Should I buy it? 1976 GMC 21' Motorhome...

[skodacanada]

I posted this one earlier as I'm quite interested, but now that I've gone to see it in the flesh I thought I'd post it as a topic.

1976 GMC 21' Motorhome - $4500 CDN, located semi-local to me...

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/rvs/4013298451.html






Overall its in very good condition inside and out, and the seller has put in over $12k worth of work into it with receipts over the past 3 years. Everything electrical and RV on it appears to work (fridge, stove, etc..) though I will have it checked out professionally as I'm new to all of this. It has clearly received attention and care over its many years.

Problems:

1. Roof is sagging - seller says its from 300lbs AC in the middle (since replaced with an electric 2 way fan). I don't mind it, but is it going to cause endless headaches with leaks/get worse?

2. He said 2 of the vents had tiny leaks, and there is evidence of an old leak behind one overhead storage compartment. The interior is completely original from 1976 and there are no signs of other leaks, musty smells, etc. Some posters say never touch anything with evidence of a leak, while others say pretty much any older A or C will have a leak at some point. Thoughts?

3. Some of the underside wood is getting old - 2 of the side panels behind the rear wheels have begun to rot. One piece of plywood near the back  is starting to soften, and there are a few bits here and there. Most of it looks very solid though, and there is almost no rust (underside is great, one fender only has a nasty spot). Again, it all appears to be original.

Any comments/thoughts from the wise?

For the price point, given the mechanical shape, I think it could still be a good buy, but the wood bothers me a bit...

[Lefty]

I like it, it looks like it's in good shape on the outside. The interior looks pretty good too, except being pretty dated. But most interior cosmetics are not expensive to update. I wouldn't let gold linoleum or orange shag carpet stop me from buying a rig.. if that was all that was wrong. The roof is a major issue... not cheap or easily fixed. If the roof is sagging, then it has already weakened internally and will need pretty extensive repairs. An A/C unit by itself won't make a roof sag, only if there's been water damage that caused the inner structure to weaken.
But, replacing a roof is not the "End of the World"... There's plenty of articles here about roof replacement. I'd read up on a few and decide if it is a project you may can do yourself. If so, the costs actually are not that bad. A few sheets of plywood, some screws, and either a rubber roof kit or eternabond tape & a bucket of Elastomeric Roof Sealant... and a few weekends of your time. If you have to have a professional RV shop replace it, it probably will cost more than the rigs worth... The other soft spots will also have to be evaluated. If they are from water leaks, but not from the roof, then those leaks will also have to be found & repaired. If from dryrot, you may can replace individually the damaged wood pieces with new ones cut using the old pieces as a pattern.

[mrmuse]

OK, here's my question..If the interior is "original", and the leaks weren't repaired, where is the $12k in "work" over the last 3 years.  If you have the receipts this should be an easy question.
After completely re-doing my 76 Custom, the first thing was to find and fix leaks.  Something just doesn't fit here.

mrmuse

[skodacanada]

Thanks very much for the replies.

I have to say I'm really disappointed to hear about the roof; quite crestfallen actually...

Perhaps this is a silly question, but *IF* there are no leaks, could it be driven as is (with leaks fixed) for several years before getting to it? Or could it start caving/separating/always springing a new leak anytime anywhere?

To answer MrMuse:

1. He states that he fixed all of the leaks (and replaced AC and 2 vents), and swears it doesn't leak at all, even with pooling on the roof. It's kept under an RV cover during winter, but he said he'd be very willing to let it sit in the rain for a while to prove it.

2. All $ work was mechanical. Rebuilt 454 in 2009, rebuilt tranny 2010/11, complete brake rebuild (lines, calipers, rotors, rear drums), new suspension, brand new Edelbrock carb, new rad, new water pump, new windshield gasket. Tires are older, but they have good tread and don't have any microcracking/drying out (yet).

3. We love the dated interior; in fact that's a major selling point, it's only original once after all!

To be honest, if the drivetrain hadn't been rebuilt I'd keep looking (and probably still will) but all the mechanical work is tempting IF I can make the roof last a few years as-is, though I'm gathering that an aging box is a massive PITA. If it wasn't for these wood issues, its the perfect RV for us and much cooler than all the others we have seen. I just can't afford to be upside down financially with it however...argh!



Honestly, if this RV didn't have all of

[Oz]

I had pooling on my roof in a low spot around the AC because I didn't have the time or resources to do a repair or roof-over.  I cleaned and sealed everything (see the general photo album:  One day roof reseal) and I had no leaks for years afterward.   When not in use, I kept a good tarp over it to help ensure the longevity of the work.

If there is significant rot in critical areas of the body (you won't have them on the cab, of course - which is a major concern for Class A's and we have had members who've gone down the road and had the body panels start to peel back) - Whether there will be a structural issue can only be determined by either tearing it apart or through use.  However, there should already be signs if it's that bad... buckling of the exterior skin, bowing out or in of the walls, possible deterioration around things cut into the body such as access doors, etc.

From all apperances from the photos, the RV looks pretty solid.

[mrmuse]

Well, the drive train being re-done explains a lot.  I have a 76 with the retro look and love it.  Now I completely redid the roof for under $200.00 Kool seal on Ebay  5 gals for less than 100.00, caulk, 2 new vents, and I've had 2 strokes and 2 TIA's (not from the Winnie) and some elbow grease.  And with the wealth of info here did most of it myself.  Just finished up 3 days ago and had our first hard rain last night.  No leaks.   
The rig is beautiful, and the roof can be repaired.  I'd say "go for it" if it is what YOU want.  Mine might be worth nothing to anyone else, but it's the light in my eyes..
I actually only have 2 days work time on the roof.  I just did the research here first.

mrmuse

[Lefty]

Like you mentioned, the sagging of the roof causing water to pool is the primary issue. However, if the leaks are repaired you can do a couple of things that may help.

1: fabricate a brace that fits inside the coach near the A/C unit, and props the roof up. (Our Winnebago had four.. two from the factory and two added by a previous owner that fit just in front, and just behind the roof A/C unit.)
Ours was made of 1"X2" steel rectangular tubing. It bolted to the walls on each side and to the floor... they painted it brown so it blended in with the paneling.

2: When you park the rig for storage, be sure to park it so that the roof is slanted.. allowing excess rainwater to run off. Something as simple as backing one side of the rig up onto 4" concrete cap blocks can make a lot of difference. Be sure the fridge is off though, they do not like running off level.

The rig looks like it's been taken care of, inside & out... it doesn't look abused by any means. If you like the look of the interior, that will save you some money right there that could be spent on repairing the roof if need be.

Overall the rig looks like a good buy to me... especially since it is in good shape mechanically. The mechanical end is where most money gets spent to get the rigs road-worthy... if that's done, that's money you don't have to shell out yourself.

[skodacanada]

Thanks for all the responses; its much appreciated.

Next step will be to take it for a proper test drive (when its dry out) and to have a serious poke about of the underside. If nothing serious is discovered, the third step will be to bring it to an RV shop that handles older rigs and get a prof. opinion. If that's reasonable (of course issues will be found, but I try to be realistic with a 35+ year old rv), then magic will probably happen. If the entire box is rotten, or if the rood is coming apart at the seams, then I'll probably just pass.

You are right about the care, the PO put in driving and fog lamps, extra gauges, rear spots, microwave, sound system, and a bunch of other details that says someone cared for it. The rear plywood cargo box is also rotting, but the current owner already bought a large aluminum box as a replacement.

[fleetmasterfred]

At least you have an idea of some of the challenges you face with this unit.  The price seems a little high for a 37 year old Class C rig to me.  But if you've researched other rigs and similar comps and feel like the price is within your range, go for it.  Then let the fun begin.