Yeah I see that it sold now. I told the seller it wouldn't last long. I was the first person to call on that one, unfortunately proximity, my lack of knowledge on these GMCs (and my unwillingness to send $1500 deposit via PayPal sight unseen) didn't work in my favor here.
Anyway I appreciate the encouragement and that ended up being a good story. Speaking of being vigilant, I called the owner of the barn find:
The exclusive place to sell Classic GMC Motorhomes or Parts for them. These motorhomes were built from 1973 through 1978 and their Vehicle Identification Number start with TZE. If you own a...
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If you wouldn't mind, please take a look (if you already haven't) and let me know what you think it would take to get this '78 PB road worthy.
Oh yeah, I saw that
@bdub posted that one on FB. Looks like a nice, original, survior coach. Gonna be a lot of work to bring it up to snuff though, (IMHO).
Not knowing what your level of comfort is with a project, I'll tell you my own personal philosophy. I'm not a big fan of barn finds. I mean its cool to think about finding something long forgotten that you just need a bucket of soapy water and a couple new parts to get it running. But the simple truth of the matter is that sitting, not being used, is SO hard on mechanical things. They degrade so much faster than something that is being used relatively regularly. So, if you're looking for a coach to keep as a project, go through it completely, and rebuild it over the next two years, I'd say that its a good coach. For me, its tough to keep the motivation up that long.
When I was looking, I wanted to find something that was being used, but needed some TLC. That philosophy has gotten me some really nice toys over the years. My boat (Sold to finance the GMC) was in that state of repair when I bought it in 2009. It was solid, had a new motor and outdrive within the last two years, and was being used. However, the trailer had fallen into disrepair, the gel was chalky and oxidized, and the headliner was sagging. It just looked a bit tired. So, we got it for a decently cheap price, and over the next ten years, I added value. I rebuilt the trailer, Cut and polished the gel, re-did the interior, recovered the seats, etc. I sold that boat for 5,000 dollars MORE than I bought it for. I'm sure I spent more than that on the repairs, but my wife and I also had a TON of fun with that boat over the years. The key was that I could use it, do a project, use it, do a project, etc. It kept me motivated and moving toward the goal of having a nice boat.
I also have a jeep wrangler. I bought it a few years ago for 2,000 less than comparable ones on the market. I've been fixing rust, repairing and renovating my wrangler since. I have a very nice, well mannered and well performing jeep now. I'd probably ask 3000 more than I paid if I were to sell it. This winter, I'm putting a new tub on to eliminate the midwest rusty nastyness so prevalent on Wranglers. I'll then use the old tub to build an overland trailer for it.
My GMC is the same way. It needs some TLC. There are a lot of Previous Owner "fixes" that are not done properly. It needs some spit and polish. It needs some routine maintenance. My wife and I will modernize the interior. So, I can pick away at things, while we're enjoying it. Eventually, it will all be fixed. My method takes longer, but I feel its a much better way to go that ripping something apart and starting to work on it, only to lose interest in a year and selling as a project instead of a complete coach.
So, Ask yourself (maybe you already have) what you're
really looking for. Do you want the long resto project? Or, do you want to spend a bit more and get something to enjoy right away? Pick a system, repair that system and use the coach again. Space out your mods and repairs into smaller, more bite-sized pieces.
Back to the Coach you posted about. Plan on replacing EVERY rubber component on it. Fuel lines, vacuum lines, tires, airbags, etc. You might find that critters have chewed up wires...so you will most likely have some weird electrical problems to track down. Also, you'll want to drain and replace EVERY fluid on the automotive side, at a minimum. Flush the cooling system. Transmission, engine oil, brake fluid, diff fluid, etc. A full tune up will be required. Probably a carb rebuild. This is just where I'd start. Depending on what I find while doing the work, I may go deeper into the various systems and subsystems. For instance...When I was doing the first tune up on my coach, the mechanical advance mechanism in the distributer was seized. So, instead of trying to "fix" it, I called Dick Paterson, and just ordered a new ignition system. Plugs, wires, distributor, everything. Just the way I do things.
For me, "roadworthy" means I can reasonably expect to make it to my destination with no drama. I'd bring my mom or gramma with me, and not worry about a breakdown. So, I spend more to buy that trust. Some guys aren't as anal as I am about it.