I purchased my 1972 Cortez in August, 1999 and began working on the coach in October, completing the job in April of this year. I began my renovation work by removing the pod, walkway and ladder to be able to get it into my garage, which has 9-foot doors. I took out the engine and drive train to get on with the real work. I disassembled the power package, including all the suspension parts. I cleaned and painted the frame white, ordered a rebuilt 455 engine with some modifications (late pistons, early heads, and a 268 grind camshaft) ($1092.00) from S & S Engines, North 1022 Monroe St., Spokane, WA 99201 800-722-9950, outside the state of Washington the number is 800-942-9800. I rebuilt the transmission and installed a special torque converter built by Mark Albolonfino in Portland (Part # GM3HMD at $225.00) from Total Performance Converters, 1010 East Burnside, Portland, Or 97214, 503-233-4440. Then I ordered lower ball joints, the new suspension bushings, and wheels from fellow Cortezer Dave Munday, in Cottonwood, AZ and reassembled the whole mess. I disassembled the axles to clean and repack and replace the boots. I repacked and cleaned the wheel bearings, reassembled, and torqued everything. The seals I purchased from Central Chain and Transmission CO. Inc., 709 South First St., Yakima, WA 98907 ($22.53 each). The axle boots were purchased from Dave Munday. I then ordered a custom built aluminum radiator, to my prescribed dimensions, from Griffin Thermal Products, P.O. Box 7004, Columbia, SC 29202, 800-722-3723 ($625.00). I installed a 16-inch electric fan on the lower front side of the radiator. The rear one pulls air, the front one pushes air through the radiator. They are controlled by a Flex Brand controller (Part # FLX 31147) bought at Bowden's Auto Parts, 1002 East Knob Hill Blvd., Yakima, WA 98901, 509-248-7430 ($28.46). I used this controller as it has a probe which fits into the upper radiator hose and senses water temperature rather than the one that fits into the radiator core and senses core temperature. Mine are set to come on at 190 degrees. I reinstalled the engine and power train and then began the project of working on the exterior body and the interior. On the exterior items that you may be able to make out on the photo; The headlights and park/turn indicators are from a 1979 Cadillac. The grill is two after-market 1/2 inch square-tube grills purchased from J.C. Whitney, for a 1975 to 1980 Chevy pickup ($54.36 each). The insert above the grill is a decorative screen backed by a white fluorescent light fixture. The grill shell/frame is made from 1 1/4-inch square tubing form fitted and welded to the body, then filled an painted to match. The headlight and park/turn indicators are 10-gauge sheet metal mounted to 90-degree brackets set back 1/2-inch from the face of the grill shell and the grill insert. All panels were cut 3/16-inch too small, then edged with chrome universal door edging which was bought in a roll from a local paint supplier.

(The following is a post to the article). When I did the article on renovating my '72 Cortez, I omitted a couple of items that should be of interest to all Cortezzers who have the Olds setup, or any GM HEI ignition system. When I purchased our Cortez, it had already been converted to an HEI ignition, the wire from the ignition switch to the distributor is only 14 gauge. GM recommends 10 gauge wire. Attached is a drawing (send a SASE for a Xerox copy) and part number for the relay (Borg-Warner BOR-R113, a headlight relay) which makes this an easy and better conversion. Also, after reading about the hot-to-start problems, I looked for anything that would prevent them. Our first hot-to-start experience came upon us on our very first fishing trip. I used a #4 cable wire from the engine to the battery negative. I changed the start wire from the ignition switch (starter solenoid can draw heavy loads when engine is hot and I have seen many ignition switches with burnt contacts because of it) to a push-button starter switch on the web for the steering column. Since finishing our motorhome and the four trips we have taken, it has never failed hot, or cold. An added note, to operate properly, the GM HEI system needs a full 12 volts at all times. The heavy electrical requirements of this system is also what causes many short-lived ignition switches. Our earlier switches were not designed to carry those kind of loads.

Yet another post to the article concerning the exterior. Dec. 2000 Cortez National Newsletter, Harold writes - ... As our unit had spent most of its life on the coast, it had a few bad rust spots. I had to cut out a 3-foot by 4-inch high piece out over the center of the grille and one about 6 inches by 12 inches under the left headlight and weld in new panels, which I fabricated from 10 gauge sheet steel. The rain gutters had a bad case of "cortezitis" in that they were rusted from front to rear. Using an air die grinder and a stack of 1/8-inch by 3-inch grinding wheels, I ground the gutters out inside the trough, then welded them with a wire welder. I ground that out to fit a 3/8-inch round rod into it, then welded that to the edge of the gutter. And, since the roof was full of little pinholes of rust, I also welded it the full length to the roof. I ground that smooth, then filled and finished it with a rust prohibitive primer. I then went inside and sprayed it all with a rust neutralizer. The tailights were replaced with units from a '75 Chevy Nova purchased from a local salvage yard. I finish sanded it all and completed it with Del-Star acrylic enamel. I built an awning protector that I incorporated into the roof by welding to the roof. I also built 1-inch square tube frames and welded them between the ribs of the roof and installed two 14-inch square crank up vents, giving me a total of 3 vents in the roof. I installed new wheels purchased from Dave Munday in Cottonwood, Arizona (great wheels, Dave, thanks). I purchased Cooper C-120 tires Load Range E Size LT245/75R16 steel radials, (2 steel plies in the side walls) from Walnut St. Tires here in Yakima. Gene at the shop made sure that the outside circumference was nearly the same as the 17.5s that came on the unit originally. Must have been right as our speedo is dead on. The hubcaps were purchased from J.C. Whitney from Catalog #631T (dated 01/31/00 page 41. Mag style part # 18GA3644B at $109.95 for the set.)