Please correct your statement. Revcon did not copy GMC. GMC COPIED REVCON. The Revcon was designed in 1967. When Revcon put in an order for 25 Toro half frames, GM made Revcon build up 5 coaches to run them on the test track at GM. This was called the Brickyard test. The only failure was the lower control arm which was beefed up and the test was continued. Interestingly the GMC lower control are is more prone to fail than the Revcon beefed up version. So AFTER GM made Revcon do all the testing, THEN GM initiated the design for the GMC. The first production runs for Revcon were sold in 1971. First year for GMC was '73. I have to laugh at your other comments about Revcon not being as elegant. Revcon was a much higher end, much better built coach. Way nicer than GMC. The GMC used a lot of plastic and wood paneling in the interior, which is prone to crack or rot. Revcon used solid wood cabinet frames, Wilsonart surfaces, hollow honeycomb cabinet doors and shells, all trimmed in TEAK. If you look at the interior of a Revcon, all the cabinetry will look just like it did when it left the showroom. The interior walls were aluminum, coated with a decorative vinyl finish. This makes a surface that won't rot, and can be cleaned to showroom condition, with little effort. The frame on a Revcon is much better as well. It is box channel, which is much stiffer than the C channel used on the GMC. Because of the lightweight interior and aluminum walls, the Revcon has a lower center of gravity than the GMC and is much lighter for a similar length - typically between 8 and 10K lbs. The only thing the GMC has on the Revcon was the rear suspension. The boggie wheels on the GMC did ride better than the GMC. The later Revcons did use a tandem rear axle setup with a single spring. I've ridden in both, and there is not a lot of difference. In the front seat, the later Revcons do ride better than the GMC. The 1980 and later front suspension was designed by Peter Bryant, known in Can-Am circles as the designer of the T-22. He was well known for his pioneering work on aerodynamic downforce. I don't know about the earlier Revcons, but the later Revcons drive and handle much better than the GMC ever did. I've driven in 90mph crosswinds - a microburst. Water was spraying in the window drain holes. The wind was opening my side awnings. They were damaged before I was able to exit off the freeway and tuck behind a building and secure them. I was driving at 70 when it hit. The only reason I slowed down was trying to save my awnings. No real ill handling. On another occasion, broke the triple digit barrier. I grabbed my cell phone to take photos of the speedo. Later I looked at the photo to discover my reflection of BOTH HANDS on the camera. At 100 mph, I was driving with my knee! At the time, I wasn't thinking anything of it. It just drove normal at that speed. Previously I twice hit 98 mph towing my Grand Cherokee. It wasn't topped out, but started getting too close to traffic. The oem configuration for the later Revcons was a 454 w/4 bolt main, TH475 trans with Kevlar bands, straight cut gears in 1st and 2nd. They had a custom Borg Warner transfercase with only a front driveshaft. I eventually swapped out the engine for a 502 with Edelbrock MPFI. I swapped the trans for a 4L85e. It was also running Thorely Tri-Ys and Magnaflow mufflers. At 20 mph, if you punched, it would break the front wheels loose. It would also chirp going from 1st to 2nd at about 50 mph. I did a few other mods, like Koni FSD shocks, Tapered roller bearing bellcranks, and rear disc brakes. The primary reason the Revcons were not as popular is because they were a very high end coach, costing 2 and half times more than the GMC. My 1983 was $125,000 new. (for true comparison, in '78 they were about $80K)
@@Daveinet 1983 Prince. Inside is like a walk back in time and looks exactly as it did in the 80's. Getting her tuned up and new tires this week. I'm very happy I found this.
@@jbarnes3373 OK, so that is the same year and model as mine. Make sure you join the www.policeinterceptor.com/revconforums/. I help moderate the site and at least try to get over there once a week. I inherited my Dad's '04 AllegroBay two years ago, so I've sold my coach, but still try to help out once in a while. I do miss the old girl, especially when I'm out on the road. As long as your suspension is in good condition, there is nothing that drives like a Revcon. When I had mine up for sale, a guy came by that had rebuilt 3 GMCs. He even stated my coach handled way better than the GMC. The only real suspension mods were Koni FSD shocks and a rear track bar. It doesn't really need the rear track bar unless you are towing a 4600 lbs Jeep.
Why do people from the “Pacific Northwest” all say “kinda of”, “Sort of” “or something” and or whatever….it’s maddening….good luck with your build…i was a GMC dealer and had a lot full of these when they were brand new….drove lots of them with essentially 15 miles on them….best driving coach ever!
My father built an RV from a Flxible bus. Incredible amount of work. Sold that and downsized to a Dodge Travco 210. Customized that for years. You have a labor of love ahead of you. Enjoy working with your dad. Those are the moments you never forget. I hope you keep us up to date. I for one want you to beat the naysayers and love it.
My brother bought one in El Paso. My other brother and I flew down with him and drove it cross country back to Buffalo, NY. It was in tough shape. We each packed 50# of tools in our suitcases. They were needed. Spent two days in a Firestone parking lot for new tires and making trips to O'Reilly's for parts. Great bonding trip however. Enjoy yours!
My wife and I were on our honeymoon in 1977 when a retired couple pulled into the resort in a new -77 GMC motorhome. They were gracious enough to give us the tour and show it off.....we were in love! If you can find one of these available today, you are obligated to restore it and give it another life....it's just the right thing to do. I'd love something like this as a project and I believe I could do it justice. My biggest concern would be to have a reliable drive train. As old as they are, some have surprisingly low mileage on them. The engine is a known workhorse but the front wheel drive transmission configuration is quite unique. Wish you the best of luck and hope you continue to post the progression of your restoration.
Digital maker the GMC motor home rv was the most awesome motor home ever it just breaks my heart that gm quit production in 1978 please hang on to this one it is a true classic beautiful from front to back
Great Video and Good Luck. I just started a 1976 that had been gutted. Replaced the floor in the rear with 3/4" treated plywood. Took out Propane tank as going all electric. Also better to replace tank with 2 portable bottles. Once propane tank is out and all plywood removed you can slide a new piece of plywood all the way thru to include the battery to the rear of Generator. Now working on replacing the rest of the plywood floor, rather than multiple patches. Robert
I would prefer (living in the tropics with lots of rain and humidity) to avoid plywood to support any valuable equipment! I'd rather put together an aluminum frame made with angles, good screws, and THEN inside that, install the plywood in.
if you are still working on that decal removal. there is an eraser you can get that attaches to an electric drill. it will buff it right off like it was never there
Great intro to GMC motorhome refurbishment. We just bought one. Lucky it came with boxes and boxes of new and good used parts. One box is full of amber and a few clear clearance lenses.
It seems he is set on removing all the color and making it as bland as possible. Imagine removing green seats for gray or beige seats. I wish people would stop trying to modernize, or what they think is modernizing, 70's vehicles.
Good luck with your project. I bought one of these many years ago that was running and started to update it, similar to what you are doing. Ran out of time and sold it to another enthusiast. They are still one of the best looking and engineered RVs around today. Looking forward to seeing what you do.
I bought my 1978 Royale almost a Year ago.. I didn't have to rip anything out.. I did replace the old 8 track tape player. and ADD an awning.. I am working on replacing the air ride compressor system. but still can drive it anywhere.. Oldsmobile 403 V8 engine.. Love it.. My retirement go out west vehicle.
@Santina Murphy I bought an electronic compressor control unit from Keith Vasilakes It took a bit of doing but now I have a neat control board w/ a "camp" function and and a remote that does up/down left/right. from across the street or longer..lol.
@Santina Murphy Contact Keith. He is on many GMC motorhome pages on fb.. Coat me 800 bucks for the digital control Board. and the solenoids etc. You will have to supply your own compressor.. I bought a Viair 450C and a 1 gallon air tank.. Some information here. gmc.mybirdfeeder.net/GMCforum/index.php?rid=0&t=msg&th=37883 and where is you control board and compressor located now? My control is on the driver side armrest area, and my compressor is located in front of the generator compartment on the drivers side. So I tapped into the existing wiring harness.
I'm Hooked! I am this moldy old motorhome. New sub and Thumbs up, I will follow this series and am excited to see your visions take shape. Take it from me, I made a good living repairing motorhomes, especially electrical back in the day when these still had value. I learned that if it's more than 10-15 years old, unless you strip 'em completely and fix everything, trying to "live in it" while you work on it is a fantasy.
Just found this channel. Subscribed before even watching. I LOVE these motorhomes. I would love to remodel one but I am not in the least bit mechanical or handy. So I am going to watch and learn. Just walking my dog around the North Vancouver (Canada) neighbourhood (within a 3 block radius) I have noticed 2 of my neighbours have a GMC classic motorhomes under tarps. Maybe in the summer if I see them working on their rigs I will ask for a tour. I think these GMC motorhomes are the most beautiful things ever made. Looking forward to this gentleman's finished product.
Good luck with your project. More power to you to keep up the enthusiasm. As an official old guy my first was in 1974, I took it on the road for 2 1/2 years. Second was in 1990. Now I’m happily rebuilding and redecorating my third.
If I were you, if I had to reupholster, I’d try to find identical fabric patterns and colors, and match the shag carpeting, and keep the dashboard color. Not everything has to be modern, and those ‘70s aesthetics have a quite lovely _je ne sais quoi._
I watched these a year ago because i needed to model out the "Rust Bucket" from the original Ben 10 series i use to watch as a kid and with your tour, i noticed they took a few liberties, 1 the interior scenes of the show had scaling discrepancies, not only this, the fiction RV had two steps for entry meaning the RV sits higher than its realistic counterpart.
Then why hasn't anyone tried to make a successor in a budget-friendly configuration? Build it around a Hino engine and chassis. American design on Japanese reliability. Perfect for someone who wants to keep moving.
@@scowler92 Because that would be a once-in-a-lifetime buyout. Not good if you are a manufacturer that wants to keep selling your junk year after year with minimal changes. And even that didn't work out for GMC, just look how they ended...
+1. .. Fond memories the GMC motorcoach. .. Back in the day, a boss had a brandi-neu 1975 GMC Eleganza model motorcoach with an Imron white exterior. .. As I recall its Eleganza model was a higher-end unit - He'd order the GMC from scratch resighting the options guide with ease. .. The Cadillac Eldorado steering wheel and 472 4Bll Holley V8 was a nice touch.
recently reparing leaks on my conversion van... what a pain to get all the stuff out to find the leaks it was... now I have to rebuild everything... good to see, that more ppl try to safe old classics :)
Oh Gosh how lovely. The only thing lovelier than this, is the explanation around why it is so special i.e. an understanding of RV chassis😊. Thank you for that.
I for one love those chairs in the front! Such a shame you’re getting rid of them. Cool motorhome though! Gonna really enjoy this series! Thanks for sharing!
I like seeing the GMC Videos as they have the drive train in common with the Revcon I bought. Mine is a 1973 but I haven't restored it yet. The GMC is more sleek and mine is more of a bread loaf in shape. Revcon covered their bodies mostly in aluminum. My bathroom is in the back and is not a wet bath but has the toilet on the other end. I haven't gotten too familiar with it yet but want to enjoy it soon. It came with teakwood in many parts of the interior. Nice video! Will watch more👍
Very nice thanks for sharing. I too have so many ideas to mod my GMC inside and out. Making your own stuff like this is the way to go. Looking forward to the same with my large 1 meter x 1 meter custom built cnc/printer (interior trim, electronic housings etc) Please keep us up to date with your coach.
I grew up in one of these. My dad had a pipeline utility business and it was his mobile office. I went everywhere with him. I do recall that the sofa /bunkbeds on his were on the left side in his unit. Cool to see it on the right side. It brings back such amazing memories. But the ski trips we would take to New Mexico were definitely the highlight every year. It is truly a one of a kind achievement from GMC. I definitely had to laugh when you said you got about 10K for renovation. I hate to tell ya but its gonna be more than that I'm afraid. I would love to be able to do the same to a GMC one day. It would be the ultimate rebuild for me. Cheers.
Neat looking RV. One big problem is that they tend to sag after some time because there is a lot of plastic and wood for the cab framing. Entry door then sticks.
Be sure to join your local GMC Motorhome club. They are a tremendous source of information. Also, there are several sources of replacement parts still available. GMC Co-op in Florida and Applied GMC in California are 2 of the go-to places for parts, information, and upgrades to improve performance.
I'm sure by now you have managed to remove the stripes, however if you haven't......a blow drier and a plastic scraper works GREAT! And if you have some glue or old sticker sticky just apply goo be gone and wipe off...good luck! Oh btw...those lights are called Grote lights...you can buy a complete replacement in Led...clear, red or orange for $15...
I like the 3 d printing, but I replaced all those lights with led replacements off Ebay. Both red and amber for like $10 bucks each. Good luck with your build man!
It’s just a suggestion, but making copies of automotive lenses is a lot easier using resin casting. Smooth-On has a an excellent video of the process. The resulting part has excellent translucency and color and is much stronger than a 3D printed part.
The 2011 Toyota Sienna also had dual arm rests and integrated seat belts. Some of them also have recliner foot rests. Also for the smell you can get an ozone generator that will kill just about anything that causes a smell.
Ozone machines are available for rent..Dont forget to air it out thoroughly before you spend much time inside. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections.
Love these motor homes, it would be great if GM brought them back with modern technology inside and out. As for the clearance lights, you can go the casting route. There are many videos here on you tube that several manufacturers have published that show how to make the two part silicone molds around a good lens as well as he to mix and color the casting resin to create an almost exact replacement. The casting resins are also available with UV resistance so the casing will not deteriorate when exposed to sunlight.
Ur gonna put them 10k in it. I have a 1974 canyonland 26’. DO NOT GET RID OF THE BUNK BEDS!! It is the coolest feature for them and no other rv has it to date. I wish I could put them in mine but from 76-78 the clips are built into the ribs of the rv. If u have any questions or need tips let me know
Major water leaks come from drip rail . Remove all screws and with a puddy knife, lift drip rail molding that runs the entire length on both sides. I used flex seal, a urithan rubber to seal under moldings. Others have used 3 m brand marine grade rubber sealer with good results.
GREAT JOB!! Just purchased a '73 couple of months ago and we are on the exact point of stage. Have the same drive as you! Best of luck and look forward to see your process.
Best looking motorhome ever produced, from design, engineering, and execution and it's how old 45 years, Detroit certainly has some Talent but you would never know it when ignorant management gets in the way and they start building Aztecs and Avalanches. Can you imagine what that motorhome would look like today if they kept improving it! Hail to the real designers, engineers, innovators, and the management that recognizes their brilliance and has the testosterone to fight for it!
A working shoulder belt saves you from planting your face into the steering wheel or dash. You don't have that problem in that RV. Those captains chairs can't be replaced with automobile seats, because they sit like a lazyboy. They're plush and remain comfortable for hours on end. So put them up for sale and see how much more they're worth to other GMC RV owners than the one's you bought.
First time I ever saw this motorhome was in the movie Stripes when I was a kid , then after I got out of the Army I had a chance to buy one but what it needed would exceed what I could afford to pay !
Just FYI I'm pretty sure that the vertical fins on the original top lights are there for a reason: they are vortex generators that improve the aerodynamics of the van.
The other reason they’re desirable is that they’re just plain beautiful. Before I ever thought about any kind of RV or trailer or anything, we stopped at a roadside rest once and someone had one. I had to walk up and ask what it was because it was so beautiful. GMC just got the proportions and the shape perfect. Perhaps that was the aircraft engineers’ contribution. Certainly wouldn’t have been the Cadillac people! The wannabes that followed it just didn’t quite get.
Not sure if this has been said, because I didn't read all 550+ comments, but our motorhomes don't really take regular old cheap pump gas. As long as the gas tanks are still metal, you should be using non-ethanol fuel, just like with lawn equipment. Ethanol is hydrophilic and absorbs/mixes with water. Because of this, using regular gas (with ethanol) will accelerate the rusting of your fuel tanks, especially when allowed to sit and more so when allowed to sit less than full. Aluminum or poly fuel tanks will avoid this issue but you also get better gas mileage for the more expensive fuel. I measured 8mpg on a trip from FL to GA and 12mpg on the return trip. More power from pure fuel vs fuel+alcohol.
I have a recommendation for the vinyl removal. 3M and some other manufacturers make an eraser wheel that removes the vinyl without damaging what's below. I used it on a vinyl woodgrain wagoneer and removed all it with a couple of them make light work of 30 year old cracked vinyl
If you have the time, patience and money, this is worth the effort to recreate in the "vibe" of the times, but with contemporary technology and functionality. A fabulous opportunity that would give you a real keeper/eye turner! I hope you can exploit the full period potential. Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the update results!
The only thing I think you could have added to the intro was that another driving factor in GMC developing a front-drive motorhome was that corporate had already spent the money to develop a heavy-duty front-wheel drive system for the Cadillac Eldorado and Olds Toronado. Without that in place I can't imagine this project having gone forward. Note also that the end of the run (1978) for the GMC motorhome corresponds with the end of the run for the classic Eldorado and Toronado.
You showed a pusher as an example of a rear wheel drive RV. My brother bought one of those but sadly passed away before he could really get started on his restoration. He was planning on Retiring after he finished it. They are an awesome RV and a great design. I have no idea what happened to his after he passed. He did say it was hauled to Texas on a flat bed. I know he got parts for the air ride, a replacement window for the drivers side. It needed brakes and rotors as well as a new carburetor.
Those marker lenses are still available. My '68 GMC dump truck uses those and I needed a couple. I believe they are Grote but if anyone is interested I can pull up my receipt.
If only the GMC Motorhome was still produced today. Not only did its design make better sense than most RV designs, even today, I also find it more attractive. Instead of being a box on a truck chassis,
I love the incredible naivete of the presenter here who seems to know very little to nothing about motorhomes I have experience with old ones because I've grown up around motorhomes most of the ones I dealt with were 70s and 80s and is just absolutely charming to see all the things that people think are weird or I'm going to get rid of the toilet wouldn't want that trust me everybody says you don't want to use it until you need to and it's not that disgusting you just put the tube on you put it down the drain you open up the vent is this a big you know it's just a big valve and then he'd flush it all down and put the to get over it real quick if you got kids trust me you've dealt with much worse
I have one similar to this, it's a 1973 GMC sequoia with a 455 olds engine. It still has all its original chartreuse green interior and everything but the generator ( which I am looking for another onan like the one it had) is still in good working order. I have to get the air suspension working correctly again and new tires and it will be ready to rock
I bought a 73 Winnebago brave and it still has its original stove oven and refrigerator and they work phenomenal and a lot of times because I'm traveling I can run them off the gas my don't have the 3-way there only two ways gas or electricity though no battery power I've got nearly all of my original interior upholstery all I did have to change the flooring and I would never do a full rebuild unless it was in terrible shape but considering the damage that was done to this GMC over the years I guess it really doesn't matter to preserve it but my biggest thing was to have one that was authentic to the time. And I've even bought all 1970s Tupperware and so my plates and storage containers and cups all that stuff go with the era of the motorhome it's just a fascinating world and I'm so glad that the other people into it
Yeah, it's looking like a full resto-mod. I would have kept it as a survivor, but the stock layout was so impractical, and so far gone, it's less work and more utility to make it my own.
Regarding the photos for the turn signal print - if you have an item with a flat surface (like the bottom of the signal seems to be) you can get both scale and shape from a flatbed scan of the flat surface. They're inexpensive and common and can come in handy if you find something thats a bit of a pain to get scale from or awkward to get a shot of it with low distortion
Great overview! You could install a folding leaf table by the side chairs. I think I've seen one at Ikea that is just a leaf on a hinge, I'm sure you could fashion a similar homemade version that would fold flat when not in use. My family had a 23' GMC motorhome back in the day, too bad it's not still around. You might try using a heat gun (or hairdryer perhaps) to soften and remove the vinyl stripes, if they haven't been removed yet.
Brings back memories of my father owning a Palm Beach model, hideous color but was fun. Watch the rear suspension it needs to be greased often or the pins and bushings wear out, you can tell when the top or the rear wheels start tipping in at the top, its an expensive repair.
Im re watching in 2024. These motorhomes seem interesting. Reminds of the Lost In Space vehicle. Mostly the roundness. Also Im reminded of the Winnebago Via. Built on the Sprinter Chassis. Grew up in the seventies. Not a fan of the decor. If I had one of these I would replace most of the wood with some other materials.
Please correct your statement. Revcon did not copy GMC. GMC COPIED REVCON. The Revcon was designed in 1967. When Revcon put in an order for 25 Toro half frames, GM made Revcon build up 5 coaches to run them on the test track at GM. This was called the Brickyard test. The only failure was the lower control arm which was beefed up and the test was continued. Interestingly the GMC lower control are is more prone to fail than the Revcon beefed up version. So AFTER GM made Revcon do all the testing, THEN GM initiated the design for the GMC. The first production runs for Revcon were sold in 1971. First year for GMC was '73.
I have to laugh at your other comments about Revcon not being as elegant. Revcon was a much higher end, much better built coach. Way nicer than GMC. The GMC used a lot of plastic and wood paneling in the interior, which is prone to crack or rot. Revcon used solid wood cabinet frames, Wilsonart surfaces, hollow honeycomb cabinet doors and shells, all trimmed in TEAK. If you look at the interior of a Revcon, all the cabinetry will look just like it did when it left the showroom. The interior walls were aluminum, coated with a decorative vinyl finish. This makes a surface that won't rot, and can be cleaned to showroom condition, with little effort.
The frame on a Revcon is much better as well. It is box channel, which is much stiffer than the C channel used on the GMC. Because of the lightweight interior and aluminum walls, the Revcon has a lower center of gravity than the GMC and is much lighter for a similar length - typically between 8 and 10K lbs. The only thing the GMC has on the Revcon was the rear suspension. The boggie wheels on the GMC did ride better than the GMC. The later Revcons did use a tandem rear axle setup with a single spring. I've ridden in both, and there is not a lot of difference. In the front seat, the later Revcons do ride better than the GMC. The 1980 and later front suspension was designed by Peter Bryant, known in Can-Am circles as the designer of the T-22. He was well known for his pioneering work on aerodynamic downforce. I don't know about the earlier Revcons, but the later Revcons drive and handle much better than the GMC ever did. I've driven in 90mph crosswinds - a microburst. Water was spraying in the window drain holes. The wind was opening my side awnings. They were damaged before I was able to exit off the freeway and tuck behind a building and secure them. I was driving at 70 when it hit. The only reason I slowed down was trying to save my awnings. No real ill handling. On another occasion, broke the triple digit barrier. I grabbed my cell phone to take photos of the speedo. Later I looked at the photo to discover my reflection of BOTH HANDS on the camera. At 100 mph, I was driving with my knee! At the time, I wasn't thinking anything of it. It just drove normal at that speed. Previously I twice hit 98 mph towing my Grand Cherokee. It wasn't topped out, but started getting too close to traffic.
The oem configuration for the later Revcons was a 454 w/4 bolt main, TH475 trans with Kevlar bands, straight cut gears in 1st and 2nd. They had a custom Borg Warner transfercase with only a front driveshaft. I eventually swapped out the engine for a 502 with Edelbrock MPFI. I swapped the trans for a 4L85e. It was also running Thorely Tri-Ys and Magnaflow mufflers. At 20 mph, if you punched, it would break the front wheels loose. It would also chirp going from 1st to 2nd at about 50 mph. I did a few other mods, like Koni FSD shocks, Tapered roller bearing bellcranks, and rear disc brakes.
The primary reason the Revcons were not as popular is because they were a very high end coach, costing 2 and half times more than the GMC. My 1983 was $125,000 new. (for true comparison, in '78 they were about $80K)
Somebody knows their stuff!
I debated between a Revcon and GMC for months. Getting ready to bring our Revcon home. This comment just made my day! You are absolutely correct sir.
@@jbarnes3373 What year?
@@Daveinet 1983 Prince. Inside is like a walk back in time and looks exactly as it did in the 80's. Getting her tuned up and new tires this week. I'm very happy I found this.
@@jbarnes3373 OK, so that is the same year and model as mine. Make sure you join the www.policeinterceptor.com/revconforums/. I help moderate the site and at least try to get over there once a week. I inherited my Dad's '04 AllegroBay two years ago, so I've sold my coach, but still try to help out once in a while. I do miss the old girl, especially when I'm out on the road. As long as your suspension is in good condition, there is nothing that drives like a Revcon. When I had mine up for sale, a guy came by that had rebuilt 3 GMCs. He even stated my coach handled way better than the GMC. The only real suspension mods were Koni FSD shocks and a rear track bar. It doesn't really need the rear track bar unless you are towing a 4600 lbs Jeep.
After digging for some great videos on RV from a long time and now finally I have found the gold.
Why do people from the “Pacific Northwest” all say “kinda of”, “Sort of” “or something” and or whatever….it’s maddening….good luck with your build…i was a GMC dealer and had a lot full of these when they were brand new….drove lots of them with essentially 15 miles on them….best driving coach ever!
My father built an RV from a Flxible bus. Incredible amount of work. Sold that and downsized to a Dodge Travco 210. Customized that for years. You have a labor of love ahead of you. Enjoy working with your dad. Those are the moments you never forget. I hope you keep us up to date. I for one want you to beat the naysayers and love it.
my grandfather had one. i loved traveling in it as kid. what i wouldn’t give to have it back and relive those memories.
My brother bought one in El Paso. My other brother and I flew down with him and drove it cross country back to Buffalo, NY. It was in tough shape. We each packed 50# of tools in our suitcases. They were needed. Spent two days in a Firestone parking lot for new tires and making trips to O'Reilly's for parts. Great bonding trip however. Enjoy yours!
My wife and I were on our honeymoon in 1977 when a retired couple pulled into the resort in a new -77 GMC motorhome. They were gracious enough to give us the tour and show it off.....we were in love! If you can find one of these available today, you are obligated to restore it and give it another life....it's just the right thing to do. I'd love something like this as a project and I believe I could do it justice. My biggest concern would be to have a reliable drive train. As old as they are, some have surprisingly low mileage on them. The engine is a known workhorse but the front wheel drive transmission configuration is quite unique. Wish you the best of luck and hope you continue to post the progression of your restoration.
TH425 is very robust, was used in Toronado and Eldorado, no major problems and basic to rebuild if needed
Digital maker the GMC motor home rv was the most awesome motor home ever it just breaks my heart that gm quit production in 1978 please hang on to this one it is a true classic beautiful from front to back
Great Video and Good Luck. I just started a 1976 that had been gutted. Replaced the floor in the rear with 3/4" treated plywood. Took out Propane tank as going all electric. Also better to replace tank with 2 portable bottles. Once propane tank is out and all plywood removed you can slide a new piece of plywood all the way thru to include the battery to the rear of Generator. Now working on replacing the rest of the plywood floor, rather than multiple patches. Robert
I would prefer (living in the tropics with lots of rain and humidity) to avoid plywood to support any valuable equipment! I'd rather put together an aluminum frame made with angles, good screws, and THEN inside that, install the plywood in.
Love it! Not just a 3D Printing Channel! Looking forward to seeing more designs and the finished RV!
if you are still working on that decal removal. there is an eraser you can get that attaches to an electric drill. it will buff it right off like it was never there
Great intro to GMC motorhome refurbishment. We just bought one. Lucky it came with boxes and boxes of new and good used parts. One box is full of amber and a few clear clearance lenses.
Oh my , I loved the green upholstery inside! I think I would have kept it !!
Same here! Would love to refurbish it to original condition.
It's oddly comforting, like a bowl of pea soup for the eyes
👍🏻
It seems he is set on removing all the color and making it as bland as possible. Imagine removing green seats for gray or beige seats. I wish people would stop trying to modernize, or what they think is modernizing, 70's vehicles.
I agree, that vintage 70s style is popular. I hope he doesn't destroy them...
Good luck with your project. I bought one of these many years ago that was running and started to update it, similar to what you are doing. Ran out of time and sold it to another enthusiast. They are still one of the best looking and engineered RVs around today. Looking forward to seeing what you do.
I bought my 1978 Royale almost a Year ago.. I didn't have to rip anything out.. I did replace the old 8 track tape player. and ADD an awning.. I am working on replacing the air ride compressor system. but still can drive it anywhere.. Oldsmobile 403 V8 engine.. Love it.. My retirement go out west vehicle.
@Santina Murphy I bought an electronic compressor control unit from Keith Vasilakes It took a bit of doing but now I have a neat control board w/ a "camp" function and and a remote that does up/down left/right. from across the street or longer..lol.
@Santina Murphy Contact Keith. He is on many GMC motorhome pages on fb.. Coat me 800 bucks for the digital control Board. and the solenoids etc. You will have to supply your own compressor.. I bought a Viair 450C and a 1 gallon air tank.. Some information here. gmc.mybirdfeeder.net/GMCforum/index.php?rid=0&t=msg&th=37883 and where is you control board and compressor located now? My control is on the driver side armrest area, and my compressor is located in front of the generator compartment on the drivers side. So I tapped into the existing wiring harness.
I'm Hooked! I am this moldy old motorhome. New sub and Thumbs up, I will follow this series and am excited to see your visions take shape. Take it from me, I made a good living repairing motorhomes, especially electrical back in the day when these still had value. I learned that if it's more than 10-15 years old, unless you strip 'em completely and fix everything, trying to "live in it" while you work on it is a fantasy.
The "Urban Assault Vehicle" from the movie Stripes, cool stuff.
Em50 project
It's a, umm, tank or something?
"IT'S AN URBAN ASSAULT VEHICLE!"
Ryan Hughes: So did I.
The rust bucket from Ben 10
That’s the fact jack!
I thought of the em-50 too!
Just found this channel. Subscribed before even watching. I LOVE these motorhomes. I would love to remodel one but I am not in the least bit mechanical or handy. So I am going to watch and learn. Just walking my dog around the North Vancouver (Canada) neighbourhood (within a 3 block radius) I have noticed 2 of my neighbours have a GMC classic motorhomes under tarps. Maybe in the summer if I see them working on their rigs I will ask for a tour. I think these GMC motorhomes are the most beautiful things ever made. Looking forward to this gentleman's finished product.
Good luck with your project. More power to you to keep up the enthusiasm. As an official old guy my first was in 1974, I took it on the road for 2 1/2 years. Second was in 1990. Now I’m happily rebuilding and redecorating my third.
If I were you, if I had to reupholster, I’d try to find identical fabric patterns and colors, and match the shag carpeting, and keep the dashboard color. Not everything has to be modern, and those ‘70s aesthetics have a quite lovely _je ne sais quoi._
I watched these a year ago because i needed to model out the "Rust Bucket" from the original Ben 10 series i use to watch as a kid and with your tour, i noticed they took a few liberties, 1 the interior scenes of the show had scaling discrepancies, not only this, the fiction RV had two steps for entry meaning the RV sits higher than its realistic counterpart.
I was looking for a Ben 10 comment and I just found it. Glad to know I wasn’t te only kid in love with the Rustbucket from the series.
Hope you placed those parts you removed on some sales page , some owners of those vintage RVs would love to get original parts .
Seriously!? WTF is the point of buying a beautiful vintage rv and removing all the amazing vintage bits....
Thanks for sharing your project. Hope to see the finished coach. Also cool job on the teardrop lenses!!!
Without a doubt the coolest motorhome ever built! Love it
we own one, but ours has a 455 ci, and they ride and drive better than most new cars,
Opening explanation stellar. The GMC is Boss Hog of all RV’s.
Thanks!
Then why hasn't anyone tried to make a successor in a budget-friendly configuration? Build it around a Hino engine and chassis. American design on Japanese reliability. Perfect for someone who wants to keep moving.
@@scowler92 Because that would be a once-in-a-lifetime buyout. Not good if you are a manufacturer that wants to keep selling your junk year after year with minimal changes. And even that didn't work out for GMC, just look how they ended...
@@FBPrepping
Why outsell when you can outdo?
+1. .. Fond memories the GMC motorcoach. .. Back in the day, a boss had a brandi-neu 1975 GMC Eleganza model motorcoach with an Imron white exterior. .. As I recall its Eleganza model was a higher-end unit - He'd order the GMC from scratch resighting the options guide with ease. .. The Cadillac Eldorado steering wheel and 472 4Bll Holley V8 was a nice touch.
EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle for sure! Looking forward to the build and have always liked those beasts..
recently reparing leaks on my conversion van... what a pain to get all the stuff out to find the leaks it was... now I have to rebuild everything... good to see, that more ppl try to safe old classics :)
Oh Gosh how lovely. The only thing lovelier than this, is the explanation around why it is so special i.e. an understanding of RV chassis😊. Thank you for that.
I for one love those chairs in the front! Such a shame you’re getting rid of them. Cool motorhome though! Gonna really enjoy this series! Thanks for sharing!
Always loved these I'm in the UK but i got my son years ago the Ben ten toy, loved the look so started researching it.
Man I just subscribed without even seeing this video. I love these motor homes !!!
I like seeing the GMC Videos as they have the drive train in common with the Revcon I bought. Mine is a 1973 but I haven't restored it yet. The GMC is more sleek and mine is more of a bread loaf in shape. Revcon covered their bodies mostly in aluminum. My bathroom is in the back and is not a wet bath but has the toilet on the other end. I haven't gotten too familiar with it yet but want to enjoy it soon. It came with teakwood in many parts of the interior. Nice video! Will watch more👍
I love your positive attitude! I wanna keep up w/your rebuild! Good luck👍🏻👍🏻😋
I hope you can finish this project soon, I love whenever you make these vids
This is a mean green machine! I love it’s retro look!
Great idea to do a rebuild...keep us up on what you do..very cool
That green dashboard looks awesome
Very nice thanks for sharing. I too have so many ideas to mod my GMC inside and out. Making your own stuff like this is the way to go. Looking forward to the same with my large 1 meter x 1 meter custom built cnc/printer (interior trim, electronic housings etc) Please keep us up to date with your coach.
These are 1 of the best well made rvs probably ever made.🇺🇸 so much potential good luck.
I grew up in one of these. My dad had a pipeline utility business and it was his mobile office. I went everywhere with him. I do recall that the sofa /bunkbeds on his were on the left side in his unit. Cool to see it on the right side. It brings back such amazing memories. But the ski trips we would take to New Mexico were definitely the highlight every year. It is truly a one of a kind achievement from GMC. I definitely had to laugh when you said you got about 10K for renovation. I hate to tell ya but its gonna be more than that I'm afraid. I would love to be able to do the same to a GMC one day. It would be the ultimate rebuild for me. Cheers.
Neat looking RV. One big problem is that they tend to sag after some time because there is a lot of plastic and wood for the cab framing. Entry door then sticks.
Be sure to join your local GMC Motorhome club. They are a tremendous source of information. Also, there are several sources of replacement parts still available. GMC Co-op in Florida and Applied GMC in California are 2 of the go-to places for parts, information, and upgrades to improve performance.
My dad just got one of those, and i love 3D printing, im already loving this.
I'm sure by now you have managed to remove the stripes, however if you haven't......a blow drier and a plastic scraper works GREAT! And if you have some glue or old sticker sticky just apply goo be gone and wipe off...good luck! Oh btw...those lights are called Grote lights...you can buy a complete replacement in Led...clear, red or orange for $15...
I like the 3 d printing, but I replaced all those lights with led replacements off Ebay. Both red and amber for like $10 bucks each. Good luck with your build man!
Keep the fridge! The gas fridges are soooo cool. Look at TH-cam on how to clean the burners and I bet you'll love it.
The fridge was not gas.
@@IndustriousPursuits Bummer. They are the coolest(Ha!)
Keep up the good work. We're all pulling for you!
Holy crap you own an EM 50 urban assault vehicle how cool!!!!
You beat me to it!
Too many people have no idea what that is! But a spatula will never be the same utensil ever again!
It’s just a suggestion, but making copies of automotive lenses is a lot easier using resin casting. Smooth-On has a an excellent video of the process. The resulting part has excellent translucency and color and is much stronger than a 3D printed part.
The 2011 Toyota Sienna also had dual arm rests and integrated seat belts. Some of them also have recliner foot rests. Also for the smell you can get an ozone generator that will kill just about anything that causes a smell.
Ozone machines are available for rent..Dont forget to air it out thoroughly before you spend much time inside.
When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections.
Love these motor homes, it would be great if GM brought them back with modern technology inside and out.
As for the clearance lights, you can go the casting route. There are many videos here on you tube that several manufacturers have published that show how to make the two part silicone molds around a good lens as well as he to mix and color the casting resin to create an almost exact replacement. The casting resins are also available with UV resistance so the casing will not deteriorate when exposed to sunlight.
These would cost $700,000.00 NEW TODAY...
Ur gonna put them 10k in it. I have a 1974 canyonland 26’. DO NOT GET RID OF THE BUNK BEDS!! It is the coolest feature for them and no other rv has it to date. I wish I could put them in mine but from 76-78 the clips are built into the ribs of the rv. If u have any questions or need tips let me know
Major water leaks come from drip rail . Remove all screws and with a puddy knife, lift drip rail molding that runs the entire length on both sides. I used flex seal, a urithan rubber to seal under moldings. Others have used 3 m brand marine grade rubber sealer with good results.
RV lap sealant is the right stuff to use. Put it over all seams and attachment points on the roof, and replace it every five years or so.
That print on your light covers was cool..!!
GREAT JOB!! Just purchased a '73 couple of months ago and we are on the exact point of stage. Have the same drive as you! Best of luck and look forward to see your process.
Best looking motorhome ever produced, from design, engineering, and execution and it's how old 45 years, Detroit certainly has some Talent but you would never know it when ignorant management gets in the way and they start building Aztecs and Avalanches. Can you imagine what that motorhome would look like today if they kept improving it! Hail to the real designers, engineers, innovators, and the management that recognizes their brilliance and has the testosterone to fight for it!
A working shoulder belt saves you from planting your face into the steering wheel or dash. You don't have that problem in that RV. Those captains chairs can't be replaced with automobile seats, because they sit like a lazyboy. They're plush and remain comfortable for hours on end. So put them up for sale and see how much more they're worth to other GMC RV owners than the one's you bought.
First time I ever saw this motorhome was in the movie Stripes when I was a kid , then after I got out of the Army I had a chance to buy one but what it needed would exceed what I could afford to pay !
Just FYI I'm pretty sure that the vertical fins on the original top lights are there for a reason: they are vortex generators that improve the aerodynamics of the van.
Less "drag"!!!
The other reason they’re desirable is that they’re just plain beautiful. Before I ever thought about any kind of RV or trailer or anything, we stopped at a roadside rest once and someone had one. I had to walk up and ask what it was because it was so beautiful. GMC just got the proportions and the shape perfect. Perhaps that was the aircraft engineers’ contribution. Certainly wouldn’t have been the Cadillac people! The wannabes that followed it just didn’t quite get.
Cool. Great vehicle. Got to get one of those for travel etc
I think this was the kick ass assault camper from the Murray/Ramis movie, “Stripes”. Loved it when I was a kid👍
we had one. Fantastic RV!
Not sure if this has been said, because I didn't read all 550+ comments, but our motorhomes don't really take regular old cheap pump gas. As long as the gas tanks are still metal, you should be using non-ethanol fuel, just like with lawn equipment. Ethanol is hydrophilic and absorbs/mixes with water. Because of this, using regular gas (with ethanol) will accelerate the rusting of your fuel tanks, especially when allowed to sit and more so when allowed to sit less than full. Aluminum or poly fuel tanks will avoid this issue but you also get better gas mileage for the more expensive fuel. I measured 8mpg on a trip from FL to GA and 12mpg on the return trip. More power from pure fuel vs fuel+alcohol.
Omg those seats are amazing. How could you replace them?
I bet they're comfortable. Just need new fabric.
Great video the gmc motorhome is a wonderful motorhome. I am looking forward to seeing the progress. Ps turn at the hip lol.
Going to follow this series, always thought these RVs were cool. Too bad all the 70's kitsch couldn't be saved
Inb4 this vid takes off! Great job man!
I have a recommendation for the vinyl removal. 3M and some other manufacturers make an eraser wheel that removes the vinyl without damaging what's below. I used it on a vinyl woodgrain wagoneer and removed all it with a couple of them make light work of 30 year old cracked vinyl
yes they work great
If you get a new A/C unit try to a get a soft start system. Especially if you are planning to add solar panels.
If you have the time, patience and money, this is worth the effort to recreate in the "vibe" of the times, but with contemporary technology and functionality.
A fabulous opportunity that would give you a real keeper/eye turner!
I hope you can exploit the full period potential.
Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the update results!
I always loved these RV’s!
The only thing I think you could have added to the intro was that another driving factor in GMC developing a front-drive motorhome was that corporate had already spent the money to develop a heavy-duty front-wheel drive system for the Cadillac Eldorado and Olds Toronado. Without that in place I can't imagine this project having gone forward. Note also that the end of the run (1978) for the GMC motorhome corresponds with the end of the run for the classic Eldorado and Toronado.
These were just marvelous,
These are so cool, great project!
Oh I think you may find that the vacuum system would be nice to have?
Well, he’s got 9000 hours into the roof marker lights. This project ought to wrap up in time for his retirement.
If he's got a wife it might be his retirement home!
yeh i'd have just gone to Hella
job done, and on with the next one
9000 hrs + $2300 on a printer ha ha ha ha
@catmodelt There are a lot of RV and truck parts that have been made pretty much the same for 40+ years.
You showed a pusher as an example of a rear wheel drive RV. My brother bought one of those but sadly passed away before he could really get started on his restoration. He was planning on Retiring after he finished it. They are an awesome RV and a great design. I have no idea what happened to his after he passed. He did say it was hauled to Texas on a flat bed. I know he got parts for the air ride, a replacement window for the drivers side. It needed brakes and rotors as well as a new carburetor.
Those marker lenses are still available. My '68 GMC dump truck uses those and I needed a couple. I believe they are Grote but if anyone is interested I can pull up my receipt.
Nicest washroom for a camper that age.good Lu k with the reno.lucky guy.nicestest camper I've seen as the mechanical is concerned
If only the GMC Motorhome was still produced today. Not only did its design make better sense than most RV designs, even today, I also find it more attractive. Instead of being a box on a truck chassis,
Nice project You have an RV built to last. Be interesting to see whats left of a 2020 RV after 30 years
I love the incredible naivete of the presenter here who seems to know very little to nothing about motorhomes I have experience with old ones because I've grown up around motorhomes most of the ones I dealt with were 70s and 80s and is just absolutely charming to see all the things that people think are weird or I'm going to get rid of the toilet wouldn't want that trust me everybody says you don't want to use it until you need to and it's not that disgusting you just put the tube on you put it down the drain you open up the vent is this a big you know it's just a big valve and then he'd flush it all down and put the to get over it real quick if you got kids trust me you've dealt with much worse
I have one similar to this, it's a 1973 GMC sequoia with a 455 olds engine. It still has all its original chartreuse green interior and everything but the generator ( which I am looking for another onan like the one it had) is still in good working order. I have to get the air suspension working correctly again and new tires and it will be ready to rock
Everyone likes the 4 bag design from GMC coop. That's probably what I will end up upgrading to.
I bought a 73 Winnebago brave and it still has its original stove oven and refrigerator and they work phenomenal and a lot of times because I'm traveling I can run them off the gas my don't have the 3-way there only two ways gas or electricity though no battery power I've got nearly all of my original interior upholstery all I did have to change the flooring and I would never do a full rebuild unless it was in terrible shape but considering the damage that was done to this GMC over the years I guess it really doesn't matter to preserve it but my biggest thing was to have one that was authentic to the time. And I've even bought all 1970s Tupperware and so my plates and storage containers and cups all that stuff go with the era of the motorhome it's just a fascinating world and I'm so glad that the other people into it
I would love to find one..these are nice
I made a bit of a buyer's guide here: th-cam.com/video/B4FwsA3p_gU/w-d-xo.html You can also find them on Craigslist from time to time.
I have always liked this RV.
Time for a "Stripes" upgrade via 3D printing :)
I agree. I was around 23 when they came out. I loved it, but most RVers I knew did not.
So, how's it going? Complete restoration?
Yeah, it's looking like a full resto-mod. I would have kept it as a survivor, but the stock layout was so impractical, and so far gone, it's less work and more utility to make it my own.
@@IndustriousPursuits gonna do an update video?
Great vid! I know where one of these is @ & might try to buy it now.
Regarding the photos for the turn signal print - if you have an item with a flat surface (like the bottom of the signal seems to be) you can get both scale and shape from a flatbed scan of the flat surface. They're inexpensive and common and can come in handy if you find something thats a bit of a pain to get scale from or awkward to get a shot of it with low distortion
Keep original seats just new upholstery and paint
Great overview! You could install a folding leaf table by the side chairs. I think I've seen one at Ikea that is just a leaf on a hinge, I'm sure you could fashion a similar homemade version that would fold flat when not in use. My family had a 23' GMC motorhome back in the day, too bad it's not still around. You might try using a heat gun (or hairdryer perhaps) to soften and remove the vinyl stripes, if they haven't been removed yet.
Brings back memories of my father owning a Palm Beach model, hideous color but was fun. Watch the rear suspension it needs to be greased often or the pins and bushings wear out, you can tell when the top or the rear wheels start tipping in at the top, its an expensive repair.
cool stuff!!!! im working on a chevrolet 454 p30 Shasta
Amazing that it still has a "Wow" factor after all these years. Makes many new motorhomes look "Soviet Block" by comparison.
My good friend just rebuilt one from scratch built everything by hand. He is good like that.
Nice, love the 1st channel; and really enjoyed this video. You sound really enthusiastic about the RV :) keep us posted dude, cheers!
Thanks! :)
Im re watching in 2024. These motorhomes seem interesting. Reminds of the Lost In Space vehicle. Mostly the roundness.
Also Im reminded of the Winnebago Via. Built on the Sprinter Chassis.
Grew up in the seventies. Not a fan of the decor. If I had one of these I would replace most of the wood with some other materials.