Tour of the 1976 Executive

[Sasquatch]

Hello, I figured this was the best place to put it because my coach, Guido, has been a 20 year project.  Here is a quick tour and details about what was done.  I am leaving Friday morning to travel from Boise to Tucson for a nice vacation.  I love traveling in Guido.


1976 Executive 26'
Dodge M500 chassis (440/727 combo)


Every time I have to work on something, I see what I can do to bring her up to current standards.  Here is a short list of the mods:
Chassis:
Fully rebuilt chassis, air bags on all 4 corners, Bilstein shocks, steering box and pump rebuilt, brakes fully replaced, installed 225/70/19.5 radials.
Engine:
Stock internals except cam.  Comp Cam's cam for low end torque, advanced 5 degrees, MSD ignition, Thorley headers, Edelbrock intake, recurved distributor, electric cooling fan conversion, Professional Products Powerjection III fuel injection.


Interior:
Complete gut and remodel.  All new furniture.  New PEX plumbing, fixtures, sinks, toilet, and counters.  Upgraded all the electrical to new RV standards.  New "Smart" 30 amp charger/converter. Installed an auto transfer switch to transfer between shore and gen power, New Dometic fridge, all new flooring and wall treatments.  HWH hydraulic leveling jacks.


I do not even know how much has been invested, and I do not want to.  I love her and will keep her for many more years.


Feel free to ask questions about details.  I just threw this together quick.


Happy travels.

[stanDman111]

one nice looking rig , nice work

[Rickf1985]

Nice, I like the engine mods. That is a LOT of weight hanging off that hitch though!

[M & J]

Extremely nice.

[Sasquatch]

Nice, I like the engine mods. That is a LOT of weight hanging off that hitch though!

What you do not see is the structure I fabricated underneth.  It is very strong and goes forward to almost the rear axle and ties in to the frame in 4 separate spots.  I am a structural engineer by trade, so I spent a lot of time with it and designed it appropriately.  But nice catch.

[Gearhead88]

I'm not seeing any pictures.

[Sasquatch]

Sorry your not seeing the photos.

Rick, I also added the air bags to the suspension and corner weighed the coach to make sure that with the bike and supplies loaded I am not overloading any of the axles.  They are all safely within capacities.

I have done many thousands of miles with this setup with no issue at all.  Coach hardly notices it back there at all.  But it took a lot of work to make it that way.  But all the suspension mods paid dividends in the way she drives loaded or not.  It was worth it.

Before this trip I put hatch lift struts on the bed platform so it lifts with a finger to access the storage underneath.  I also scrubbed the whole coach down with soft scrub and gave it a Zep floor polish treatment which turned out great.

I also have had an issue since I owned the coach (20 years).  The engine runs too cool.  Even on the hottest of days it would barely get into the "normal" range.  Engines really want to run at about 200 degrees and mine would hover in the low 170's. I was able to find a skirted thermostat rated at 195.  Hopefully that helps.  I also installed the air dam trying to play with aerodynamics.  Yeah, I know it is a brick, but I like playing.

Lets see.... I upgraded 3 of my fluorescent fixtures to LED, and some other odds and ends.  Looking forward to this trip.  Next year will be expensive.  I need to get tires next year.  Ouch.

[Sasquatch]

Let me start breaking down some of the individual upgrades I did to the coach and what worked, and what did not.  I think this information will be useful for all who have older coaches since we share much of the same driveline/chassis.  I worked in the high line RV industry for 16 years and spent all that time on the big Diesel Pushers.  I used that time to see what they were using on those rigs and incorporating them into my "poor man's Prevost".


On the Chassis:
Battery configuration.  The way this coach came from the factory was that it had two separate battery systems.  The primary for the engine/chassis AND the house, and the second, smaller battery just to start the generator.  Modern coaches do it differently.  They have a chassis start battery for the engine/gen, and deep cycle batteries for the house.


I rewired it to be the same as the modern systems.  2 6v deep cycle batteries for the house and a large cranking battery for the engine/chassis.  The hurdles I had to jump through were regarding charging.  I wanted the engine to be able to charge the house batteries while driving.  I solved this with a continuous duty solenoid designed for RV's and this particular application.  It is actually for a diesel pusher.  The second issue was how to charge the chassis battery while plugged into shore power.  I solved this by wiring in an automotive trickle charger to chassis shore power and hooking it up to the start battery.


So, how did it work?  Fantastic.  I highly recommend this mod.  I used to go through chassis batteries every couple of years because I could not use deep cycle for that application, then using start batteries as a deep cycle would kill them.  I have been multiple years now on this setup and have yet to replace the 6v batteries (and I bought them used).


My next mod was to install a automatic battery transfer switch.
What this does is to automatically switch power between shore and generator depending on what is present.  Prior to that I had to plug the chassis into the generator socket in the cord box when I was not plugged into shore power.  Sometimes I forgot that step and had to pull to the side of the road and plug it in to get AC while driving.  Now it automatically switches.  Very convenient, but not necessary.


Next, Charger/Converter:
The original 30 amp charger installed in my Executive was a "dumb" charger.  I would put out a set voltage with 30A available depending on load.  The problem is that it would boil out the water in my batteries when it was stored and plugged in.  It had no 'float' or 'equalization' modes.  So I installed a Power Dynamics smart charger that I picked up used.  Very worth while upgrade.  I have not had to add water to my batteries in almost 2 years now.


Generator Mods:
I have a 1976 vintage Onan CCK 4kw gen set.  I only modded two things on this generator.  First, I removed the factory fuel pump which was prone to vapor locking due to how far it had to suck fuel from and installed a pusher pump right next to the fuel tank.  Problem solved.  Next, I hate points and they gave me fits on a regular basis.  I found a simple electronic ignition module on the net for about $30. Link: [size=78%]https://store.qkits.com/automotive/electronic-ignition-amplifier-kit-k2543-velleman.html[/size]  This was stupid easy to install and made the generator bullet proof reliable.  Starts instantly, even when ice cold.  Worth every penny.


Stay tuned for more mod details............

[LJ-TJ]

 D:oH! Cool! What happen to the pictures. Hm? N:(

[Sasquatch]

More chassis mods.


Handling and steering:


The Dodge M500 chassis was nicknamed the "wiggle wagon" from old timers.  My father worked at addressing this when he had it and I continued the process for the last many years.  You could never really relax while driving.  It would wander at will and would require constant corrections in the wheel to keep straight.  Semis blowing by would really upset the chassis.  Dad had a lot of alignment work done which helped, but no where near good enough.  He then went from the original bias ply tires to 8R19.5's and that helped again, but not enough.  He then replaced the nylon king pin bushings with brass.  Again, small improvement.  He tried anti rock air shocks in the rear, but that did not help much.  He even put on one of those expensive steering stabilizers that returns the wheel to center.  That thing plain out sucked.  You fought it driving down the road.  I ended up leaving it in a rest stop trash can in the middle of the Utah desert.


I made the swap to 225/70/19.5 low profile radials, and it made a decent improvement in steering and stability, but again, not good enough for me.  It was time for major surgery.  In the shop it went and I pulled the steering box and sent it back to Michigan to a very well regarded rebuilder.  I then added Firestone Ride Rite air bags to all four corners. Topped it off with a set of Bilstein RV shocks all the way around.  This did it.  I can drive at 65 with one finger on the wheel.


Next.......Engine mods

[Sasquatch]

Can no one see the photos?  They are coming up fine on this end...... Let me go check another computer.  Ok, they are dead over there.  Let me make some changes...

[Sasquatch]

Ok, well, I can find no button to edit my original post, so here are the photos from a different server:

[Sasquatch]

[Sasquatch]

Hopefully you can all see those photos now.


On to motor mods:
As we all know, the 440's suffered through the heavy hand of emission controls in the 70's.  Since I live in an area with no such tests on RV's, off it all went.  Below is a list of mods that I did to the engine.  The core of the motor is still stock with the low compression.  I will address this soon with flat top pistons and aluminum heads. 


What has been done so far:
Thorley long tube headers - Kept the heat off the valve cover gaskets, seemed to make the engine breathe easier.
Recurved the dist. for 42 degrees total advance and initial advance set at about 12-15 degrees, moved to manifold vacuum - much improved lower end torque and highway cruising.  Improved my mileage.
MSD ignition - seemed to start a bit easier, but it may be my imagination.  The stock electronic ignition is pretty good.
Comp Cams - specific cam for low end torque, advanced 5 degrees at the cam chain. - Large improvement in power between 2,000 and 3500 rpms.
Edelbrock RPM manifold - (this is the one for torque), did at the same time as the headers, so see that review above.
Removed the thermoquad carb for a Edelbrock 750 cfm - (I later went to injection, but you should see what the new carb did anyway) Greatly improved starting and driveability/power.  Mileage did not change much.
Switched from mechanical fan and fan clutch to electronic radiator fan - Lowered the in cabin noise tremendously
Installed Powerjection III fuel injection - biggest improvement by far.  Instant starting, improved mileage by over 2 mpg, much better power everywhere in the power band, so much smoother running.  The mileage will never pay back the money invested, but worth every penny.


Keep in mind that all the mods I have done to this coach were over the last 20 years of ownership and use.  So the money and hours did not happen all at once.

[LJ-TJ]

WOW! That is one cherry ride. Pictures came up that time. Fantastic looking rig.

[Sasquatch]

Thank you,


Last post before I hit the road on my 1,100 mile trip to Tucson in the morning.


Interior:
Pretty much everything is new and modified inside.  All new plumbing, electrical, furniture, counters, fridge, wall covering, lighting, yada yada yada.  This was the heart of the resto-mod.  Looks like a classic coach outside, but functions and looks modern inside.  At only 26', she does not have a ton of room, but for my ex wife, two cats and I, it was fine.  Everything works perfectly from the heat and AC (both original) to all the upgrades.  New captains chairs from a newer coach made the long drives comfortable, the couch which replaced the dinette gave us relaxing room, and the island bed with under storage was a nice improvement. 


All the plumbing was replaced with PEX piping which made routing a breeze.  I added a fill for the fresh tank so you can fill it while connected to shore water with the flip of a lever.  This was nice and a huge time saver.  The new counters replaced the burnt orange (icky) originals.  The new fridge is wonderful, no more trying to get the pilot light lit, just press a button and it automatically starts and auto switches to 120v when plugged in or the generator starts.


All interior wiring and 12v systems have been updated to blade fueses in a fuse panel under the bed.  No more searching for glass fuses.  A Fan-tastic fan in the bathroom creates a nice breeze when it is not hot enough for AC.


The depressing part about this whole project is the coach is worth far more to me than I could ever get for it on the open market.  What would this be worth, maybe $10k on a great day to the right buyer?  Who knows.  I have tons more than that in it especially if you count my labor.  But there is history here.  I am 48 and I rode in this as a child when my grandfather owned it.  I know every inch of it and rarely even need to consult the manuals when a problem arises. She is my pride and joy and I love to show her off.

[joanfenn]

She is lovely, keep showing her off.

[Rickf1985]

Very nice and I love the detailed description of all of the modifications. I am intrigued with the advanced cam timing and the fact that it gives you more power that high up in the power band since advancing the cam timing usually give better bottom end.

[legomybago]

But there is history here.  I am 48 and I rode in this as a child when my grandfather owned it.  I know every inch of it and rarely even need to consult the manuals when a problem arises. She is my pride and joy and I love to show her off.

That right there is great. You can't put a price on that.
Nice rig...I hate to say it, but I think you should paint the hubs gloss black, it makes for a great accent to the nice bright white wheels you have. So your not done working on that baby yet W% Have a great trip, I'm jealous

[legomybago]

I then added Firestone Ride Rite air bags to all four corners. Topped it off with a set of Bilstein RV shocks all the way around.  This did it.  I can drive at 65 with one finger on the wheel.

I think this would be a must for all the straight front axle rigs out there....

[Sasquatch]

Very nice and I love the detailed description of all of the modifications. I am intrigued with the advanced cam timing and the fact that it gives you more power that high up in the power band since advancing the cam timing usually give better bottom end.

Sorry if I was not clear or typo'd that.  Advancing the cam brought the power down into the sweet spot of 2500-3500 rpms. 

Funny story, when my dad had the coach he got some bad advice and installed a Crane "RV" cam in it.  It's an RV, right? LOL.  It made the coach absolutely scream above 3500, but it fell on it's face under 3,000.  But the thing I miss about that cam is that with the headers and free exhaust it idled like a top fuel dragster.  It loaped and cackled at idle.  Blipping the throttle and revving it was an audible orgasm.  It was just horrible for putting the power down where a heavy RV needs it.

Installing the Comp cam helped a bunch, then advancing it made it even better.

[Gearhead88]

Very nice looking rig !


Well thought out upgrades !

[Sasquatch]

Made it to North Phoenix from Boise.  Two days so far.  Will get to Tucson tomorrow.  The winds have been horrible.  The coach is handling them pretty decently not fighting me much at all, but the fuel mileage is suffering.  Had a low of 6 and a high of 8.8 running 65 mph.  Las Vegas is still a nightmare to get through.

I leaned the injection out a bit more at cruise to try and squeak out some more mileage.  Nope, actually started to get a lean miss on easy inclines.  So I richened it back up at the next break and all was good.  So nice to do that with a laptop in 5 minutes or less without even removing the engine cover.  I hate carbs....

I am going to post the following question in the Dodge chassis thread, but maybe someone reading this can go up there and answer it for me.

I am doing everything I can to try and get this engine to run closer to 200 degrees.  It has ALWAYS been a cool motor, running about 170-175 which is too cool.  I swapped out the 180 degree thermostat for a 195 before this trip and the temperatures did go up, to only 180-189.  Even down here pulling hills at 65 in near 80 degree weather she just does not warm up.  I even tried blocking off half the radiator with cardboard for a stint, and that only gained me about 3-5 degrees.  What am I missing?

[beaverman]

why are you trying to increase engine temp?

[Sasquatch]

Engines really need some temperature to run at their peak.  Oil is even designed with the target of 200 degrees as their goal for perfect operation.  Hot enough to burn off all contaminates but not too hot.  A warmer engine, but not too hot, will be more efficient as it will burn the fuel the best. 

I was hoping to get a bit more efficiency out of it by getting it up around 200 degrees.  170's that it had been running for years is just a tad cool.  If the 180's is the best I can do I will live with it.  Quite frankly, I would rather deal with an engine that runs on the cool side than one that overheats.  This coach has never even got hot, let alone into the danger zone.  Even the time I hauled a 16' fully enclosed trailer with 5 sport bikes in it, 5 guys and all our gear over the Sierra Nevada mountain range from Reno to Sacremento in July.  Barely made it to mid "normal" while twisting her tail in 95+ degree temps.  I did not have the digital sender and gauge then, so I do not know exactly.  Probably got to mid 190's.

Had two issues crop up tonight.  While checking the coach I noticed one of the air bags had lost it's pressure.   I pumped it up but it would not hold.  Crawled under her with a can of window cleaner and sprayed her down.  The 1/4" plastic line to the push fitting on top of the bag was leaking a tad.  I pulled it out and noticed it had failed right at the fitting.  No problem, trimmed it back to good hose and went to reinsert it into the fitting and the plastic internals of the push lock fitting exploded.  Crap.  1000 miles from home in a Walmart parking lot with a busted air line fitting. 

I walked over to Lowes and scrounged their plubing isle after removing the air bag to work on.  Found a fitting that would work.  Not push lock, but it a compression type.  It will get me home and probably work for many years.  Came back and started to get the coach unlocked to get it put together and noticed one of my little girls (cats) was MIA.  I went into thermal meltdown.  I tore the coach apart and could not find her.  All the windows were open for the 20 minutes I was gone, but the screens were all intact and closed tight.  I thought she scooted out the door when I went in and out, but this is very unlike her.  She and her sister are house cats and only go out on occasion on a leash, so she does not "dash out" the door.  And if she ever would she would hit the pavement and start meowing loudly (she is Siamese, of course).

I started to walk the parking lot yelling "Mocha", looking like I had lost my mind.  48 year old 300+ pound biker hollering for Mocha and crying.  Yes, I was crying and did not care who saw me.  I have never had any kids and these two girls are my life.

I went back to the coach and started opening every cabinet, every door, even the fridge.   In the executive there is a small compartment in the entry step area with a flop down door about 5x8.  Just big enough for some quick access tools like air pressure guages, some tape, a screw driver or two, etc.  I remembered going int it go get the pressure gauge.  I opened it up and there was this cute blue eyed blonde looking back at me quite excited to be free.  I cried and held her tight for a while.  She did not complain.

So, back to the air bag.  I got it fixed.  Should be good to go.

I do have some oil on the front of the front axle though that is concerning.  The only thing wet in front of it is one of the transmission cooler lines going into the radiator.  One of the only rubber hoses in this coach that has probably never been changed.  I am going to check ATF levels in the morning when I am warming her up and if they are at all low, I will replace that line when I am at the camp site in Tucson this week.

Its 10:30, I am frazzled.  I am going to jump in the shower and go to bed.  Good night all.