Given my obsession with vehicle identification when I was in the Army, it is probably inevitable that I would try to figure out the best ID methods for the various versions of the 1986 to 1995 Grand Villas. Based on photos from the net so far I have this:
Individual sealed beam headlights, 1986 to 1988.
Composite headlights, 1989 and up.
Inverted (Isuzu?) taillights, 1986 to 1994
Wrap around (Ford?) taillights, 1995 and up.
OREDs and OREGs, bottom hinge cargo doors with handles on top.
Unihomes, top hinge cargo doors, with handles on the bottom.
U280/U300 The body line below grill and headlights and at top of cargo doors is even with top of wheel openings.
ORED/OREG U225/U240 The body line below grill and headlights and at top of cargo doors splits wheel openings.
Double stacked metal bumpers, 1986-1990 U280/U300
Single stack metal bumper, 1986-1990 ORED, OREG, or U225/U240
Plastic/fiberglass bumper 1991 and up, all models.
Narrow spacer between grill openings, narrow body.
Wide spacer between grill openings, wide body.
I have noticed some OREDs have 8 lug wheels, others have 10, even in the same year, but I am not sure why. I also can't find any method of separating U225s from U240s, or separating the bigger U280s from the U300s. Are there external clues to this?
Anyway, does this look like an accurate breakdown, or what needs correction? I realize there is going to be some variation due to custom orders or later modifications. It is not quite as cut and dried as a Soviet T-72 versus an American M60A3.
OK Mike, I want you on any treasure hunt team I am ever on......
bet you were very good at the "find the 10 things different in these two pictures" challenges as well
Tim Fiedler
Sure Start Soft Start (http://www.gen-pro.biz)
TCER Direct (http://www.tcerdirect.com) generator-gas-prod (http://www.generatorgasproducts.com) 630 240-9139
Gen-Pro
That pretty well sums it up. Ored 300 hp units have side radiator. DD 8.2 I think are 8 bolt wheels.
What Phred said--DD 8.2 eight (8) bolt wheels
Something that comes to mind the difference between a U280 and U300 would be exhaust pipe If someone has not altered.
U280 - 4" tail pipe for 3208 Cat and 8.3 Cummins
U300 - 5" tail pipe for 6v-92 Detroit and M11 Cummins.
5" exhaust pipe on my 300 horsepower 3208 cat, it appears to be OEM.
At least some of the 270/295 8.3's had a 5 inch exhaust from the muffler, and from turbo to muffler, 4 inch. Think this was probably a cost saving measure by Foretravel, because ism was 5 inch from turbo, and 5 inch from muffler, so they could use same muffler and tailpipe on both.
Single stainless steel bumpers on our 91 ORED. Have a great day ---- Fritz
I don't think a 300hp 3208 Cat was ever offered on U280.