motoyhomme Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Today I gave my 83 Sunrader away to someone who is prepared to enjoy it as I have the past years. Actually I did a little barter deal and traded it for a few labor jobs around the house, probably about 300 dollars worth of labor. It has a few minor repairs to make it great again. I put new truck and house batteries on it, a new ignition coil, and a new master cylinder to make sure it ran great and everything worked. The new parts came close to the $300 labor I received. So to my way of thinking that made it a free motor home. I had ignored it the past 2 years while I fixed up my retirement home, and then to have my wife of 47 years to die right after we retired. I got over my grief over the past 2 years and purchased my classic 77 GMC Motor Home which I have always wanted. Since I couldn't work on 2 projects I decided to give "Sunny" to someone who really wanted her and was prepared to keep her going and to really use her. It was sad but something I wanted to do. I gave the new owner the forum info for here and Toyota campers, so Danny will be joining you all in the near future. He also received manuals from me and was told he had to join this forum to help him keep it running because of all of the knowledgeable people on here. Pictures of the Sunrader are in the albums I believe titled 83 Sunrader. I would have posted pics with this message but I couldn't seem to get them to upload on my android tablet. I will still lurk here on the forum and maybe throw in my two cents occasionally. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Sorry to hear about your wife Allen. We will help Danny take great care of the rader for you. Does that 77 have a dual rear axle? send us some pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 As requested, the following info and pics are added: The GMC is the only motorhome that was designed and built by a major car/truck manufacturer, not to be confused with a motorhome built upon a GMC chassis. The chief designer was an aeronautical engineer and built it like an airplane. It is fiberglass from ground up to beltline and then aluminum up and over the top with triple thick aluminum on top with it all glued to an aluminum frame with a special glue GM developed way back then. It has a 455 ci Olds engine and front wheel drive. It was built from 1973 to 1978, discontinued because more money could be made by switching the line over to trucks. It has dual tandem wheels in the rear with air suspension, no springs, it floats over bumps etc. You can ride in the very back and a bump won't send you to the ceiling. The driver can control ride height, leveling, and automatic traveling height from switches at his finger tips. They came in 23' and 26' length (mine is 26). They had several floor plans, mine was the dry bath (separate shower) and twin beds in the rear that double as a sitting area. About 13,000 were built and over 8000 are still on the road with several shops set up to deal only with these GMCs. Several small businesses are manufacturing replacement parts including mechanical and body parts. Lots of improvements are being made and installed to lengthen the life span of these units. There are several clubs offering all kinds of help and especially is a list we have of folks around the US and Canada mainly, that are within distance to offer help if you breakdown, virtually anywhere. The pics that I have included are of mine. Since I bought it, $7000 I have installed improved air bags in the rear suspension, dual low profile AC units on the roof (not in the picture) and lots of little things under the hood and inside, I really like my satellite radio and 6000 KW generator. I don't like the 8 to 10 mpg vs the 14 to 17 mpg the Sunrader got. On the way home last night from picking up my Sunrader, Danny and his wife stopped for dinner, a guy came over wanting to know what is it, where did he get it, and could he buy it. Lots of people still want the little Toyotas. I did not want to take the time and expense to make my 'rader perfect for selling it. However I did not give away a junk heap, it was still in good shape and I didn't remove anything from it including the flat screen TV and microwave. I even included all new front and rear LED clearance lights for the roof that I never got around to installing. It also has the 1 ton rear. I didn't need the money, just the time and space. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 both are beautiful rigs.I sure Wish someone would have given me a sunrader; I paid $7500 for mine (and it had the 5 lug death axle even) and then dropped in an axle etc but I live in Michigan and they are next to impossible to find there so any nice California or east coast pricing would have cost the difference on lost vacation time and gas and I had the opportunity to build out my axle with all new innards and custom suspension the way I wanted it. I am kind of like Linda in that regard, i just couldn't let that rig rot and wanted to restore it to its former glory; i ended up making mine far nicer than it ever had been. sometimes I feel like I would trade MPG for time; Like on those days I am going into headwinds uphill. My Sunrader is a strange beast; sometimes it runs crazy fast like into 70's and sometimes it dogs to make 55. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john*thomas Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I'm new here and it seems the RV I was going to buy has likely fallen through but enough with that. I love the GMC RV's of the 70's. I debated and debated buying one but in the end we didn't need something that large and I hate putting gas in things, LOL. Still ......... an all original GMC Palm Beach would be my ultimate if it was more practical for our use. Being it's not, dang, I wish I could find a Toyota like your Sunny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Totem, thanks for your expression of sorrow for my late wife, I truly appreciate it. She really loved Sunny, especially because she thought I'd run over things in a larger motor home. We traveled all over the place in the little Toyota. I paid $3500 for mine several years ago. I replaced the rear bumper because the original bumper for the Sunrader is thin 4x4 steel with a cover of aluminum to make it pretty, and the steel rusts away hidden behind the aluminum. I got thick 4x4 metal was metal supply shop who cut it to size and welded it on to the frame. A can of paint and it was pretty. Mine had 6 new Yokohomas on it, and everything worked. I searched 3 states trying to find a small motorhome and ended up finding Sunny 4 miles from my house. I didn't know of Toyota motorhomes until I saw this one. I really lucked out because it had the 1 ton rear which I also didn't know was an issue. I was going to sell it, but because of all of the many small things and labor required to get it spic and span I decided to give it to someone I felt was deserving. Danny is a recent retired Tennessee state trooper who likes to go camping, etc with his grandson, who by the way was absolutely blown away by the idea of riding in it and camping overnight (7 yo). Allen Lenoir City, TN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 I have talked to you in the past and commented on how nice Sunny was. Looked far newer than it's real age. So sorry about your wife. She would be so proud of you for making sure Sunny had a new home that loved it as much as you both did. Hope you have some great times in your new GMC Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 John*Thomas welcome to the forum, almost everything about Toyotas you need to know can be found on this site. Do like I did and look at as many as you can and pick one that fits your needs. You will eventually find one, as stated before, I found mine 4 miles from my house after I had actively stopped looking for one. I know what you mean about putting gas in things. I used to cringe filling up the optional 26 gal tank on the Sunrader, the GMC has dual 25 gal tanks, talk about stomach churning. The GMC is the largest motor home I want to get. The Palm Beach model seems to be the most popular model. They came in green and white with green plaid interior. I have the Eleganza II model that was partially remodeled back in the 90's by a previous owner. It was originally beige and white with a brown interior. It now has a faded silver exterior with tons of large decal stripes. Keep searching, Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 6, 2013 Author Share Posted August 6, 2013 Thank you Linda for your kindness. I remember you commenting on her a couple of years ago. The interior is still nice as when the pics were taken, but can you say faded gel coat and paint and a hail storm. Danny is more than willing to get her in top notch shape. She still runs great too. Before I signed it over to him I put a new C&C 1 ton master cylinder on it because I wanted it to be safe while he fixed the cosmetic issues and could still be using it, I had previously installed new shoes and pads on the brakes. Somehow I'm just not a good businessman, too soft hearted I guess. At least it will still bring joy to someone else. Thanks, Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Money isn't everything and the world would be a nicer place if more people realized it. My Sunrader is named Baby. I don't think I could just sell her to anybody either. Hoping I can keep myself going for long enough for one of my grandchildren to take her. That would make me happy Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 Money isn't everything and the world would be a nicer place if more people realized it. My Sunrader is named Baby. I don't think I could just sell her to anybody either. Hoping I can keep myself going for long enough for one of my grandchildren to take her. That would make me happy Linda S My grandson doesn't seem to be too interested in motor homes right now but when he was about 4 yo, he and I spent many nights camping out in my driveway watching tons of cartoon DVDs and sneaking cookies, etc from grandma. Right now his interest is in the Jeep Wrangler I have waiting for him until his senior year in HS. My oldest son, who died 2 years almost to the day before his mother, wanted his nephew to have the Jeep whenever he came of age. I have kept it cleaned and running waiting for that day to pass it on. That would make me happy, I've had enough sadness in the past several years. My granddaughter wants her grandmother's red Sebring convertible, but not a chance. When she graduated HS her parents bought her a 2 year old Toyota Corolla on my recommendation, that was promptly totaled 3 weeks later in a single car accident, we suspect was caused by texting. Her parents bought her a Saturn Ion that she totaled, suspect texting. She was never hurt either time. To compound stupidity, her parents and her other grandfather bought her a junker which she has never even scratched, go figure. To get the shiny convertible, not a chance, besides, I look good in it :-) Happy birthday to me today (Aug 11), 70 and still going. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 ... especially is a list we have of folks around the US and Canada mainly, that are within distance to offer help if you breakdown, virtually anywhere. The 'Black List'! PRICELESS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 The 'Black List'! PRICELESS!! Derek, you're very correct. For those not in the know, one GMC Motor home Net user years ago suggested an assist list like Triumph owners had, so a guy by the name of Roger Black decided to start what is officially called the 'GMC Motor home Owners Assist List. Roger said that some twisted minds on the list changed the name to the "Black List". It is nothing like the black list most people think of It is something the Toyota owners should have in my opinion. Some of the GMC guys assist is only a place to park while repairs are made or waiting on other assistance to arrive and to offer cold drinks and coffee. Some guys have facilities to completely rebuild a motor home. No money is usually changed hands, just the feeling of helping someone and maybe needing help yourself when your 40 yo MH breaks down in the boonies as they eventually will. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 You forgot to mention that some people on the list also have some (or all) of the special tools that are needed for the GMC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoyhomme Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 You forgot to mention that some people on the list also have some (or all) of the special tools that are needed for the GMC. Only one special tool is needed: a front wheel bearing puller. Several of the more talented owners are modifying bearing pullers to fit the GMC and selling them usually thru our suppliers. The Black List readily identifies who has this tool for use. However, the GMC uses all SAE sizes and has no square drive screws. The Toyota's are far more reliable and economical than the GMC could ever hope to be. GMC means "Got More Cash?" Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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