Going after a new (to me) GMC

G

Greg C.

Active member
Oct 11, 2019
256
23
28
Good morning. Tomorrow I start a journey most of you have already started, many more than once. I'm driving some 900 miles to inspect and hopefully
purchase a 1977 Royale.

I've put a deposit down to hold it until I can get there. I'm taking tools, engine liquids, Bdub Buyers checklist, vacuum gauge and reading sheet,
AAA RV Premier towing insurance, a co-driver, copy of the Black List,

and anything else I can think of between now and in the morning. I must admit I am very nervous about driving it 900 miles for its initial voyage
under my command. I guess I'm just reaching out here for some

assurances that it might possibly be alright! PO runs it often, last drove it 300 miles in October with no issues.

So wish me luck, and watch out for cries of help!

Thank you.
--
Greg Crawford
Knoxville, TN
 
> I must admit I am very nervous about driving it 900 miles for its
> initial voyage under my command.

My maiden voyage with the Eleganza was from San Diego to Charlottesville
- without a hitch.

Enjoy the drive, stop every hour or so, check fluids and air, and you'll
be good!
--
Best regards

Olly Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
Greg,

You left out important information: Where it is located and your route
home. With that information, some of us might be ready to help if needed
(hopefully not), or offer RON space so you don't have to drive straight
through.

Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, Troy-Bilt APU, etc., etc., etc.
www.gmcwipersetc.com

On Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 9:52 AM Greg Crawford via Gmclist <

> Good morning. Tomorrow I start a journey most of you have already started,
> many more than once. I'm driving some 900 miles to inspect and hopefully
> purchase a 1977 Royale.
>
> I've put a deposit down to hold it until I can get there. I'm taking
> tools, engine liquids, Bdub Buyers checklist, vacuum gauge and reading
> sheet,
> AAA RV Premier towing insurance, a co-driver, copy of the Black List,
>
> and anything else I can think of between now and in the morning. I must
> admit I am very nervous about driving it 900 miles for its initial voyage
> under my command. I guess I'm just reaching out here for some
>
> assurances that it might possibly be alright! PO runs it often, last drove
> it 300 miles in October with no issues.
>
> So wish me luck, and watch out for cries of help!
>
> Thank you.
> --
> Greg Crawford
> Knoxville, TN
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
If the coach has been in regular use, you shouldn't have any problems. One thing you might want to pick up a couple of fuel filters. If the coach
has the stock carburetor, it might be a good idea to change out that filter and check for any additional in line filters that may have been added.

Just keep an eye on the fluids and take it easy. also check the wheel bearing temps when you stop. They shouldn't be TOO hot to the touch at the
center of the wheels.
--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
 
Oops. Driving from Knoxville, Tn to Cleburne TX. Returning via I-20 to I-59
to I-75. Hope to leave early afternoon Monday for the return trip.

> Greg,
>
> You left out important information: Where it is located and your route
> home. With that information, some of us might be ready to help if needed
> (hopefully not), or offer RON space so you don't have to drive straight
> through.
>
> Ken H.
> Americus, GA
> '76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL,
> Manny Brakes & 1-Ton, Troy-Bilt APU, etc., etc., etc.
> www.gmcwipersetc.com
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 26, 2020 at 9:52 AM Greg Crawford via Gmclist <

>
>> Good morning. Tomorrow I start a journey most of you have already
>> started, many more than once. I'm driving some 900 miles to inspect and
>> hopefully
>> purchase a 1977 Royale.
>>
>> I've put a deposit down to hold it until I can get there. I'm taking
>> tools, engine liquids, Bdub Buyers checklist, vacuum gauge and reading
>> sheet,
>> AAA RV Premier towing insurance, a co-driver, copy of the Black List,
>>
>> and anything else I can think of between now and in the morning. I must
>> admit I am very nervous about driving it 900 miles for its initial voyage
>> under my command. I guess I'm just reaching out here for some
>>
>> assurances that it might possibly be alright! PO runs it often, last
>> drove it 300 miles in October with no issues.
>>
>> So wish me luck, and watch out for cries of help!
>>
>> Thank you.
>> --
>> Greg Crawford
>> Knoxville, TN
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
 
Read this when you get a chance if that engine has not been run for a while.

https://www.gmcmi.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/weidner-starting-engine.pdf

Get the oil and filter changed to a good grade of oil. IMO I'd go with a Wix filter and 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability, synthetic (green
bottle) or 0W40 Mobil 1 “FS” European Car Formula, synthetic. both are rated for excellent wear protection. Walmart has these at pretty reasonable
pricing.

Trans fluid should be nice pink color and free of burning smell.

Radiator full of antifreeze. No visible leaks

Good or new belts.

Tires with date codes of 2014 or newer.

Have a nice trip. Be safe, drive easy.

--
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
 
You are lucky living near Chuck Boyd. He is an excellent GMC mechanic, Posts often on the forum.
Tell Chuck Tom said, "Hi."
Tom
--
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
 
Sounds like your on the right path.....we did the same last year....bring tools, stop get to get fluids etc [which you have mostly covered]. Take it
easy for a while and get use to the noises, the ride, the BRAKES and so forth. Don't forget to check the basic before you roll out with the coach,
like a jack, tire iron, spare with air and the rest of the usual of course.

I gave myself lots of room between cars, watched the gauges religiously stopped regularly to check tires temps/wheel temps [even by hand is fine] and
took our time, and enjoyed the scenery from the big glass :)

Have fun and think of it as an adventure....
--
Rich Mondor,

Brockville, ON

77 Hughes 2600
 
I have moved quite a few unknown to me "new purchase" coaches cross country for people in the past. I have never had a major failure or even a flat
tire. I did it because I had time and enjoy the drive. I have never figured out why people in California buy coaches in the Midwest or east, and
people in the east buy coaches from the west coast.

It is good insurance take some basic tools (wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc) Then you will never need to use them.
I have had small stuff break. It is never anything you expect.

Things like a leaking master cylinder. That turned out to be the cover seal.
Broken gas line between the frame and the engine. 6" or 8" piece of 3/8" hose is all it needed. Plus one screw driver for the clamps.

One pair of windshield wiper blades. In stock at NAPA

One heater fan - in stock at AutoZone.

One leaking heater hose at the manifold. I trimed it back and reinstalled it. Put a razor knife and duct tape in your tool kit.

I think the worse one was a coach with rusty gas tanks. It had two inline filters and every day I replace on or the other when it starved out for
gas. If you stop and get them, you will never need them on your way home.

Enjoy your trip, Take some extra time and ride a few secondary highways just for the scenery.

Take a current Black List. Call locally if you have problem or anyone if you just have questions.

Walmart is always a good place for an overnight stay except in the People's Republic of California, Galveston, Grand Junction and a few widely spaced
places. None of which should you be going past.

Have a great trip.

Ken B.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
Greg,

Welcome to the group, family, cult, asylum...

I wish you a boring drive home.

Enjoy the journey.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
You should have no trouble with that '77 Center Kitchen, Rear Bath, Royale.
It is ready to tow your small car to Knoxville.

Good luck! Keep us in the loop. And don't forget to update its pedigree at
www.gmmhregistry.com
bdub

-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist On Behalf Of Greg Crawford via Gmclist
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2020 8:52 AM
Subject: [GMCnet] Going after a new (to me) GMC

Good morning. Tomorrow I start a journey most of you have already started,
many more than once. I'm driving some 900 miles to inspect and hopefully
purchase a 1977 Royale.

I've put a deposit down to hold it until I can get there. I'm taking tools,
engine liquids, Bdub Buyers checklist, vacuum gauge and reading sheet,
AAA RV Premier towing insurance, a co-driver, copy of the Black List,

and anything else I can think of between now and in the morning. I must
admit I am very nervous about driving it 900 miles for its initial voyage
under my command. I guess I'm just reaching out here for some

assurances that it might possibly be alright! PO runs it often, last drove
it 300 miles in October with no issues.
 
I bought two coaches unseen, drove both home without problems to north GA. One from Florida down South of Tampa, one from Los Angeles. For the
Florida one, a friend came with me and followed me back in my minivan. From Los Angeles, I didn't worry because the coach was used regularly and it
was an MBM coach (Maintained by Miguel). Brought it home bobtail without problems.
Now that I have bragged, the next one will probably come from 50 miles away and die on the trip :)

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
 
Well, it was a long trip. Bought the coach on Monday, June 29. Tires which had been described as good tread, a little old, were age cracked severely,
so new tires were obtained after about four hours. Drove it uneventfully to Corsicana, TX, about 90 miles, to a campground for the night.
The next day was horrible. The coach started missing badly as if starving for fuel. It would run a short time, and then miss for for five or ten miles
limiting the speed to about 40. Then clear up for five or ten and repeat the process. I stopped at an autoparts store and obtained a new carburetor
fuel filter. But after stopping, the coach would not start. Thought it was the battery until I checked the voltage. After talking with Chuck Boyd, I
crawled under the coach and smacked the starter with a hammer a few times, and then she started. After I bought another starter, the old one never
failed to start again.

Brakes weren't real good to start with, but then I stupidly left the parking brake on after the starter issue and didn't realize it. Evidently the
warning light does not work. So after a few miles, when I went to stop at a traffic light, I kind of slid halfway through it with the brake pressure
warning light coming on. You should have seen the look at that girl's face who had just pulled out...

Stopped again to get a master cylinder. Coach still missing so badly there was no way I could get it on the interstate. Dumped a few bottles of Heet
in it and filled it up. Seemed to help some. Discovered the brake was on. Took it off and let everything cool back down. I had been checking tire/hub
temps with an infrared gun. Hubs were typically 98 to 104 in 98 degree ambient temperature. But after leaving the brake on, one axle was 148. So it
definitely got hot. After an hour cool down, I had brakes again.

By then, it was getting later in the day. We had bypassed DFW, Longview, Tyler, and Shreveport on some backroads so small there wasn't a divider line
painted on it. And rough. This probably exacerbated whatever sediment/water was floating around in the tanks. I discovered that by reducing throttle
the fuel pump could catch up and it would straighten out. Of course this meant I was doing about 30 over hills.

Pulled into a campground in MS after 14 long, hot hours. I was thoroughly stressed, depressed, and really second guessing my choices.

The next day, third on the road, everything seemed to click right along. Got on the interstate and rolled at 60-65 for an hour and a half before the
missing started. It missed a little, and then straightened up. We drove for 453 miles, stopping about three times. It would miss occasionally, mostly
when going uphill and I needed to add throttle to maintain a steady speed. Pulled the hill north of Chattanooga on I-75 without missing because I
would feather the throttle whenever I felt it was running out of fuel in the bowl. So we topped the hill at 35 mph. Tried to run right around 60 mph
on the flats.

Anyway, I was so glad to make it home safely. Shout out to Steve Magown of the Black list who offered me use of his shop. If we hadn't already passed
him up I would have taken his offer gladly on that rough day.

So that's my story, Ruby Sue (as my cousin-in-law has named her, after the red haired girl in Christmas Vacation) is sitting in the driveway. First
order of business is to fix the leaking exhaust manifold, the leaking black water valve, and go through the brakes.

Thanks to Chuck Boyd for taking my several calls and offering advice, and the gentleman who texted me with numbers for the closest Black list members.
Billy Massey, I have registered the coach on the Registry Site per your request.

Thanks to everyone for their help and encouragement.
--
Greg Crawford
Knoxville, TN
 
Sounds like a real adventure and a story to share in the future. One thing is for sure, every little thing that just happened along the route home
will never happen again as you will have every piece and tool needed to fix it next time.....lol.

In case your still on the fence about your choice to buy this coach just think if the coach had been 20 years newer and did the same thing you would
be crap out of luck to even attempt to fix it on the road.....they maybe on the older side but sometimes the old simple technology can be a bonus.

Glad you made it with all wheels on the ground rolling!
--
Rich Mondor,

Brockville, ON

77 Hughes 2600
 
Greg,

I have already said welcome, and you already understand the power of the support of this community, so most of my welcome can be by-passed at this
time.

There is also a lot that I can forget about because you have a local mentor that is truly first string, dream team and all. Just don't expect him to
run.

But, I (we) would all like you to fill in your sigfile more completely. This is really to help us be more helpful to you. So, go back to the sigfile
place and fill in 77 Royale and anything special about it that might matter. This is such an amazing community of supportive and helping people that,
if you ever have need, grab a handle and hold on tight.....

The only other community that I know of that is like this that of the watermen that are my world. Because of this, I like to welcome new owners much
as you should be welcomed there. So,

May the Good Lord bless this coach and all those that set forth within her.

Welcome Greg.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
Greg,

It sounds like you were experiencing the very common fuel starvation that a lot of us have been battling in the Summer months. I fought it for years.
There are several ways to (maybe) fix this. One is with in tank electric pumps. I went another route, tried everything and finally succeeded by
moving the fuel lines, filters, and electric pump to the outside of the frame. Even the return directly from the fuel filter housing didn't do the
trick, but moving the fuel lines etc did.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6819-carburetor-fuel-return-2fvapor-lock-remedy.html
--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
 
I bought our coach sight unseen in Ohio. I live in California. Had it taken to Tom Hampton’s place where a checkbook can do some good and then flew out with a couple of buddies to driver it home.

Fill-ups were like the Exxon Valdez with gas’s spilling everywhere.

Finally after many years all the fuel lines have been replaced, fuel injection in place and it purrs better than Ransom Olds could have done.

So many happy memories Totally worth it.

Larry Davick.
1976 Palm Beach
Fremont Ca

>
> Greg,
>
> It sounds like you were experiencing the very common fuel starvation that a lot of us have been battling in the Summer months. I fought it for years.
> There are several ways to (maybe) fix this. One is with in tank electric pumps. I went another route, tried everything and finally succeeded by
> moving the fuel lines, filters, and electric pump to the outside of the frame. Even the return directly from the fuel filter housing didn't do the
> trick, but moving the fuel lines etc did.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6819-carburetor-fuel-return-2fvapor-lock-remedy.html
> --
> Carl Stouffer
> '75 ex Palm Beach
> Tucson, AZ.
> Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
> Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Thanks everyone, for the encouragement and advice.

Carl, very interesting pictures on the vapor return line. I may have to do something like that. Chuck Boyd has suggested I pressurize the fuel pick up
lines as a first step in case they are partially clogged.

I just put in a 30 amp RV box on the house garage yesterday for shore power. I promised the wife that I would finish up a couple of projects I have
underway before I dive headfirst into the GMC, so I am going to pace my work on it for a bit.

Matt, I updated my sigfile per your suggestion.

Thanks again!
--
Greg Crawford
Knoxville, TN

1977 Royale, rear bath
Quad bags, brand unknown
 
Greg,

I did that vapor return line on the recommendation of another GMCer who had done the same thing and said it cleared up his vapor lock issues
completely. It didn't do the trick for me. I'm not sure if it really helps, but it might, so I will leave it that way for now. The main drawback is
that it adds a step to changing out the carb filter, but I just eliminated that filter anyway in favor of an additional in-line filter between the
steel line and the mechanical fuel pump. The reason I finally decided to eliminate that filter is due to the danger of eventually stretching or
stripping the threads in the inlet. Carburetors are not as common as they once were and it would be hard to replace.

--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
 
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