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Topic: My U320 is Not a Winnebago  (Read 1077 times) previous topic - next topic

My U320 is Not a Winnebago

I am preaching to the choir, but the Foretravel is such a nice motorhome. It's way better than the Winnebago that we owned for 12 years!
 I've been a member here for many years. I finally bought a U320 seven months ago and spent all that time getting it operational for camping.
I am on night two in the cold wilds of Western PA to visit family. We are parked on a farm and without utilities. The Aqua Hot is now running as it should and the three 8D house batteries have been great about running the systems all night long. I run the generator for a two hours in the morning and three hours before bed. In the morning, I am down to 12.6  volts. Not bad.
It is very comfortable at night and noticeably  more insulated from the cold and outdoor sounds. Life is good 👍
Bob and Pam Brumbaugh
Ernie (English Bulldog)
2000 U320 WTFE 40' Build # 5740 (former)
Xtreme "Lights and Paintjob"
Motorcade# 18659
Souderton, PA
Towd: 2021 Ford Ranger
Quickee Mini Golf Cart (former)

We Are....Penn State!

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #1 –
As first timer RVers become more knowledgeable they will strive more for quality and less for "bling". Enter Foretravel coaches.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #3 –
We planned to go from a pop-up tent camper to a motorhome, so we attended some of the RV shows near our then-home in Atlanta.  It was an education!  New expensive motorhomes with broken stuff.  Little piles of wood shavings on the floor from the cabinets rubbing.  Globs of caulk covering mismatched panels.  Cheap vinyl flooring, cheap faux-wood paneling, screen doors falling off...  How about a $400K motorhome (1990s dollars!) where a six-foot person cannot stand up!

We banged our heads on class Cs, tripped out of Class Bs.  The one coach that really impressed us?  A then-old Beaver FSBO in the parking lot.  It was classy, solid, well-planned and just plain beautiful.  I still have a fondness for in-counter blenders based on those ten minutes of looking.

We looked at FTs from time to time, but they always seemed too expensive.  When we flipped our Monaco last year, we went back to the basics, and considered a small travel trailer.  We thought our way up to a Class A, and bought a Foretravel.

It is so far beyond what we owned previously.  When we walk in and close the door, it feels like a house, not an aluminum-shrouded chicken coop on wheels.
Matt B
1998 u-320

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #4 –
Well I'm probably in a different category. DW wanted a mini winne trailer. I refused to even look at them. Knowing what ever we got I would be stuck with forever I was hesitant to look at anything for fear she would want it. We did look at several real nice coaches that were beyond what we wanted to spend being first time buyers. Upon deciding I wouldn't be happy with anything less than a u320 36 foot I searched for over a year and had almost given up when we came across our coach threw the help of Lynn Sickel and Chris Lang. DW has no idea what a nice coach we have and has since decided its here to stay, I like it too. It's been a lot of work but very rewarding to me. I'm so glad we didn't settle for less at this point. I'm probably biased in my opinion now but happy were we are at.
Scott

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #5 –
For a second, I thought you were describing all the stick/drywall houses built today. We even looked at Sprinters with faux wood contact paper over the cabinet doors.

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

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #6 –
We really needed to get rid of our '86 Rockwood.  It had served its purpose and the only thing that would save it is a frame up restoration.  Our circumstances changed when I finished my 62nd orbit on spaceship earth, and suddenly I found some money I didn't know i had.  So we began shopping.  I was deep in the weeds researching the Ford V-10 engine in the Fleetwood Bounders when Lynn asked, innocently, "What about Foretravel?" So I grumbled, twisted a little bit and reached deeper into my left pocket and here we are today.  What sold me on this one was the cedar wardrobe, four-season design, dual hot air furnaces and a really good use of interior space.  This summer past when I repaired the roof I saw with my own eyes what a good choice we had made.  This is an RV that can be repaired.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #7 –
This is a picture of where the wall meets the floor on my old Winnebago (Grand Design). The torque from the slide motor was enough to separate the wall completely when the slide came in.

Yes, that's daylight you're seeing. The little 12 V motor tore the wall off
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Elliott –
This is a picture of where the wall meets the floor on my old Winnebago (Grand Design). The torque from the slide motor was enough to separate the wall completely when the slide came in.

Yes, that's daylight you're seeing. The little 12 V motor tore the wall off

Was Winnebago still using SIPS* construction?

*Structural Insulated Panel, foam core with luan/lauan on either side in a structural sandwich.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Old Toolmaker –
Was Winnebago still using SIPS* construction?

*Structural Insulated Panel, foam core with luan/lauan on either side in a structural sandwich.
Yep. That's was pretty much the entire structure except the roof.
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Elliott –
The little 12 V motor tore the wall off
The staples and Elmer's Glue must have failed under the strain of the tremendous torque.

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #11 –
Here are 5 photos of our SOB as we were taking it apart. The recycle center wanted over $1000 to take it so we sold it to them, piece by piece. The square tubes are very thin wall and would not do well in a rollover. The aluminum skin reacted to the glue and had millions of tiny pinholes where water leaked in.

This is the one that had the 440 Dodge in it that I sold and installed the 7.3 turbo diesel with Getrag 5 speed manual transmission. You can see by the construction how light it was so very fast from an intersection or grades. I was in 5th on any on ramp by the time I got to the highway.

While it looks terrible in the photos, it cost $500 with new batteries, full diesel and propane tanks and with a Moped thrown in. It took us to Canada, Mexico and many other trips before we bought our U300.

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

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Here are 5 photos of our SOB as we were taking it apart.
Kool photos.  Motorhome autopsy.  What was the cause of death?

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #13 –
Dang Pierce..... I would have just used a match and invited some friends over for a Bon-fire. 
 
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #14 –
 I just replaced the large front window curtains with  pleated string shades.  Riding down the road it now sounds like my Dad's old Bounder. Windows shakin and so much noise.
  Pulled the shades down some and reduced the noise. better but not as quiet as I like. 
 

Re: My U320 is Not a Winnebago

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie –
Kool photos.  Motorhome autopsy.  What was the cause of death?
I had 18 cars + buses/RVs and my DW made me get rid of most of them. Two 309D buses, one 406D van and our old GM Buffalo 4107 ex-Greyhound conversion.

The day I took it apart, it ran like a million bucks. I still have the low mileage 7.3 turbo diesel and Getrag 5 speed. It was just UGLY.  Rolling frame from it moves firewood around. You can't believe how they extended the frame to make it 29 feet long. Stick welding so crude is an understatement. Great memories. I still have a full tank of diesel from it.

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