ABANDONED GMC TransMode Rescue! Will it Run after 15+ Years?

We love rare and different! Fixing to be scrapped, we had to rescue this 1973 GMC TransMode! I hope you all enjoy! Thank you as always for the Love and Support! I hope everyone is having a great week!
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Send Mail: 324 Clardy Rd Liberty, SC 29657

[@jsilvareverbnation]

Welcome to the GMC Motorhome owners club from Miami ! I have a 1973 as well . Can go 70 mph once you repair it properly. Well worth restoring not many left …

[@RichardEberhart_Rialta]

THE most exciting rescue thus far! She has heart and stories to tell and can make more memories for you and that's cute little girl of yours! Do her justice!

[@BudgetBuildz]

😃😃 Can’t wait to bring her back!! Excited to get the family involved and make many more memories! 😊

[@joeydube2195]

Absolutely love that your Dad is fulltime with you now. The dynamics between you is awesome.

[@BudgetBuildz]

It’s definitely been so much fun!! 😃 Thanks 😊

[@mikaeljonsson4686]

Yeah, dad and son make a really good team!

[@jamesmyers3773]

These RV’s are so cool. I watch so many videos about them. The engineering that went into these was just amazing. The view from the front seat is unparalleled.

[@BudgetBuildz]

We definitely think so too! They put so much into designing them, that’s for sure! We cannot wait to bring this one back!

[@rsprockets7846]

@@BudgetBuildz epic find and YT content GOLD....................................missing the Olds tornado steering wheel and put the bucks into the disc brake conversion in rear , plus check the timing chain

[@lizburgess4398]

I wish GM would bring them back. I like these better than modern styles.

[@johnmaki3046]

They COULD STILL be featured in FUTURISTIC MOVIES! The look/concept was FAR ahead of the 1970s!

[@rsprockets7846]

@@johnmaki3046 hell no featured in Bill Murrey movie STRIPES in 1981 or so

[@DachsAutos]

25:25 - this is what it's all about. getting our kids involved, and teaching them to appreciate turning bad cars into good cars! Perfectly said.

[@BudgetBuildz]

You got that right 😊

[@peteroeland5796]

8 I worked on one of those that have been converted to fuel injection it can't be done you must have a 4 Barrel injection system. The carburetor is by itself and very unusual it is a 1150 CFM carburetor other than that bear super fun to drive I'm being a front-wheel drive it is very responsive to the steering.

[@liquidflorian]

Oh man! I love these old RVs! Its an Eleganza, reach out to Jim Bounds if you have any questions about them. He's a wealth of knowledge for them!

[@lateefcarrere1649]

This might cost you more than the Porsche, but the memories it will create will be worth it - especially if you find some reproduction carpet for it!😁

[@johnmaki3046]

This would be TOTAL COOL with ANY TYPE CARPETING!

[@daniellawson9302]

There are at least 2 of them in my neighborhood. They actually came with the Toronado engine and transmission. I'm trying to put my hands on one as well. Looking forward to the rebuild.

[@ArmySigs]

It's crazy to think of these monster V8s as FWD engines!

[@jasonmorales1846]

You two were pretty brave cleaning out the inside without gloves!

[@hauke4651]

And without masks either 😷💀

[@jasonmorales1846]

@@hauke4651 I didn't even think of that haha!

[@isfeldt34]

I love the promotional film for these. Manufactured from 1973 to 1978 by the GMC truck in coach division. There's all kinds of upgrades for them. Aftermarket upgraded suspension's etc. The whole back panel unscrewed, which allows the interior and furnishings to be put in easily.. it was even equipped with a generator manufactured by Onan.

[@DarkFlamage]

What's so unique about that? Onan supplied generators to a lot of motorhomes back then.

[@rhodesm6683]

My father retired from General Motors Truck and Coach Division back in the 70's. I remember seeing these brand new on the assembly line at "Family Day". As an 8 year old they looked like space ships back then. Cheers from Guam USA👍

[@thisguy2720]

​@@DarkFlamagedidnt say anything about being unique

[@PapaTanGh0stNI9htM4R3S0nMaInSt]

Its surprisingly similar in shape and layout to the BMC model apart from having a 455 instead of a wheasy lil 6pot.

[@illegal_opinions]

The little kid is adorable . Made me miss my daughter being that age .

[@joevincenti5807]

The Olds 455 is legendary for excellent reliability. If well maintained it will give you many more years of trouble free service. Thanks for saving it and the GMC.

[@johnmaki3046]

Except for the HORRID "231" V-6; ANY OLDS-BUILT MOTOR WAS THE BEST OF G.M.!

[@tbasmwmc]

This is gonna be so fun to watch!

[@jessestout8646]

Can't wait!

[@TheThriftyWoodworker]

I don’t think it would take too much to turn this into an Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile. Very excited. 😊

[@beernor]

What a cool camper. Muxh more style than the new rigs. Would love to have one my self. Please put some love in to that rig.

[@hbzandbergen]

Would be nice to have some pictures of the family enjoying holidays with this camper

[@libertysgarage8411]

Those are the coolest RVs! The body is completely seamless other than in the very back I believe. That is a great design because there will be no water damage from leaky roof seams unless the fiberglass is cracked or compromised in some way.

[@johnmaki3046]

A fellow I knew had a '76! AWESOME RIDE!

[@grayhounddaddy62leake83]

You definitely have your work cut out for you!! But with you and your Dad working on it, and the technology that you both have, you'll have this rig up and running in no time! Will be following along on this journey, for sure!

[@GWBergen61]

My Grandpa had one of those and let me tell you they were the Cadillac of motorhomes back in the day, love this beauty.👍

[@lizburgess4398]

They are amazing. Better design than many modern motorhomes.

[@richarddawson2892]

Even if the thing isn’t safe for trips you will have the coolest playhouse for the kids. Hope you have better luck than Sleeperdude in trying to revive a motor home.

[@stephenvose6359]

You’ve got something special there that deserves a long term multi episode effort.

[@michaelbrinkley9323]

Paint it back in its original colors. The seventies had so much character!

[@markbennett6658]

Super cool project. I’m in the UK and love classic motor homes particularly old American ones. These GMCs just exude 70s cool and this one looks like a great candidate. Michael this may well be your finest hour. I’m looking forward to the old gal moving under her own steam 🔥👍

[@65bug519]

This was a revolutionary design at the time and they drive and handle better than any other RV. The engine and drive train were taken from the Olds Tornado so it is easier to get parts if you say Olds first, slap a Holley carb on there as well and it will run better and get good mileage.

[@iamthetarget52]

We had the best luck with TBI and O2 sensors for power and mileage. The Holley carbs didn't fit under the floor well.

[@leevanskiver816]

These were great motorhomes in their day. I worked for a Buick GMC dealer in the late 70's the owner had one . He would race cars from stoplight to stoplight with it! IT was suprisingly fast for all the weight involved. The thermostat housings were known for splitting. Really Enjoy your videos!!

[@jg6579]

For some crazy reason I'm obsessed with these GMC Motorhomes so was super excited when I saw this on your channel! I really hope you save this and restore it so you can enjoy years of making memories with your family. (Bonus: They're also highly collectible and I think the prices are only going to go up for a good example, so definitely worth the effort.) Good luck!

[@bekindandrewind1422]

The EM-50 "Urban Assault Vehicle" from the movie "Stripes" ..

[@Laxkid97]

If I remember from a tv show, this engine needs a special L engine hoist that only 1 garage has, so good luck if that baby ever needs to come out. Keep it up guys 👍

[@lawrencepevitts2434]

They were quite the thing back in its day. The best part was the fiberglass body. I think some of them had a central vacuum cleaner system in them.

[@samsonjuren3906]

grandpa max rust bucket

[@brianshull9053]

What a sweet little girl! “We don’t buy nice cars” ❤

[@avioncamper]

Michael, you have a real collector's item in the RV world. These motorhomes have a huge following. Can't wait till you have her and hooked up the shore power to see if the ac and fridge works. In a couple months I bet you all will be camping down at Myrtle Beach SC. The unit will clean up great.

[@nikolakurjakovic2188]

I absolutely love seeing you start vehicles step by step from checking if the engines are stuck, what kind of oil is there, then the spark and of course the fuel. Someone would start directly with the brake cleaner and turn the key, which is unacceptable in my opinion. Congratulations guys greetings from Croatia

[@skyjammer]

I hit the like button before the play button!! Haven’t been this excited about a series since the 911! These old GMC Motorhomes are just awesome. It was ahead of its time...and they have never lost their cool factor. Especially the sofa/bunk! Source a set of Alcoa wheels to replace those steel wheels....or maybe you’ll find the hubcaps stored away!

[@nodak81]

Personally, I love the idea of restoring the look of the original 70's interior. Shag carpet is comfy on the toes! I always liked the look of these things, they had a futuristic look. I had no idea they were FWD.

[@BennBirch]

So cool! I used to work at a rv dealership and once we had one of these come into the shop for a service. There was one mechanic who was familiar with them. His joke the whole day was that he was conceived in one. Im so looking forward to this series. Its going to be a big job and would definitely be something that youll wish you had a lift for because theres no room to crawl around to fix those brake lines. It would be a true miracle if they didnt all need to replaced by the look of that master cylinder. But you will have us along for the adventure!

[@slap_A_flamingo]

What a beautiful vehicle. These kind of things need to be saved from the scrap pile. What a find.

[@michaelnevanssr206]

I love the GMC motorhome for style and room. Fuel economy is abysmal but when you're cruising, you may not worry about it. Looking forward too more vids on this magnificent motorhome. Your presentation is so enjoyable.

[@kevinmccarey5015]

Mr Budget Great video on the old camper. Great start on bringing it back, looking forward to wash job and more repairs. Be well

[@JoE_Songs]

25:37 how sweet & passionate can a daughter be! warms my heart.. so cool.

[@aaronhunt1616]

I loved when your daughter said, “that’s fancy” about the toilet shower combo 😆

[@EricV63]

Love the enthusiasm you and your Dad have for these projects. Keep having fun and making videos. Bonus learning for the kids on the adventures you can have by bringing old stuff back to life!

[@justinraystyles3537]

Glad your the one that saved it I seen the ad removed from facebook and thought the old GMC got scrapped!!💗💗

[@Grisa77]

Wow! Would love to see this thing redone properly and actually made usable!

[@SILSKY]

This is a fun one. I have always loved the unique styling of these old GMC Motorhomes. Would love to see this thing cleaned up.

[@redneckbryon]

I would be checking the electrical system and trying the AC, so you can work in comfort. When the starter went out on my Winnebago we had the AC running while we were changing it, it definitely helped. EFI, would be a good upgrade.

[@cdw3663]

i want one of those gmc motor homes man your lucky to find one

[@briankelly5503]

Been waiting on this one for awhile! Saw you guys working on it in the yard, I hollered Budget Builds! Awesome to have a local KZbin channel!

[@guymanicone7921]

That thing is very cool. Hope you take it all the way. Would like a multi part series.

[@lepepus]

Man that thing deserves a full restoration, I think it could fetch a good price in today's market

[@timothyguilford6897]

This one is definitely going to be fun to watch!

[@Sockieknowshockey]

What a great find. Looking forward to this one.

[@dickdavidson3616]

Big change up here, this will be interesting! Congrats on the motor, heck ya!

[@eugenebogucki7136]

I hope you gave the fish a good home.

[@motorhomeman1949]

Always love a good motorhome revival! The kids reaction to it was priceless as well!

[@BudgetBuildz]

Glad you enjoyed! Haha she understands 😅

[@rickmillertx]

Many years ago I stumbled upon a gathering of these RVs at a city park. That was the first time I focused on what they were. They are really cool machines so I am glad you are rescuing this one. Make it nice and share your adventure.

[@Beatle4]

First time seeing one of your videos and I must tell you I was blown away when you discovered the original carpeting. When I bought my house in 1981, the living room and dining room were covered in that same carpeting. Wish you all the best on the restoration of the camper.

[@markcorboy8528]

Looking forward to seeing this one happen. Cheers from NEW ZEALAND.

[@chrisb9360]

I cannot wait for the interior cleanup on this one!

[@GilsonJr.Whitout.Numbers]

I am Brazilian. And I love the peculiarities of this GMC. Its shape is unique! 🤩

[@oldgeezer3269]

Great find guys Cant wait to see this one come back

[@MrZZeroG]

Before you rebuild that carb - know that there are specific serial numbers and jetting for the gmc Motorhome. Once you lose those parts they are impossible to buy other than $$$ rebuilt exchanges. A better bet is to move to fuel injection. Been watching you since the beginning and I own two of these. One barn find and one I drove to Alabama from CA. You’re going to have a ball. Huge community of supporters.

[@billpar]

awesome build glad to see you revive this great rare motor home

[@dennisbrown2571]

So cool. Glad to see you guys are gonna revive it.

[@robertdragoff6909]

I guess this is chapter one in this saga on this GMC camper…. Looking forward to seeing more of it.

[@sneville44]

I like your careful approach to getting an old engine started. Remove and inspect plugs, get lubricant in each cylinder, change oil, disconnect old fuel line etc. I hope you can make this “blast from the past” a family fun RV! The original owner had fun with his family with this RV…now you’re going to have fun in it with your family. BTW…there’s a guy in Empire, Nevada who’s got a dozen of these rigs sitting out in the desert. You can see them on Google Earth. They are just east of the main town/gypsum board factory along Highway 447.

[@K10wNs-Shed]

One of the coolest RVs ever made.

[@philrosner1406]

This is my new favorite channel! It's so satisfying to watch the crud blast out of the exhaust pipe. Thanks for sharing the experience with us!

[@jonathanbowles2577]

Good morning to you both. What a really Beautiful RV. She does have Potential, Character, Admiration, Great curbside appeal. She deserves a Full Restoration and then a Super Long American road trip with Yourself and Your Family. I look forward to watching the next Professional video from You my Friend. Kindest Regards from Jonathan. 😁😁👍👍

[@nairblooc]

You need to make it the EM-50 Urban assault vehicle from the Stripes movie!

[@Djexoticdancing69]

Great job on bring it to live from it's grave, I bet the original owners who are no longer with us are back smiling to hear it run & being rescue, great job guys.👏👌🙌💪🏼👍💯🙏💝

[@echobeefpv8530]

Very much looking forward to this one !! It's a rough penny, but you guys will make it shine !!

[@RetroWasteLand81]

I’m really excited about this one! I remember seeing a few of them on the road during the late eighties and I thought they were so cool looking. As a kid I thought they were spaceships with wheels.

[@thomaswells6491]

That's definitely a great save a lot of work. Good luck, I'll be waiting to see.

[@ColinBarrett001]

Great job! Can't wait to see you clean it up and restore this thing to roadworthy!

[@johnnoys5422]

Great video, love your enthusiasm and passion for getting this old RV running, wonderful project, looking forward to the next installment.

[@billdyke9745]

That was brilliant. I think you've got yourself a fine camper. 🇬🇧👍

[@drumsk]

Congrats and good luck with her

[@chrishyde377]

Can't wait for part II

[@dannycassady8765]

I love the body style and this build is going to be exciting! Good work and good luck, guys!

[@ronaldmiller2740]

WOW!! LOOK AT THIS RV,, YOU WOULDNT KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE FUTURE 10/ 23 DAD AND SON YOUR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB..

[@bradsnyder8802]

My wife and I have a '76 Palm Beach. They are a lot of work, but are very cool. Love that you hope to use it and great to see it coming back to life! Stress points: brakes, front wheel bearings, fuel (dirty tanks/selector valve), A/C is terrible, 70's sloppy steering just to name a few. There is a very healthy family of Motorhome users on the internet. Lots of resources. Don't be afraid to ask. Shower and toilet = "shoilet"

[@wilfredvanvalkenburgh2874]

Don't forget the Achilles's heal, the Turbo hydramatic 425 transmission. It's sorta one of a kind. It's not impossible, but it is "special". The GM Unified Power Plant was used on Cadillac Eldorados and Oldsmobile Toronados in a slightly modified version. To the best of my knowledge this is the most powerful front wheel drive automobile drive trains ever manufactured by anyone, anywhere. The GMC motorhome was designed in a wind tunnel, by an aircraft engineer and held the World Land Speed Record for MotorHome twice. Lower Coefficient of Drag (CD) than a "73 Corvette, but with much more frontal area. The Corvette guys did the "fiberglass" (SMC) for the GMC .

[@ToddMills801]

In the Mack Bolan books he uses one of those for his war wagon

[@thewatcher5271]

You Lucky Duck!! Who Wouldn't Want To Restore That Bad Boy!?! Never Knew It Was Front-Wheel Drive, Though. Thank You.

[@kentevans4218]

I enjoy the RV builds of any type!!! This is gonna be a good one!!

[@MrBigMalT]

Really impressive how you just methodically went through the various steps to get it running. Many people would be so put off by such a huge project, but not you guys. I’m gonna enjoy watching this resto :)

[@lizburgess4398]

I love those old GM motorhomes! They were ahead of their time. I'd love to see it saved. Hopefully, you can get it renovated in time for the total eclipse coming in April!

[@mwatkins2464]

These are the best built motor homes ever made.

[@fossilfish786]

Amazing. Love the original carpet. Good job. Real fancy

[@mikeromine6495]

Absolutely love that you show the exhaust when you first start them up.

[@Fordsrock]

This is my dream vehicle. I would love to have one with all the 70’s flair! Like my own overtime capsule. I was born in 1960. Wow please redo it , make this a series restoration like sleeper dude

[@furrymess5957]

This Old Lady was Hooting & Hollower ING all alone in my bedroom when she started!! I'm going to follow the complete work over & face-lift she's going to get! Congratulations on getting her started!😀

[@98foxx]

You're the best builder I've ever seen. From worst to best. Love From South Africa 🇿🇦

[@markramsey-uc3yp]

Cool can't wait to see it run

[@LS1LE]

I’ve always liked and thought the GMC campers were cool! I can’t wait to see the rest of the build of it!

[@bellowsjeep3999]

Such a cool rig! Can’t wait to see what you do with it! Love those old motor homes!

[@luissilva3260]

That’s going to be rough to fix but you two will nock it out. Oh and the duckie thing with your daughter priceless I was rolling. Thank you 😀

[@stevefletcher2334]

dude...awesome! Can't wait to see this beast cleaned up and rolling.

[@raywilson800]

Alright then, I can't wait to see the next adventure with this beast.🇺🇲❤️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@garycoppard3596]

Another interesting different vehicle to keep you guys busy and us entertained.❤🎉. Thank God we can't smell the rat pee and poop 😂, and all the other bad smells. You and dad are brave men taking on these projects. Thanks for letting us come along for the process ❤❤❤❤❤

[@essexdavenorton]

That little motorhome looks so cool. Can’t wait to see this one on the road. Good luck guys😅😅😅😅