I agree with you. There is a company buying them up and doing just that and painting them with the modern paint schemes. They look great inside and out. I like the shell of it , don't think you will worry about rain getting inside.
I've been talking for a while now about Northstar drivetrain swaps or even better fwd 5. 3 LS swaps that were in SS Monte Carlos, Impalas and a couple other GM full-size cars. imagine getting one of these cars that were rear-ended or T-boned. I'm sure there's lots more you could use besides just the drivetrain.... The brake system alone would be a nice upgrade!?! ABS, traction control, etc...
I worked for Forrester R V in Amarillo Texas the last half of 1974. We were a GMC Motorhome dealer until the dealership closed in early 75 due to the oil embargo. I had the chance to drive these wonderful machines on quite a few occasions. I had one of them up to 105 MPH, and it had more left in it. It rode and handled as good as it ran and looked. Good times.
Wow, that’s amazing. I would love to see one that is untouched from the factory. They drive fantastic, even by today’s standards. I think they drive better than new RVs.
Had a '77. Drove from GA to Seattle up to Vancouver then back across Canada then home. Loved it. I miss that GMC. Side note: made that trip at the height of the gas crisis.
The Wolfe Fam It was great other than always searching for gas. When we crossed into Canada I asked about the gas crisis at the 1st filling station I came to. The attendant said "What crisis". Lol
Love the sound of that carburetor engine! Reminds my of when I was young and thought I had plenty of time to do what ever it was I was born to do. That was a fun video! Thank you!
You were lucky to have buddies along. I could not persuade any of my friends to go with me on my adventure - 1272 miles from SLC to Austin. I had looked at this one too as it was closer to me but I am 6'3" and the dry bath shower is just too small for me. That and I really wanted a 455. My 1975 E2 made it with no problems, like yours, but I did it over 3 days and spent two nights in the MH. It was a real bonding experience between myself and the machine.
John Strauss I followed your adventure as well on Facebook! Adam had considered that one as well and ultimately decided on the other floor plan. Looks like you had a fun journey and got a really great coach!
I got 8mpg on the trip but found out when I got home I was only running on 7 cylinders. I hope to do 10mpg on my next trip that is long enough to measure. Taking it to Lubbock in November for the Texas-Texas Tech football game.
Very nicely done. Haven’t been to the Breaking Bad house yet. It was nice seeing it. Did Cadillac Ranch years ago. Had it all to myself. My drive back was not as long or interesting except for the start. My previous owner was a “Beltway Bandit” and a real weasel ( he was a pilot too) who lived on a private island in the Severn River. The bridge to his house was narrow and in terrible shape and he drove the GMC across at full throttle bouncing and heaving but we made it in one piece. Luckily the 200 mile drive back to.NJ after that was uneventful.
my dad had one, bought it new. put 150,000 miles on it with no problems. he did burn up one transmission because he insisted on driving it 80 miles per hour! terrific vehicle. wish i would have had the chance to buy if from him. fantastic motorhome!
Brings back memories. I drove one of the first two off the assembly line. One went to Florida and I drove ours to my family’s dealership in Santa Ana Ca. Several problems occurred on the way but General Motors sent techs out in a jet every time we broke down. Spindle overheated and broke in Amarillo, trans in Albuquerque, major electrical in Flagstaff. 3 week journey. But,,,, at the Anaheim RV show we sold 31 orders in one weekend. Decades ahead of there time. I personally liked the 23 ft over the 26 ft.
One of the best videos I’ve ever seen! Great production. Surprised you made it home without a major breakdown. Always dreamed of one of these GMCs, just don’t have the time for the upkeep and improvements needed. Best of luck on the journey...
Yeah, I should have waited until the end to comment! It all got cleared up between minute 5 and minute 7. GREAT trip, guys! I loved seeing that part of the country again, I probably did it 30 times before I was 30 years old, but havent been able to get back there since early 80's.
Really enjoyed several of these videos. You guys look like a great group of friends. Wish I had this exact kind of friendship. I have a 1977 Airstream Argosy 28. I have fully restored it and it's a stunning beauty. 454 bored and stroked to a 492 custom cam to get the torque/ powerband in the correct rpm range for a 12k lb beast. Went from 6 mpg to 14mpg and with the big duals it sounds like a muscle car beast. If I could I would attach pics. But it's own my youtube channel by my name. Good luck all of you on your projects. Maybe someday we can cross paths. I'm 2,000 miles away in Kentucky
@@TheWolfeFam , you guys are really a throw back to when friends were like you all. I love the square back VW, the washer n dryer, everything. I have not taken my love of vintage to you alls level but I did take my Argosy to a pretty extreme resto mod with vintage tastes inside. I lived on AZ for a while in school and my best buddy stayed there. Would love to dig into you alls resto projects. What was all that knocking noise when you all were traveling ? One of you did the diesel conversion right ? How's that turned out ?
Love the video. I was looking at that one from afar in May. Ended up with a California-raised Palm Beach via Kansas City. But sadly, didn't make a video.
Wow that Bunk Bed is way cool.Brought back good memories going to disneyland in the car with my bro n sisters.Does this model have the bed in the back to?really Cool motor Home.Better than anything made now..Cute Family too.
Thanks, Jesse! Mostly luck. We picked up some tools at the Walmart fully expecting we'd have to use them, but it drove all the way back as smooth as butter! Thanks for hanging out with us!
yeah that's a really cool RV I believe it has an Oldsmobile Toronado engine which is a 455 and that ring that you held up with the little circles on it is just a spark plug wire retainer that goes on top of the distributor
FSEVENMAN Most of them had 455s until late 1978 when they switched to 403, which this one has. The unknown part makes sense. Adam found some other parts in it related to the ignition that we used a couple of weeks later when it broke down! LOL
403...while not a bad engine...wouldn't be my choice in a motorhome...siamese bores/windowed main webs / they run hot in cars (hence the drilled to shit bumper)...455 bulletproof and if you can afford 10mpg....you can afford 9
Nice video, reminded me of when I talked a buddy into flying from San Diego to Minnesota to get my brother's IH Scout. I neglected to tell him it had been sitting in the trees for a few years on my parents farm. We drove that old IH back after a few days of working on it. Hope the GMC doesn't end up in the scrapyard like the Scout did.......
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures you made a memory to last a lifetime. Too bad it's in the junkyard... Adam has spent enough time and money on this to make it last another 40 years.
I kept a few pieces of it, the IH was completely rotted but the trip was more of an homage to my brother than getting the vehicle. Your video got me looking at GMC RV's on craigslist to replace my 25 year old RV with an older one!
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures there's a community of GMC owners who help each other out to keep these things on the road. They were built well, but need a lot of love and attention to keep them going.
I love those GMC , I know you going to enjoy it. I'm sure you've seen them painted with todays paint scheme . Ooh man that really makes them stand out. There was a company a few years ago buying up these GMC's rehab the insides and painting them with new paint schemes. I don't if there still in business. There some TH-cam videos of them and the guy that buys them to race. Enjoy ,Stay safe and go RV'ing. Don
THAT was COOL ! Thanks Guys. Something I would love to do myself. But, I did notice I think the A/C wasn't working ? Three things I gotta have is air conditioning, shower and toilet. And looked like all three of those might be a hassle. But, ONE DAY, when they make the self-driving ones, I'm in there with ya.
tim spivey The two rear air conditioners were working off the generator but the dash AC wasn't working at the time. It was really, really hot going through the desert!
that's a sweet old rv I have a 1976 dodge class c motor home one owner my great aunt she sold it to me for a whopping 500 bucks all original everything 9945 klms on it . I sold my house and moved right in lol.
Cool vid,....I bought one too! People have no idea. I take it to Wendy's, ....LOL I did buy one that had been renovated,....yours look great. My big mod was replacing the rear view mirror with a chicom. I've got two flat screens, great sound system. You really want a macerator too. Get the airbags replaced with quad bags. It's bitchin'
Awesome looking rig! I'd buy a GMC Motorhome if I had someone to share the travel experience with who also likes vintage vehicles. I also find the GMC Motorhome, along with FMC 2900R, and Travco, to be the best looking motorhomes of the vintage. And (I think) they're way better looking than anything offered today.
There's a whole community of people who work together to keep these rigs on the road. You should look into the local clubs in your area. I agree, they're all really cool looking. Thanks for the cool comment. Cheers.
@@TheWolfeFam I've only seen two in person. One is just a few miles from where I live, in Gig Harbor, Washington. I couldn't tell what year it was, nor was I able to contact the owner of the Motorhome.
What a great video with a bunch of guys I love GMC motorhomes. How fast were you guys cruising on the way back? And I believe Doug Thorley Headers still makes a tri y for that motorhome. Look like a fun trip I'm envious
The Wolfe Fam 😂 That’s great! I just watched your video last week, otherwise I wouldn’t have thought twice. I was riding my motorcycle from Colorado Springs to San Diego. Hope you had a great trip.
Looks like you guys lucked out on the deal anyhow, as I did with my truck, with no major breakdowns along the way. When I got home, I had my truck checked out and was told that it had a bad radiator. Now that's one thing that you wouldn't want to conk out on you along the way. But mine didn't even run hot. Did you guys have a mechanic go over it once you got it home?
Jim Ervin Yep. He's had a couple of mechanics make some miscellaneous repairs and have done a bunch of upgrades, like installing fuel injection. The coach runs really well. I have a ton of content that I'll post soon.
Ok I'm I'm coming from the uk to Washington state , to buy one of these, I'm then going to drive it to Baltimore , I have one question , how do yo empty the grey and black tanks ?
Dave Roe We did. It worked like a champ, but we were driving into the sun on a 100+ degree day. It just couldn't keep up. Since then, he got his dash AC to work which helps a lot.
Let me tell the "Rest of the Story". I hope it's not too long. I was 19 in '74 when I worked at Forrester RV. I was an hourly flunky that did everything the commissioned mechanics didn't get paid for. That meant I did all the fun stuff like drive new GMC motorhomes to fill them up with gas and propane before delivery. The dealership had a used '74 yellow "Painted Desert" 26 footer they would rent out to hunters during deer season. We had a regular client in Lubbock, and I would drive "Old Yeller" down on Friday and bring it back on Monday. Coming back on the north side of Lubbock, I fell in behind three frat brothers with Tech stickers on the back window of a Mustang, Camaro, and a Fairlane. This was before Interstate 27 went in, it was still Hwy 87 with a 55 MPH speed limit. These frat brothers were in a hurry, and I matched their speed between 60 and 80 in between towns. Getting closer to Amarillo, I guess they decided to give me the shake. Old Yeller had a strong 455, and we got up to 105 MPH before they gave up. That 455 was still pulling hard as we came into the south end of Canyon. They turned into West Texas State University, I guess they had dates with some sorority sisters. I'm sure glad there wasn't a radar unit on the road that day. I have always been impressed with the engineering of the GMC motorhome. Their power, speed, ride comfort, and handling has never been matched. Kudos to those of you that keep them alive...Ken
My parents have a 73 with the Olds 455 and TH425 trans, it was full updated and tuned up a few years back by Alex Sirunm GMC 1800 HWY 70 East, Okeechobee, FL 34972, United States and it looks amazing.
That's awesome man! I've personally never been as big a fan of the GMC motorhomes. I prefer the more classic style rear wheel drive motorhomes with less windows. But man, that thing cruises down the interstate like it was born to do that!
Was that your first time you driving a motor home? You seemed very comfortable behind the wheel.Looking to buy one of these but have never driven a class A.
It’s also a lot smaller (dimensionally) than almost any class c or class b Motorhome, but It packs all of the amenities though:.. onboard generator, shower, air, sleeps 4-6, etc
Wanderlust Estate I really liked watching your GMC adventures. I have a ton of content, but just haven't had time to edit it. Are you still in California?
Wanderlust Estate I really liked watching your GMC adventures. I have a ton of content, but just haven't had time to edit it. Are you still in California?
Yes, if you're here to we should get together. I could use a GMC fix. Haha. I really wish that I could have afforded to keep and finish mine. Now I will watch yours, so you gotta put them out.
I totally agree. The one drawback about the desire to travel in a GMC is that you don’t count all of your great experiences you countdown to your next break down. That to me is pretty sad.
Maintenence, Maintenence, Maintenence. The coaches are 40+ years old and many owners let them sit for years at a time. They just need a lot of love, attention, and money...
Maybe add a short description of your itinerary, or a time-list? 5 minutes into the video, I WILL finish, but it's not quite clear where you came from you're headed. ;-)
The time stamps are from the time zone we started in... I guess it could have been a couple of hours ahead depending on how far east we were at the time.
pdx650 Yea, I saw one this weekend in California. The other one I like is the Cortez. I saw one last year that someone widened by 1'. I can't believe the work it took to do that.
@@TheWolfeFam My wife and I have a few things like a '53 Spartanette Tandem, a '63 GMC Carryall. Before Lawsons' Landing, Dillon Beach, CA closed down as a trailer residential June 2016, there were people that had been living there for decades in their trailers. California, in it's infinite wisdom said, we're shutting this place down for good and turning it into a park and weekend getaway place. The only remaining long term resident that was able to stay in his Spartan trailer is because he has been in a wheel chair since he was a child. I forget his name, but we had dinner with him and he is a really good guy. My wife found out about the place closing and we were able to buy two 43 foot long 1953 Spartan Royal Mansions for cheap.
I believe everything except the fabric is original. This coach ran surprisingly smooth. It actually continues to run really good. They’ve been out and about the Southwest all summer in it.
steven saxon Sure! Most all of them came with Formica and surprisingly most all are still in great shape. Formica was hip back then and still holds up today.
Michael Durkan I'm not sure exactly how much he paid, but they probably average between $5k-$20k. Don't be fooled by those that are lower in price, they'll eat at your time and your wallet. Consider joining some of the Facebook groups and you'll see many posted for sale.
that ring you pulled out from beside the driver seat with all the holes in it I believe you put that over your lug nuts on your wheels so that the lug wrench does not scratch the paint or sometimes the Chrome of a MAG wheel when they take the lug nuts off and on. It's just a wheel protector. but you'll have to get it and put it over the lug nuts to see if I'm right or if I'm a twit
I think it had to do with the ignition. The previous owner must have narrowed down some intermittent problems to the ignition but never got around to installing the new parts.
@@TheWolfeFam maybe it was smaller than I thought? Yeah there is an HEI ring on top of the distributor that looks like that oops oh well. I always tried to get with my experience
@@TheWolfeFam I was about 14 or so when these were brand-new maybe younger and I always wanted one because I'm always been a GM truck fan. not to mention they were cool fiberglass like a Corvette and all the other motor homes were stamped tin.... I'm jealous but I'll survive since I now have two 1976 Harvest motorhomes, one class A1 & one Class C.I got them both essentially free do some horse-trading and a guy owed me a debt that I would never see again so he gave me his motor home. The class C is 3 axle. Anyway good luck with your project that's a badass find.
Guys, why didn't you fire up the gen-set and run the air conditioner on the roof? That's what most GMCers do since the engine driven dash a/c isn't very good. I own a 74 GMC Eleganza II.
What I mean is that it's possible to run the genset while moving. I've done that more than once when the GMC was in use. Because of health, it's been parked for a few years.
Am I the only one who thinks GM would have a winner if they made this exact body style with a little modern mechanical upgrades
I agree with you. There is a company buying them up and doing just that and painting them with the modern paint schemes. They look great inside and out. I like the shell of it , don't think you will worry about rain getting inside.
I've been talking for a while now about Northstar drivetrain swaps or even better fwd 5. 3 LS swaps that were in SS Monte Carlos, Impalas and a couple other GM full-size cars. imagine getting one of these cars that were rear-ended or T-boned. I'm sure there's lots more you could use besides just the drivetrain.... The brake system alone would be a nice upgrade!?! ABS, traction control, etc...
@@jackmacer718 Don't northstar swap it, those things are unreliable as hell. I'd go for the LS though, or a diesel swap.
Absolutely is buy one if price was right. Love the oldies
@Jacob Mason the diesel they swap in these is the 6.5 turbodiesel out of a truck ,the old IDI diesels are quiet
I worked for Forrester R V in Amarillo Texas the last half of 1974. We were a GMC Motorhome dealer until the dealership closed in early 75 due to the oil embargo. I had the chance to drive these wonderful machines on quite a few occasions. I had one of them up to 105 MPH, and it had more left in it. It rode and handled as good as it ran and looked. Good times.
Wow, that’s amazing. I would love to see one that is untouched from the factory. They drive fantastic, even by today’s standards. I think they drive better than new RVs.
Had a '77. Drove from GA to Seattle up to Vancouver then back across Canada then home. Loved it. I miss that GMC. Side note: made that trip at the height of the gas crisis.
Sounds like it was a fantastic trip! I’m editing a video now or of our trip of 4 GMCs up the Pacific Coast Hwy. you should go rescue another 77’.
The Wolfe Fam It was great other than always searching for gas. When we crossed into Canada I asked about the gas crisis at the 1st filling station I came to. The attendant said "What crisis". Lol
Love the sound of that carburetor engine! Reminds my of when I was young and thought I had plenty of time to do what ever it was I was born to do. That was a fun video! Thank you!
Can't believe you found one that clean! Very nice. Take good care of it!
It was nice meeting u today Adam
Great to meet you as well. Check out the new tires next time you drive by.
@@adamb6120 will do👍👍
You were lucky to have buddies along. I could not persuade any of my friends to go with me on my adventure - 1272 miles from SLC to Austin. I had looked at this one too as it was closer to me but I am 6'3" and the dry bath shower is just too small for me. That and I really wanted a 455. My 1975 E2 made it with no problems, like yours, but I did it over 3 days and spent two nights in the MH. It was a real bonding experience between myself and the machine.
John Strauss I followed your adventure as well on Facebook! Adam had considered that one as well and ultimately decided on the other floor plan. Looks like you had a fun journey and got a really great coach!
?? Don't 455 engines use a lot of fuel ?? My old vehicle is 1996 Chevy dually 8ft bed truck D. Fuel. Each to his own, and live in Oklahoma !!!
Am. Blades Yes, they use A LOT of fuel, but they're bulletproof and have a lot of low end torque!
John Strauss what was the price?
I got 8mpg on the trip but found out when I got home I was only running on 7 cylinders. I hope to do 10mpg on my next trip that is long enough to measure. Taking it to Lubbock in November for the Texas-Texas Tech football game.
Very nicely done. Haven’t been to the Breaking Bad house yet. It was nice seeing it. Did Cadillac Ranch years ago. Had it all to myself. My drive back was not as long or interesting except for the start. My previous owner was a “Beltway Bandit” and a real weasel ( he was a pilot too) who lived on a private island in the Severn River. The bridge to his house was narrow and in terrible shape and he drove the GMC across at full throttle bouncing and heaving but we made it in one piece. Luckily the 200 mile drive back to.NJ after that was uneventful.
my dad had one, bought it new. put 150,000 miles on it with no problems. he did burn up one transmission because he insisted on driving it 80 miles per hour! terrific vehicle. wish i would have had the chance to buy if from him. fantastic motorhome!
ron haynes great memories I'm sure! There's greater than 50% chance that it's still out there on the road today!
Brings back memories. I drove one of the first two off the assembly line. One went to Florida and I drove ours to my family’s dealership in Santa Ana Ca. Several problems occurred on the way but General Motors sent techs out in a jet every time we broke down. Spindle overheated and broke in Amarillo, trans in Albuquerque, major electrical in Flagstaff. 3 week journey. But,,,, at the Anaheim RV show we sold 31 orders in one weekend. Decades ahead of there time. I personally liked the 23 ft over the 26 ft.
Dave Barry that’s an adventure!!
It's good to know they're as reliable now as the day they rolled off the assembly line!! Haha. That is a GREAT story! Thanks for sharing!
Great entertaining video and looking to get one of these. Keep us updated in the future.
One of the best videos I’ve ever seen! Great production. Surprised you made it home without a major breakdown. Always dreamed of one of these GMCs, just don’t have the time for the upkeep and improvements needed. Best of luck on the journey...
Thanks for the nice comment. Yeah, it takes some TLC to keep these things on the road
Just bought a 1978 GMC Birchaven today. Can't wait to updating her.
@@WanderlustEstate seriously? That’s so cool. Are you still in Southern California? You should meet up with us at a rally.
@@TheWolfeFam I'm in Washington State! Hoping to catch you guys at a rally.
Ozzy Osbourne, you had me right off the bat. I love the go old time rock and roll, and love the good old time motor homes.
We feel about as cool as Ozzy when we’re driving the GMCs. Thanks for the comment. Rock on buddy
Yeah, I should have waited until the end to comment! It all got cleared up between minute 5 and minute 7. GREAT trip, guys! I loved seeing that part of the country again, I probably did it 30 times before I was 30 years old, but havent been able to get back there since early 80's.
TJ Larson Thanks for the nice comment, TJ!
First of all the video was great always awesome to have your bodies with ya very cool trip and the last thing Is that 1978 gmc.
Yep. That one is a 1978 with a 403 engine
@@TheWolfeFam THANK YOU SIR I WATCHED this video like million times already, very awesome video. Thanks
@@specialopsguy1121 Cool! Glad you liked it. I have another one I need to release soon
Great video, guys - you had way too much fun! CCR reigns supreme!
These guys are a lot of fun to hang with. I’ll post a video soon of us traveling together up the Pacific Coast Highway in 4 GMC motorhomes.
Awesome vid and trip, pleased you got home ok.
Steve Waller Thank you, Steve! Thanks for the nice comment.
Really enjoyed several of these videos. You guys look like a great group of friends. Wish I had this exact kind of friendship. I have a 1977 Airstream Argosy 28. I have fully restored it and it's a stunning beauty. 454 bored and stroked to a 492 custom cam to get the torque/ powerband in the correct rpm range for a 12k lb beast. Went from 6 mpg to 14mpg and with the big duals it sounds like a muscle car beast. If I could I would attach pics. But it's own my youtube channel by my name. Good luck all of you on your projects. Maybe someday we can cross paths. I'm 2,000 miles away in Kentucky
Wow, that Argosy sounds amazing. Yea, maybe we’ll cross paths!
@@TheWolfeFam , you guys are really a throw back to when friends were like you all. I love the square back VW, the washer n dryer, everything. I have not taken my love of vintage to you alls level but I did take my Argosy to a pretty extreme resto mod with vintage tastes inside. I lived on AZ for a while in school and my best buddy stayed there. Would love to dig into you alls resto projects. What was all that knocking noise when you all were traveling ? One of you did the diesel conversion right ? How's that turned out ?
Ive been wanting one of those RV for a long time. That one is nice
Yea, it’s really nice and he’s don’t a lot of upgrades since then!
Love the video. I was looking at that one from afar in May. Ended up with a California-raised Palm Beach via Kansas City. But sadly, didn't make a video.
Wow that Bunk Bed is way cool.Brought back good memories going to disneyland in the car with my bro n sisters.Does this model have the bed in the back to?really Cool motor Home.Better than anything made now..Cute Family too.
Used to have one, forgot what year and loved the wrap around window.
Great video! Look forward to more.
pra3t0rian Thank you! More to come soon!
I will do a year long road trip around the country someday in one of these with my friends!
Great retrieval video! I have an '87 Allegro that we drive around. Getting set for the big Road Trip after bombing out in our '77 Tioga in FL....
The Vintage RV'er Awesome! We have been driving up the coast of California this week. Driving excellent. Good luck!
The Vintage RV'er Thank you! Where's your adventure taking you?
Good Job Fellas! That took some skill and luck for that to go off without a hitch. I felt like I was hanging out with friends for 12 minutes lol
Thanks, Jesse! Mostly luck. We picked up some tools at the Walmart fully expecting we'd have to use them, but it drove all the way back as smooth as butter! Thanks for hanging out with us!
Right on! I'd say that motorhome is a keeper after going that far with no troubles. Nothing better than a risky road trip lolol
Jesse Ray Adam and family are loving it. You'll see more of it in some upcoming videos.
Diggin' the Rathaniel Rateliff and the night sweats music.. MORE!!
Awesome coach and video.
kabzak thank you!
For it being that old it looks good, what size motor and mpg ?
Spanky Ranger - it is a 403 and gets around 9 mpg
Your GMC is the BOSS!
Thanks! I’ll let Adam know you like it. Our little band of GMCs have gone on several adventures that I’ll post soon.
GREAT VIDEO GUYS.
joe demeter Thanks, Joe!
yeah that's a really cool RV I believe it has an Oldsmobile Toronado engine which is a 455 and that ring that you held up with the little circles on it is just a spark plug wire retainer that goes on top of the distributor
FSEVENMAN Most of them had 455s until late 1978 when they switched to 403, which this one has. The unknown part makes sense. Adam found some other parts in it related to the ignition that we used a couple of weeks later when it broke down! LOL
403...while not a bad engine...wouldn't be my choice in a motorhome...siamese bores/windowed main webs / they run hot in cars (hence the drilled to shit bumper)...455 bulletproof and if you can afford 10mpg....you can afford 9
@@TheWolfeFam 403 in 77
ihave35cents Yes, you’re right. They switched half way through 77’
@@TheWolfeFam yeah I missed the 455 by 3 months
Hey, that was a fun video, thanks!!
Dog House Thanks for the nice comment!
Nice video, reminded me of when I talked a buddy into flying from San Diego to Minnesota to get my brother's IH Scout. I neglected to tell him it had been sitting in the trees for a few years on my parents farm. We drove that old IH back after a few days of working on it. Hope the GMC doesn't end up in the scrapyard like the Scout did.......
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures you made a memory to last a lifetime. Too bad it's in the junkyard... Adam has spent enough time and money on this to make it last another 40 years.
I kept a few pieces of it, the IH was completely rotted but the trip was more of an homage to my brother than getting the vehicle. Your video got me looking at GMC RV's on craigslist to replace my 25 year old RV with an older one!
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures there's a community of GMC owners who help each other out to keep these things on the road. They were built well, but need a lot of love and attention to keep them going.
Awesome man!!! I'm going to check the videos out!
jack Macer -Thanks! I need to upload some more. I've got a ton of content.
Great video, and great original GMC there! I'm rebuilding a 1975 and loved these couches forever. Nothing in it's class!!!!!!!!!!! N O T H I N G !!!!
Wey Runner I think they fill a void in the market even today. I love them.
I love those GMC , I know you going to enjoy it. I'm sure you've seen them painted with todays paint scheme . Ooh man that really makes them stand out. There was a company a few years ago buying up these GMC's rehab the insides and painting them with new paint schemes. I don't if there still in business. There some TH-cam videos of them and the guy that buys them to race. Enjoy ,Stay safe and go RV'ing. Don
THAT was COOL ! Thanks Guys. Something I would love to do myself. But, I did notice I think the A/C wasn't working ? Three
things I gotta have is air conditioning, shower and toilet. And looked like all three of those might be a hassle. But, ONE DAY, when they make the self-driving ones, I'm in there with ya.
tim spivey The two rear air conditioners were working off the generator but the dash AC wasn't working at the time. It was really, really hot going through the desert!
Awesome! That would be a blast!
that's a sweet old rv I have a 1976 dodge class c motor home one owner my great aunt she sold it to me for a whopping 500 bucks all original everything 9945 klms on it . I sold my house and moved right in lol.
Sweet ride. You look like a fun crew.
thewaitingape thanks! I'll post some new videos soon. These guys are a lot of fun to hang out with.
Lucky dogs, road trip! I love the look of these things.
Cool vid,....I bought one too! People have no idea. I take it to Wendy's, ....LOL I did buy one that had been renovated,....yours look great. My big mod was replacing the rear view mirror with a chicom. I've got two flat screens, great sound system. You really want a macerator too. Get the airbags replaced with quad bags. It's bitchin'
Awesome looking rig! I'd buy a GMC Motorhome if I had someone to share the travel experience with who also likes vintage vehicles. I also find the GMC Motorhome, along with FMC 2900R, and Travco, to be the best looking motorhomes of the vintage. And (I think) they're way better looking than anything offered today.
There's a whole community of people who work together to keep these rigs on the road. You should look into the local clubs in your area. I agree, they're all really cool looking. Thanks for the cool comment. Cheers.
@@TheWolfeFam I've only seen two in person. One is just a few miles from where I live, in Gig Harbor, Washington. I couldn't tell what year it was, nor was I able to contact the owner of the Motorhome.
We got a long way to go and a short time to get there ; )
CD S just watched Smokey and the Bandit the other night. Classic!
1000 mile drive, 2000 round trip ? nice adventure
Mr_Wizard Pretty much...
What a great video with a bunch of guys I love GMC motorhomes. How fast were you guys cruising on the way back? And I believe Doug Thorley Headers still makes a tri y for that motorhome. Look like a fun trip I'm envious
Doug C Thanks, Doug! It is a lot of fun hanging out with these guys. I think he's got headers on his wish list.
Doug, maybe 60 to 65 mph. Great time!
It sure sounds like it. 60 65 is perfect for that GMC with only a 3 speed
Here is a site for you if you don't already have it. www.appliedgmc.com/index.itml
Were you guys rolling west out of Phoenix Friday night? Pretty uncommon to see two GMC motor homes in a convoy.....
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures We had ourselves a convoy! Yep, that was Adam and I. LOL
The Wolfe Fam 😂 That’s great! I just watched your video last week, otherwise I wouldn’t have thought twice. I was riding my motorcycle from Colorado Springs to San Diego. Hope you had a great trip.
Tom's Tinkering and Adventures Safe travels, Tom! Maybe we'll catch you on the flip side.
6:00 Welcome to Oklahoma and our wonderful roads!
Looks like you guys lucked out on the deal anyhow, as I did with my truck, with no major breakdowns along the way. When I got home, I had my truck checked out and was told that it had a bad radiator. Now that's one thing that you wouldn't want to conk out on you along the way. But mine didn't even run hot. Did you guys have a mechanic go over it once you got it home?
Jim Ervin Yep. He's had a couple of mechanics make some miscellaneous repairs and have done a bunch of upgrades, like installing fuel injection. The coach runs really well. I have a ton of content that I'll post soon.
That's good. I wouldn't mind having one of those motorhomes, myself, if I had about 25 feet of space to park it.
Ok I'm I'm coming from the uk to Washington state , to buy one of these, I'm then going to drive it to Baltimore , I have one question , how do yo empty the grey and black tanks ?
fradaja your previous owner should have the hose for you to drain with. Easy open and close valve system.
I've always wondered if there's a way to start a process of isolating one rattle... and the next... and eventually get pretty close to no rattles.
1983 Winnebago from Arizona now in Connecticut bought in 2011 for $1250 no rust a little care runs great
Daniel Farley That's great! I follow a Winnebago group on Facebook. I really like those.
Epic video guys!
xbox360rulz Thanks!!!
great video ! Just curious why you guys did not run the generator so you could power the roof air conditioners?
Dave Roe We did. It worked like a champ, but we were driving into the sun on a 100+ degree day. It just couldn't keep up. Since then, he got his dash AC to work which helps a lot.
Awesome vid!
Thanks!
Let me tell the "Rest of the Story". I hope it's not too long. I was 19 in '74 when I worked at Forrester RV. I was an hourly flunky that did everything the commissioned mechanics didn't get paid for. That meant I did all the fun stuff like drive new GMC motorhomes to fill them up with gas and propane before delivery. The dealership had a used '74 yellow "Painted Desert" 26 footer they would rent out to hunters during deer season. We had a regular client in Lubbock, and I would drive "Old Yeller" down on Friday and bring it back on Monday. Coming back on the north side of Lubbock, I fell in behind three frat brothers with Tech stickers on the back window of a Mustang, Camaro, and a Fairlane. This was before Interstate 27 went in, it was still Hwy 87 with a 55 MPH speed limit. These frat brothers were in a hurry, and I matched their speed between 60 and 80 in between towns. Getting closer to Amarillo, I guess they decided to give me the shake. Old Yeller had a strong 455, and we got up to 105 MPH before they gave up. That 455 was still pulling hard as we came into the south end of Canyon. They turned into West Texas State University, I guess they had dates with some sorority sisters. I'm sure glad there wasn't a radar unit on the road that day. I have always been impressed with the engineering of the GMC motorhome. Their power, speed, ride comfort, and handling has never been matched. Kudos to those of you that keep them alive...Ken
Ken Hanson Thanks, Ken!
Are you going to install a more modern motor? Hey, that 6.2 L out of the GMC Sierra would be nice.
TheSearchandfind The motor in this one runs like it's brand new. He just recently installed fuel injection to modernize it.
Drove it up to Flagstaff last weekend where in 14miles you gain 4000 feet. It did really well. FI is a must.
That would not work since these are front wheel drive.
Nice motor home , they should make it again.
I agree!!
I think that they ARE making it again..... ?
th-cam.com/video/ont6u1c0dpM/w-d-xo.htmlm48s
My parents have a 73 with the Olds 455 and TH425 trans, it was full updated and tuned up a few years back by Alex Sirunm GMC 1800 HWY 70 East, Okeechobee, FL 34972, United States and it looks amazing.
Derek Joon That's awesome!
The previous owner obviously did some maintenance on the rig...has the engine/transmission been over hauled? Nice coach, just subscribed!
I don't think Adam found any receipts indicating anything was rebuilt, but both are super strong. It's a nice, quiet, smooth ride.
Tranny was rebuilt in 1995. Engine has never been cracked open which I love, all original and runs fantastic!
adam burleson qqql
That's awesome man! I've personally never been as big a fan of the GMC motorhomes. I prefer the more classic style rear wheel drive motorhomes with less windows. But man, that thing cruises down the interstate like it was born to do that!
Random Stuff In Oregon -It literally drives like a Cadillac. They’re impressive.
Adam is a cutie. That smile and those dimples.
we just had a guy here in portland, OR selling exact GMC looked like it was off show room floor amazing condition
Awesome video!
I know this is an old video but I spotted one of those in a yard in Pahrump Nevada today
0:00 HEY this is Mike Mozart of JeepersMedia and TH-cam bringing you the coolest products of yesterday and today!
You guys are awesome. Fantastic journey and fantastic vid too!
Nick Wilczynski Thanks, Nick! I appreciate the nice comment!!!
This was fun to watch!
TheRealCobraBurnout Thanks for the nice comment!
Was that your first time you driving a motor home? You seemed very comfortable behind the wheel.Looking to buy one of these but have never driven a class A.
Not sure if that was Adam’s first time, but these are really easy to drive.
It’s also a lot smaller (dimensionally) than almost any class c or class b Motorhome, but It packs all of the amenities though:.. onboard generator, shower, air, sleeps 4-6, etc
so did they go family style at the end?
Bad moon on the rise...what! It's actually "there's a bathroom on the right". Jeesh
Those are cool old motorhomes, I see them on Ebay sometimes
Wide World of Trains They are cool, but it takes a lot of work to keep them moving.
8:27 breaking bad lady!! Ahahahahhahaha !!!!
Soooo cool!
Hello and gave you a Thumbs Up !
bluesharp59 Thank you!
@@TheWolfeFam
You are welcome and you all have fun.
MPG ?
Did you Calculate the MPG in the End ?
& at What Average Speed Please ?
We didn’t check. They get around 6-10 mpg, at around 55-65 mph. It’s not the gas that will empty your wallet, it’s the maintenence...
I averaged 10.1 mpg. Ranged from 7.6 to 12.08. Lowest in the Smokies and highest was heading down hill into Duluth from St. Paul.
Wanderlust Estate I really liked watching your GMC adventures. I have a ton of content, but just haven't had time to edit it. Are you still in California?
Wanderlust Estate I really liked watching your GMC adventures. I have a ton of content, but just haven't had time to edit it. Are you still in California?
Yes, if you're here to we should get together. I could use a GMC fix. Haha. I really wish that I could have afforded to keep and finish mine. Now I will watch yours, so you gotta put them out.
Bought one last January.
Awesome! Maybe we’ll see you at a rally.
@@TheWolfeFam Afraid not, my wife was recently diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Probably be selling the motorhome.
I totally agree. The one drawback about the desire to travel in a GMC is that you don’t count all of your great experiences you countdown to your next break down. That to me is pretty sad.
Maintenence, Maintenence, Maintenence. The coaches are 40+ years old and many owners let them sit for years at a time. They just need a lot of love, attention, and money...
How Fun! Thanks!
Maybe add a short description of your itinerary, or a time-list? 5 minutes into the video, I WILL finish, but it's not quite clear where you came from you're headed. ;-)
Was that Ozzy at the start of the video??
Joshua Rialto yes. Ozzy is a huge fan of the classic GMC Motorhome.
@@TheWolfeFam Ozzy has way more modern. I actually met him and his driver gave me a tour of his class A here in San Diego.
Burt Hulbert That's cool!! He toured in one of these back in the 70s
@@TheWolfeFam that's nice history. Speaking of history Ozzy is a big ww2 buff. Videos out the ying yang in his class A.
I like how you pay the plane as you’re boarding. I do the same thing.
Paying respect ✊ 😎
@6:08 WOW thats light asf for 4am it usually gets light around 7 here lol
The time stamps are from the time zone we started in... I guess it could have been a couple of hours ahead depending on how far east we were at the time.
My wife and I have two revcons a ‘73 and a ‘75. The gmc motorhome was partly based on the revcon design.
pdx650 I love those early Revcons!!
@@TheWolfeFam And, as you know (I'm guessing) they are the flat noses. Slant noses were new in '78.
pdx650 Yea, I saw one this weekend in California. The other one I like is the Cortez. I saw one last year that someone widened by 1'. I can't believe the work it took to do that.
@@TheWolfeFam My wife and I have a few things like a '53 Spartanette Tandem, a '63 GMC Carryall. Before Lawsons' Landing, Dillon Beach, CA closed down as a trailer residential June 2016, there were people that had been living there for decades in their trailers. California, in it's infinite wisdom said, we're shutting this place down for good and turning it into a park and weekend getaway place. The only remaining long term resident that was able to stay in his Spartan trailer is because he has been in a wheel chair since he was a child. I forget his name, but we had dinner with him and he is a really good guy. My wife found out about the place closing and we were able to buy two 43 foot long 1953 Spartan Royal Mansions for cheap.
pdx650 I just googled that. Looks like a beautiful place! Spartans are cool as well!
Is that the original interior on this motorhome?
I believe everything except the fabric is original. This coach ran surprisingly smooth. It actually continues to run really good. They’ve been out and about the Southwest all summer in it.
@@TheWolfeFam when I get one I'd like to have a few pictures of the interior especially the wood grain. Love the color
steven saxon Sure! Most all of them came with Formica and surprisingly most all are still in great shape. Formica was hip back then and still holds up today.
@@TheWolfeFam I wonder if that was the case. I have a table made of that from the 40-50's an still looks new.
steven saxon yep. If the gmc was garaged or stored under a canopy they’ll look like a time capsule.
Awwww I soooooo want one of these. I'd love to "downsize" and live small in this and ditch my house
Do you mind me asking what it cost to buy this! Its a really cool old motorhome!
Michael Durkan I'm not sure exactly how much he paid, but they probably average between $5k-$20k. Don't be fooled by those that are lower in price, they'll eat at your time and your wallet. Consider joining some of the Facebook groups and you'll see many posted for sale.
8:08 Duuuuude!!!
😂😆🤣😂😆🤣😂😆🤣😂😆🤣
I fell off my chair
Sam LSD Hahaha! That was a lot of fun!
So if I subscribe and watch this channel are you going to rebuild this GMC?
How is it 2000 miles from Oklahoma to Arizona?
Sean Fyodorovich 1000 by plane and car there and 1000 back to Az.
Did you add cats to the exhaust?
Aaron ___ No, not yet.
I think that's more a ben 10 RV than BB
that ring you pulled out from beside the driver seat with all the holes in it I believe you put that over your lug nuts on your wheels so that the lug wrench does not scratch the paint or sometimes the Chrome of a MAG wheel when they take the lug nuts off and on. It's just a wheel protector. but you'll have to get it and put it over the lug nuts to see if I'm right or if I'm a twit
I think it had to do with the ignition. The previous owner must have narrowed down some intermittent problems to the ignition but never got around to installing the new parts.
@@TheWolfeFam maybe it was smaller than I thought? Yeah there is an HEI ring on top of the distributor that looks like that oops oh well. I always tried to get with my experience
@@TheWolfeFam I was about 14 or so when these were brand-new maybe younger and I always wanted one because I'm always been a GM truck fan. not to mention they were cool fiberglass like a Corvette and all the other motor homes were stamped tin.... I'm jealous but I'll survive since I now have two 1976 Harvest motorhomes, one class A1 & one Class C.I got them both essentially free do some horse-trading and a guy owed me a debt that I would never see again so he gave me his motor home. The class C is 3 axle. Anyway good luck with your project that's a badass find.
Chet's Jug Thanks. And thanks for lending some advice!
Guys, why didn't you fire up the gen-set and run the air conditioner on the roof? That's what most GMCers do since the engine driven dash a/c isn't very good. I own a 74 GMC Eleganza II.
Richard Brown we did when got to AZ. We actually had beautiful weather most of the way!!
What I mean is that it's possible to run the genset while moving. I've done that more than once when the GMC was in use. Because of health, it's been parked for a few years.
Richard Brown we had it running the whole time while driving through the desert. It was still really hot.
How did she ride?
Caleb Grill -Like a Cadillac!
You can run the generator while you are driving to use the roof ACs
Attention 2 Detail Automotive Towing And Detailing Yep, both rear ACs were running.