Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist (Read 1936 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #25 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
Probably before this coach some earlier Foretravels were missing a few cross members in the hallway area that turned out to be needed to support the floor.  Was fixable and probably not needed on the grand villa
Was wondering about that. I just put in a cheap floating wood floor & had some issues with the hallway area & the bathroom having a HUGE dip. Fixable is a subjective term.... It appears that the bathroom & passenger side cabinet & closet unit will have to be pulled to fix it. Doable but no fun  :-(
Fred Lewers
1984 FTX ORED
Build #2423
1991 Ford Taurus SHO
17 1/2  trillion dollars....  TANSTAAFL....  The party's winding down folks!

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #26 –
Quote from: fredlewers –
Was wondering about that. I just put in a cheap floating wood floor & had some issues with the hallway area & the bathroom having a HUGE dip. Fixable is a subjective term.... It appears that the bathroom & passenger side cabinet & closet unit will have to be pulled to fix it. Doable but no fun  :-(

Was fixable from underneath.  Added a crossmember or two to support the floor. 
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #27 –
I came from a 1998 Winnebago Adventurer with a front engine 460.  The engine wasn't so bad but man I hated that transmission.  Look at it wrong and it downshifted and when it did it screamed over 3K RPM 2 feet from you.  It behaved the same way unloaded at 15K lbs or fully loaded with our SUV toad at 24K lbs.  Fully loaded and we were in 2nd gear, 25-30mph up every 6% grade.  One 10% grade we accidentally found was first gear, torque converter unlocked and felt like it wanted to go backwards.  I almost stopped and disconnected the toad.  Maybe I should have.

But I put synthetic transmission fluid in before I got it and none of those events burn the fluid.  For the work I subjected that motorhome to do, it took it like a champ.

It was very moody.  Even after the fuel pump finally went and a new OE upgraded pump went in it was very down on power until the engine was very hot after running an hour or so.  Loved to ping despite chasing down all the possible causes.  It had speed density (MAP) tuning and I think that was probably the cause.

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #28 –
I would NEVER. EVER. HAVE. ANOTHER. GAS. POWERED. COACH!

Unless something dramatically changed from a technology standpoint.
1991 Foretravel Grand Villa 36'
1993 Cobra Phoenix 33'

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #29 –
I own a GV gas model.
The reason I own this model is because I can do all the maintenance and repairs myself, except maybe the windshield replacement if need be.

It's just a Ford in a "beautiful" box. I don't mind the 7-8 mpg. At only 29' it's a hotrod and can pull my VW Vanagon day camper easily?

It's also my home sweet home.
Michael j
Livermore, Ca for now

1987  Grand Villa 2900 Rear Bath Front 460 Gas Engine.

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #30 –
Excellent point, Michael j.

Chris
1996 U295 36' WTBI

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #31 –
Quote from: Michael j –
I own a GV gas model.
The reason I own this model is because I can do all the maintenance and repairs myself, except maybe the windshield replacement if need be.

It's just a Ford in a "beautiful" box. I don't mind the 7-8 mpg. At only 29' it's a hotrod and can pull my VW Vanagon day camper easily?

It's also my home sweet home.

Vanagons are great vehicles for a toad. Lots of room for the leftovers that won't fit in the Foretravel. We have a gang of relatives coming over from the U.K. in just over a year. Going to do the bi-annual trip to Yellowstone and will be able to squeeze all including Koda in the Vanagon. I have three semi-dead Vanagons so must get to work on one.

29' is a great size and perfect for two people and dog. Love our 36' but miss the convenience of the smaller rig. 7.3 Ford mechanical turbo diesel is a bolt up in your rig.

You must be fuel injected to get 7-8 mpg. Our 440 Dodge with AFB only got about 5 mpg.

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

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #32 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
Was fixable from underneath.  Added a crossmember or two to support the floor.
Tell me more Bob. I would love to eliminate that floor sag. It sure didn't help when the water heater froze &thawed & flooded the house!  There were several inches of water in the coach by the time Murray found it.
Can the supports be installed without lifting the body off the frame? Know of a written procedure somewhere?
Fred Lewers
1984 FTX ORED
Build #2423
1991 Ford Taurus SHO
17 1/2  trillion dollars....  TANSTAAFL....  The party's winding down folks!

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #33 –
Quote from: fredlewers –
Tell me more Bob. I would love to eliminate that floor sag. It sure didn't help when the water heater froze &thawed & flooded the house!  There were several inches of water in the coach by the time Murray found it.
Can the supports be installed without lifting the body off the frame? Know of a written procedure somewhere?

You need to call james Triana at Foretravel.  My comments were on some pre grand villa ftx's

Factory welded in cross members.  This is probably not a do it yourself job. 
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #34 –
See where the sags are inside and then slide under the rig and mark where supports are needed. Probably can cut angle iron or rectangular tubing and leave a tab on each end so you can bolt to the frame without welding. Good to have a metal cutting band saw or at least a Sawzall so you don't get arm weary. Should be an easy fix and cost effective if you DIY.

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

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #35 –
Quote
7.3 Ford mechanical turbo diesel is a bolt up in your rig

I bet that would be a real chatter box, the 460 is loud enough with it's Banks hardware.
Michael j
Livermore, Ca for now

1987  Grand Villa 2900 Rear Bath Front 460 Gas Engine.

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #36 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
Actually that's a pretty reliable nice driving coach.  I sold those new.

John Deere chassis with the 460 ford drove well. 6k capacity front straight axle setup like the dodge chassis.  Evidenced by 25 years of one owner. Chevy no....

Hey Bob,
What years did the FTX come with a tag axle? And was a front engine Chevy available on a tag axle model?  Any idea how difficult an engine swap is in a front engine config? The owner's wife thinks the engine is shot. Found an old one in a field & I'm looking at it for a friend of mine.
Fred Lewers
1984 FTX ORED
Build #2423
1991 Ford Taurus SHO
17 1/2  trillion dollars....  TANSTAAFL....  The party's winding down folks!

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #37 –
Quote from: fredlewers –
Hey Bob,
What years did the FTX come with a tag axle? And was a front engine Chevy available on a tag axle model?  Any idea how difficult an engine swap is in a front engine config? The owner's wife thinks the engine is shot. Found an old one in a field & I'm looking at it for a friend of mine.

Dodges had a ridewell air tag with separate left and right air pressure controls on the dash if 35 feet.  208" WB.  Chevys had the same tag at 33 feet because of its 178" WB.

Chevys were a headache. In 83 gm blocked water flow to the head with a different head gadget to lessen the NO2 emissions by making the motor run hotter at the same time coaches got bigger and Foretravels old stock of dodge chassis was running out.

My UAW old buddies mentioned that the Chrysler 1979 bailout was supported by gm with the idea that Chrysler would be out of the chassis biz. 

Chevy chassis was weak.  Rebuild the 440.  Could be  "run flat out versus the sorry Chevrolet" as Don "boney" Moore (one of the founders of Foretravel)said one day on my sales porch in California.

Chevy had exhaust manifold problems. 

Buddy still has a 1982 35' Foretravel on a 1979 dodge chassis with the original motor in it.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #38 –
On the Dodge chassis We would drop the front axle and then drop the engine out through the bottom. We also did that with the Chev chassis, but a lot more work, so started taking them out the top.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #39 –
Quote from: red tractor –
On the Dodge chassis We would drop the front axle and then drop the engine out through the bottom. We also did that with the Chev chassis, but a lot more work, so started taking them out the top.

I think its a chevy just from what I saw glancing through the grill. Its all good, I've got a clatterpillar in mine. :) 
Fred Lewers
1984 FTX ORED
Build #2423
1991 Ford Taurus SHO
17 1/2  trillion dollars....  TANSTAAFL....  The party's winding down folks!

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #40 –
Quote from: fredlewers –
Hey Bob,
What years did the FTX come with a tag axle? And was a front engine Chevy available on a tag axle model?  Any idea how difficult an engine swap is in a front engine config? The owner's wife thinks the engine is shot. Found an old one in a field & I'm looking at it for a friend of mine.

I just bet. The 6.2 diseasel up the nose of our p30 chassis truly did like to listen to itself talk...
Jay
1989 U280 SE, 36', 3208T Cat, build 3292

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #41 –
When properly built the 429/460 platform is arguably the toughest pushrod big block ever made.Richard Petty gave up on Plymouth because of the 429 boss in 68/69 and didn't return untill the goofey super bird came along the boss nine trumped the 426 hemi so dodge built the jetson mobile to outrun with aerodynamics. Shorter stroke than the 396/454 platform cam rides higher in the block so shorter pushrods heaviest maincaps 2 bolt or 4 bolt of any automotive engine ever built in U S and even those heads in 88 can be ported to flow upwards of 195 cfm on exhaust side easy. It is still a gas burner no doubt but in that platform would be kinda fun to build one right with carb intake and trans vendor on tough c6.
Tom
1998 U320 40'

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #42 –
Of all the gas engines that foretravel used, the one I had better luck with was the International 446, on road master rail. It also had a dodge 727 trans.
George Ray 1992 U280 40'
 

Re: Foretravel with Gas Engine on Craigslist

Reply #43 –
They've all got pluses & minuses. That chevy axle wasn't so bad to drop. Could have been engineered better for service.  All depends on how you're going to use it. If I was rich, I'd have a little rig to tow the boat to the lake on weekends & a big rig to live in during the week. Glad mines a DP though. DP & air suspension has me spoiled. :D
Fred Lewers
1984 FTX ORED
Build #2423
1991 Ford Taurus SHO
17 1/2  trillion dollars....  TANSTAAFL....  The party's winding down folks!