Interesting GMCs

jerry work

New member
Feb 3, 2003
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Hi Mike, I was surprised to find that there is a Prevost Owners Grou=
p chat group just as active as our GMC chat group. Not as many Prevost own=
ers so fewer people posting every day and little chatter about anything but=
Prevost related topics. Many of the long time active members post their p=
hone numbers so it works much like our Black List. Lots of .pdf files writ=
ten in the past covering most of the systems so it is rare to find a post a=
bout a new issue. Most are about how and where to find interior or redo bi=
ts and pieces. It is no where as =E2=80=9Ceasy=E2=80=9D to diagnose or wor=
k on a Prevost, but it can be done if necessary. Prevost itself has phenom=
enal parts fulfillment. The few parts I have ordered so far have been very=
reasonable in cost and quickly shipped for free no matter what the weight =
or size. So, just like in our GMC community, parts are readily available. =
One thing I find really nice is when you call for parts you give them the =
chassis number (like our TZE number) and they know exactly what part is req=
uired for what you need. Most systems are doubly or tripily redundant =
and the bus chassis was designed for 24/7 operation so most maintenance is =
normal fluid and filter changes. On the road breakdowns are uncommon in th=
is community from what I have learned so far. Yes, a normal maintenance st=
op is more expensive by far, but they involve far more oil, antifreeze, fil=
ters, grease fittings, etc., so one would expect that much higher cost. =
Interesting that the air bags provide about the same leveling range a=
s on our GMCs, about 4=E2=80=9D up and down (no leveling jacks on the big b=
uses like one finds on many of the fiberglass diesel pushers). Also intere=
sting that most house systems are very much like our GMCs (only larger) wit=
h a coupleof notable exceptions. The domestic water heaters on our all ele=
ctric bus are via shore/gen power electric or heat via exchange with the c=
oolant fluid from the engine, just like the GM finished GMCs. Unlike the G=
MCs, that fluid is pumped all throughout the coach to heat exchangers in th=
e bays and living areas. When going down the road the bus and domestic wat=
er are heated by the engine heat. When parked a diesel fired boiler (much =
like the ones in homes) heats that same fluid and electric pumps move it th=
roughout the coach so you have continuous hot water, bay and tank freeze pr=
otection, heat for the house, and heat to start the diesel engine when it g=
ets cold whether you are hooked up or not. The air system uses a very =
large engine driven air compressor and multiple tanks, air dryers and check=
valves to provide reliable air to the air bags to maintain proper ride hei=
ght, to the brakes and to raise or lower the tag axle for tight turn maouve=
ring. A separate electric aux air compressor provides air for house system=
s like door locks, air door operators, air step covers, etc. It looks eye =
watering (ly) complex but when broken down into separate parts is not too b=
ad. Physically getting to all the bits and pieces is another story! The c=
ontrol valves are two step. One step is an electric solenoid valve much li=
ke we use in our GMCs but that just supplies control air to very reliable N=
orgren valves that do the actual movement of air around the bus. =
Jerry & Sharon Work Kerby, OR glwork http://jerrywork.com =
Prevost Country Coach Formerly 78 Royale with most everything done =
to modernize a GMC mechanically 77/94 Clasco that looked like it just lef=
t the Clasco facility. Loved them both. =
Message: 10 Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2017 10:30:17 -0600 From: Mike Ke=
lley To: gmclist Subject: Re: [GMC=
net] Unique GMCs Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain;=09charset us-ascii To Todd Sullivan=
: And how many of those SOB's have a Blacklist group like ours? I may u=
pgrade, but it will be to my GMC's and/or my Toad's, not to SOB's. Mike/T=
he Corvair a holic Sent from my iPhone =
 
I spent the better part of 7 years building a bus and dealt with most all the systems you talk about Jerry. When you look at the whole bus it is very
intimidating but if you take each system by itself, not so much. Building ours back in the 90's was much more difficult in sourcing parts as the
Internet was no where near as robust as it is today. You can't imagine the hours on the phone trying to find a part needed that was unique for the
purpose. The information available through the net today would have saved me hundreds and hundreds of hours of research. After building the bus, the
GMC just seems to be a simple, back to basic's hobby.
Just my take anyway,Hal
--
1977 Royale 101348,

1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,

1975 Eleganza II, 101230,

1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,

Rio Rancho, NM