Drinking the Koolaide... ;-)

Installed the first ceiling panel with proper trim. It only takes two 4x8 luan sheets to fill the front "living" area. Yes, I will cover the panels with Sunbrella fabric, but I needed to get something installed so that the coach didn't look so decrepit with the foam exposed. The panels will drop easily when I get around to covering them. At that time I will straighten-out the end of the retaining track that is slightly off-angle.

I have to get rid of the TV antenna one of these days....
Open photo
Open photo
Open photo

I'm not trying to build the best coach; I'm just trying to get it to a condition where I don't have to be embarrassed to have someone looking at it ("my gosh, it looks trashed!"). THEN, the stylistic upgrades can begin.... Getting there.... :D

Update 6/17:

Installed a second 4ft ceiling panel. I had to remove the kitchen overhead cabinet (that thing is old and falling apart). Two 4ft panels perfectly fill the the space from the end of the front cap to the wall containing the vacuum cleaner (if it was still there). Now to decide if I'm going to remove the fridge cabinet to properly install the last panel, or just trim around the cabinet (easier, but less satisfying). That cabinet will be modified at some point anyway....
IMG_20240615_185741830.jpg
When the panels come down to be covered in fabric, I will have to trim the end of the rear panel a bit shorter so as to remove that gap in height where two panels meet.

1000000758.jpg
I kind of like not having overhead cabinets as they get in the way a bit (I'm 6' 1.5"), so the kitchen cabinet may stay out. Do I really need a stove exhaust fan?

Yes, I'm moving slow. I have just enough time in an afternoon to do one panel and clean-up, then transport the vehicle back to storage for the night.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dsmithy, Kendra and pvfjr
Clearance Lights

While I was originally going to use standard wedge lights (replace broken lenses) with LED replacement bulbs, I'm now looking at other options.
There are also solar-charged (no wires) traditional wedge lights, but as I live in the PNW, sun isn't always available.🤣

Update Sept 2024:

Installed Grote LED clearance lights.
1726169115605.jpeg
I used Rivnut Plusnuts with M4 screws to secure the corner lights near the side seam. Used 8-32 screws with fender washers and nuts everywhere else but clearance is too tight for the washers in the corners. I may redo the center lights using the plus-nuts...
1729016561711.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Tybalt39 said:
Clearance Lights

While I was originally going to use standard wedge lights (replace broken lenses) with LED replacement bulbs, I'm now looking at other options.
There are also solar-charged (no wires) traditional wedge lights, but as I live in the PNW, sun isn't always available.🤣

The dots are interesting, but if I stay with the traditional wedge-shape, I'll probably pay the up-charge to get the color-changing/chasing lights. Picture the vehicle camped out in the country, at an event; low-intensity orange lights "breathing" slowly to help me find my coach late at night.😁
Click to expand...
That would be great! Post final results. Due to holes already in roof I was not sure about alternative lights.

Vw work this year…. Next fall and spring I hope to get back after the gmc. And hope nothing major breaks on this year trips. Lights, body pads, some airline work, new air cleaner, generator. List is long, but clearance lights should be a easy thing.

Glad mr T lives on! Still hoping for a selfie!
 
pvfjr said:
He could start out at the Country Fair to give them a trial run. It's much closer. I'm certain Mr. T would be a hit too!
Click to expand...
LOL!
I have been told by a board member for OCF that I should take the coach and "camp" at the reserved spaces across the road.... I was acquainted with the gentleman who has been in charge of electronics and communication for that site for a few decades.

I tend to do more SCA and pirate-type events. :LOL:

I suppose I need to find the original T-shirt art from which the side decal was created, then incorporate it somehow into the decor (spare tire cover?), so that when I eventually put my own art on the sides, there is still a reminder of the current well-known art....
 
  • Like
Reactions: pvfjr
For those still running 16.5" steel wheels (radial), what are you using to balance them? If "standard" rim weights are used, the wheel covers won't stay on. I see there is a style of weight called "CAX" that was used on Toronados, El Dorados, and other "classic" vehicles. Apparently, they had an offset on the mount that allowed the wheel cover to latch. They are still available NOS on eBay, but I have no idea what size to purchase.

Thoughts? Other than "buy new 16-in. solid wheels" as I just spent over $2K on seven Transforce tires and another $500 on the steel wheels to "round and scrape" to make them "true"....😖 (This was before I knew about Ion and Alcoa wheels...)

All of this is because my wheel covers won't stay on with front weights installed. Can I just cut the spring "fingers" in front of the balancing weights as a kludge?

July 3rd:
The truing/balancing worked wonders! The coach is now stable at 60+mph. If only I could use my wheel-covers....
 
Last edited:
Camera systems update!

Over the weekend I installed turn-signal cameras to eliminate blind-spots when changing lanes or turning. I used a four-camera system I had, combined with a low-profile Android Auto screen with video input. So far, only two cameras have been mounted and wired; still looking for a good spot to mount the rear camera with obstruction/proximity warning.

I'm experimenting with a low-cost Android Auto/CarPlay unit from Amazon.
I have two rear-facing small streamlined cameras installed at the front wheel-wells. Because of how the cables are routed in the camera body, the camera has to be mounted in-front of the wheel (normally mounted behind the wheels where the doors open, but...). Yes, the camera housings are paintable and IP rated against water intrusion.

cameras.jpg1719849373799.jpegIMG_20240630_195942667~2.jpgIMG_20240630_191853709~2.jpgIMG_20240630_191910604~2.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Kendra
Tybalt39 said:
For those still running 16.5" steel wheels (radial), what are you using to balance them? If "standard" rim weights are used, the wheel covers won't stay on. I see there is a style of weight called "CAX" that was used on Toronados, El Dorados, and other "classic" vehicles. Apparently, they had an offset on the mount that allowed the wheel cover to latch. They are still available NOS on eBay, but I have no idea what size to purchase.

Thoughts? Other than "buy new 16-in. solid wheels" as I just spent over $2K on seven Transforce tires and another $500 on the steel wheels to "round and scrape" to make them "true"....😖 (This was before I knew about Ion and Alcoa wheels...)

All of this is because my wheel covers won't stay on with front weights installed. Can I just cut the spring "fingers" in front of the balancing weights as a kludge?
Click to expand...
I was running counter act balance beads on the rear. And then did airsoft beads in the front. Surprisingly worked very well for the life of that set of tires. When I switched from the steel rims to My alcoa’s…. Tire place easily balanced with weights on the inside.
 
Perhaps I need to start buying an ION from Applied (hub-centric version) every year. Then, when the current tires age-out, I will have 16" wheels to swap-out.... 😁
 
Refrigerator Cabinet:

Looking at this picture taken from another thread, it seems there is no space to be recovered by using a more narrow fridge; the wheel-well takes all of the available width. I had planned on rebuilding the cabinet but more narrow, then using the saved space for storage (camp chairs, etc.). Perhaps I could still build a narrow cabinet, but use the original footprint and access the now deeper storage using the same idea as original; door on the side?

Thoughts?
1720048038753.jpeg
 
Tybalt39 said:
Perhaps I need to start buying an ION from Applied (hub-centric version) every year. Then, when the current tires age-out, I will have 16" wheels to swap-out.... 😁
Click to expand...
Don't know if I'd do that. What if they change the model or stop producing the model you started out with. Suddenly you can't buy a match to what you already have. I bought 6 Alcoa's with the intention of getting one spare sometime in the future. Then Alcoa decided not to make any more of that model. Now I. have one odd ball rim that is a PIA to rotate in. JWIT
 
I recently purchased 7 Ion wheels and eight Cooper tires.
My 76 Palmbeach has Alco's and the 78 Kingsley had 16.5 steel wheels.
I was replacing the tires on the Palmbeach two at a time every two years.
I used the tires removed from the Palmbeach as spares for both GMC's
When tires were balanced, the weights did not stick to the new Ion's surface.
Returned to tire shop and they cleaned the surface with brake cleaner before sticky on weights. Jim K.'s suggestion.
After banging around installing wheels on the Kingsley I knocked a weight off the Ion wheel.
Decided to go with balance beads (air soft).
How much weight do you put in each tire. I had up to 3 1/2 oz of weights on the Ions.
One of the Alco's had four oz of weight.
I live in a very small community in Wyoming and half of the streets are gravel.
I noticed that the new tires had picked up several pebbles in the tire tread. I picked the pebbles out and weighted them. 1 1/2 oz of random weight on the tires.
I decided to put seven oz in each tire.
 
Bhart said:
I recently purchased 7 Ion wheels and eight Cooper tires.
My 76 Palmbeach has Alco's and the 78 Kingsley had 16.5 steel wheels.
I was replacing the tires on the Palmbeach two at a time every two years.
I used the tires removed from the Palmbeach as spares for both GMC's
When tires were balanced, the weights did not stick to the new Ion's surface.
Returned to tire shop and they cleaned the surface with brake cleaner before sticky on weights. Jim K.'s suggestion.
After banging around installing wheels on the Kingsley I knocked a weight off the Ion wheel.
Decided to go with balance beads (air soft).
How much weight do you put in each tire. I had up to 3 1/2 oz of weights on the Ions.
One of the Alco's had four oz of weight.
I live in a very small community in Wyoming and half of the streets are gravel.
I noticed that the new tires had picked up several pebbles in the tire tread. I picked the pebbles out and weighted them. 1 1/2 oz of random weight on the tires.
I decided to put seven oz in each tire.
Click to expand...
I had found several charts on-line from commercial tire bead companies that showed for 225-75R16 tires to use 4oz. So I installed 4 oz of air soft beads. I've had a shake between 60-70mph for years and nothing has fixed it. I'm thinking that 4oz is too little, maybe 6oz?

I had commercial glass tire beads, but they started shaking until I went over a railway track, then it was better. I was thinking there was water or something clumping them together that the RR track shock broke up. So I went to regular weights and dynamic balancing... but they left my air pressure sensors OFF when balancing!! bad shake... IDIOTs said it would make no difference. rebalanced at my cost...Still shakes. So I went to air soft beads, no difference. New tires and commercial beads, no difference. I've also changed the disk rear brake system, no difference.

At a loss here.
 
Bruce,
Ours have ION's from JimK and 5oz of airsoft beads in Cooper HT3's. Smooth as silk at any speed. I think you must have a bad tire or moisture in them somehow. (and then, of course, I reread your post so my comment's garbage.) At a loss here as well.
 
I would rather have more than enough balance beads in the tire to compensate for random pebbles that are picked up in the thread. The excess beads would just feather out inside the tire.
 
Get your shine on at www.cruzingear.co
Applied GMC

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom
Back