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Topic: Wiki year/model section refresh (Read 745 times) previous topic - next topic

Wiki year/model section refresh

FYI, Steve's been doing a major overhaul of the Wiki, starting with the specs/floorplans/etc. by year, including some of the highlights of what was new or of note for that particular model year and formatting so that key specs are easy to find:

Foretravel Specifications, Floor Plans, Photos & Brochures by Year

He's continuing to add info as he finds it.  Let us know if you have things to add (I just mentioned the introduction of IFS on a few 2001 coaches to him).

ETA - for some of the newer coaches, data on axle weights, GVWR, and wheelbase is limited.  Please share if you have any of that info so Steve can add it.  There's an e-mail address on the landing page for the link above if you prefer to use that or send a photo of a build number data plate.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Wiki yearly model section refresh

Reply #1 –
We have not been aware of Steve's big Wiki project. Don't know how he has done so much. Like the floor plan presentations. Wiki is using some software and interesting graphics program. Good stuff, wow. Thanks Steve and Michelle. . . Can you tell us something about the history of this project and what is being used to present it so well.

Re: Wiki yearly model section refresh

Reply #2 –
Here is a side picture of a 25.

I didn't get a picture,  but has a big driver window  like my 97 had.

Not sure exactly which year they changed the front and rear caps.  The 25 had chrome louvers as engine door. 
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Wiki yearly model section refresh

Reply #3 –
Very impressive, thanks for all your work!

2000 GV320 4010 build #5712  2019-?
1999 Bounder 2000-2008
Bardstown, KY
🥃The Bourbon Capital of the World🥃

Re: Wiki yearly model section refresh

Reply #4 –
You and Steve are too good to all of us.

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #5 –
Quote from: turbojack –
Here is a side picture of a 25.

I didn't get a picture,  but has a big driver window  like my 97 had.

Not sure exactly which year they changed the front and rear caps.  The 25 had chrome louvers as engine door.
Thank you, I've added the picture to the Wiki

I'll add in the extra factoids (like the chrome louvers) as I move through all the years. 

Do you know what changed in the end caps (headlights, markers, shape)?  If I know what to look for I can determine the year.  External changes are great things to document in the wiki.
2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #6 –
Wish I had taken pictures of the rear. Everything was changed on rear cap, lights, engine door, and overall shape.  I think they did this change in 24. Foretravel is not doing a very good job of having brochures with pictures for the last few years. I guess they are making the dealers now taking the pictures.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #7 –
Quote from: turbojack –
I think they did this change in 24. Foretravel is not doing a very good job of having brochures with pictures for the last few years. I guess they are making the dealers now taking the pictures.
You are spot on ... I found in the 2024 specs  New Redesigned Rear Cap with Stainless Accents  I'll have to hunt for a picture, as you noted they have been a bit sporadic in creating full product line brochures.
2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Barry & Cindy –
We have not been aware of Steve's big Wiki project. Don't know how he has done so much. Like the floor plan presentations. Wiki is using some software and interesting graphics program. Good stuff, wow. Thanks Steve and Michelle. . . Can you tell us something about the history of this project and what is being used to present it so well.
Barry (and Cindy)

The wiki is running on a program called DocuWiki I chose that over MediaWiki which is what Wikipedia uses.  I found, for this usage case, dokuwiki was easier to setup and use.  The graphics are presented via a Wiki Gallery addon, much like the forums Media section.

History .. I had to look and the first pages are from 7 years ago ... work on it has been very sporadic.  Normally what occurs is I get a  broken links "nag" report from the search indexer / access logs.  Every now and then I get all excited (sarcasm) to fix a bunch of these broken links as no one likes following a link only to get a 404 error, or worse redirected to a spam/exploit site.  Since the wiki is essentially a directory under the forum, those links are available (permalink) as long as the forum is running. 

Some updates are easy, like when a remote site simply moves the cheese, then I'll just update the link.  Other times it's to a discontinued product/vendor/site, those require hunting down the old manual/schematic/troubleshooting guide (Wayback machine to the rescue) or creating a new article with the latest data/pictures/information that is available on the forum (a bit more time consuming)

The brochures area started off as a few broken links, and I kept expanding that area.  Previous version(s) had some data gaps, not to mention missing the last 20 years of history.  I've been working on filling those gaps, adding additional context, adding/updating scans/images/photos to a higher resolution, adding PDF's and creating the web page text versions (OCR to the rescue) that present the data in a (mostly) consistent way across years (another WIP).  The PDF's are nice for printing and the images/text are nice for that quick data check plus they provide for a nice page layout. 

This is a slow process as finding viable archival material from 40-50 years ago is mostly a miss with an occasional hit (I have a flyer for 1970 on the way, hope its legit!)  The last 35 years is a bit easier as it's generally available from Foretravel, Vendor sites and the Wayback machine. 

If anyone wants to help in adding info/fixing mistakes/etc, let me know and I'll give you a wiki login that allows for editing/creating pages.
2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #9 –
 ???  ???  ??? Everything discussed in the above "Posts" is way above My Pay Grade...  :))  Thanks for all that You All do to keep this site simple for Us, "Old Coots" that are not "Computer" literate.  ^.^d 
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Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #10 –
Thanks Steve, Your energy to create is never-ending. Know the Forum's thousands of followers love and benefit from all that you have done, but figure that keeping this Foreforums alive also has kept you challenged and alive. And created a special place in your Coupleship. Appreciate the background to the Wiki. You are loved by many, Barry & Cindy

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #11 –
I second that emotion!!👏👏
Richard & Betty Bark & Keiko our Golden Doodle
2003 U320T 3820 PBDS
Build # 6215
MC # 16926
2016 Chevrolet Colorado 4X4 diesel

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #12 –
Great Job!

BTW: My 1993 U280 came with 10kw Diesel Generator. Maybe it was an upgrade?

Chuck
AKA Chuck
1993 U280 40' WTB, Build 4345, CUM 8.3 "Falcor", 2010 Honda CRV TOAD (Spock), 970W solar on roof
Full-Time traveler between Quartzsite AZ, Longview WA, Ellendale ND, and Lake City SD
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Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #13 –
I, like many others have shown our appreciation by "Liking" the original post above.
I just want to again issue a sincere THANK YOU to all the Moderators who work on this Forum to keep it up to date and running.  I spent hours on the Wiki site and am just amazed at the amount of work and dedication it had to take to put all that information together. Thank you Steve!
Additionally, to all who respond with their knowledge and expertise to our problems and issues, Thank you!
The amount of time and headaches, and money, you have saved us on our projects is unbelievable.
I always try to help with what little knowledge I have as a way to at least pay back (in a very small way) to what I have gained from many on this Forum.
Thanks to all!  It humbles me to be able to consider myself a part of this Community.  A fantastic group of people!!!!!!!!!!
Mark & Bev
2001 U295 36' Slide
Cummins ISC 8.3 350HP
Build #5802
Jeep Wrangler Toad
 

Re: Wiki year/model section refresh

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Balcanthez –
BTW: My 1993 U280 came with 10kw Diesel Generator. Maybe it was an upgrade?
I made update and added that as an option, thank you for letting us know.
2000 / 36' / U320 / WTFE
WildEBeest / "Striving to put right what once went wrong"