Isn't restoring a thing of beauty satisfying? And compared to the junk
manufactured today they are the Rolls Royce of Motorhomes. Don't think I
would take a new Prevost for mine (Yeah right!)
>Sam
>
>Go for it!!! I can tell you that I bought mine from a dealers junk yard.
>I had been looking at it sit there for 3 years. One day (after another
>LeSharo breakdown) I could not take it any longer. I offered him less
>than half of what he had posted on it. To my surprise he only added
>$1000 to it. I said if it included taxes and plates----we shook hands.
>Thats how I got my $5000 GMC. The motorhome I wanted most of my
>life. Now you must understand that I went home and got my son, my
>toolbox and some gas. I was optimistic I could get the lady to my
>friends shop in short order. SURE! Oh yeah took the battery out of
>my other car because the one in the GMC had froze and split open.
>Since I had wanted one for so long I had read everything I could get
>my hands on about these ladies. I even had an owners manual I had
>bought at a yard sale. Well, we got there put the battery in. Fired the
>compressor and after about 10 minuets it was obvious she was not
>going to pump up. There was no way to get her close to an air source.
>Tires were flat and she was down in the back. Borrowed the dealers
>little air tank ---got the tires up. Then got the lady up. Found that when
>the controls were placed in "travel" she would go right back down. I also
>found I could not touch the knobs because they hissed at me when I did.
>Tried the hold position. HEH HEH she held there. Now it was time to bring
>the 455 to life. Checked the oil, checked the powersteering, looked like
>there was some fluid in tranny, there was water in the radiator. It was
>getting late. Put 2 cans of gas in her. Tried the fuel selector switch.
>Nothing! Went and got two more cans of gas. Fuel gauge came up a
>little. Saved a beer can of gas for the carb. My son got in the drivers
>seat had him crank her with me holding a sparkplug wire with a spark-plug in
>it ----it sparked. Put wire back on. Cranked her over while pouring
>gas in carb. She fired right up ----I needed better fuel control but she did
>fire up. There she sat running real fine. Not even any smoke. COOL!
>It was now getting dark---wonder if the headlights work--THEY DO.
>We began the 20 mile trip home. Now she ran just fine. But she was
>all over the road. This was a nightmare. Pulled her up in front of my
>buddies shop. He had left for the day. The next day he called and said it
>would not start. We got it in his shop and you all know the rest. If you
>look at Patricks site and see that rusted distributor. It was shot.
>When we jacked the front end up one lower ball joint literally fell
>apart. The bogies had about 1 1/2 inches of side play. I honestly
>dont know how I got her home.
>
>I think she loves me too. Its my only explanation.
>
>Take Care
>Arch 76 Glenbrook IL
>
>In a message dated 1/8/99 3:15:44 PM Central Standard Time, MaytagSam
>writes:
>
>> Well I'm headed to Palm Springs to pick up the 1973 GMC Painted Desert my
>> wife aquired from her brother in law's estate. I got no solid leads on
>> servicers in that area so I am going to do a oil change and put pads on the
>> front discs (metal to metal) myself and deal with the rest when I get back
>> to
>> Mesa. Wish me luck...and if you see me on the side of the road on I-10 stop
>> and say Hi!
>>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
