My 1978 GMC motorhome

[Mike_H]

An off-road RV is next on my list. I'm in the same place regarding the classic car.

As for boats, I'm not a "water person," to my wife's disappointment (she IS a water person). The only boat I've ever owned, I owned for a week, against my wishes. I may have told this story on the forum before, so if I did, I apologize for the repeat - the short version of the story: I woke up one Saturday morning and headed into town for provisions for the day. As I drove the dirt road through my property, a sun glint caught my peripheral vision. Someone dumped a ratty fiberglass runabout on my property overnight! The next weekend, I drove forks through the hull with my front loader, put it on a trailer, and hauled it to the county dump.

That boat only cost my $75 - for the dump fee. I think I got off easy, as far as the cost of boat ownership goes!

Yeah, I have ideas...like if and when the transmission dies in this thing and its not possible to fix anymore, pulling the body and putting it behind a SuperDuty cab or something. Insta-offroad RV! It would be a TON of work, but after the interior refurb, I'll have to figure something out if the drivetrain goes Kaput. The other idea I have is pulling the "Unified Power Plant" and making it a 5th wheel. Someone on FB is actually doing that right now. I'd have to rework some of the interior, but that is a much more legitimate option vs plunking the body on a Truck Chassis.

 

[B1Toad]

I just finished a windshield shade for mine. I didn't want to pay $750 for a Magneshade so I got some shade cloth and suction cups. You would think white would be best for solar reflection but my research showed that dark colors are better at reducing the solar gain and I'm thinking more so if you can put some space between the shade cloth and the glass so I got some 1.5" noodles to slide in there, Due to the curvature of the windshield it takes 3. I wanted the suction cups on the sides because the bugs don't splatter there, otherwise I'd have to clean the bugs off every time I want to apply them.

I also made an interior cover out of Reflectix that I secure with a flexible fiberglass rod. With my new white cab roof and the sun shades I expect we will be more comfortable when stuck in the hot sun. It usually takes us 2 days to get somewhere cool from here.

 

[BlueC]

Yes, yes I am. I always thought I wanted a classic car too. After this motorhome project, I'm having second thoughts!

I promise they're easier, as long as you stay away from the odd balls, stay away from the orphans, stay away from basket case projects, stay away from someone else's fuck-ups. Basically, if you go buy a nice Tri-Five Chevy, a Camaro or Mustang, you're relatively safe. Anything else, I'm here for the moral support.

 

[Mike_H]

Last few days have been spent fine tuning the fitment of my gages. I have everything fitting good now, and I’m happy with placement (you’ll have to wait for an assembled pic). However, when I welded the new panel in, I wasn’t patient enough and warped the crap out of it. Yesterday I spent a few hours fixing that. I cut most of the seams I welded already, and took a slice out of the perimeter of the parent material. That got me back flat again. This time, I worked realllllllly slow, like a tack every six inches, then cool it with my air gun. Go back and do it again, and again, until it’s tacked about every inch. Then you start filling the inch gaps…four tacks at a time. Then cool it down. Lots of air to keep the metal cool. It was tedious, but it worked! I was almost ready to throw in the towel, and go get another dash panel from a parts coach.

Now, to grind it smooth without overheating it!

 

[B1Toad]

Last few days have been spent fine tuning the fitment of my gages. I have everything fitting good now, and I’m happy with placement (you’ll have to wait for an assembled pic). However, when I welded the new panel in, I wasn’t patient enough and warped the crap out of it. Yesterday I spent a few hours fixing that. I cut most of the seams I welded already, and took a slice out of the perimeter of the parent material. That got me back flat again. This time, I worked realllllllly slow, like a tack every six inches, then cool it with my air gun. Go back and do it again, and again, until it’s tacked about every inch. Then you start filling the inch gaps…four tacks at a time. Then cool it down. Lots of air to keep the metal cool. It was tedious, but it worked! I was almost ready to throw in the towel, and go get another dash panel from a parts coach. View attachment 632068

Now, to grind it smooth without overheating it!

You have more patience than I do, I would have siliconed it in. Question, why does the weld have to be continuous? Couldn't you have just tacked it in? Or are you planning to grind the weld into a finished surface?

 

[Mike_H]

You have more patience than I do, I would have siliconed it in. Question, why does the weld have to be continuous? Couldn't you have just tacked it in? Or are you planning to grind the weld into a finished surface?

That is the back. I will leave the weld there. It probably didn't need to be fully welded, but I am planning on finishing it (the front side, anyway). Where I live, bare metal will rust, even inside a car. Plus, I never want to be associated with a Hack, even though I kinda am. The disdain I feel for previous owners needs to stop with me...so if anyone opens this thing up after I move on from it, they should feel like it was well done. Its obviously not factory (crooked cut lines and all)...but its also way better than a lot of modifications I see.

Also, I absolutely hate silicone in an RV (or anything automotive related). Its impossible to remove, once whatever you're trying to seal starts leaking again, and it messes up paint everywhere. It has its place (RTV is silicone, after all), but i feel like its used WAY too much, with much better options for the usual suspects.

 

[BlueC]

This time, I worked realllllllly slow, like a tack every six inches, then cool it with my air gun. Go back and do it again, and again, until it’s tacked about every inch. Then you start filling the inch gaps…four tacks at a time. Then cool it down. Lots of air to keep the metal cool. It was tedious, but it worked!

That's how we patch old body pannels. I've seen long quarter panels take multiple days to install.

Its obviously not factory (crooked cut lines and all)...but its also way better than a lot of modifications I see.

I can tell what your doing is better than factory. Those guys met the minimum in a hurry and sent it. You're taking time and effort to make things right.

 

[Mike_H]

And like that…progress! Had to throw the IP together loosely to see how it’s all coming together.

Got my welds all ground down tonight too. Have a few more holes to add for a couple switches, some screws, etc.

Then it’s time to figure out a bezel.

 

[Mike_H]

Been working on making this dash and IP look pretty for the last couple weeks. Cutting, designing, printing, rinse repeat. I'm pretty close now with a design. Have a couple more items to work out, but its coming together.

First things first...gotta make the original bezel fit. The gages are a little (a lot!) different between what the original and the firebird are. Little bit of work with a band file and a body saw got the bezel fitting moderately well. This will form the "base" from which the rest of the IP bezel is grown from .

Not really much by way of pictures during the fitting process. Its taken a few iterations. I wish I had a scanner, but alas, I don't (yet).

Here are a couple of the revisions. Its little minor stuff, like tweaking the hole centers, getting the signal indicators aligned, little things like that. I'm printing these parts from ABS (which is the same material as the OE bezel). I like working with ABS because its easily welded and ABS pipe cement works really well to hold things together as well. its also easy to heat mold, if one wanted to go down that path too.

As an aside, it struck me last night how accessible "real" design tools are. I can test fit something like this, run into my home office and tweak my model, send it to the printer, and try the next revision about 3 hours later. Granted, I'm fortunate to "own" an industrial grade modeling program (We use AutoDesk Inventor at work and we have network licenses), But Fusion 360 is just as powerful and that one is free to experiment and play with. 3D printers have gotten so inexpensive now...but doing car parts, you really need an enclosed printer which costs a bit more.

 

[sab]

As an aside, it struck me last night how cool it is for me to be able to test fit something like this, run into my home office and tweak my model, send it to the printer, and try the next revision about 3 hours later.

It's hard to understand the tediousness involved in design work at this level unless you've done it. I did the same thing, except printing on thick paper instead of plastic (which takes 30 seconds, not three hours!), this weekend designing all the brackets I posted in my build thread. It was a LOT of trips between the shop and house...

Blows my mind that we've come to a point with technology where rapid prototyping and shortening the design cycles is so readily available.

I had the same thought during the many trips back and forth between LJ and printer. The youngin's don't know how good they have it. As I mentioned in my build thread, I'm happy the days of Dykem layouts on sheet metal to make prototypes is behind us!

 

[Apparition]

It's hard to understand the tediousness involved in design work at this level unless you've done it. I did the same thing, except printing on thick paper instead of plastic (which takes 30 seconds, not three hours!), this weekend designing all the brackets I posted in my build thread. It was a LOT of trips between the shop and house...


I had the same thought during the many trips back and forth between LJ and printer. The youngin's don't know how good they have it. As I mentioned in my build thread, I'm happy the days of Dykem layouts on sheet metal to make prototypes is behind us!

I'm finding myself making templates for things on the printer. For instance I had to make holes for my license plate mount on my tailgate skin. I printed a template that picked up existing holes and also had the locations of the new holes I needed so I could center punch them exactly where I wanted them. Seemed easier than using a tape measure.

Then I also printed the license plate holder since I had to allow space for the plate light cord to fit behind the plate.

 

[sab]

I'm finding myself making templates for things on the printer.

Yeah, I've been doing that for decades (since the advent of CAD and laser printers). Hot tip - instead of using Dykem and laying it out by hand with square, compass, and scribe, I print it to paper, and then I use 3M spray adhesive to glue the paper to the aluminum or steel. I then cut on the lines or center punch and drill holes (I always put a cross at the center point of radii and circles for that). When I'm done, I spray acetone on the paper. It dissolves the glue completely, and the paper lifts off. Way, way easier and way, way more precise than my Dykem layout skills allow. But, laser cutting is the best way!

Gen I: Dykem layouts
Gen II: Paper print-outs glued on
Gen III: Laser-cutting by a local shop
Gen IV: SendCutSend, baby!

If anyone is interested, I can get the 3M spray adhesive number when I get home tonight, as there are several formulations.

 

[Mike_H]

It's hard to understand the tediousness involved in design work at this level unless you've done it. I did the same thing, except printing on thick paper instead of plastic (which takes 30 seconds, not three hours!), this weekend designing all the brackets I posted in my build thread. It was a LOT of trips between the shop and house...


I had the same thought during the many trips back and forth between LJ and printer. The youngin's don't know how good they have it. As I mentioned in my build thread, I'm happy the days of Dykem layouts on sheet metal to make prototypes is behind us!

I actually don’t own a paper printer. I got so sick of constantly replacing ink cartridges that I’m boycotting the whole
Industry. It’s only a pain sometimes…I’ve given thought to picking up a cheap color laser on marketplace though. Something lightly used industrial or professional office quality. For personal use, you’d make a small investment in toner, but it doesn’t go bad and will probably last the average user many, many years

 

[Mike_H]

The gage bezel is entering its last design iteration. I have my spacing down, it’s fitting everywhere it needs to, and I’m really happy with it. Last design change is a pretty simple one. Need to add some “walls” around the gages to help block cross lighting.

I will probably add a couple radii on the edges too, just to clean it up.

I also need to design a bezel around the heater controls and reprint the one I’ve already made for the radio.

 

[Mike_H]

This thing is nearly complete! The bezel around the tell tales (box in the middle) is still unattached. That will need a little finesse still. I need to trim the bezels around the gages as well, since cutting perfect circles in engine turned aluminum foil is VERY tough. I had done it before, but peeled it off when I started building this bezel. Obviously, I still need to wrap the dash padding in upholstery as well. But...this still feels like a milestone.

Some close ups (where you can see boo-boos in the applique). I also have new lenses for the gages. Was using the old ones so I didn't scratch the new ones. That is why the fuel and voltage gages look so "dim"

 

[lBasket]

This thing is nearly complete! The bezel around the tell tales (box in the middle) is still unattached. That will need a little finesse still. I need to trim the bezels around the gages as well, since cutting perfect circles in engine turned aluminum foil is VERY tough. I had done it before, but peeled it off when I started building this bezel. Obviously, I still need to wrap the dash padding in upholstery as well. But...this still feels like a milestone.

View attachment 652128

Some close ups (where you can see boo-boos in the applique). I also have new lenses for the gages. Was using the old ones so I didn't scratch the new ones. That is why the fuel and voltage gages look so "dim"
View attachment 652131

View attachment 652132
View attachment 652133

That clock next to the tach is cool. It turned out really well this is gonna look awesome installed.

 

[B1Toad]

Looking nice! I never heard of the dash indicators called tell tales before. When I had sailboats we used telltales made of yarn on sails to "see" the wind.

 

[Woodrow]

That clock next to the tach is cool. It turned out really well this is gonna look awesome installed.

Its like the Porsche sport chrono pkg for motorhomes. That and the T/A dash probably worth 100hp

Edit: I bet it costs the same as the Porsche option if you factor in Mike’s hours.

 

[sab]

As they say, "Two is one, and one is none"...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-gmc-26-palm-beach-motorhome/

 

[BlueC]

As they say, "Two is one, and one is none"...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1976-gmc-26-palm-beach-motorhome/

You know, I do remember a little disagreement on the color and if a T/A style bird could be applied to the side. Seems like an easy solution.