#20 OVER A HALF CENTURY OF BUILDING THINGS
WHAZAMMO AND THE GILLIG #20 (Click the "MORE POSTS" link at the bottom to find Post #1)
Actually over 65 years of it... race cars, street rods, gas turbine generator sets, jeeps, sports and rally cars, refineries, chemical plants, power stations, propulsion engines, turbo machinery, blade saw sharpening, boat hulls, parabolic fields, motorcycles, computerized control systems and instrumentation panels, fishing boats, Skoolies, ship repair, and yes, 40-foot pusher motor coaches...and before all that (from birth), 15 years of "mechanic"-tearing things apart, repair, and building bicycles.
We get a few inquiries about the GILLIG from other RV owners of all types (who store their units around us), but that is only because we are there every day, and the activity, tool van, and constant loading in of materials is very obvious. Curiously, the very first question is always "How much did she cost ?"... a question I defer with "Well, its pretty hard to tell, there were some trades involved" (a white lie of sorts, involving the January to April "profit" monies from selling off the exotic 4WD Cherokee, the Cadillac SRX, and my Chevy Silverado to get the profits released for the GILLIG auction, and tool van).
The second comments are always about the tire size (22.5R X 12), and the comparison to what is on "their" 36-38-40 foot factory built RV, the third comment is also the same... "look at all the glass ! windows), with the fourth question falling into everyone's query being about the big 659 cube ISM engine size (not the smaller ISL).
From there, a tour of the inside is usually pushed for, but, until completed, and the visitor is "known", we refuse entry to anyone -always- usually the questioning unravels that the visitor actually has no clue about "living full time"... in a bus, boat, or anything other than a 2,500 square foot house, and this then becomes a question-answer session waste of your time.
Thank goodness for blog/web sites... "if" they are truly interested, I send them here, and give them the contact information (in the past 20 years of 40 foot bus and boat living, I have had "two (2)" followups out of possibly 200 "very-interested" people. In the grand scheme of things the general public looks at yachts or coaches as being special, and you being some sort of celebrity (in their minds), for living in one.
Far more people are in awe, than are critical... all are curious, but doing open house tours for curiosity seekers is simply not in the mix, again the video or blog will save the day (and there will be no secondary comments or contact involved). We printed 1,000 business cards for our boat So...fea as hand outs, they lasted just over 24 months...
As long as I have been building things, this process has gone on, at the shop or race track, in the driveway, or docksite, on board or at the refinery gate, on the job site, and in the hotel, bar, or restaurant later...you soon determine 75% of the population are inquisitive, insincere, and dreamers, very very few (very few) will ever step onboard the "learn-it"/"build-it" train, or make the sacrifice to join-in.
Independent Journalism, and Technical online pages can assist anyone who has interest, or who needs opinion, show and tell, how to, and DIY interface, most people have something they are "good" at ... sign painting, cooking, welding, etc; and many of us can do it all (sometimes badly), anyone accomplished in any field of endeavor knows that out of zone, they may struggle. experience, skill, and expertise only come via failure, mistake, catastrophe, and doggedness.
If you are starting your build, the old timers can be rude, insulting, and will disregard your sincerity in learning, even dismiss entirely, you as a dreamer. "I" went through that, and so did most (who did not "buy" their way in... or "assume" their place with money), it is part of the boot camp or initiation to any discipline (sign painting, cooking, welding, etc; ).
Unfortunately, over the years, technology, raw money, and spare time have changed the complexion of every endeavor out there, like air-cured steaks, "real' cheddar cheese, a free pass to wander in the scrap yard, or legitimate Levi's... getting back to building something yourself and on the cheap, has vanished, and the newer generations do not miss it, because they never knew it.
But for my generation and perhaps the one following I wonder about the impact of being non-mechanically brained, clearly, for my generation the combustion engine is no more. It is simply there only in the memories, and nostalgia exhibitions (they even call it that).
With AI now on the scene, be prepared for much of this "creative" hobby, self design-self build, home grown, self-designed, DIY project stuff to quit entirely, your acquired skill and collective knowledge base that gives you "experience" will be usurped, cut off, and revealed to those controlling the industry (RVIA, DOT, LABOR UNIONS, NFPA, ANSI, RVEC, OESC, on and on), who will then list you, report, and fine you for having even the "ability" to modify their patented designs, and do unlicensed crafting (on and on), city ordinances, driven by Federally funded counties will prohibit "home" shops and the fabrication of "anything" (including home repairs),... it becomes a type of "hands-on" censorship.
Everything will require review, permission, permits, approvals, and adjudication for potential violation of "the rules".
Are you "certified, qualified, and approved" to read those micrometers ? can I see your paperwork ? you are not authorized to speak of, or share (in any manner) your readings taken here, and you are forbidden of memorizing them, this is what we have data banks for; Are those suspension mods and tires approved by the government as mileage, and safety listed, were they original equipment designed for this vehicle? ...I hope so.
Propietary information will eventually apply to everything as the scapegoat for you "keeping your hands and eyes off", like enclosing and sealing your engine compartment from view and repair access... you may own this rig, but you cannot work on it (legally), nor can you break the sealed access tabs... ever, not after warranty, or in ten years... this is a right-to-repair product ... the "only" people allowed to repair it are the people who built it... not you, or any private shop. if you do so, they will sue. this is their intellectual property and design. if you gain access, it will be considered both, patent and copyright piracy, intellectual trespass, and against Federal right-to-repair laws... you "WILL" go to jail.
Under the "whats coming" laws, you cannot change the original designed intent of any wheeled vehicle. if it was built and licensed as a school bus,it musT remain a school bus... forever, 52 seats ? no, you cannot make it 48 seats (for band/football equipment), you must buy a properly designed, manufactured and certified 48 seat cargo bus.
Sir, I pulled you over because of safety, your studded tires are 225 x 16 not the 215 x 16 size supplied and designed for this car, here is your ticket (requiring court appearance), since no authorized tire dealer would ever violate federal law, "you" sir, must have illegally installed these (another violation).
Sorry, your vehicle quit running, you pulled off the roadway safely, being out of a cell service or satellite service area, I will call for towing and transportation, I must advise you to keep your hood closed, and do not attempt repairs of any type, you are unqualified and not licensed, help is on the way.
I am issuing you a citation for being involved in the moving of a motor vehicle from the trafficked roadway back there on the bridge, all four of you were not authorized to manually move that vehicle from the fast lane to the berm, only the manufacturer or his duly appointed agent has that right. We will see all of you in court.
We old-timers can look back last mid-century to this Federal take-over almost taking root in the 1960's, beginning with Federal smog rules, then Federal Manufacturing engine cubic inch mandates to curtail engineering horsepower and racing, in 1963 both Drag racing NHRA, AHRA and NASCAR established a new set of rules to address the potential of unlimited engineering by the factories, a 428 cubic inch limit on engine displacement was put into effect to keep the factories in check, later, in 1972 NASCAR phased in a rule to lower the maximum engine displacement from 429 cubic inches (7.0 liters) to its present 358 cubic inches (5.8 liters). Indianapolis 500, a long-time feature of Americana went from "run what you bring" to 214 cubic inch limits and Honda-only in 2007, ending the Novi, Offenhauser, Miller, Cosworth, Ford, Chevrolet engine era.
The low octane and Ethanol cut fuels of the 1980's followed, removal of rebuild kits and the change to "component" change-outs, DEF tanks,and today's (2024) fossil fuel pipeline shutdowns, the non-coal, anti-natural gas, reengineering of appliances, green energy, and electric cars, busses, trucks and trains, all point to less rather than more, high fuel prices were created or a reason.
* stolen from Sharkey's housetrucks.org pages:
Last week (December 14, 2022), the City Council of Portland, Oregon passed a resolution that will gradually ban the sale of petroleum-based diesel fuel within city limits starting in 2024, a national first. By 2030, the city will require stations to sell only diesel made from low-carbon, renewable sources, such as used cooking oil or animal tallow, aka grease.
We are in the last hurrah of 4WD, RAM and 350 "pulling" rigs, our travel reach is being shortened from 500 miles per tank to ? tires, and RV's themselves will be undergoing some drastic changes, downsizing is on its way ! as the largess minded Boomer generation and their tainted offspring yield their 4,000 square foot houses into a "tiny house" world, more will follow. A 1960 Buick station wagon and a mii-cooper wagon...a 45 foot Prevost and a pop-up tent camper, a Ford F 450 pickup and an Isuzu KEI.
$564,340 is the exact starting price for the least expensive of the 2024 Dutch Star RV floorplans. In short, the 2024 American Eagle "Dream" is at: $1,043,796.00 MSRP base model,
Back in Post #4, I gave a warning to all ... "keep abreast of the power of this monopolistic organization"... After Post #11, and #18 here is why.
Let’s talk (a second time) about that shiny black-and-gold sticker on the side of store-bought RV's and what this means for you the "builder" as of April, 2024.
Where did this RVIA idea come from? What happens if you don't have an emblem, and why is your campground or RV park even asking? what to do,,, what to expect.
There is a 12-14 year marine time span between Whazammo and the Buffalo and Whazammo and the GILLIG, during which I no longer followed the RV Industry, like politics and government... things change while we sleep, here is what evolved:
The RV parks sent me their applications:
ALL RV’S MUST BEAR THE INSIGNIA OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE
STATUTES AND RULE OF BUILDING CODES OF THE STATE OR
COUNTRY IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN, AND NOT BE ALTERED
UNLESS APPROVED BY THAT STATE, COUNTRY OR THE STATE
OF OREGON.
Earlier in 2019, the RV Industry Association secured the
passage of two bills in Oregon which eliminated theOregon state RV code program and moved all types of
RVs under the purview of the Oregon Department of Transportation
and the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
These new laws took effect on January 1, 2020, and require proof that the vehicles comply with the appropriate standard, which can be provided in ONLY one of two ways:
A certification on the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) (mso) title;
or, the manufacturer can provide a letter verifying the RV complies with the
RVIA standard.
The legal Oregon Rv definition: <CHAPTER 585 AN ACT HB 2333> Relating to recreational vehicles.
This is an ugly downward spiral time for Americans, the many degrades we are
suffering creates some oddities... our lagging industrialization, diminished
manufacturing, and exporting of industry has changed our society from a "hands-on"
to a Amazon (order it from China) skill level, It shows in the products we build at home, it shows
in your RV, and it impacts all of us who "build"...
People don't see what "you" built. They see what 'they" would have built.
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