We are hopeful of finding a U320 '03-'05 in the near future. However, all FTs of these years seem to have the bright brass trim on the shower exterior, which my wife hates. She thinks it looks dated. This coach is a good example:
2005 Foretravel U320 4030 Priced at $ 239500 (http://motorhomesoftexas.com/coachrv/foretravel/2005--u320--4030--C1693)
Has anyone here ever seen a different shower trim? Can the trim be replaced?
Some of the '03's had brushed chrome shower hardware and plumbing and electrical fittings. There are chrome bezels on the dash and brushed chrome cabinet hardware. I hate the shiny brass, too.
Yes, that was one of the reasons I chose my '03 when I was looking. It's got the brushed nickel throughout instead of the brass. Though I think the brass looks great with the red/yellow toned interiors.
This '05 looks like it may have a mixture of both brass and the brushed nickel. The bathrooms definitely looks like they have both. And the kitchen faucet may be brushed nickel.
I have seen at least one FT that was remodeled to include replacement of all the brass, so it must be possible.
FWIW,
Seems like someone posted where the brass had been painted not unlike refinishing of a tub. I can't advise on how, but it seems doable to me with the right technique. I think it was done in a black or pewter type color?
The brass shower stall in our 2001 and probably many other years is made by Alumax in Arkansas. All of the brass shower enclosure parts on ours can be replaced with brushed nickel parts and reuse the existing glass. All you have to do (the hard part for us so far) is find a dealer who will work with you and have them do it for you or get the parts for you and DIY.
Shower Doors, Bathroom Enclosures and Shower Bath Enclosures - Alumax (http://www.alumaxshowerdoor.com)
We are in the process of replacing brass with brushed nickel.
These knobs are very nice. Amerock BP53011G10 Knob @ $1.44 from
GoingKnobs.com (http://www.goingknobs.com)
Solid, heavy knob with a big enough base to cover where the brass knobs where. They come with new screws.
Now to find appropriate light fixtures. I found brushed chrome puck light bezels for about $9 but I would rather spend a bit more for LED with comparable lumens. Wall fixtures as well.
There are chemicals out there that darken brass to make it a much darker antique brass look. I use it on hinges and other parts on furniture when you don't want that shiny brass look. Most of these fixtures have coatings on them so they don't tarnish. Not sure what happens on those.
Roger
It is a good thing we actually like the brass. This is an awful lot of work and expense for a cosmetic change.
I have been considering swapping out the shower head, and now days, they only make them in every color except bright brass. Maybe it's a passing fad, and brass will be back in, say in ten years or so.
Where with you Tom! We actually like the polished brass, and the fact that the knobs are solid brass don't have plating that appeals appeals to me. The brass look just puts me in mind of a fine yacht... I'm happy with that image! We found a brass shower head at Lowe's about two years ago, was the only one that they had. Don't know if they still carry them or not... But it might be worth a look. The riser bar broke when we were in Nacogdoches and FOT wanted $270 for a new one. I found some kind of surplus place online, but unfortunately, they didn't have brass ones... Just goldplated ones which I bought for about $30. You can see that there's a bit of mismatch in the colors of the showerhead and the riser bar, but I find that I can live with that much better than I can with zip tying the shower head so that it doesn't slide down the pole!
Don & Tys
Don,
And therein lies a clue...................
Appreciating fine yachts as well as fine Motorhomes, I never quite understood the aversion to tastefully done brass accent elegance. Wood and brass go well together in yachts and motorcoaches.
Polished brass-look and solid brass (fittings and fixtures) are valued as highly today in the super-yachts and mega-yachts as they have been over the centuries. Solid, highly polished brass never goes out of style, if one values endurance of appearance and function in unfriendly, corrosive, high use environments.
We took an awestruck tour of Broward Yachts, recently, and the LOOK as well as the solid brass fittings and fixtures are as, or even more prevalent now, as ever. Broward customers definitely didn't get the "dated look" memo. And curiously, browsing other fine yachts, Broward is certainly no outlier. Not to say that Broward, like others, doesn't yield to the brushed or plated "fad of the day -- avacado refrigerator anyone?", but the most elegant, enduring (our opinion) look was polished brass.
At any rate, getting back to the point of my post Don, if one wants to continue with a high quality, solid brass appearance, as we do, one can find fine brass lighting, sink and assorted hinge/door/drawer fixtures, if one looks for them in the marine suppliers of the world. Unfortunately, solid brass is not only longer-lived in appearance and endurance, it also requires deeper pockets. But then, owning FT's, many appreciate that good bones and longer lives often don't come on the cheap, like some of the thinly plated or patinated replacements may.
All a matter of personal taste, I suppose.Neal
We have cherry cabinetry with polished brass fittings and I love them. The combination is wonderful and the look is timeless. During my cabinet building days I often opted for polished brass on natural cherry. We changed out the kitchen faucet a couple of months ago with polished chrome. They look fine together. JMHO :D