Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 13, 2025 ...

1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

January 24, 2014, 10:59:55 pm

The last couple of days two wonderful "finds", the owners and the coach.  Attached are photographs of a 1983 Foretravel.  It is really nice, especially considering its age.  It is rather remarkable for its history too.  The coach was bought 21 years ago by the Loftins. 

Some years ago he removed the original engine and put in an 8.3 Cummins.  He  changed out the tranny for a stronger Allision and the differential to match up.  He also converted it to a side radiator!.  John told me it took five weeks.  They put the engine in and removed it several times to get it all right.

John and Irene Lofton live in Kansas.  Obviously they travel!  Twice to Alaska, and many other miles.  Remember, this is a narrow body coach compared to what we have, as you will note in the photos.  One has Keith Risch driving the coach in to a bay.

The coach is nice, very interesting.  But no more so than these nice folks we met at MOT.  THey have lots of experiences; I enjoyed just visiting with John while he warmed up the engine this cold snowy morning.  Then we all made it to Butcher Boys for lunch.  So sorry to see them leave tomorrow.  Enjoy the photos, a bit of history is in this coach.

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #1 – January 24, 2014, 11:12:14 pm

  Very cool! Thanks for sharing... nice vintage coach, and sounds very road worthy.
Don

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #2 – January 24, 2014, 11:14:48 pm

Very Nice

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #3 – January 25, 2014, 01:42:28 am

Very impressive. I've done a couple of engine swaps in cars, but in something this big? Wow. I would also hazard a guess that dimensionally, the 8.3 differs by whatever was in there by more than somewhat, at least longitudinally.. I'd love to see engine bay pix.

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #4 – January 25, 2014, 07:50:30 am

That fine 83 fit right in this week at Foretravel.
jor

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #5 – January 25, 2014, 08:45:49 am

I will bet that that was a 3208 Cat when born. What a deal, takes more than simple skill to do a conversion like that.  Just shows that old FT's never die, they just get remodeled.
Gary B

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #6 – January 25, 2014, 09:24:02 am

I asked and he had a 5.9. It is parked across  from me and they are wonderful folks.  It is in great shape outside too. 

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #7 – January 25, 2014, 10:40:59 am

John, A 5.9 ? Just shows that Foretravel knows no limits when it comes to building these things.
Gary B

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #8 – January 25, 2014, 11:11:25 am

I bet the original installation was a 8.2 Detroit and a 542 Allison. 

Like the little awning over the refer door.

The inside photos bring back countless memories.  Including the Mylar shades and the three piece center opening windows and the bullet lights

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #9 – January 25, 2014, 12:21:06 pm

First, go for it Dave!

If it helps this discussion about what was in the 1983, John told me it was called a "fuel squeezer" and it was very popular in that time frame for school buses.  Do not recall me what engines were called that. Hope that info helps, but John S. i read above was told what was there. 

I know that John L. much prefers the small Cummins over some years of small Cats.  But he operates scrapers and other large equipment with large Cats and loves those.

But really knowledgeable fellow, hope to see them in NM.  We talked quite a bit about modern oil and warm up time, how the idle on his 8.3 works (some three springs that I did not understand).

Have a great weekend.

mike

Quote Selected

Re: 1983 Foretravel with a 8.3

Reply #10 – January 25, 2014, 04:00:04 pm

"fuel pincher"=8.2 detroit. Open deck headgasket walker. I looked long and hard at an Elite with one of these that had been rebuilt by Jasper with bigger headbolts to try to solve that problem. I am very happy how things workd out. I really can't complain about he olde 3208. It may just be a lawnmower engi e next to an isx but it's still getting the job done!

Quote Selected