Body Work/Painting

[gary miller]

Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could not
be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case you
have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast

 

[thomas g. warner]

You cannot get some of the modules in or out without removing the back panel.

>Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
>the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could not
>be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
>remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
>reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case you
>have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[richard bachert]

Gary, That panel is probably the last thing they installed during coach
construction. Made moving the appliances and furniture in a snap. I
suppose you could fill up those screw heads -- if you never want to remove
that panel.
BTW, my 75 PB has a ripcord at the top of the rear window for that
once-in-a-lifetime emergency situation where you MIGHT need to get out of
the coach and all forward egress is blocked. I suspect this is a standard
safety feature on all GMCs. Pull it and the glass can be pushed from the
frame, providing a very large opening for escape.
Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

>Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
>the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could not
>be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
>remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
>reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case you
>have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>
>

 

[david l greenberg]

On Sat, 03 Apr 1999 17:06:34 -0800 Gary Miller
writes:
>Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
>the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could
>not
>be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
>remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
>reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case
>you
>have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
Alex Sirum has already done this ith a stretch he is working on. It has
no back window and is solid. Looks good. I would want a camera there and
I suppose he will do that when and if he ever finishes that coach!
He says he would like to finish it in time to attend the GMC/WS rally,
aka "The Chernoff" Raly in Albuquerque in October.

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
and Boston Homes, Inc.
800-827-9989

 

[jim bounds1]

Dave,
I have been involved with paint work where the screw holes were covered
with no problem. I plan to fill the screw holes on my coach when we get to
paint. The rear panel seam is another situation.

The rear panel is not load bearing in that the body has its own strength
without the rear panel. Therefore, the rear panel is screwed onto the rear
of the solid structure and is not locked in. The joint gives with the roll
of the body and I feel filler in this area would crack. I do not know this
in that I have not done it and tracked the results. Has anyone else have
any experiance with this?

Jim Bounds
- --------------------

>On Sat, 03 Apr 1999 17:06:34 -0800 Gary Miller
>writes:
>>Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
>>the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could
>>not
>>be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
>>remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
>>reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case
>>you
>>have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
>>Gary
>>'77 Kingsley
>>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>Alex Sirum has already done this ith a stretch he is working on. It has
>no back window and is solid. Looks good. I would want a camera there and
>I suppose he will do that when and if he ever finishes that coach!
>He says he would like to finish it in time to attend the GMC/WS rally,
>aka "The Chernoff" Raly in Albuquerque in October.
>
>
> David Lee Greenberg
>GMC Motorhome Registry
> and Boston Homes, Inc.
> 800-827-9989
>
>
Jim Bounds/Co-op Motor Works Orlando www.gmccoop.com

 

[thom hole]

I had to take off the rear hatch to put in my bathroom module and I learned
alot from that experience. First, as you had guessed the funny bolts that
hold it on are not only difficult to deal with (due to rust) but also a
source for water leaks into the coach. I replaced mine with some slick
inserts and S S screws from Jim Bounds. I also found out that there is
fair amount of flexing that takes place because it is a fiberglass panel
that is attached to three other fiberglass panels. This caused me to try
to seal it up from the inside. I sealed the entire seam and all of the
inside hole when the screw/inserts come through. Everything seemed good
to/at/ and back from Myrtle Beach, but not so! The flexing cause some of
the sealant (acrylic, not Silicone) to loose it's seal and let water in
this last weekend. I'm going to try to reseal it with more material (
ijust used a small bead before) and see if that will do it. Will keep
informed...th

>Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has
>the rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could not
>be filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also
>remove sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no
>reason to remove this panel except for an accident and in that case you
>have big problems anyway. All comments welcome!!
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>

 

[arild jensen]

I sealed the entire seam and all of the
>inside hole when the screw/inserts come through. Everything seemed good
>to/at/ and back from Myrtle Beach, but not so! The flexing cause some of
>the sealant (acrylic, not Silicone) to loose it's seal and let water in
>this last weekend. I'm going to try to reseal it with more material (
>ijust used a small bead before) and see if that will do it.

Try a boat product like sikaflex or 3M product called 5200. these
sealants are intended for flexing and permanent water tight applications
on underwater thru hull fittings.
WEST Marine and other boat supply places will stock this stuff.

In twenty years of using them I have never had a leak. Please note these
are permanent.

If you intend to open the hatch later then use the 3M brand called 3400
which is for use on fittings which are removable. Started using it last
year so cannot give long life results.

Cheers

Arild

 

[bartz paul]

Tom:

Another option that Bobby Moore used to seal the rear panel was to obtain
appropriately sized (so it is slightly compressed) vacuum hose (it takes
something on the order of 24' if I recall correctly) and stuff it into the
joint. No more leaks for him for the past several years. It also reacts to
all the flexure you've noticed/mention.

It is so obscure, because the panel joint is so deep, that unless someone
points it out, you don't know the hose is there.

Paul Bartz

From: Thom Hole [mailto:THHOLE]
Sent: Monday, April 05, 1999 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Body Work/Painting

I had to take off the rear hatch to put in my bathroom module and I learned
a lot from that experience. First, as you had guessed the funny bolts that
hold it on are not only difficult to deal with (due to rust) but also a
source for water leaks into the coach. I replaced mine with some slick
inserts and S S screws from Jim Bounds. I also found out that there is fair
amount of flexing that takes place because it is a fiberglass panel that is
attached to three other fiberglass panels. This caused me to try to seal it
up from the inside. I sealed the entire seam and all of the inside hole
when the screw/inserts come through. Everything seemed good to/at/ and back
from Myrtle Beach, but not so! The flexing cause some of the sealant
(acrylic, not Silicone) to loose it's seal and let water in this last
weekend. I'm going to try to reseal it with more material (I just used a
small bead before) and see if that will do it. Will keep informed...th

Is there any reason why the rear panel of the GMC (the panel that has the
rear window) and the multiple screws that hold it in place could not be
filled in to the rest of the body to give a clean look and also remove
sources of potential leaks??? Seems that there would be no reason to remove
this panel except for an accident and in that case you have big problems
anyway. All comments welcome!!

Gary

 

[jim bounds1]

Arild,
As a bit of input on the sealants you are using, I would not suggest using
Sikaflex or 5200 under the side rails. These products while really
sticling and usually making a water tight seal are as much adhesives as
they are sealants and will absolutly bond the rail to the body. You may
think this to be OK, but what if a leak comes back, the adhesive side of
the material will not allow you to remove the rails without destroying it.
I know because I have a coach in right now that had the rails Sikaflexed on.

If anyone noticed at the Myrtle Beach rally, there were no rails on my
coach- I gave them to the restoration job to make it whole! The origional
rails had to be cut out from the body and thus were bent out of recognition!

Anyone out there have a set of rails they don't need, I sure do!!!

Jim Bounds
- -------------------------

> I sealed the entire seam and all of the
>>inside hole when the screw/inserts come through. Everything seemed good
>>to/at/ and back from Myrtle Beach, but not so! The flexing cause some of
>>the sealant (acrylic, not Silicone) to loose it's seal and let water in
>>this last weekend. I'm going to try to reseal it with more material (
>>ijust used a small bead before) and see if that will do it.
>
>Try a boat product like sikaflex or 3M product called 5200. these
>sealants are intended for flexing and permanent water tight applications
>on underwater thru hull fittings.
>WEST Marine and other boat supply places will stock this stuff.
>
>In twenty years of using them I have never had a leak. Please note these
>are permanent.
>
>If you intend to open the hatch later then use the 3M brand called 3400
>which is for use on fittings which are removable. Started using it last
>year so cannot give long life results.
>
>Cheers
>
>Arild
>
>
Jim Bounds / Co-op Motor Works Orlando www.gmccoop.com