1976 Eleganza II
- Thread starter tmsnyder
- Start date
Bracket to hold the compressor in place while working on other stuff. One of the worst things to have to deal with imo, hopefully this will make life a little easier.
![20240601_103540[1].webp](https://www.gmcmotorhome.org/data/attachments/10/10665-c7ae882eb496888c234bd31d9499e957.jpg?hash=6yejtGuF1y "20240601_103540[1].webp")
Brand new rebuilt engine, why is there coolant flowing freely out of that pocket as I attempt to fill with coolant? Oh, that would be b/c the engine builder used the wrong water pump gasket!
As Winny the Pooh's Eeyore says 'Time to start starting over again'
![20240530_173957[1].webp](https://www.gmcmotorhome.org/data/attachments/10/10666-f700f630d52c6fab62a9d4032ba22091.jpg?hash=Tf-P6JcWZW "20240530_173957[1].webp")
I found the correct gasket in the leftover gaskets from the builder. Apparently there are three of them in the kit. Two that don't fit, and one that does, depends on your water pump.
Got to use my split fan shroud mod and it worked fantastic! Maybe that should be called the Fan-tastic mod? LOL
As Winny the Pooh's Eeyore says 'Time to start starting over again'
I found the correct gasket in the leftover gaskets from the builder. Apparently there are three of them in the kit. Two that don't fit, and one that does, depends on your water pump.
Got to use my split fan shroud mod and it worked fantastic! Maybe that should be called the Fan-tastic mod? LOL
Couple changes to the coach.
1. I'd like to bring along a charcoal grill, however, there is no storage inside as you know, and a charcoal grill is not something I want inside anyway. So I built a small bracket to hold it on the bumper. It's tucked in behind my motorcycle carrier. This should be handy for sites with no fire ring in case we want to have a small fire and roast marshmallows, cook burgers, or maybe even smoke a butt if I have a day to do nothing else but drink beer and keep meat smoking
![20240624_172811[1].webp](https://www.gmcmotorhome.org/data/attachments/10/10845-de37b2628704b706f18955f122d52eeb.jpg?hash=yX-upHvUUJ "20240624_172811[1].webp")
2. We struggle with clothes storage for 5, I filled in the closet with shelves, last weekend we spent some time at Target and found some really cool cubes that fit perfect! And these white nesting soft storage containers are amazing! They literally fit every overhead cabinet, drawer, behind the cubes, ... everywhere perfectly! I don't know how they do that, they were a happy accident. They even fit perfect on the top shelf of the closet behind a bungee cord!
Those white containers nest, so if you put socks in one, you could put underwear in the one on top and it will nest down in the lower one! They fit perfect in the drawers too, so you can keep smaller items organized!
3. In the rear of the coach, I replaced the side facing dinette with a fairly high platform with lots of storage underneath. Unfortunately, the foam mattress and memory foam topper had to be rolled out of the way in order to access the storage. It was usually a wrestling match. Turns out, by coincidence, a crib mattress is 1/3 the size of our mattress. So I glued the memory foam topper to the mattress with Super77, then sliced it up into 1/3s with a bread knife. Target had some nice fitted sheets, we could have gone with Dinosaurs! but instead went with flowers and girly sheets. These are much easier to move around, to put the sheets on, to get at the storage.
Might have to get on Amazon and get some other sheets that match, Target didn't have a ton of options.
1. I'd like to bring along a charcoal grill, however, there is no storage inside as you know, and a charcoal grill is not something I want inside anyway. So I built a small bracket to hold it on the bumper. It's tucked in behind my motorcycle carrier. This should be handy for sites with no fire ring in case we want to have a small fire and roast marshmallows, cook burgers, or maybe even smoke a butt if I have a day to do nothing else but drink beer and keep meat smoking
2. We struggle with clothes storage for 5, I filled in the closet with shelves, last weekend we spent some time at Target and found some really cool cubes that fit perfect! And these white nesting soft storage containers are amazing! They literally fit every overhead cabinet, drawer, behind the cubes, ... everywhere perfectly! I don't know how they do that, they were a happy accident. They even fit perfect on the top shelf of the closet behind a bungee cord!
Those white containers nest, so if you put socks in one, you could put underwear in the one on top and it will nest down in the lower one! They fit perfect in the drawers too, so you can keep smaller items organized!
3. In the rear of the coach, I replaced the side facing dinette with a fairly high platform with lots of storage underneath. Unfortunately, the foam mattress and memory foam topper had to be rolled out of the way in order to access the storage. It was usually a wrestling match. Turns out, by coincidence, a crib mattress is 1/3 the size of our mattress. So I glued the memory foam topper to the mattress with Super77, then sliced it up into 1/3s with a bread knife. Target had some nice fitted sheets, we could have gone with Dinosaurs! but instead went with flowers and girly sheets. These are much easier to move around, to put the sheets on, to get at the storage.
Might have to get on Amazon and get some other sheets that match, Target didn't have a ton of options.
Crown Automotive steering column lower bearing, OEM Part Number 4487696K
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This weekend I added a small shelf in front of the right front wheel, I'm going to be happy to get all those flammable oils stored here instead of next to my propane fired refrigerator. This will be accessible from the passenger side front hatch.
Even though I swore I'd never do it, I've crossed over to the dark side and added a macerator. If it dies and I need to dump by gravity, the Fernco will slide forward to allow me to disconnect the hard pipe from the pump, which then can be reattached temporarily at an angle for the hose to attach.
I'm ejecting through a 3/4" radiator hose
and storing it doubled in half in the existing hose storage tube. The hose does kink on it's way into the storage, and it's kinked where it's folded but it's very soft and should open right up once it's unfolded.
There was a pair of holes in the frame I used to attach the switch behind the generator. It's zip-tied to the excess wire on its own cord folded up on the back side of the frame.
For power, I replaced the compartment light which never is used, with a 12V power port and plugged the macerator pump into it
Even though I swore I'd never do it, I've crossed over to the dark side and added a macerator. If it dies and I need to dump by gravity, the Fernco will slide forward to allow me to disconnect the hard pipe from the pump, which then can be reattached temporarily at an angle for the hose to attach.
I'm ejecting through a 3/4" radiator hose
and storing it doubled in half in the existing hose storage tube. The hose does kink on it's way into the storage, and it's kinked where it's folded but it's very soft and should open right up once it's unfolded.
There was a pair of holes in the frame I used to attach the switch behind the generator. It's zip-tied to the excess wire on its own cord folded up on the back side of the frame.
For power, I replaced the compartment light which never is used, with a 12V power port and plugged the macerator pump into it
Replacing a burned out exhaust donut again, and just for future reference on my coach it takes a Felpro 60241 which is 2-1/8 ID 2-3/4 OD.
One of my to-do list items was to replace my power steering high pressure line. No leaks but it was pretty crusty ! I didn't want to have to try to repair this on the side of the road.
Here is the rubber portion removed from the coach.
A new hose from a similar year Chevy C-30 got me the pump end bend and flexible section needed. It was a Edelmann 70911E Elite Extreme Weather (whatever that's good for?) and was $16 from RockAuto, a little more money than the standard one. I think the standard replacement hose was about $10.
I cut it off and flared the line. I even remembered to put a tubing nut on before flaring!
BTW I highly recommend getting a Mastercool hydraulic flare kit. It makes flaring steel or Copper Nickel lines so much easier.
Then cut off and flared the old steel line, bending it toward the pump after the mounting tab on the frame and joined with a union:
Should be good for a few years again. Hopefully no leaks!
Here is the rubber portion removed from the coach.
A new hose from a similar year Chevy C-30 got me the pump end bend and flexible section needed. It was a Edelmann 70911E Elite Extreme Weather (whatever that's good for?) and was $16 from RockAuto, a little more money than the standard one. I think the standard replacement hose was about $10.
I cut it off and flared the line. I even remembered to put a tubing nut on before flaring!
BTW I highly recommend getting a Mastercool hydraulic flare kit. It makes flaring steel or Copper Nickel lines so much easier.
Then cut off and flared the old steel line, bending it toward the pump after the mounting tab on the frame and joined with a union:
Should be good for a few years again. Hopefully no leaks!
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