Page 8 - Summer 2018 GMC Vintage RVing

The Tale of a Paint JobBY BYRON SONGER | FULL-TIMER | PREVIOUS OWNER 1978 ROYALENick Roenick, who has owned more Pontiacs (customized and stock) than he can remember, had owned a small motorhome and started looking for somethingAbout Nick and DonnaNick Roenick, who is in his third year as president of GMC Western States, has always liked cars and, in fact, favored Pontiacs. His Pontiac craze started with a 1964 Catalina convertible. Currently, he owns 1941 and 1959 models. He has also customized motors and car bodies as a hobby. In fact, one of his customized cars appeared in the September 1995 issue of Custom Rodder, a 1960 Pontiac.Roenick is also an active member of the GMC 49ers who annually have a rally over New Year’s Eve. His first date with Donna was at such a rally six years ago. All this means Donna knew of “his other loves” but was willing to pursue a relationship with Nick. Long story short, Nick proposed at another New Year’s rally and the couple were married on April 28 of this year. Nick and Donna will soon be moving toa rural setting near Placerville, California and, yes, they’ll have room for the Screaming Eagle GMC as well as a few other cars.else. He looked at some larger units by other builders and felt that they were not his style. Then, he happened to see the glamour photo of the Trans Am Traveler GMC behind all the Pontiac Trans Ams. Well, that helped him make up his mind as to what to look for and within a few weeks, he became the proud owner of a GMC Motorhome upfitted by Avion. (Other companies “upfitters” were utilized to complete the inside of an empty GMC TransMode, the product name designating a vehicle whose chassis and body were produced in the GMC plant.)BEFOREThe Avion before being painted in the Trans Am Territory style.After doing some mechanical work on the GMC, Nick decided it was time to get the coach painted to “look right”. At this point, he contacted Byron Songer who had a similar paint scheme posted on his website. Byron produced several views of the paint scheme so that Nick could show the owner of a paint shop in Oakland, California. The side view even included a modified version of the Screaming Eagle used on the Trans Am hoods (see the image on the cover of this issue).When the images and photos of the paint scheme were shown at the body shop, the owner looked at Nick and asked if he was sure he wanted it painted in that fashion. Nick said it was exactly what he wanted. The painter said it would cost him some money (as though Nick did not know that already). Nick persisted and the photo shows the results. The painter thought the treatment of the red stripes between the black mask and the silver body was unusual but was willing to do the job.8 GMC VINTAGE RVING MAGAZINE | GMCMI.COM