Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 10, 2025 ...

1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

April 23, 2022, 10:22:14 am

Well back again, after having destroyed my previous 96 295, and having it loving restored by a forum member, I am looking at a 92 460 front engine.  Why?  Well I am looking t down size.  After my 295 I bought a Beaver Thunder, 425 hp, 40 foot single slide motor home.  I can easily spend a lot of money replacing air bags, tires etc, and 40 feet is too big.  So the Foretravel is shorter, is on a Oshkosh chassis, and has as an optional engine, the 5.9 Cummins.  I want to go simpler.  Present owner bought it from the original owner, drove it home, fixed a roof leak, and has it for sale.  Interior looks excellent the exterior is very faded.  Tires are rotten, who knows about all the other rubber etc.  I may go look at it, as my son lives close by and I could visit him while looking at this RV.  I have located a tire place close by.  Located on Facebook market place in Baltimore Maryland, I am in Northern Wi, where the snow just left 48 hours ago.  Every thing worked, but has not been used in a couple of years.  I know not a good thing.  I have had way, way to many RV's and know most of the issues with an RV like this.  It has 50k miles, and he wants 6850$.  So  if  get it home I can use it this summer, and put a nice 12 valve, 5.9 into the chassis, I think, as that was the optional engine.  I am going to try and post a link, but want to get this out there now.  Thanks for your feedback.

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #1 – April 23, 2022, 10:24:24 am

Redirecting...

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #2 – April 23, 2022, 10:40:52 am

You will have some rot to repair around the bathroom overhead vent.  Potential roof damage in that area-- it has leaked for a long time.

Wonder what front suspension and rear axle ratio issues you will have going from a Ford 460 with 3 speed transmission to Cummins B and Allison transmission.  The Cummins/Allison is certainly a lot heavier and operates at a different RPM range.

Wonder if you wouldn't be better off finding an ORED of the same vintage.

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #3 – April 23, 2022, 12:17:07 pm

Anybody else notice the passenger front windshield crack about 6" from the top? And the gap on the center windshield vertical AND horizontal rubber gaskets that hold the glass in place and keep the water out.
If water has been getting in up front then the front cap and the dash plywood might have separated, requiring extensive repairs. Maybe what caused the windshield to shift and then crack.
As Brian in Australia posted, this is a major issue.

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #4 – April 23, 2022, 01:06:27 pm

Unless you want to do a rest-o-mod motorhome and spend four times your initial budget and take your first drive in two years, buy a good clean model that fits your parameters. Plenty to do even then to make it your own and resolve "little issues."

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #5 – April 23, 2022, 03:39:06 pm

Take a look at the 34' 98 U270 in the classifieds. I've saw it in Quartzite this January. Clean outside, rebuilt windows, new roller shades inside. C8.3 engine would have lots of torque with simple systems.

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #6 – April 23, 2022, 08:29:10 pm

Just swapping in the Cummings could be  $10,000.  The diff may work fine as the RPM ranges are not that dissimilar.  So now, you would have a  Coach worth maybe $10,000.  And only have 20 ish into it plus fixing the rest of the thing .  Bad math  .
  Spend 12- 25 for a decent  36 ORED. 

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Re: 1992 Foretravel Gas/front engine

Reply #7 – April 23, 2022, 10:11:30 pm

Passing on this, way to risky.  I have refurbed way to many RV's and didn't see all the work up front.  But what bothered me a lot is the windshield issue, and the fact that the owner had only driven this for 35 miles before parking it.  Had know idea what would work and what wouldn't.  So will have to keep looking for another shorty some where.  My 40 foot Beaver can be a bit of a pain in "delicate" surroundings.  Thanks

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