17 minute read
President’s Corner
GMC MOTORHOMES INTERNATIONAL
GMC Motorhomes International was founded in 1982 by Ralph Luby
>> GMC Motorhomes International 1402 So Cage Blvd, Unit 273 Pharr, TX 78577 | 612-501-4600 admin@gmcmi.com | gmcmi.com
>> GMC Vintage RVing Magazine Published quarterly for members of GMC Motorhomes International. Managing Editor | Graphic Designer Kimberlea Weeks | 612-501-4600 admin@gmcmi.com Editor Janet Frey | 215-536-9064 freyjanetr@yahoo.com
>> Online Version A digital flipbook version of the magazine is available online at gmcmi.com/gmc-vintage-rving/.
>> GMC Article and Part Number Submission Please send article contributions and newly found part number crossovers to the managing editor.
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>> Disclaimer Articles are contributed by members and others which are published as a service to members. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Independent verification is urged. ©2020 GMC Motorhomes International
2019-20 GMCMI Board of Directors
Dolph Santorine President Margie McLaughlin VP Northeast David Blackshear VP Eastern Lou Boone VP Southeast Randy Van Winkle VP South Central John Pryzbylek VP Great Lakes Lucy Weidner VP Midwest Emery Stora VP Rocky Mountain Gary Coaster VP Western Jerry Work VP Northwest Kim Weeks VP Administration Janet Frey Secretary Fred Hudspeth Treasurer John Smyrski Director Keith Weeks Director Stan Edwards Past President
Non-Discrimination Statement: GMCMI is committed to maintaining an environment of non-discrimination and noncoercion on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, handicap, or political preferences.
Dolph Santorine Twenty-Twenty. It’s optimal vision, this year, or both! It’s the first year in a new decade, and there is so much going on and so much to look forward to with GMCMI! Let’s do a bit of business first, and then move on to the fun stuff. If you have not sent your membership renewal in, please do so! I would hate to see this be your last issue of this magazine, and the dues are important to the continued fiscal health of GMCMI. It also provides the fuel to do things like this magazine. You can renew online at gmcmi.com/join-renew-2/ or through the mail. The next mailing is going to include the parts interchange and this is a formal call for your updates. The world of parts for our motorhomes is continually changing and we need to share our knowledge and experience in this important document as well as online. Please send your updates and comments to Kim Weeks at kimweeks04@gmail.com. There are few places that Lora Kaye and I enjoy and appreciate quite as much as New Orleans. It is a decidedly spicy mixture of cultures and traditions, blended together in a uniquely American way.
“...so much to look forward to with GMCMI!” – DOLPH SANTORINE, GMCMI PRESIDENT Having two Mardi Gras celebrations in 2020 should be great fun.
Don’t forget to bring those beads, hats, horns, and other fun stuff! A parade with pets is planned, as well as much fun and mirth!
Now that every member of GMCMI is allowed to attend all of the Conventions, I am looking forward to new presenters and presentations in our technical sessions. Tech includes anything that allows us to enjoy our motorhomes more. It can quite literally be anything. I know you have tips and tricks to share, and I am looking forward to being in your session and learning. Time does fly when you are having fun, and we just realized that the GMCMI eNews (monthly electronic newsletter) is three years old! That’s going to be the place to catch up on who is doing what, who is ailing, and who is on the mend. The volunteers who make it all happen at GMCMI are an amazing group, and we have asked them for an extra measure of effort with the changes to our association since the last Convention. This is a heartfelt thank you from me personally for all they have done to continue making GMCMI the best. I am looking forward to seeing you in Patterson, Louisiana for the Spring Convention April 17-23.
2020 Dues Notice Renew your 2020 dues online at gmcmi.com/joinrenew-2 or renew by mail. Send a check or money order – $40 US dollars to: Kim Weeks | GMCMI, 1402 So Cage Blvd, Unit 273, Pharr, TX 78577-6288
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Congratulations GMCMI Monthly eNews, a member benefit.
GMCMI Status Membership stands at 1,012. We have 43 new members since our last publication. Refer a new member today! Receive a $10 voucher which can be used towards renewal of GMCMI dues, products, apparel, or fees for a Convention.
CONTENTS WINTER 2020
GMCMI . . . A New Era
Keep informed about GMCMI Events and Members.
Join us at facebook.com/ GMCMI
DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Corner 10 FMCA Report 11 GMCMH Vendor Profile 12 GMC Motorhome History 13 Technical Corner 22 GMCMH Suppliers List 24 Classified Ads 26 Regional GMCMH Activities 27 GMCMH Events Calendar
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SCAMS BEWARE OF
Read the flipbook version of the GMC Vintage RVing magazine online at gmcmi.com
Be part of the GMC Community Facebook page by sharing photos of our GMCs, adventures and those important technical questions. Join us at facebook.com/ groups/vintage gmcmotorhomes/
ON THE COVER Pictured along the banks of Lake Pepin on the Minnesota side looking at Wisconsin is a 1976 Palm Beach owned by Tim and Niki Anderson of Hugo, Minnesota. This coach features a rear bed, wet bath, side kitchen with oak countertop along with bunks above the sofa. The coach is mostly original interior with the original paint job on the outside plus Alcoa wheels, recently rebuilt 455 engine, Carefree awning, Sully style air bags, and air horn. They purchased it in 2013 with ~40,000 miles on the odometer from friends of the original owners in Kansas. They plan on installing fuel injection this Spring in preparation for a trip from Minnesota to California. When not on vacation, almost every other weekend from spring thru fall they travel to campgrounds, car shows, parades, pumpkin patch, tailgating at the racetrack, GMC rallies, and all sorts of other activities. They proudly show their coach at the car shows. Pictured are Cooper (9), Logan (7), Nash (5), and Remington aka Remi the golden doodle (3 months). Technical Support, Parts Interchange, History and More!
GMCMI.com
Shop for specialized GMCMH items and previous magazines!
GMCMI . . . A New Era
2020 is a leap year, the 20th year of the 3rd millennium, the 20th year of the 21st century, the first year of the 2020s decade, and the first year of a new era for GMCMI.
A new era where all GMCMI members can attend Conventions, hold office, and vote. A great milestone for the GMC Motorhome Community!
As we begin the 2020 RVing year (except for those in the warm and sunny south, who never stop RVing!), we look forward to the new and exciting places to visit and returning to places we have enjoyed in the past.
For GMCMI members, there has been an important change that will result in new opportunities. As you may have heard, GMCMI has separated from FMCA, no longer requiring our members to also be FMCA members. (For more details on the separation, read the sidebar on page 7.) There are two important changes that need to be highlighted:
FIRST, there is no longer a requirement to join any other organization when you join GMCMI.
SECOND, all members of GMCMI now have equal standing. They can attend as many Conventions as they wish, and they are full members, able to vote, hold office, and enjoy the full benefits of GMCMI.
Now there are 1,012 members of GMCMI with the same rights and privileges. No restrictions whatsoever. One big Community that enjoys each other, and terrific coaches designed and built decades ago.
2020 CONVENTIONS
2020 A Milestone for the GMCMH Community
Hold GMCMI Office & Vote Now we as a group, have the potential to take this where it can and will go. The single rule we need to adhere to is “the best interests of GMCMI and its members”. It’s no secret that traditional associations are losing membership. Much of the reason is a societal change and no one has quite put their finger on the right solutions to reverse this trend. So GMCMI is trying something different. We are doing this because what got us here will not work going forward into the new decade. Thus, the new era for GMCMI started with separating from FMCA. This change was not easy, nor was it quick. The number of hours put in by your volunteer board was astounding. We all worked hard, but there is always a conscience of the organization, and for GMCMI that’s Fred Hudspeth. He made certain that every “t” was crossed and every “i” dotted, all the while doing the very best for the organization today and for the future. His tenure as Treasurer gives him a unique perspective that is essential. The challenge for the new era is to determine what we are going to change. Or more likely, what are we going to try that is new and a departure from the past. This is up to the membership and your ideas are essential to the next step.
You Are Invited...
Having a great idea is one thing; sharing it is another; making the time to make it a reality is yet another.
I know we are up to the challenge. Because of changes, we are more nimble.
Here is an important question – what does membership really mean? A member can be defined as part of a society, community or group, or, in living creatures, a limb or part of the whole.
Membership can be defined as the state of being a member, or those that constitute the different parts of the whole. Membership in GMCMI is a choice made by the members to become part of the whole. As with most memberships, there are benefits and responsibilities.
The benefits with GMCMI are readily apparent at a Convention – seminars for tech and non-tech subjects, fellowship opportunities, fun, and food! Responsibilities are perhaps more subtle, but also apparent at the Conventions.
There are volunteers who help with registration, parking, set up, clean up, doing seminars, assisting in any of these activities, plus just being alert to anyone needing help. Some members volunteer for more defined activities such as becoming board members, presenting seminars, and coordinating meals and all the accompanying duties. Other members just seem to be everywhere, helping with the smallest details that many times go unnoticed. Going back to the definition of a member, being described as a limb is quite startling. But, if you think about it, no organization can perform activities without their “arms, legs, heads, and hearts”, in other words, you our members. Members are the lifeblood of any group, providing support and planning to keep the group alive. And where would any group be without new ideas and problem solving?
Groups like GMCMI are all about people. We are all different, but we also share passions – a passion for traveling, a passion for socializing, and a passion for problem solving.
The single most important thing that happens when someone is curious about the GMC Motorhome meets one of our members is that they are made to feel welcome. Smiles all around. Sharing information. Laughter.
Sure, we might have technical sessions, but the real backbone of GMCMI is people. All of us. We are ambassadors for the motorhome, and we need to extend that to be ambassadors for GMCMI. Active ambassadors.
If you meet a new owner, get their name and email address and send it to Kim Weeks. We need to make them aware that we are here to help, and invite them to be part of the amazing experience that is GMCMI. It is time to get active about membership.
The departure from FMCA has expanded the GMCMI family, as the 1/3 of us who were “associates” are now full members.
So, here is a challenge. If you have not attended a Convention, resolve to do it this year! If you have only attended one Convention, try to attend more. If you have not yet volunteered to help at a Convention, do it next time. If you have always been a volunteer – Thanks so much!
GMCMI is set for the future. The rest is up to us.
Getting Here . . .
GMCMI is the largest organization dedicated to the GMC Motorhome, with a 38 year history of serving its members. When you are brand specific, and the last of the motorhomes rolled off the production line in 1978, there has to be attrition, both of the machines and membership.
Changes in Attitudes Before the internet, a strong national association like FMCA was needed to drive members to their local chapters. FMCA had the “big megaphone”, including their magazine and being a part of their organization was essential for growth.
Today, things are much more focused. You get on the internet, get what you need, and get out.
Digital natives (those who do not remember a time before the internet) do not understand why they needed to belong to another association before belonging to GMCMI. Their solution was to just skip it entirely.
Declining Membership In recent years to combat the decline of membership the GMC Vintage RVing magazine was developed and the two levels of membership was implemented. There were full members entitled to all the benefits, and associate members who were restricted from holding office, voting, and were only permitted to attend one Convention (mandated by FMCA insurance).
This worked for a while, and the membership loss stabilized. In 2018, it became obvious that this was not working for GMCMI.
A Long-Term Solution Looking back on the minutes from the board meetings, a wide-range of things were considered. The board endeavored to understand new member concerns and address their needs. What emerged was a strong desire for a single class of member, and eliminating the requirement to join FMCA The current executive committee and board was not the first to consider making this change.
When FMCA raised their dues by 50%, it was time to get serious about having full control over our future.
Considering the Situation We knew we had to be able to duplicate the insurances that were needed to conduct our Conventions and also to protect the GMCMI Board Members. The tax-exempt and legal ramifications were also thoroughly investigated and discussed, and a proposed plan was presented.
Serious questions were posed during our 2019 Fall Convention resulting in a vote at the GMCMI membership meeting to eliminate the requirement to be a FMCA member to be a member of GMCMI.
The Vote to Separate The membership was polled electronically and for those without email, ballots were sent by postal mail. On November 19, 2019, the results were overwhelmingly in favor to drop the FMCA requirement for membership in GMCMI.
The Vote on the New ByLaws & Standing Rules New ByLaws and Standing Rules were proposed and accepted December 31, 2019, and GMCMI entered a new era…an independent GMCMI.
BEWARE OF
COMPILED BY JANET FREY | MILFORD SQUARE, PA | 1976 PALM BEACH
Have you ever heard the saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true”? That old adage is alive and well in today’s world, and more than ever, it is important to be vigilant, especially with the growing threat of online scams. For example, if you are buying or selling a vintage motorhome or other big ticket item, and you are working online, beware! Watch out for these red flags:
FOR SELLER & BUYER:
Keep your personal information personal. Sure, the buyer or seller might seem nice and trustworthy, but that could be an act. Be cautious and diligent in dealing with them. You may wish to verify the individual’s credentials (email, GMCMI Roster, independent source, etc.).
Never give out your personal information, including banking and credit card information, your social security and insurance numbers, and your birthday. Scam artists are incredibly crafty with the information they can obtain to figure out even more.
Suspicious payment methods. The way a buyer or seller asks you to pay can clue you in on their intentions. Never use wire transfers, prepaid credit cards, or nontraditional payment methods.
The best way to pay or receive payment is cash, in-person. A cashier’s check or money order is also acceptable but can be counterfeited as well. When selling, verify the payment with your bank before the release of the coach.
Requests to use a third party. Some people will ask about transferring money through a third-party service. It might be called an “escrow” service that holds the money until all parties are satisfied. These services often “guarantee” that you will get your money or you can dispute a charge in case of fraud. Unfortunately, the majority of these third-party services are run by scammers.
Be wary of individuals claiming to be overseas. In many different types of scams, con artists claim to be living abroad to avoid in-person contact. GMCMI membership is worldwide, check the Roster or contact Kim Weeks to check if they have previously been a member.
Look for safety in numbers. During an in-person inspection of the coach, have a friend or family member with you and schedule the meeting during daylight hours.
Urgent! Make the deal NOW! If a buyer or seller pressures you to make the deal on the spot, beware! Both parties should and need to research the sale. Walk away!
Listen to your gut. This could be the most important tip of them all. We have all had that “something isn’t right” feeling come over us. If this happens at any point during a transaction, it is OK to walk away. The old cliché, “Better safe than sorry,” applies here.
SCAMS
IF YOU ARE A SELLER:
Creating your online ad. When posting your ad online, utilize your GMCMI membership by advertising directly to the GMC Community via this magazine, Vintage GMC Motorhome Facebook page, and the GMCMI.com “Marketplace”.
To safeguard your email address, create a new email address at gmail or hotmail for only responses to the ad.
Responses to your online ad. Beware of responses to your ad from people who misrepresent themselves and their interest in your motorhome.
When receiving an email inquiry, look at their name. Are they using a personal name, a business name, or just scrambled or random words?
Online offers. You receive an offer by text or email from a person you have never talked to and has not even seen the motorhome you are selling or they may email you asking you your “lowest price”. Do not respond. How can they make an offer on something they have not seen?
GMC 1976 G e n e r a l M o t o r s C o r p o r a t i o n E l e g a n z a I I M o t o r H o m e
IF YOU ARE A BUYER:
What you see may not be what you get. An item that is pictured online may not be what is for sale. Pictures of items, from motorhomes to puppies, can be taken from other sites and posted in a sale ad. Do your homework.
Do your shopping on reputable websites refrain from websites with free postings. Scammers have nothing to lose when using free postings. Look for a reputable site that requires advertisers to provide information and/or fees to post the ad, such as gmcmi.com.
Sob story. Be aware of someone selling something that they cannot show you in person, or asking you to buy something sight unseen (except for posted pictures online). A legitimate deal will often require several calls and meetings to complete.
Facebook, Craig List, etc. Visit Facebook pages supported by the GMC Community such as Vintage GMC Motorhome and GMC Motorhome Marketplace.
Suggestions: • Look out when you see the same photo listed under ten different towns. • No phone number to contact, they may be just collecting emails for spam. • On Facebook, check their profile. • A common spammer price can have an unusual number like: 1974 GMC, 9,000 original miles, never smoked in, only $13,501.
