Just getting started on Phase 1

[archiewolf]

Well, I've been a member for several months. I'm just now slowing down enough to start working on my ol' gal.
She's a 1974 M&M, Flat-Black, bed-liner re-topped rat beauty!
I bought her in January, I actually drove her home 118 miles!
I even hit 85mph on 75-North, on worn out Sears 78-Series tires!
(don't try this at home)

Step one is to put a new driver-side hood hinge on this weekend!

I've been lurking for a while, but since I'm newish I wanted to say hello to all.
I love the site!
Are there any people/clubs near Knoxville TN?

[Dasvigo]

Hey I know that coach, It sat for sale in Dalton for a LONG time, I considered it but passed because I didn't like a few things about it. The previous owner always has odd or classic cars for sale in his yard. Glad it found its way to you and you to this board. Good luck with it.

[archiewolf]

Yeah, I drove it home from Dalton.

Can you PM me some details about what you didn't like about it?

I have a lot of work to do to it.

[Dasvigo]

Mostly the wheels and tires, You need to get some landau bars for it. Oh and the model name for it "Citation" these were the coaches MM built with a chrome molding across the roof right behind the drivers compartment separating the crinkle top from normal paint. I'm wanting a limo style coach right now is the main reason I passed on it. Although if it was a 73 I probably would have bought it. I don't know about you but I love the flat black look

[dead ed]

I think I saw this hearse on eBay a while back. I like the red wheels and flat black paint. Welcome to the board.

[archiewolf]

Yeah, I bought it off of Ebay.
The guy was right on the TN/GA line. I guess the guy I bought it from worked in Dalton, and lived in TN. He bought it from a guy in Dalton. I guess it changed hands like 4 times in 8 months!
This is my 4th coach that I have owned over the years. The engine seems very strong!
It needs a drivers side motor mount really bad. Anyone know where to get one at real cheap? Do I just order the basic Fleetwood drivers side motor mount? or is there a special mount for a coach? The broken mount was rigged with a piece of chain to reduce movement. Nothing like the sound of chains rattling under the hood of a hearse!

I've got some front brake issues to work out with it too.
And a windshield,

Those whitewalls are shot now too. I may try to go back to the stock rims.
What were the original sizes on the rims and tires on the '74?

[Dasvigo]

Engine mount would be stock & I believe be relatively easy to find. The rims and brake parts need to be commercial chassis specific for your safest bet although may take some searching. Or be sure the rims you decide to go with have a strong payload capacity

[archiewolf]

Thanks for the info.

I can't decide if I want to keep the wheels red, or just paint them like a low-gloss black and get some baby moons? I am going to keep running wide white wall tires though. I found 4" wide white walls for $125.00ea. They would look sweet!

[Hearse_SS]

i think the white walls, red tires and baby moons would be killer on it.

[archiewolf]

I managed to get the replacement driver side hood hinge on yesterday. That is a 2 person job! I still have to align the hood, the last hinge bent,warped,crapped out altogether.

I am looking at the Coker Classic Bias Ply w/ 4" wide white wall.

Oh, I also found out that the passenger side floorboard is almost entirely rusted/rotted out! YAY!

Does anyone make replacement floor pan inserts for the coaches, or is it just going to be a bend, mold, rivet, weld job?

[Riff Raff]

Regular Cadillac floorpans should work for the driver's compartment. Too bad you weren't here a month ago, I had a 74 S&S hauled off to the scrapyard. The floorpans were in real good shape.

[archiewolf]

Yeah, I read about that. You had tons of parts that I could have used.
I actually looked closely at the wheels on my car last night. They are not the stock wheels. So, now I'm looking for a set of 4 wheels. When I saw the pics of your 74 getting hauled off I saw all 4 wheels and sighed!
If anyone knows where to get a really cheap set of stock steel rims or a set of old steel wheels that will fit.

Are the stock wheels 15x7 5x5 or 15x6 5x5?

[Dasvigo]

The rims, some undercarriage stuff, floor pans and from the wipers up is all you could have used from a 74 S&S I believe, the rest is pretty much MM specific if I am not mistaken, oh ya and the taillights

[hotroddwayne]

I love the look of the Coker tire bias-ply wide whites too... but be prepared to get beat to death for the first 5 - 10 miles! Bias-ply tires get a "flat spot" when the car is parked and they don't round back out until the tires get good & hot from driving. With a 7,000 pound coach (i'm guessing here on the weight) just be prepared for the flat spots to thump ya... but like they always say "Sometimes you have to suffer to be COOL!". Your coach looks great with the "rat rod" styling of flat black paint & red rims. Let me make one suggestion you'll like in the long run... buy your front tires two to three sizes smaller than the rear... Coker's website tells the sidewall heights of all their tires & it'll give your coach a mean stance with a slight rake to it.

[hotroddwayne]

Stock wheels for your car are 15" x 7" with a 5 on 5" lug pattern. Any steel wheels from a GM large car such as the 1970's station wagons or 1/2 ton GM product pickup trucks will be the same. Just watch the lug pattern! GM has TWO main 5 lug patterns: 5 on 4 3/4" for regular passenger cars such as Camaro & Chevelle... and 5 on 5" for the bigger vehicles, meaning your coach has the 5" bolt circle. Also watch the newer pickup wheels from like 1988 up... they changed the back spacing to give more depth to the inside of the rim but i'm unsure of what year exactly but you want a stock-offset wheel for clearance reasons... don't want to be rubbing your new wide whites on the fender skirts or inner fenders! If you have specific questions just private message me sometime. Good luck... nice coach dude!