Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches October 01, 2025 ...

91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

September 14, 2025, 08:37:56 am

I'm dealing with the common windshield shifting issue, and from reading some of the old posts in the forums, the issue seems to stem from the plywood front panel no longer being attached to the fiberglass front cap. I looked at it from the front access panels and it seems to be my issue. Is 3M-5200 still the recommended adhesive? Or is there something different now? The wood seems solid. I pushed on it with my finger and it seems ok, but I need to take a closer look. Also, should I add some more structure somewhere? Add more wood blocks to that joint or some angle iron? Thanks to all of you that have done this before.

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Re: 91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

Reply #1 – September 14, 2025, 02:21:31 pm

Im trying to imagine what your working access looks like.  Would it be possible to reinforce those right angle joints with some fiberglass cloth an epoxy?  That would be my approach.  I fixed my bus style cap with 5200 and it has held well but very different config than your GV.  I don't see how applying adhesive fillets on those joints will work. 

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Re: 91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

Reply #2 – September 15, 2025, 10:10:49 am

Its hard to see in the pictures, but the plywood panel that is the "Firewall" looks like it used to be glued to the fiberglass that is the sides of the front end. Is this really all that holds that in place?

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Re: 91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

Reply #3 – September 15, 2025, 09:34:56 pm

If you don't have a couple of chrome handles on the nose. I would add them.
  I added plywood behind the handles and then secured it with metal 90 degree to the dashboard. Oh and since I wasn't trusting of the dash wood. I underlayed it. 
  RR tracks that used to rattle the dash now do nothing.  And there's nothing better than 3M 5200. I layed a bead on a piece of oak and you'll rip the wood apart trying to separate. 

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Re: 91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

Reply #4 – September 15, 2025, 10:13:41 pm

Does anyone have any pictures of what the handles attach to?

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Re: 91 gv Front Cap Adhesive

Reply #5 – September 16, 2025, 11:24:23 am

Here's some pictures.  It just a 3/4" plywood block 3" x 10".  I can't tell if its been bonded to the cap or not.  It does appear to be added after the sealer that's between the cap and the dash board.  The handle is Perko 1336 and appears to still be available with some on Ebay for only $15.  Perko 1336DP0CHR Metal Handle W/Black Base, 6-1/4" L x 1" H - Chrome | eBay

I bought my coach when it was 10 years old and I believe the joint between the cap and dash board is still original.  It's just silicone and it looks like it was applied on the inside as well as the outside.

I think I would use 5200 also, but I don't think I would do any more than that.  I just wonder if you make that joint really solid, and the coach goes through an extreme twist, will something else give way that's a lot harder to fix?  Would the whole dash wood structure tweak and the joints between panels be left with 1/8" gaps?  Is the dash panel going to split?
I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure if the coach needs to twist, the dash panel isn't going to stop it.

When I worked at Country Coach as a chassis engineer, the dash panel was steel sheet metal and had an edge fit bulb seal to the front cap - so no hard connection at all.

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