It's those details I'm looking for and have a hard time finding.

Going with a engine replacement; and focus of question is more the body/interior/mechanicals - not chassis or power.

I really appreciate the response.

Keep them coming.

Thanks for those bits. Any other opinions you have would be welcomed.

So far, I seem to be hearing that there were several positive incremental improvements made. I guess that's expected but, it's nice to know the details.

I think I saw a video by Bounds about body sag due to poor frame support up front. Is that an all-year issue or do the later coaches have reinforced body support?

Thanks again.

73-74 had 1-1/4" bogie pins with a single lubrication hole in the space
between the two bushings. Getting grease into both bushings was a problem.
In '75, they increased the pin size to 1-1/2" (as a I recall), and the new
pin has two lubrication openings inside each of the two bushing races. This
is a more durable design. (I just got finished converting my early rear
suspension to bogie assemblies from a junked '76.)

73-74 coaches came with bias-ply tires, on wheels not designed or rated for
radial tires. That fact has motivated more than one upgrade to 16" aluminum
wheels (mine included).

Early '73 coaches had troublesome door latches that were upgraded in the
factory and at dealerships to the heavy-truck style used subsequently.
Which means '73's have a large 8x8 stainless steel patch panel with the
latch mounted in it, to cover the hole left by the discontinued latch. Mine
was about the thousandth coach made--it has the patches.

73 and maybe 74 used 1" marine-grade plywood as a floor. Later coaches used
3/4" plus an insulation panel. These panels were laid into an aluminum
floor frame. In both, the floor creeps into a mustache cross-section, with
edges and centerline sagging below the frame rails, where the supports are.
That's what causes sag, beaver checks below the cockpit windows,
middle-aged spread at the door opening, and a wavy floor.

Early coaches used different windows than later coaches. They have joints
in the horizontal runs between the radiused corners of the windows. Those
are leak points. That was part of my motivation to install modern
replacements from Gene Dotson.

The sub-structure under the cockpit floor was made from welded aluminum
round bar in early coaches, and stampings in later coaches. I don't think
there is a preference.

Other than what's already been mentioned, that's what comes to mind. There
are many other minor changes, and I think Bill Bryant is the only person
who knows most of them.

Rick "who has a '73 with most of the big early coach weaknesses resolved"
Denney



On Fri, Sep 27, 2019 at 8:21 PM ben--- via Gmclist
wrote:

> Thanks for those bits. Any other opinions you have would be welcomed.
>
> So far, I seem to be hearing that there were several positive incremental
> improvements made. I guess that's expected but, it's nice to know the
> details.
>
>
> I think I saw a video by Bounds about body sag due to poor frame support
> up front. Is that an all-year issue or do the later coaches have reinforced
> body support?
>
>
> Thanks again.
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>
--
'73 X-Glacier 230 "Jaws"
Northern Virginia
Offlist email: rick at rickdenney dot com
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Oh, one more thing - with a family of 5 don't suffer from analysis paralysis. One of my greatest regrets is not getting one of these magic machines sooner. The memories we made in our coach are so very precious to me. My daughter is now 24 and building a life of her own. We used the coach as a traveling girl's club it seems. I know it sleeps 6 comfortably because we would often bring 3 of her friends with us wherever we went.

It's a great way to travel. We're not really campers. We go places. Sometimes we slept at Walmart! We drove the coach to hotels, RV parks, national parks too. We relied on campsite showers and restaurants but also ate out of the fridge, or used the microwave. The girls were comfortable and never bored. I never once was asked if we were there yet.

Get a coach that's pretty much ready to go, make it safe (brakes, tires, fuel lines, air bags, etc.) and go. It helps if the generator and roof air work, but you can fix that. The dash air, if it works, well, count yourself lucky.

Your family is very lucky to have something like this in their future. Remember - there is nothing more comfortable to be stuck beside the road than a car with a fridge, bathroom and bed.

Also - share stories of your upgrades, trips, questions, and more.

Larry Davick
A Mystery Machine
1976(ish) Palm Beach
Fremont, CA
Howell EFI + EBL + Electronic Distributor

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On 28.09.19 02:01, ben--- via Gmclist wrote:
> http://www.bdub.net/publications/Eleganza2OperationConquest6-74.pdf

Very nice text. Thank you.
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

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