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Topic: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years? (Read 1809 times) previous topic - next topic

How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

This is a message I never anticipated posting.

My cousin is a Catholic missionary and just received the donation of a 1987 Grand Villa.

The current owner inherited it from his father who passed away.  I am told it has sat in storage for 7 years, but before that, the father started it regularly and maintained it properly.  I have that only 2nd hand.

The coach is currently located in Edmond, Oklahoma in a garage or shed.

I realize the tires and likely fuel lines and other rubber components will need replacing (maybe air bags, if it has them).

I have photos here: 1989 Grand Villa (Cat) - Google Photos

There is a Cat logo on the side, so it must have a cat diesel.  That is about all I know about it.

I'm seeking recommendations on how to proceed with an evaluation, getting it moved to somewhere it can receive the attention it needs?  Also, any recommendations to resources in the Edmond, Oklahoma area would be appreciated!

My cousin can get to Edmond within a week or so to meet anyone who might be able to help.

Any recommendations out there?

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #1 –
Rich,

Is he looking at restoring and using it or selling it?

If selling, may want to just sell "as is" unless he is quite handy mechanically and familiar with diesel motorhomes. That long in storage raises a LOT of potential issues, with rats/mice chewing wiring one that could make even charging the batteries and trying to start it a problem.

Looking at the decals, it has been stored outdoors for a long time sometime in its past.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #2 –
Well the first thing I would do is have it towed to a place near to where it can be worked on. There are air bags so air has to be built up for them and leveling system and key left on for air compressor while towing, so couple of things need to be ok.
NICE reno job, would love it as such.
JohnH
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #3 –
You and cuz have to decide what you want to do,sell restore fix,use or what then let us know.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: wolfe10 –
Rich,

Is he looking at restoring and using it or selling it?

If selling, may want to just sell "as is" unless he is quite handy mechanically and familiar with diesel motorhomes. That long in storage raises a LOT of potential issues, with rats/mice chewing wiring one that could make even charging the batteries and trying to start it a problem.

Looking at the decals, it has been stored outdoors for a long time sometime in its past.

Brett,
As you and John point out there could be lots of issues, and this coach is probably best thought of as a candidate for a real TLC restoration.  Although Mike and his family live in a motor home, he is not the type to do a restore himself, so it will most likely be a matter of selling it - and as you say, "as is".

Here is what I have been able to glean about it based on the photos and Barry's golden treasury of Foretravel knowledge:
Foretravel History

1) Photos show
- Grand Villa Unihome
- Cat
- Doors latch at the bottom (so hinges are at the top)
- 11110 (most likely Motorcade number?)

2) Barry's info:
Grand Villa  Unihome models were manufactured 1987-1996 in 36', 40' and 38' (special order only).

U280's came with Cummins, U300's came with Detroit Diesels till '95/'96 when they were available with Cat engines.

If all of this is rock solid (as we all have learned, there could be slight variations), the evidence points to a '95/'96 U300 - although I don't see a "U300" sticker anywhere.

Based on the number of basement doors, it looks to me like a 36'.

I guess the only way to nail it down would be to get the VIN and call Foretravel when they're open (closed today).

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #5 –
This looks like the first Foretravel we looked at to by in Carson City, NV. 1989 U280, tall, 96" body, stainless bumpers with a CAT 3208 V8. It also had been sitting out and had a couple of cracks in the roof. Nice interior though. The CATs are excellent engines but no lockup in the Allison MT643 as I remember. Might be a nice coach with some TLC.

Going on 30 years old so has to be cheap.



Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #6 –
I'm pretty sure it's a U280 with a 3208 Cat; Unihome construction with 8 air bags.  It's a very viable model.
I think it's nearly identical to the 1988 listing: 1988 Foretravel Grand Villa U280 Specifications
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: John Haygarth –
There are air bags so air has to be built up for them and leveling system and key left on for air compressor while towing...
So this coach will not have a HWH system for the air bags.  It's a manual system that Foretravel came up with.  So leaving the ignition key on while towing will not keep the bags up.  The tow truck will need to supply air to the coach.

The air compressor is a 3/4HP 120VAC unit and is located in the basement under the entry stairs.  It will have a standard shop air compressor pressure switch to turn on at 75psi and off at around 100psi.  There is a dedicated 120VAC breaker on the main panel under the bed.  For storage I would guess the breaker is turned off or the compressor might be unplugged.  It looks like there is AC power where it's stored based on the microwave display in the one photo?  So maybe one could try turning the breaker on and seeing if the air bags will inflate.
Also, the control levers next to the drivers seat need to positioned properly.  In this thread are instructions on how to level this system: Levers?

Another thing I would not be surprised to see if this unit were moved is roof leaks and they would be leaking for the first time.  The caulking around the end caps and roof line could easily be dried out and compromised.

It's interesting to see the decals on the back are heavily weathered and on the front they look good.  I'm guessing this is due to building being open on the backside.  I'm surprised the tires still have air in them.

Being a Unihome it needs to be checked for bulkhead issues.  With any luck the power train should be OK.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #8 –
Quote from: John44 –
You and cuz have to decide what you want to do,sell restore fix,use or what then let us know.

Yup, I'm going to meet the owner of another GV and root his coach for resale, but it's the same deal: coach sat in the sun for years, no paperwork. she's sitting down pretty low, but it could be a easy deal once we get her started. A tough decision for the owner, especially where we are, far away from any shop familiar with these dears. We think this is a '95 40' w/DD, that's all I know until I can get inside. I hate to see these old dears not continue their quest!  ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: JohnFitz –
So this coach will not have a HWH system for the air bags.  It's a manual system that Foretravel came up with.  So leaving the ignition key on while towing will not keep the bags up.  The tow truck will need to supply air to the coach.

The air compressor is a 3/4HP 120VAC unit and is located in the basement under the entry stairs.  It will have a standard shop air compressor pressure switch to turn on at 75psi and off at around 100psi.  There is a dedicated 120VAC breaker on the main panel under the bed.  For storage I would guess the breaker is turned off or the compressor might be unplugged.  It looks like there is AC power where it's stored based on the microwave display in the one photo?  So maybe one could try turning the breaker on and seeing if the air bags will inflate.
Also, the control levers next to the drivers seat need to positioned properly.  In this thread are instructions on how to level this system: Levers?

Another thing I would not be surprised to see if this unit were moved is roof leaks and they would be leaking for the first time.  The caulking around the end caps and roof line could easily be dried out and compromised.

It's interesting to see the decals on the back are heavily weathered and on the front they look good.  I'm guessing this is due to building being open on the backside.  I'm surprised the tires still have air in them.

Being a Unihome it needs to be checked for bulkhead issues.  With any luck the power train should be OK.

John,
Yes I see what you mean about the decals.  Also, at least one air bag is visible in one of the photos.  Now that you pointed me to the individual model descriptions of that era, I suspect you're right - either an '88 or '89 Grand Villa Unihome U280.
I am giving my cousin the info.  What he's able to do with it, I don't know until either he or someone else heads over to get a first-hand look.  The current owner is out of town, so we can probably get more information once he's back home.  A photo of the spec plate would be good to have as well as any cover sheet or something from the original manual if he has it.

Is the model/capacities/VIN plate on Grand Villas located by the driver's elbow as it would be in a Unicoach?  I'd like to point the owner to that information if he can get a photo.

Thank you GV folks for weighing in - you have been very helpful!  And yes,  I would be happy if this could find a good owner, as it deserves another 100,000 miles at least.
Rich

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: mike leary –
Yup, I'm going to meet the owner of another GV and root his coach for resale, but it's the same deal: coach sat in the sun for years, no paperwork. she's sitting down pretty low, but it could be a easy deal once we get her started. A tough decision for the owner, especially where we are, far away from any shop familiar with these dears. We think this is a '95 40' w/DD, that's all I know until I can get inside. I hate to see these old dears not continue their quest!  ^.^d
Mike saw this one as it's in Ajo, only a couple of miles from where he lives. It's just like ours, a U300/Detroit/102"/side radiator but is 40 feet long. A '92 would have the vertical radiator with a single fan, the '93/'94, a horizontal radiator with two fans. Super strong tranny with lockup but only 4 speeds. Later U300 have the air intake above and behind the radiator. A plus. This is my favorite coach.

Any coach sitting for a while will assume this posture. I have seen this one many times on the way to Mexico.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Mike saw this one as it's in Ajo, only a couple of miles from where he lives. It's just like ours, a U300/Detroit/102"/side radiator but is 40 feet long.

One more comment, and I'll let the GEEZ have his thread back. I notice the lack of a stern door, curbside, which would (on ours), pic on left, indicate a side-mount radiator. Was the DD made so coolant could have been checked from the rear without side access?
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #12 –
Buying a $5K to $10K coach with the intention of flipping it can be difficult. With a $50K to $100K Foretravel, new tires, decals, etc are a much smaller percentage of the worth of the coach. Even if you are a great DIYer, adding five thousand dollars of maintenance and improvements to an old coach may only see a two or three thousand increase in resale value. If you don't have the maintenance records, it's going to scare off a lot of potential buyers. Any major engine problem may cost between twenty and thirty thousand dollars by the time the coach is ready for the road again. Cheap patching is not a good alternative.

To me, an older Foretravel can be a great way to see the country in style, doing deferred maintenance as you go. Ours has paid for itself many times. Even at a truck stop for the night, as soon as we close the door, we're in a different world.  On our coast to coast and back trip, the diesel was less than boarding the dogs for the month.

When I get too old to drive it, it will get used as a guest cottage. Perhaps a set of rollers on the back tires, a projector  with a screen out in front of the coach and a little help from my kids to help me into the driver's seat so I can listen to the Detroit and watch the "scenery" go by will do the trick. Won't really go anywhere but I probably won't notice.

Side radiator '93 and later U300s with the horizontal radiator/2 fans have a black colored tank just inside the engine door with a sight glass. The radiator is filled from here on these models.  The overflow tank is on the opposite side. Anytime I check the oil, I glance at the levels, air cleaner restriction gauge and the belt condition.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #13 –
RT, hard to know what you have. You need to get it fired up and see what works, although depending on the situation it could be costly( batteries fuel filters and such) may be a as is diy project for someone.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #14 –
It looks exactly like my 36 foot 89 GrandVilla, But it does have Unihome on the back of it, ????????????
Would that be advertising speil to sell another model of the same thing, Or did they change the Chassis,

Its Oshkosh underneath, That lasts forever,
The Air Filter is behind that grilled door at the rear,
Mine has a 300 HP turbo diesel, 114,000 miles on the clock, 3208, Its just run in,
Most farm diesels sit for 12 months at a time, unused, They start easily,
Just remember to idle it for while to get the oil up and circulating,
Mine hasnt run for 18 months, It started very easily, puffed a bit of smoke for a while,
I paid $15,000-00 USD for mine four years ago in Texas, ,
Cheers, Brian,
1989 Foretravel Grand Villa, 36 foot ORED, 300 HP Catapillar and Four Speed Allison Auto,
Right Hand drive, two Mid doors, Makes a good flow thru ventilation in hot weather,
Located in Melbourne, Australia,  The Land Down Under,
Honda Blackbird, 1100XX.    2002 Gemini 105 MC Catamaran,

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #15 –
Mr. B the Unihome was built on Foretravel monocoque chassis that they built in house it has 8 outboard mount airbag suspension.
There were Grand Villa's , Which is what you have and Grand Villa's that were Unihomes.The Unihome were built n the monocoque chassis
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #16 –
Quote from: stump –
Mr. B the Unihome was built on Foretravel monocoque chassis that they built in house it has 8 outboard mount airbag suspension.
There were Grand Villa's , Which is what you have and Grand Villa's that were Unihomes.The Unihome were built n the monocoque chassis

Correct.  And in the photo Rich posted, you can see an outboard air bag, so it is on the Foretravel monocoque "chassis".
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #17 –
Quote from: RT_Geezer –
Is the model/capacities/VIN plate on Grand Villas located by the driver's elbow as it would be in a Unicoach?

Yes, that's the only place I have ever seen them located.  I will start a new post about decoding the VIN/Model number.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho
 

Re: How to best approach a 1987 Grand Villa that has been in storage for 7 years?

Reply #18 –
Quote from: JohnFitz –
Yes, that's the only place I have ever seen them located.  I will start a new post about decoding the VIN/Model number.
Thanks, John, I think Roger posted that, but I lost it. That will come in handy for the GV I'm about ready to root for a friend.  ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'