

| Subject: | Re: Best van ever designed (was: Why do we love that damn van so much...) |
| From: | Phil S. |
| Date: | Sun, 26 May 2002 11:13:30 -0700 |
Stan Wilder wrote: > running example's ........... So give me the name of > one person you know > personally that is running one. > I actually know where one is ...... been under > restoration for ten years > but it isn't a driver. OK Stantowski, I know two guys here in Florida that I have met in person more than once, but there are many more that I dont know. And about the amount of GMCs that are still on the road, read-on liverlips: GMC made 13,000 of these motorhomes and according to the Golby GMC MotorCoach Dealership, 10,000 are STILL on the ROAD TODAY. Not bad for a 28 year old RV. Dont believe me? heres the link: http://www.golbymotorcorp.com/ Heres a list of GMC people in Florida: Jim Bounds in Orlando, A REALLY nice guy gave me a 3hour tour of his GMC motorhome collection/shop website: http://www.gmccoop.com/ Alex Sirum in Okeechobee, A nice guy and former employee at GMC RV factory, has a BIG GMC RESTORATION SHOP website: http://www.gmcmh.com/ ANOTHER GMC Dealer ALSO IN ORLANDO FLORIDA: http://www.golbymotorcorp.com/ Laters, Phil --- Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM> wrote: > running example's ........... So give me the name of > one person you know > personally that is running one. > I actually know where one is ...... been under > restoration for ten years > but it isn't a driver. > Next item ........ that is STANETHULE not > Stantowski. > I've been to Florida many times, right in the heart > of the money belt and > in 33 years of going there and staying in Motor Home > Parks I've never > seen one of those GMC lead sleads in a park after > about 1978. > I admit I never expect to find them in the little > State and Core of > Engineers parks I go to but, Spring Break in Ft. > Lauderdale or Padre > Island, I'd expect to see one once in a while. > There are "Snow Bird" RV parks in McAllen and > Brownsville Texas that > owners leave their units all year and just come for > the winter months > .... I don't see any there. > If I were a dealer for the replacement parts for > those GMC's I'd have > hung myself years ago. > > Stan > > > On Sun, 26 May 2002 10:10:22 -0500 (CDT) > CTONLINE@webtv.net (Terry K.) > writes: > > Whoa--Stantowski--- > > > > Air Stream Suspension? > > > > Wrong answer--- > > > > Air Bag Suspension----way ahead of their time-- > > > > Borrowed from semi tractors---not air stream > trailer's---- > > > > If the front end is GREASED, and maintained , just > as in the > > Vanatoilet's---it was a durable set up--- > > > > And if half of the yo-yo's kept the proper air > pressure in the > > heavy > > front ended unit's, the tire's would last one hell > of a lot longer > > than > > 10,000 turns-- > > > > There are many of these GMC's around here----not > just > > parked--running > > example's > > > > Where do you come up with this stuff? > > > > > > Besides the GMC motorhome, I'm also kinda fond of > the Prevost line > > of > > land yacht's-- > > > > Detroit, Cat, Cummins Powered, with an Allison > transmission, air > > ride > > all the way around, 11x22.5's on polished aluminum > Budd > > wheels---yea > > baby, this is the way to fly-:>) > > > > A freind of mine has one---art deco > interior---black marble > > john---trick---neat--marvelous----awe > inspiring----and fast---- > > > > Later, > > > > Terry > > > > > > > > E-mail message > > > > Most of these vans are not on the road! I see them > all the time in > > junk > > yards. > > If you're seeing more than two a year on the road > I'd be surprised. > > You > > might be seeing them parked under a shed or beside > a house or barn > > but > > on the road; I doubt it. > > Those things were lead sleds with Air Stream Rear > Suspension and > > bunches > > of stolen Air Stream features that GMC managed to > tipple the weight > > on. > > That 10,000 mile set of front drive tires was a > major killer of > > maintenance. > > NO! I've never had one. That is one mistake I > never made. > > Stan Wilder > > On Sun, 26 May 2002 07:26:34 -0700 "Phil S." > <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM> > > writes: > > "> The best... has to be the cabover current-model > > (1989-present) Toyota > > Hiace." > > Sounds like a great vehicle, But round here a > "cabover" is called a > > "Class C" and is not considered a Van. > > If we are going to compare apples and oranges Ill > take a 79' GMC > > 26' > > Motorcoach, front wheel drive 455cid Olds and a > top speed of 80mph > > AND...great handling. > > check out the GMC history page: > > http://www.gmcmotorhomes.com/catalog/page00.html > > Most of these motorhomes are still on the road > becouse they were > > designed to be tough as nails by an air craft > engineer that worked > > for > > GMC. > > Phil > > --- Andrew Grebneff > > <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ> wrote: > > ITS THE BEST VAN EVER DESIGNED.....EVER > > No way. Not looked at objectively. The body is > great, the suspension > > > > is great (and therefore the handling). But it is > seriously let down > > > > by unreliable mechanicals, poor electrics and > crap-quality plastics > > > > and switchgear; unergonomic controls. The cargo > bay is compromised > > by > > the engine hump; this could probably have been > deleted by having no > > > > ancillaries atop the engine and a slightly higher > floor. > > The best... has to be the cabover current-model > (1989-present) > > Toyota > > Hiace. Solid, safe, reliable, big, ergonomic > everything, decent > > handling, available with a huge variety of > engines, body types, 3 > > different van wheelbases and levels of trim from > bare bones to > > ultraluxurious. And a flat cargo bay floor. All it > lacks is an IRS > > option, though upmarket versions get torsionbar > rear, and > > walkthrough. 4WD optional, including full-time and > part-time > > versions. And with good looks to top it off, and > Toyota's > > top-quality > > ergonomics, plastics, switchgear, fit and finish. > Available with > > full camper conversions, including poptops. > > Toyota Hiace > > Engines > > 2.0 gas > > 2.4 gas > > 2.0 diesel > > 2.4 diesel (turbo oprtion) > > 2.8 diesel > > 3.0 EFI turbodiesel > > Auto or 5-speed manual; floorshift or column > cartspring or > > torsionbar > > rear > > SWB, MWB (=VW length) or LWB > > RWD, part-time 4WD, full-time 4WD > > normal or high roof > > top-hinged normal tailgate or (rare) dual > vertical-hinged doors > > single or dual sliders > > optional small rear wheels with no wheelarches > intruding into floor > > > > electric locking, windows, morrors, dual aircon > etc > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com
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