1973 GMC 26' Glacier Build

[tmsnyder]

Yes the fit was good, it was tricky for me because I have not swapped one out before and my radiator frame is far from perfect. As far as cost, I paid $815 and I just looked, he is up to (Holy Sh$t)) $999.98 for it!

I'm going to need a radiator. The plan I'm leaning toward is to use an older GMC/Chevy pickup truck radiator. They are the right width but not as tall and dirt cheap for an aluminum replacement radiator. They were big enough for an 80s big block back in the day. Then fill in the remaining height with an aftermarket oil cooler for the engine oil. They come in all sizes. So the overall engine cooling (oil + coolant) area will end up the same. That's my tentative plan anyway. TBD Probably won't touch it until mine poops the bed, it's leaking a little right now so could be soon, it's due.

When it comes to it though I may just buy the $1000 aluminum one b/c that's not bad really.

 

[ScottC]

I'm going to need a radiator. The plan I'm leaning toward is to use an older GMC/Chevy pickup truck radiator. They are the right width but not as tall and dirt cheap for an aluminum replacement radiator. They were big enough for an 80s big block back in the day. Then fill in the remaining height with an aftermarket oil cooler for the engine oil. They come in all sizes. So the overall engine cooling (oil + coolant) area will end up the same. That's my tentative plan anyway. TBD Probably won't touch it until mine poops the bed, it's leaking a little right now so could be soon, it's due.

When it comes to it though I may just buy the $1000 aluminum one b/c that's not bad really.

I know Jim over at the COOP is using Tahoe radiators but I had already purchased mine before he posted something about it.

I am sure you know but the Superior I bought from Jim K has Oil & Tranny cooler built in and I am using both plus an additional stack plate cooler for tranny.

 

[tmsnyder]

I know Jim over at the COOP is using Tahoe radiators but I had already purchased mine before he posted something about it.

I am sure you know but the Superior I bought from Jim K has Oil & Tranny cooler built in and I am using both plus an additional stack plate cooler for tranny.

Yes he is, but they must be removing the radiator support in order to do this b/c the new radiator is significantly wider than the old one. The snowball from this isn't something I want to get into. Keeping it in the same support with the hoses in about the same spot seems the simplest.

 

[ScottC]

Used some "chicken wire" to protect new radiator, I plan on using the same behind the grille once I get the cracks in it fixed up.

 

[ScottC]

Been busy busy but as some of you saw on the headlight fastener thread I was changing headlights out for the Toyota/Lexus headlight kit with H4 bulbs below is a picture of the kit part #, I was able to do a national part search, find the cheapest price and then have them shipped for free to my nearest Toyota dealer, I paid $45 including tax.

 

[ScottC]

The first issue was when original headlights were removed I immediately saw I needed new adjusters. I started a thread about the fasteners and Tom McManus stepped in and gave me the link I needed, thanks again Tom!

FASTENER KIT, Head Light Adjusters, (14) incl adjuster assemblies, rivets and springs, OE-correct repro - #C-2737-220AK - National Parts Depot

Buy part #C-2737-220AK FASTENER KIT, Head Light Adjusters, (14) incl adjuster assemblies, rivets and springs, OE-correct repro for your classic 1974-1976 Firebird from National Parts Depot. Free shipping on orders over $300, fast delivery & everyday low pricing! Order now!

www.npdlink.com

 

[ScottC]

As others have stated you do need to modify the headlight bucket for this kit, I did take it a little further, this makes it easier to pull the rubber bulb cover if needed to change bulb without removing headlight.

 

[Matt Colie]

If I could still buy Cibie Z-beams, I would have them in a heartbeat, but alas.....
I'm kind of holding out for LEDs with a good beam pattern at this point.

Fun Fact:
Years back, Cibie came out with world beating and a amazing new fog lights. (Part of the same program that made the Z-beams.) When asked, they admitted that this was all possible as the result of a single technological development. Do you know what that development was??
It was artificial fog!
This was a stable and reliable means to evaluate the value of beam patterns.
They hung cheese cloth at 1m intervals in an light testing tunnel.

There's your trivia for the day.

Matt

 

[pvfjr]

They hung cheese cloth at 1m intervals in an light testing tunnel.

That's clever! I like it. Discrete layers are so much more valuable for evaluation than a 3D blog of fog too. A guy could really construct a decent model of the beam pattern like this. Thanks for sharing today's trivia tidbit.

 

[ScottC]

If I could still buy Cibie Z-beams, I would have them in a heartbeat, but alas.....
I'm kind of holding out for LEDs with a good beam pattern at this point.

Fun Fact:
Years back, Cibie came out with world beating and a amazing new fog lights. (Part of the same program that made the Z-beams.) When asked, they admitted that this was all possible as the result of a single technological development. Do you know what that development was??
It was artificial fog!
This was a stable and reliable means to evaluate the value of beam patterns.
They hung cheese cloth at 1m intervals in an light testing tunnel.

There's your trivia for the day.

Matt

Here is a picture of the Koito Glass on the bulb if you wanted to compare.

 

[ScottC]

Hope everybody had a wonderful holiday and your year is off to a great start. I have been off and on with the coach so I will try an catch up a bit, here is a picture with the new lights.

 

[ScottC]

Added some support to broken dash and added my gauges.

 

[ScottC]

Did some polishing of the Alcoa's.

 

[ScottC]

Did not like the look of these caps so I pulled them back off and powder coated the center caps matte black and much happier. Just gotta keep the nuts from rusting, lol

 

[tmsnyder]

Lots of work. Good job! Good looking radiator!

 

[ScottC]

Air cleaner snorkel and hatch mod with 1/8 inch piece of steel.

 

[ScottC]

Sticking with the Black & White theme took the silver tape off of grille & headlight bezels, removed adhesive with vinegar, repaired some cracks with fiberglass & ABS glue them painted them matte black.

 

[ScottC]

Added GMC logo to grille, not sure how others did it but I used a little heat to get the correct bend angle, messed up another one using to much heat (chrome foil wrinkled), used 2 part plastic bonder to attach to elevator bolts then a conduit holder to secure.

 

[ScottC]

I jump around a bit to keep my sanity, I started tearing out my wheel wells, generator box and propane box and upgrade to fiberglass units I picked up. They are hard to make out but there are several dated comments from assembly line on the inside of the propane box. I though it was a cool Easter egg,

 

[ScottC]

From the day I got this coach home there was a few things I could not figure out. First thing noticed was the PO cut fresh holes where the stove vent would be and a fridge vent access panel below. I thought ok he wanted to move the fridge to that side, but why? Then the bath vent was capped, the fart fan was removed and capped and a 14" fan was installed but a 14" hole was cut in the bathroom where the fart fan was (look at photos). The wet bath was installed but I needed to move it so I could replace the wheel well and that is when the discovery was made. When I move the bath out of the way I noticed a second hole in the black tank that has been plugged. It appears the PO planned on moving the bath forward next to the door where the fridge would have been and cut the 14" in the bath ceiling then moved the bath back to factory location. My first question is do the black tanks actually have two holes for different toilet locations? Next question there was never holes for fridge roof vent or vent/access in the side, does this mean the fridge was never there or was it only an electric fridge in some of the 1973 coaches? I am thinking of just putting the bath in the factory location cutting hole in the (new) location of fan in the fiberglass and covering the existing 14" hole with something. Also sealing up the fridge holes and just putting an electric apartment size fridge next to bath.