The Ferrigno Family's 1975 GMC Glenbrook

Paul,

Did you know that there is a Dorman (iirc) part that is a repair for the stripped threads of a Rochester.

I don't know the part number, but it might be worth looking for.

Matt
Thanks, that might be what I was using. It didn't want to go in straight and I didn't want to spend a ton of time fooling with it. As a benefit, it has the shorter body I need to clear my water neck. My 3/8" tube bender and flaring arrangement won't allow me to place a 90 close enough to the tube nut to clear the water neck with my steel lines. I would prefer a good nylon gasket seal as intended; perhaps I'll take it off the engine and mess with it on the bench again.
 
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The "new" carb has been doing OK, but had a little take-off hesitation that only existed with the air cleaner on. Turns out the accelerator pump arm would touch the air cleaner, and allow for a little slack in the linkage. Just enough to create some take-up in the linkage. I installed a 1/4" air cleaner spacer and it seems to have done the trick. This carb is a little disagreeable when it's half warm, but cold starts are great, and so is full-temp running. I'll keep tinkering with it.

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Some tests with the water systems revealed a fresh tank that needs replaced, and a drip coming from the gate valve on the holding tank. The old discharge pipes were busted anyway, so I cut them off and capped it with a Fernco fitting. I can come back to that later, and I can still use the macerator for now.

The faucet would only run at a dribble, even though the supply lines had full blast water available. I took it apart and found that even though it didn't have a sprayer, it the internal diverter and a capped off output for a sprayer. The erroneous diverter was seized, so I knocked it out with a punch and all was well.

On our way to Reedsport a couple weeks back, it was 102 outside. The coach did great on the highway approaching Albany, but getting on the freeway there required sitting at a couple traffic lights on the hot black top. That's when the vapor lock got me! We had enough fuel in the fuel bowl to go down the on-ramp, cough, sputter, and die. I managed to get out of the traffic lane safely. The electric Holley fuel pump was sucking air. It's easy to tell, it clacks away like crazy until it fills with fluid and comes up to pressure. So, I've got an issue with radiant heat between the pump/selector valve and the tanks. No surprise really.

How does one optimize radiant heat transer? High emissivity surfaces: check. Parallel surfaces: check. Close distance: check. Lots of surface area: check. The fuel under pressure seems to handle the temps OK. The suction line before the pump appears to be the main issue.

We hopped in the toad, got some food, swam in the river at a nearby park, and came back when it had cooled off. We fired it up and drove straight to Reedsport after that with no issues.
 
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The drivetrain's automatic rust-proofing system is working well.

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The coach came with a couple sheets of heavy reflectix. I taped some newspaper to the windshields and made a template. After the first trip, decreasing heat gain and increasing privacy made their way onto the list.

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The coach also came with some Levelor cellular shades, but had been poorly mounted and half the mounts had come unclipped or were never fully seated. This resulted in a lot of warping and drooping in the Arizona heat. The frames felt like PVC, so I took them out, laid them on the floor, and went after them with the heat gun. Once they softened, I'd press them between a straight edge and the board and blast them with compressed air until the plastic took a set. It was an iterative process, but it worked really well.

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The output on the water pump had a drip, no matter how hard I tightened the clamp. I removed the hose to find knife marks on the barb from the PO. That's swell. And it's 3/4" for some reason, it seems most places just stock 1/2". Oh well, it all needs completely redone anyway.

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I stumbled across the old throttle return spring, so I snapped a pic. The fire took the temper right out of it.

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I also decided to do the alternator mod with the diode and resistor. I found some poor charging wire connections while I was at it that were making some heat. I felt around until I pinpointed the hot spot, removed the tape, and found a bad old splice. It wasn't bulky, so you really couldn't even tell that there was a splice under the tape. I'm glad I found it now, before it got worse and started an electrical fire. It's funny, it doesn't even look all that bad, but it got HOT!

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Online searching showed some confusion about where the nichrome alternator wire starts and stops, so I thought I would document that here at least. This is where it splits off from the wire coming from the alternator.
 
During the first night of our first camping trip, we heard a loud thud at 0200 followed by some whimpering. Our oldest kid had fallen out of the top bunk. Strange, since she has a bunk in her room at home and has never had a problem.

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In the dark, armed with some p-cord who's whereabouts I happened to know of, I had to rectify the situation. We didn't want to wake up our youngest, so I had to quietly tie it all by feel in the dark. It did the trick for three nights. I'll need to come up with something a little more sophisticated for future trips.

In the background you can see some temporary drapes. Our aunt had given us some custom drapes that had been made wrong. Turning them sideways, they fit the big windows pretty well. I ran some p-cord through some binder clips holding the drapes, and tight-lined the p-cord. We can slide them open and closed with care, and this will get us by until I can make some Roman shades.

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The coach pulled the toad reasonably well. We're a little slow on grades, down to around 35. I'm having serious thoughts about 3.70 gears with an LSD, but we might need the jaws of life to pry my wallet open that far.

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We toured quite a few places from Reedsport, to Coos Bay, to Florence. She doesn't look half bad if you stand back a ways.

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I think I've figured out where I want it to spend the winter. I did some trimming to enlarge a parking area where we had a boat. It's a pretty good fit, and the building there has power.
 
It was just my daughter and I this weekend. On Saturday we went to a local car show and shine, and decided to drive the coach for fun.

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On Sunday, we met up with a nice guy up the Columbia Gorge who was gutting a 75 Glenbrook (just like ours). He needed to get all the original furniture out of the way, and it was in much better shape than what I had on hand.


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We made a day of it, heading through the Gorge. My oldest had not seen the Bonneville dam or Multnomah falls before, so it was time. It's kinda neat watching all the fish navigate through the fish ladder from their underground room in the visitor's center.
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I found some collapsible traffic cones on Amazon. This should discourage drivers from piling up behind us and honking, should we ever find ourselves in that situation again. They even have lights on top that can blink or stay solid. I can fit three of them around the propane tank. That should do the trick.

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We rang in the month of September with some dry camping. The new water tank hadn't arrived yet, but the campground had water and toilets. The house battery will need replaced with something better (better than an old car battery), but it kept the fridge going and provided us with lights. We topped it off with a portable generator on night two.

The wife didn't feel compelled to do any driving on-location, and we weren't going to be near any towns with sights to see, so she voted for not bringing the toad. I felt a little apprehensive since that's the backup plan in many situations, but I figured we'd give it a go. So we opted for a simple camping trip--no boats, no toads; just relaxation and hiking. It worked out just fine, and driving up hills sure is easier while not towing. The quadrajet got a little upset being asked to start up in cool weather on the last morning, so I'll have to mess with that a bit.

We got to camp right on the river at Trout Creek off S. Santiam Hwy, and it was a lovely little site. I don't have much in the way of pictures, as there is a cell tower on that highway that makes my phone freak out. It happened on Mother's Day as well when we can to hike to a nearby waterfall. It sends my phone back in time 20 years and makes it act like it isn't Y2K compliant. Timestamps are all jumbled up and range from 2001-2002, and the photos act like they're saving but get corrupted/deleted. Kinda frustrating and strange.

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The GMC has been de-tarped! She still leaks like a sieve, so it's in the shop for now. I need to reseal the visor mounting locations after last year's windshield work. We're going camping at the coast on the 9th, so I've got a few days to add a furnace and take care of a few annoying PO leftovers.

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I don't think that's how the exhaust plate is supposed to look...


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I'm removing the ladder for now. It shifts all over the place, and 75% of the screws are stripped and wiggle around. Clearly this is an intrusion point. I don't know if I'll get it back on before the trip, but I'll at least be able to tape over the holes for now. Lots of holes, and very untidy silicone goobering.


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I've got a good bulge in the aluminum near the rear port-side window, right at the belt line. I'm hoping this isn't a major water leakage source, as I imagine there's a healthy lap joint there. It's big enough for mouse passage however, so I'll have to put that on my list.


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Just a small preview of the kinds of janky repairs I have to deal with. They half painted over the old floor light (which worked with a new bulb, BTW) then ran some telephone cord over the top of it with staples (rerouted thermostat wires, even though I found the old thermostat wires in good condition). UGH. I don't even know what purpose that random chunk of 1/4-round molding serves.


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And they couldn't be bothered to mount the GMC letters anywhere remotely straight.


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I suppose I'm less bothered that the paint is peeling off, the more I discover about the bodywork beneath it. There were cracks forming above the port taillight, so I took an exploratory rasp to it. There were some layers of bondo, ON TOP of some sort of thin, flexible green layer. Very flexible. It's no wonder it served as a poor substrate for the body filler. You can see it peeling around the perimeter. Fortunately there seems to be solid glass beneath, and I don't think it's a leak source. It's a bit uglier now, but at least it won't be pooling water anymore.


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I think there are more fun discoveries for me at the belt line in that same corner.
 

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Last year I sourced a 1984 Duo-Therm in a pile of parts from another GMCer, in unknown condition. I cleaned it out a bit, gave it a bit of a tune up, tested various parts, and then hooked it up to 12V and propane on the bench. It checked out great, so I set about installing it. The PO had left a copper line dangling under the sink. It was a bit kinked up, so I fashioned a new one from some leftover scraps from redoing the kinked and split refrigerator line. All the ducting was gone, so I got some foil flex duct that will work for now. I may reconfigure cabinets and whatnot further down the road. This is our first non-summer outing though, so it's time for a furnace right away.
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I discovered and eradicated a LOT of mouse nest while I had the cabinet bases out. The cabinet bases have seen better days too, and the particle board will require replacement soon.
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I also got a second hall floor light from the parts coach. Cleaned it and the existing one up, removed some paint, scrubbed some contacts, and got them working like new. The closer I get this coach to its original configuration, the more I like it. I think they were pretty great out of the box, and most of the "work" the PO did was a bit of a downgrade. PXL_20220401_020901142.jpg

Tackling the wiring for the furnace, I wanted to see if the original wiring was salvageable. I finally figured out what the stupid towing harness under the sink was for. They had used it to wire the old furnace before removing it. The power wire was one the unshrouded pins, and had rotted half way through. I cut all the old junk out, cut back to the original wires, and soldered in a new pigtail for the furnace.
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A leaky patch on the top of the water tank limited us to 1/2 capacity on the last trip (so sloshing wouldn't be an issue). We wanted to add the bathroom to our list of amenities this spring, so a new tank was in order. I got one of those T3000 tanks off Amazon. The fill port is in the opposite corner, so I should be able to make a nice sweeping 90 instead of a tight 180 and a tight 90 in succession. PXL_20211010_213301498.MP.jpg

I also finally scored an ESC off of ebay for a great price. I'd had trouble finding them in junkyards. Hopefully it works when the time comes.

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I was a little stumped by the mounting strategy of the settees in the rear for a bit. Something was missing, as there was nothing to prevent the back edge from raising up when the benches were cantilevered out in "bed mode". Scrounging through the piles of junk in the parts coach finally revealed a nice piece of aluminum angle, that had 4 holes that coincided with four holes in the parts coach's woodwork. Our main coach has apparently not had these installed since its last remodel. I'll probably have to redo all that stuff later, but I can make it work for now. PXL_20220408_175827065.jpg

While dinking around with the furnace install, I made a most unwelcome discovery. Last year I'd installed a GMC propane tank from a 23-footer. It worked fine, and even had a functioning gauge. The fill port didn't line up right though, so it couldn't be filled at most stations. Unfortunately this week, it didn't pass the sniff test. It seems it started leaking at the valve handle stem. I went to the parts coach and grabbed the full-size 26-footer tank that still had propane in it from 20 years ago. Must not leak, right? So I installed it. Then after exercising the valve a couple times, it also started leaking in the same spot. Darn. It didn't have much propane in it, so I had no alternative than to let it bleed off. PXL_20220403_042701118.jpg

I rigged up a pressurizing device so I could put 60 psi in the tank and test it for leakage.
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I figure the tanks will probably last about forever, but the valves could likely use a little maintenance.
I pulled the valve apart to find the crustiest o-ring remains I've ever seen. I tried to pick it out with wood and plastic implements, and most of it came out of the gland, but thick deposits were left in the old groove. The bore of the valve was easy enough to polish up using the regular tricks with a wood dowel, drill, tape, and 2000 grit paper. The groove needed a different solution. So I grabbed a soft cotton string and impregnated it thoroughly with rubbing compound, gave it 1-1/4 wraps and see-sawed at it from all angles with the string. I was very, very pleased with the ease of the task and the end results.
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A 5/16 x 1/2" o-ring fit the bill, and Ace had individuals on hand. I don't know why o-ring kits never include 3/32" o-rings in this size range. Irritating. Some very thorough leak testing finally revealed that the leak was all gone. The combustible gas detector agreed.
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The furniture I collected last year included a new couch/bunk. The seat base was in better condition, but its frame differed from what I had (included a latching mechanism, and slightly different geometry). So I had to sand down another rusty seat frame and paint it up so it wouldn't stain everything we stuffed into the storage space.
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I also finished swapping the water tank. There were 7 distinct types of hose involved in the old installation. Yeesh. I rerouted everything and kinda started from scratch. The way the overflow and vent were done was ineffective. While in the area, I found a mystery connector that appears to be factory. It was between the tank and the shower stall. What's it for? The colors are black and green/white. I didn't see anything on the living area diagram that makes sense. PXL_20220403_230353989.jpg

And finally, the forecast called for rain. My seams were nasty and need more work than I have time for. So I scraped off the tall stuff and broke out the Eternabond. That seemed to be mostly effective.
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I'm a bit behind on my updates. As a trip report from early April, everything went pretty well. It rained, but there were breaks in the weather and much fun was had at the beach. I've still got a leak at the windshield area, dripping near the steering wheel of course. I'll have to tackle that later. The GMC spent the rest of spring sitting in the shop so it would stay dry.

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My daughter got a last-minute "upgrade" to her bed retention system--slightly fewer entanglements of cord this time around. I still need to think of a clever and easy gadget to deploy more easily, and store out of the way. It's not something I want to invest a huge amount of time into though. PXL_20220410_153325793.MP.jpg

Pictures like these serve to remind me how desperately this thing needs an interior remodel! But alas, I must continue focusing on mechanicals and safety for now. The newly added furnace performed well, and kept us all warm at night. Thankfully we had hookups, as the house battery would not have run things for very long.

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I'm a bit behind on my updates. As a trip report from early April, everything went pretty well. It rained, but there were breaks in the weather and much fun was had at the beach. I've still got a leak at the windshield area, dripping near the steering wheel of course. I'll have to tackle that later. The GMC spent the rest of spring sitting in the shop so it would stay dry.

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My daughter got a last-minute "upgrade" to her bed retention system--slightly fewer entanglements of cord this time around. I still need to think of a clever and easy gadget to deploy more easily, and store out of the way. It's not something I want to invest a huge amount of time into though. View attachment 6581

Pictures like these serve to remind me how desperately this thing needs an interior remodel! But alas, I must continue focusing on mechanicals and safety for now. The newly added furnace performed well, and kept us all warm at night. Thankfully we had hookups, as the house battery would not have run things for very long.

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Looks like fun. Don't sweat the interior. Mechanicals is the right focus. Also, glad to see you're using the coach and not working on it for years before finally getting out on the road. These are times that your kids will always remember. My boys love camping, too. We're always the family with the oldest coach in the campground :)
 
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I love the story! I wish everyone could take the time to do this, because I'm certain there are many stories that need telling! A suggestion for the bed safety thing... on my many visits to the men's mall, I see cargo retention nets in a lot of cars and I'm thinking they're about the ideal size.
 
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I'll make an effort to get a little more caught up here. We've been camping and boating A LOT this summer, which has been great. The GMC has had a lot of work done, and plenty remains.

Here's the part of the story that shows what an idiot I can be, so stay tuned!

We had a dry-camping trip on the books in June. Of course, I hadn't touched the GMC since our last trip in April. In May, we did some large scale "yard work".

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This required the use of the International Loadstar, which had been loaded with junk ever since we needed to stage our old house for sale/pics back in August of 2020. At least the Loadstar was at home now (brought it home from a friends farm where it was stored last November). Included in this junk was an old Onan I'd picked up for $50 some time ago. The crank case was overflowing with fuel after sitting for years, so I figured it was an easy fix.

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The camping trip was coming up fast, and it was going to be HOT and our portable 1800W generator wasn't going to suffice. I had to either get this old Onan going, or fix the Honda EV6010 that was on the kitchen floor of our coach for unknown reasons when retrieved from the auction. I prefer the sound of an Onan, so I invested my limited time in that. All week, after work, I dinked around with it. Rebuilt the carb, reworked the ignition system, new oil/filter, calibrated the governor, went through all the tests and tunes in the manual. I had this thing running perfect, and with no time to spare. Then I went to install it...IT"S TOO TALL!!! Ugh! What a stupid oversight, and a waste of time. It's from 1978, it's an Onan 4kW, so I just assumed it would fit in my generator compartment.

Now it was really crunch time. I opened up the Honda carb, cleaned it out, cut up the jury-rigged exhaust and reconfigured it. Forensics showed it used to be fully installed in my coach, but everything had been done wrong. Trying to put it back, figuring out what wasn't "quite right", then correcting it, probably took longer than installing one from scratch. Oh well. It tuned up well, and actually fit in the hatch. The old coolant overflow was shattered, so it got a new sugar shaker from Dollar Tree retrofitted. It ought to handle the heat a little better over time. It took an all nighter to get it all done, but I really wanted to stay ahead of schedule.

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Of course, when I was underneath putting the final touches on the reconfigured Honda exhaust, with one day before our planned departure, I saw a sight that really turned my stomach...

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Well as suspected, the new Palm Beach project dragged on and wasn't ready for our first camping trip of the season. So, the trusty old Glenbrook has another successful trip under its belt. This time, we took it to the coast.
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I did swap the starter before departure, as I had a new AC Delco unit "in stock". Holy smokes! That thing is way more enthusiastic on hot restarts.

I also improved the child retention system on the upper bunk. It is color matched to the new coach instead, and was met with gushing approval by my daughter. It's just short enough to tuck behind the seat back when the bunk becomes a couch.

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Front seat space is at a premium, and is highly competed for!
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Paul,
As a 75 year old in a 51 year old marriage with no kids-- your hard work, antics, problem solving, kids, creative solutions, vexations, successes and engagement with life, remind me of my own 30 years ago. Do NOT stop posting. Highly entertaining doesn't begin to describe it. By way of encouragement, I'd say that our (older) life is no less satisfying (GMC coach contributing), though we have found ways to make it less "uphill." I suspect that the "Ferrigno Family's 1975 Glenbrook" is as inspiring to the next generation of GMC owners as it is entertaining to us old farts. Good Job.
 
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Paul,
As a 75 year old in a 51 year old marriage with no kids-- your hard work, antics, problem solving, kids, creative solutions, vexations, successes and engagement with life, remind me of my own 30 years ago. Do NOT stop posting. Highly entertaining doesn't begin to describe it. By way of encouragement, I'd say that our (older) life is no less satisfying (GMC coach contributing), though we have found ways to make it less "uphill." I suspect that the "Ferrigno Family's 1975 Glenbrook" is as inspiring to the next generation of GMC owners as it is entertaining to us old farts. Good Job.
Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad someone can enjoy it. I'll be back at it with the 1976 Palm Beach this weekend. My daughter says I MUST have it ready for the next trip. She's excited about the newer interior and colorful LED light strips the PO installed. I can even make the lights match her new bed railing. I love watching them take joy in silly little things, and I wish I could still be so easily entertained! Although, I suppose my vicarious enjoyment is still enjoyment.
 
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