| Its all good. [message #180648] |
Fri, 17 August 2012 13:00  |
C Boyd
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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I met some real nice folks from Colorado.. AJ & Jean Gonsalas. Ms Jean had wanted a GMC since 1978 and AJ had never seen one. Her dream was a 78 Royale with dry bath and center kitchen. Seems They found one at a RV dealer here in Knoxville and called me off the Black list. Would I look at it and maybe get it ready to drive back to Colorado 1300 miles. Sure. My fist impression of the coach was to tell them it was a piece of crap and buy it myself.. but no It was in really good shape for the money. New airbags and 1 new extra, new ac compressor and lines, new windshields, excellent interior, onan and acs worked, new brake lines and calipers and pads, new fuel lines, fan clutch, water pump. Well they flew in and bought it and we started looking close, freeze plug leaking in front of head, no problem, tires were new in 96, so spend all day finding 7 16" steel wheels and new 225x75x16 tires. Drove very good but ride height was off and had to repair one leveling valve and set ride height, drove great. Pulled the front wheel bearings and replaced LF added grease zert and put it back together, RF had a bad Knuckle,and had been peened before to tighten race, replaced it and bearing and added zert. RF lower ball joint was also replaced. Back bearings looked good, new grease and advised brake shoes needed to be put on the list as it had rivited shoes instead of bonded but were not bad and the brakes did work very well. Replaced alternator. Only wide fan belt I could find was AZ dorolast cheapie belt, but he had PO spares..
Of course there was a bunch of little stuff but no real issues.
So they headed out, got a call in Ky the coach quit, wont turn over, batttery is dead. He had called good sam and came out and tightened the new belt and charged battery. Back on the road.. Got a call in Kansas, back of coach was down and would not pump up. Again called good sam and got directed to a feller that put shrader valves in the bags and pumped him up, then took them to NAPA to get a 12v cig lighter air pump and another set of belts just in case. They are Home.. Happy and now experienced GMCers. Hopefully they will show up here as I asked them to stop by and ask questions.
Thursday as AJ and Jean were leaving Dean & Cheri pulled in with their new engine for their 23' that has been here since Bean Station. Friday we set up the coach and started unhooking and had the engine out that evening. Sat we swapped stuff over, painted and cleaned and set the new engine in. Sunday I copped out since Mom needed a perm after dinner. Can`t do a perm on Mom with greasey fingers. Besides oil on the rolling paper don`t work good with the waving solution. Monday we primed the oil pump & fired it up and ran at 2000 rpm for 20 min then shut it down for 3 hrs. Went down and put $100 gas and took it around the big block. Next morning they were gone, with a stop at Blaine Merrells to drop off some stuff for me they were on to Portage, In. the next morning. No problems.. They are Home..
Yes Dan I got pics..
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6151-aj-amp-jean-78-royale.html
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6152-dean-amp-cheri.html
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
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