Beautiful GMC Canyonlands 260 Motorhome in So Cal COOL RV Van life Tiny Home

Description

Thanks for stopping by to take a look at our 1974 Canyonlands GMC Motorhome.   This one is special.  Meticulously maintained and featuring all the options, she’s bound to delight.   Summer is here and the road beckons!
For those unfamiliar with the GMC Motorhome, it was the only motorhome ever conceived, designed and built by an automobile manufacturer. It was designed to be “car- like” with front wheel drive and cutting edge with air spring suspension and wide curved glass. An aluminum skinned outer shell with lightweight fiberglass access doors mounted on a custom frame.  A low step in and reasonable size made it a family favorite.
Slab sided box motorhomes on truck frames were (are) no match.  That being said, this is not a new, perfect motorhome. She has weathered 47 years incredibly well but a new Tesla, she is not.
We’ve had a few of these GMC’s and they seem to fall into 3 categories:
Show Queen, They are expensive and rare. They don’t get used much.
Loved, These were enjoyed and maintained to a high quality standard.
Neglected, They are often low mileage, stored outside for decades and in need of tens of thousands of dollars worth of repairs just to be roadworthy.
The Show Queens are still rare, Loved coaches are few and far between and the vast majority fit the neglected category.
We think this Canyonlands fits in the Loved category.  While you can’t always personally know the previous owner of a vehicle or home, one of the best ways to learn is from the records. Often those are lost to history but in this case, we have a wealth of written records and receipts that detail the love heaped on this beauty.  She has travelled 175,003 miles which is quite an achievement. One made possible by regular and thorough drivetrain and house maintenance.  Clearly, she was kept in top shape, just as a dependable member of the family should be.
Appearance wise, we’d bet this girl lived inside a nice warm garage or warehouse. She just doesn’t seem to show the wear of an outside life.  The paint easily buffs to a nice gloss and you don’t see the fade or weathering of trim.
Here are the notes from our inspection:
Clean as a whistle! 26 foot GMC
Nice body with no damage
3 A&E awnings with aluminum canopy covers.
Roof air
Dual roof vents
Optional ladder and luggage rack
Large storage pod
Sully air bag/air ride upgrade. new high output compressor. dashboard adjustable ride comfort and height.
Optional T skirts cover the air bags
4000 watt Onan generator.  751 hours on the meter. Fuel pump primer upgrade. Remote starting from the interior. Unit is operational.
Spare tire with cover
Glass is nice. Wipers look fresh.
Recessed heavy duty trailer hitch. (standard below the bumper hitches drag)
Macerator waste system upgrade
Interior
Custom entry cabinet with wine bottle and wine glass display
Golden Oak, book matched real wood cabinetry (not the prefab particle board used in later years)
3 convertible beds, Sleeps 6
Lots of cabinet storage space. Doors and drawers close well.
Flexsteel upgraded swiveling King and Queen captain's chairs with armrests
remote controlled audio system
Tilt wheel
Dash cover looks homemade
Custom built oak console/drink holder
Motion sensing overhead lighting
Custom fitted insulated window covers
Accent interior window frames
2 convertible seating areas with tables
4 burner propane stove and oven
Built in microwave
2 cutting boards (one integral with cabinetry)
Safety minded built in Chef’s knife rack.
Upgraded norcold fridge/freezer (with receipt)
Volt-a-check electrical monitor gauge
GMC systems control panel
Side Bath model.  Custom raised teak floor insert. Upgraded Aurora toilet. Shower curtain, vent. Nice and tidy.
Suburban Furnace
GMC factory maintenance manual
GMC factory service manual
From the 25 years worth of records and receipts, we learned:
mechanicals:
replaced lower ball joints
Added rear bogie zirk fittings (for ez maintance)
replaced steering gearbox
replaced fan clutch
dynamax super turbo mufflers, 3" exhaust system, featuring Doug Thorley performance headers
replaced steering shaft
rebuilt transmission
rebuilt engine
replaced alternator
Caspro 3.21 final drive upgrade
replaced steering drag link
shock absorbers
trans cooler
added engine ducting (for superior cooling)
new water pump, thermostat and cooling system service
onan service manual
gmc upgrade and full tech manuals
gmc motorhome parts manual
gmc factory operation manual
gmc suppliers listings and tech bulletins
Our assessments:
Exterior.
Paint is beautiful and polishes up excellently. Minor touch ups have been done over time. The accent stripe is painted.
California plates and title.  Are up to date through January 2022.
26’ side bath model. In GMC floor plan lingo it’s a 26-10 with the rear Gaucho Bed combo. AKA, the one everyone wants to sleep 6 comfortably.
Awning - Passenger side - feet will detach and mount to the ground if preferred. Nice condition with one small patch
Awnings - Driver side - Two units are in excellent condition.
Optional T skirts.
Nice glass throughout.
Nice bumpers
Aluminum Ladder and roof rail option
Class IV Trailer hitch is recessed for better ground clearance.
Engine
455 V8 Oldsmobile Toronado Front Wheel Drive
Runs nice
Rebuilt with receipts
Dual 25 gallon fuel tanks
Transmission
Drives and shifts nice.
Rebuilt with receipts
Braking, Steering
Drives, runs and stops well.  See video
Air Ride
Sully style airbags appear to be just a few years old and work well.  A later model compressor has been added.
Glass
The glass is in good condition.  No cracks or breaks. All windows operate properly. Screens are in place.
Side Bathroom model with shower and storage cabinets. Nicely kept. Shower curtain.  No whirlpool tub, bidet or heated towel racks.
Sleeps 6
Rear Gaucho dinette seating option converts to a bed.
Driver side sofa converts to a bed
Forward dinette converts to bed.
Odometer
The odometer shows 75,003 miles.  The included documentation verifies the actual mileage as 175,003.
DMV
Clear California title. Registered in California thru January 2022.   Out of State buyers can ship or drive out of CA on a “one trip permit” available from DMV or AAA.
Inspection
Happy to make the coach available for your inspection in CA 90680. We don’t offer joy rides.
1974 GMC Canyonlands vintage motorhome by DRIVEN co
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Interested in a little history?
Check out this cool GMC promo video
GMC Motorhome Commercial A Vintage GMC Commercial [1973-1978]
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Financing
You can get excellent collector car financing through LightStream, a division of Suntrust Bank.  Click the banner, get great financing fast and get out for a cool drive in this one by the weekend!  24 hour funding to your bank account AND YOU KEEP THE TITLE!
Thanks for looking.  We’re hopeful someone will have a ball with this great coach.
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