We have had our 1977 GMC motorhome (Edna) for a couple years and are documenting our experiences repairing and upgrading the coach and occasionally going camping too! My educational background is in electrical engineering and I'm an amateur mechanic and very hands on so this channel documents my adventures as I try to make improvements and learn a lot along the way. I hope you enjoy and learn a few things!
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Thanks for sorting this out!
My mom painted buses at GMC Truck and Coach. My brother and uncle ran presses in sheet metal there. I remember seeing the lot full of those at the plant as a kid.
Very cool! There are a lot of these still on the road. Thanks for the comment!
I think they are the best looking, and at the time, best engineered motorhome, ever! I am building a pickup camper from scratch, and I think that's easier than the complete overhaul somebody started on that 3rd one. If there was a modern engine/ trans. swap that would get better fuel economy, I would be tempted to get one.
Oh, money pit is almost guaranteed - it’s 50 years old! The plus side is that it drives like a slightly larger same year Oldsmobile Toronado. For the capable and experienced hobby mechanic and RVer it can be fun. The amazing thing is that five decades on so many people still love the GMC motor home.
3??? bloke got a problem. Hoarder tendencies
Have you seen the KZread channel Budget Builds? They are restoring a GMC motorhome. Here: www.youtube.com/@BudgetBuildz
I hadn't seen that one yet, looks like a cool project!
I like your style carrying survival tools with you. I have a 40 year old RV and do the same. What year and model is Edna? I live in Alberta and have driven that road from Banff to Creston. Very scenic parts of BC for sure.
Thanks for the comment! It's always good to be prepared so you can keep on the road and enjoy the trip :-) Edna is a 1977 GMC Kingsley.
My slip yoke was seized. I could not get it to break free.
Mine was a bit stiff but it freed up with some grease. I can imaging it could get rusty and seize up. I think there some companies that make a replacement steer shaft. I've seen it mentioned in the facebook groups but I don't recall the name.
Hmmmm.....If ever I thought how expensive life was and is, I'd never come out of the womb, or get anything done
I’ve looked at a few, but haven’t bought one yet. Your videos make me appreciate RVs in their classic condition, whereas at 40+ years old most have a new interior and a lot of modernized RV technologies like solar, etc.
It really depends on your style and preference. There are quite a few out there is mostly original condition. Many are in rough shape and will need a lot of work to restore. I prefer the vintage look even as I do some modern upgrades. I'm okay if it doesn't have all the modern conveniences of a new RV.
I was always told the way to test a fluid drive fan was to touch the fan with a newspaper when running. If it stops then its toast. If it cools at idle its because the fan is freewheeling at the slow speed enough to spin the fan but it has no force.
That tip makes sense, a newspaper is better than a hand. I hope that my overheating was because the fan wasn't locking up like it should and was not pulling enough air through the radiator. I think that is consistent with the fact that I didn't overheat when driving at highway speeds on flat ground and it cooled down fairly fast when I pulled over on a hill. On hills I'm normally driving slower and the engine is working harder.
Yes, if you are over heating this is the easiest way to eliminate the fan not locking completely, it's like a torque converter on your gearbox not locking. I like thermostat fans as they can run independently of engine speed. But in the 70's this was the solution. If Santa wants to get you a Holley EFI they have the ability to run a dual coolant fans thru a GM relay as well as the other benefits of fuel injection.
Enjoying your renovation of the GMC, however when are you going to sort the linked low compression/overheating issues?
Great question! The engine tick and low compression seems to have improved, I think I was having a sticky lifter problem or maybe a piece of carbon stuck in a valve. I haven't had any noise and power seems normal for the last year or so. The overheating continues to be a problem. I just replaced the fan clutch and will post that video soon. we'll see if that helps.
@@MrGMCMotorhome Thanks for taking the time to reply, looking forward to your next video with the update, hope it fixes the issue. If not there's plenty of other options to try that are covered on many of the vehicle rescue/get running channels. Regards from across the Atlantic.
Well this is one of the best walkthrough videos I've ever seen 🤘😎🤘
Nice fix! We used the original metal clips and some 3D printed sections to cover that. We even integrated some 3D printed lights.
Thanks for the comment and great idea! We have a 3D printer but haven't found many places to make new parts for the coach. I'm getting my high schooler to learn Solidworks so he can design new things for me, we'll see what we come up with.
A 50-year-old RV on the road, is a testament to what America was. You're lucky if an RV of today last 15 years.
She takes a little work to keep going but there is no comparison to new campers and RVs that I see today. I'm shocked by the cost and low quality of modern RVs.
@@MrGMCMotorhome What's shocking is that people are willing to buy them.
M.P.G. When Cruising on the Open Road Please ? At What Speed ?
We get 8.6 mpg on average over the last 5,000 miles that I have tracked mileage. We live in the Western US so there are lots of ups and downs and I normally cruse at about 60 mph. On a long trip with lots of flat driving I have seen fuel mileage as high as 10 mpg.
that couch that turns into a bed, how much can that bed hold with it connected to the roof like that?
Good question, the operators manual describes how the bunkbeds work but don't list a weight capacity. I have seen several people comment about having people weighing over 200lbs sleep up there so I think it must be at least 250lb but I don't know for sure.
I am going to be selling mine I think due to having too many toys and the indoor storage cost going up too high. It has a lot of work done and is drivable anyplace but still has some stuff to do too
Man, I've been looking at them for years and just never pulled the trigger.. NO place to store an RV and NO place to work on one which hold me back mainly.
Can you tell me where you buy GMC parts? Is there a place or places to get all the parts I need? Another question: can you tell me the model of my Motorhome by the ID# TZE063V101075. Thank You.
I get most of my parts from my local auto parts store or Applied GMC (www.gmcrvparts.com/). There are many other parts suppliers for these motorhomes bdub.net, here is his link to suppliers (www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com/) is a great resource of information. Here is a page that decodes the GMC motorhome VIN numbers (www.gmcmotorhome.com/faq/vin.html). It looks like you have a GM Built, 26 foot, 1973. There should be a label in the glove box with the interior finish model.
Good video thank you
If you haven't already, take a look at Jim Bounds vids on macerator install. He has some really good ideas on the outlet hose.
I did, the Jim Bounds video inspired me to get a macerator! I considered his approach but I have fuel and LP lines running down that space in the frame cross members that he used. He was able to install a much longer hose because of more storage space. So far my hose length has been okay.
No. 3 is a good project to tackle at this point.
The on/off switch. It is a convenient location.... But Its a possibility, that a rock will get kicked up from the tire and turn it on. Might want to put a guard/shield or cover on it. It does look like you have it so forward is on/back is off, so less likely, but, they could bounce off something (the bumper?) and still hit the switch. I think I would have put in in the battery section of the generator compartment for safety.
Wow, great observation, I did set it up so that back is off because I was thinking about something hitting it going down the road. I thought about putting it in the generator compartment but I didn't want to have to open it every time I went to dump the tank. I like the safety cover idea. I can always relocate the switch later with a little rewiring.
Very good video....great camera work!
Well done, you could put a cap with a rotating collar or rubber/foam seal on the sleeve of the pipe so when you poke it into the storage it holds it in and stops road grime and smells coming out.
Great idea, I expect that there will be some minor improvements we'll make as we use the new setup.
i'll take number 3
That is a slick install.
I'm really happy with how it turned out! We've been camping 1 time since the install and it took less than 2 minutes to drain the tank and no mess or fuss!
@@MrGMCMotorhome Oddly enough my macerator is next on the list. I hope that you don't mind if I follow your example. I thought that the rubber connectors were an awesome Idea. Maybe someday my wife and I will get to see Edna in real life.
I also prefer my chocolate milkshake to be smooth, not chunky.
From an ex owner: excellent excellent presentation/ dementia of post. I hope edna treats you well and NEVER leaves you on the side of the road
dementia ?
Money pit !
Hobby.
# 999 X 999🎉
This is exactly the video I was looking for. I wondered where folks stashed stuff.
I'm glad you found it useful!
Wow, no trees on the landscape...very foreign to me being from the South East. Little off subject but very pretty...and great start up, well tuned.
These would be GREAT as PHEVs with a totally electric powertrain since it all ready have a generator to recharge batteries and provide electricity to the appliances.
Viair compressor is a great investment. The orange 70s retro vibe has got to go.
No 3 has a lot of potential with the right plan. That rear bathroom is an excellent idea.
The water tank at the rear would be a problem will driving with it filled.
The rear air-ride leveling system with dial-adjust airbags is so elegant
The GMC MOTORHOME DESIGN AND FEATURE FUNCTIONS is Outstanding. I'm just surprised to see a 77 with a vacuum brake assist booster as opposed to the Hydroboost that GM introduced in 1976
So how are they doing 2 years later?
Good question! They are working great. The bulbs are still working and the glass senses are holding up well too, no chips or discoloration.
I would love one of these but gas prices over here in Europe are prohibitive.
There are a few in Europe, I think there is even a club or two that gets together for events. Everything about these is expensive, from the maintenance and upkeep to the fuel costs.
Don't buy all of them. Save some for the rest of us. I want to have one eventually. 🤞😊
Me also for this summer.
These things still look futuristic as in more modern than today.
In all the campground I've been in with my GMC, I haven't seen anything that looks as cool!
Thank you for your review.. Went to Amazon and chk'd stats & no mention of thickness...do you know?? 3mil , 5mil or more ?? I have 23'. should fit great.. Thx again
Great question! Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything on the manufactures website about the thickness either. There is more information on their site about the cover in general. www.covercraft.com/us/en/product/designer-series-olefin-hd-travel-trailer-cover.ACY-DOTT
@@MrGMCMotorhome thank you
I would consider putting the new cover on, then putting the old cover over the new, for the additional protection. UV is the biggest issue with the deterioration of the top waterproof coating.
Good job on getting everything to fit. The original slip fitting with an O ring for the shower/lav/vent is a weird one and you found a way around it. We had plenty of time to fix ours and ended up making a tank out of fiberglass. I hear you on maybe next time paying someone to do this job. wallyandsue.blogspot.com/search/label/Fiberglass%20black%20tank?max-results=40
Regarding the fit of the Panduit, there was a post in the GMC forum back around 2017 that addressed the issue. It does involve putting stress on the Panduit and it may not be easy to remove later. I'll try it as I have the same issue.
Thanks for the comment! I found that before I installed the wall boards, I could bend the Panduit a bit and get it to snap on, it came off with some work but wasn't too bad. After installing the walls, there was no space for the sides of the Panduit to get over the lip of the aluminum rail so I ended up screwing the Panduit on. It's not exactly what I wanted but I like it a lot better than not having any trim.
Great video thanks, do you think it would be possible to make the upper one out of one piece instead of 4 seperate?
Good question, I did 4 pieces because that is what I had a pattern for. I don't see a problem doing 1 piece, it would be a little challenging to get it lined up and cut correctly. I think the window trim would hold it in place well if the material was not too stiff and formed to the curve of the wall well.
That will sell for way more than 5k😂 the generater alones worth that.
Great video, thanks. I just did gas tank pull on mine. I built ramps for the rear wheels (off the GMC sites). Backed it up on the ramps with air bags up hi and then put supports (big jackstands) under chassis. This gave me plenty of working room. I also used ratchet straps to help get tanks in and out. Not sure if they will work on black tank as I haven’t had to cross that bridge yet.
I'll probably build some ramps at some point, They would help a lot for all the "under the coach" projects that I do. The ratchet straps are a great idea, I'll keep that in mind if I drop the gas tanks (I hope to never drop the black tank again).