. About 90% was highway driving, only a little bit of around-town shuttle-bus duty this trip.
There's really nothing more to say. Nothing went wrong, fell off, acted up, misbehaved, smoked, burned, exploded, blew up, etc. Just another boring (again, in a good way) trip in the GMC!
Bob Heller
2017 Winnebago 29VE
Winter Springs FL
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