Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Change is coming (Read 1316 times) previous topic - next topic

Change is coming

We've been living in our coach for several months now, and are now planning and doing some changes. Attached are a couple of pictures of the changes we've made so far. The old barrel chair is in the Jeep, headed to church's garage sale. It has been replaced by an office-style chair.

We've taken down the valances and drapes on two windows and are discussing what to put up. We're talking about the MCD shades, but we'll need to do some more research there before we buy anything. It is amazing, though, how much larger the coach seems without those dark valances and curtains.

Re: Change is coming

Reply #1 –
We noticed the same thing when we took the frames off to redo them on the U280.  The coach really looks much bigger.  We almost didn't reinstall them.
Current coach 1996 U320 40'
Previous coach, 1990 36' U280

Re: Change is coming

Reply #2 –
"barrel chair"  why not get it reupholstered? That's what we did and it turned out awesome.
I would not give up the original barrel chair" but that's me.
Former 2003 GV U295 (6230) (2015 - 2025)
Former 94 GV U225 (2013-2016)

Re: Change is coming

Reply #3 –
The old chair was a bit tight in that space and since it had only four feet it was a bit tippy. The new chair has smaller arms, so the overall size is smaller, but it has five feet so it is more stable. Momma's happy.

Re: Change is coming

Reply #4 –
Change is good, enjoy :-)
Former 2003 GV U295 (6230) (2015 - 2025)
Former 94 GV U225 (2013-2016)

Re: Change is coming

Reply #5 –
Reminds me of a quote that I saw one time on one of those portable rental signs in front of a little country church: "everyone is for progress, it's change that we hate".
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Change is coming

Reply #6 –
David if Momma's happy......the rest will take care of itself.

Larry
Larry Warren
1996  U320 36' SBID "Lola" sold 2020
Build #4970
Motorcade #18318

Re: Change is coming

Reply #7 –
The chair was important and the table was big so, We're cutting 4" off the table, screwed the legs down with one leg back 2" from the step up. That way our oversized co pilots chair will swivel back. ^.^d

The barrow chair is going to be brown leather with a cow hide seat, yee ha!
The selected media item is not currently available.
My advice and experiences are Free, you decide if they are worth anything .

John - driving Old Faithful
1994 U280 GV
C8.3, Banks, Pacbrake, 900 watts, Resonator, XLHD tow dolly
Retired Army Warrant Officer

Life is what you make of it - if it is lemons, make lemonade!
Former Coaches:
1988 GV 40' ORED 300HP CAT - 9 years
1990 Winnebago LeSharo - 3 years
2000 Newmar London Aire - 3 years (#18 of 23 produced)

Re: Change is coming

Reply #8 –
The three most beautiful things about a Foretravel are the quality of the design, the quality of the construction and the ease with which one can make the modifications to make it the "perfect" coach for one's own special needs/desires.
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: Change is coming

Reply #9 –
I just got an email from MCD with the tracking number for our new shades. They are supposed to arrive Tuesday, so it looks like I'll have some work to do.

On another note, we had a gift certificate for Camping World, and their latest sale flyer showed a combination propane and CO detector on sale. With the gift certificate it didn't cost us too much, so now I get to figure out how to put the new unit into the old hole. The new one isn't as tall as the old one, but is wider. Naturally I'll be working on the floor in the kitchen, so I'll have to work this little project around Jo Ann's cooking schedule.

Re: Change is coming

Reply #10 –
What a shame you got rid of the barrel chair!  I know folks who have scoured the internet and salvage places looking for them.  Puzzling.  They swivel and and are actually comfortable.  But ... to each his own!
Carol & Jeff Savournin
Usta have a '93 U225 36', Usta have a '95 U320 40', Usta have a '02 U320 40'
Usta have a 2006 Born Free, Usta have a 2011 Phoenix Cruiser
Usta have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4dr
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."  Steve Jobs

Re: Change is coming

Reply #11 –
We have the OEM barrel chair and love it. But I'm not sure that Dave's was an OEM chair since he mentions that it had "only 4 feet" and "was tippy". Ours is well secured to the floor and has a decent seatbelt (as does one spot on the sofa).

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Change is coming

Reply #12 –
We're not sure that the barrel chair was original, either. For one thing, it was cloth, and a somewhat darker color than the other chairs. As Craig mentioned, it was not secured to the floor.

We took it to church's garage sale, which was to benefit House of Hope in Bolivar, MO. It didn't sell at church, so it went to House of Hope's own thrift store. If someone wants it they can try contacting them.

Re: Change is coming

Reply #13 –
David... the OEM barrel chairs were hard-mounted to the floor on a post and swiveled (and locked in place) from dead aft (facing the table) to the right (looking at the sofa). You could also slide them back and forth (although, at least on ours, there is some interference from the back of the passenger seat).

You might consider contacting FOT to see if they have one of these up in the attic somewhere as they do not become missiles in a hard stop and make a good, secure, seat for another passenger (with an appropriate seatbelt). This is where 13-year-old Hailey sits and reads her Kindle when we're underway.

I would expect that you could find traces of the mounting in your coach (unless someone ordered the rig without a barrel chair). These little chairs are really excellent (far better than their appearance would imply) and if I had to replace mine I'd sure look hard for another one just like it. :)

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Change is coming

Reply #14 –
Craig is exactly correct.  The chair in question LOOKS a bit like the original (went back to your photo),  but someone must have changed it out ... because it seems like it is larger and more "stuffed" than the one I remember in our '93.  Too bad.  No wonder you hauled it out.  Hope the new one works for you!  They are around ... but scarce. In our '95 there were some dinette chairs on a 5 legged swivel base that I hated.  Kept stubbing my toes on the feet and they were VERY heavy.  At MOT one day, I saw a lady who had just purchased a '92(?) U225 and was hauling 2 of the "square chairs" made of wood to the dumpster!  Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!  I asked her if I could have them. "Sure! I hate these things!"  Man, I scampered off with my "new" chairs. the lower profile of the chairs seemed to open up the whole coach. AND, I had no more broken toes!  Re-working the interior is VERY fun.  When you have it the way you want it, you will be very happy. 
Carol & Jeff Savournin
Usta have a '93 U225 36', Usta have a '95 U320 40', Usta have a '02 U320 40'
Usta have a 2006 Born Free, Usta have a 2011 Phoenix Cruiser
Usta have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4dr
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."  Steve Jobs

Re: Change is coming

Reply #15 –
FWIW Davids chair looks exactly like ours ^.^d


The selected media item is not currently available.
My advice and experiences are Free, you decide if they are worth anything .

John - driving Old Faithful
1994 U280 GV
C8.3, Banks, Pacbrake, 900 watts, Resonator, XLHD tow dolly
Retired Army Warrant Officer

Life is what you make of it - if it is lemons, make lemonade!
Former Coaches:
1988 GV 40' ORED 300HP CAT - 9 years
1990 Winnebago LeSharo - 3 years
2000 Newmar London Aire - 3 years (#18 of 23 produced)
 

Re: Change is coming

Reply #16 –
Our new MCD shades arrived 30 minutes ago, and are now installed. I had previously removed the valance and curtains, leaving only the old day shade in place. The old shade was held in place by five screws, and I was able to reuse two of the old holes. The center one wasn't centered, so I moved it over to where it needed to be. I probably could have reused even that old one, as it wasn't all that far away.

These are the manual shades, held up by three clips, so installation was pretty simple. We'll probably be doing the two windows in the salon next, followed by the two in the bedroom.