Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

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Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

December 04, 2010, 04:58:02 pm

Here I am ,A 73 year old guy talking about speed . I like the get up and go thing . My first foretravel was A 1998 U-300 . Sure did like how it sounded . It was pretty good off the line at a red light . It did it's thing quickly and with only 300 HP ran out of smoke too soon . My next coach was A 2003 ,mod. 320 , that thing would get up pretty good . Now I have a 2006 Phenix 40 ft , Runs ok ,but its heavy . I have that 650 HP ISX on the brain . It's only A problem because I drove one . That is where I screwed up . The front of my shirt has been wet from the druel factor ever since .

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #1 – December 04, 2010, 05:09:20 pm

Don't want to brag too much 'cause I drive "Forrest" like an old fogie...but at 34 feet and Cummins 325 hp w/o slides, etc...he's a screamer off the line...

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #2 – December 04, 2010, 05:20:49 pm

We go 60 mph max. . .get 8 1/2 mpg avg.. . .have gotten as good as 10 1/2 mpg (55 mph in Southern Illinois). Oh yeah, I'll be 67 next month.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #3 – December 04, 2010, 05:23:27 pm

Peter ; Gee whiz . HP to weight ,I'd say that would be quick .

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #4 – December 04, 2010, 05:27:32 pm

My fastest was my 2000 U 320 36 foot without slides. It was not much heavier than my 99 270 but would run up I 68 at cumberland gap at 60 mph.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #5 – December 04, 2010, 05:29:11 pm

Peter, what happened to the other two feet. Don't you know to have a full, grown up motorhome it has to be at least 36'. I don't think we can even include Forest on the race card. That would be like a foot race between you and me. I'm guessing I have you by 80 pounds or better. You would cream me in a sprint or long distance just due to weight advantage. Even if you are a little puny right now.

After driving a 1997, U320 with the 450hp Cummins, I don't think my U300 with the 350hp Detroit has a chance. I truly enjoy speed but the price of 650 horses is way out of my range for consideration.

There was a 1997 U320, 36' in Overland Park Kansas listed for sale with a 500hp Cummins. I bet than sucker really hauled.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #6 – December 04, 2010, 05:58:11 pm

John S . doubt anything other than A ISX -650 in A 40 footer is going to anything on you . Ok ; the Cumberland gap .I know about that pull , so does Dave . Thats the pull I went head to head with my Monoca friend ,Left him there somewhere wondering about it .He got steamed up about it . The devil makes me do stuff like that . Just got to have A little fun every so often .

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #7 – December 04, 2010, 06:17:27 pm

You all are trying to make me miss my MCI Ex Greyhound conversion, It was slowly off the line to keep from spinning, but with enough weight on the drive axle it would get along just fine. That required reduced air pressure in the tag air bags.
Had three different Detroit engines in it, the most fun was the 12V-71TT, Twin Turbo, about 850 HP, just a big toy that played games with empty 18 wheelers on mountains.
Fuel when just driving on the interstate and not playing, would be bout 5.9 mpg, from there it only went down.
10 speed Road Ranger transmission, it was a hoot and at the FMCA rally at VPI univ at Blacksburg, Va. I should have sold tickets to have a look at it. Gawkers lined up for a hundred ft just to get their head in the side door for a snooping. I just stood back and laughed at all the wanna bee idiots.
Once you saw it, you could easy recognize it.
Next time you talk to Charlie Danials or Fats Domino, ask them about it. Charlie promised to write a song about it.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #8 – December 04, 2010, 06:24:17 pm

I was thinking a 38 foot no slide Phenix with the 650 in it would be just about perfect..... in fact that might just be my next coach.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #9 – December 04, 2010, 06:31:35 pm

Come on John, didn't you mean a 48'. I can't see you giving up 4 feet of comfort just for speed. I thought you liked your extra space.

Does anyone know what the mpg's are on the 650 ISX?

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #10 – December 04, 2010, 06:50:07 pm

I love this topic, 'cause the very 1st Foretravel salesman I spoke to was at the San Antonio, FL dealership. I'll never forget him telling me what I thought at the time were "fishing stories" about Foretravels being the "Porsche of Motorhomes" due to their huge powerful engines and their terrific handling suspensions. I just listened and calmly told him to prove it. So we went for a test drive...and he was right. From that day on I began the research into Foretravels, and the rest is history.

Kent, I'll have you know that I only look puny in the avatar. Why I'm 6' 8" and weigh just over an 8th ton (Michelle & Steve, please play along as you've seen me in person). Why my size 14 boot slams down on that Foretravel throttle and Forrest goes from 0 to 60 in just under 10 seconds.

Are you trembling yet?

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #11 – December 04, 2010, 07:09:40 pm

John S. I Had chit-chat with the sales guys at FT about this . They said they will build A 40 footer with a ISX-650 , But said they didn;t think anything less would work .A 40 ft will work for me ,3 or 4 slides . DW thinks 45 ft is the right # , We will see .

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #12 – December 04, 2010, 08:13:32 pm

I talked with Paul at the grandvention. He indicated that they should be able to build it. WHo knows, I am sure they will tell me what is what when the rubber meets the road.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #13 – December 04, 2010, 08:54:49 pm

Hi guys I don't usually post, but my 2008 40' Phenix with three slides and the isx600 is fast. Although it weighs more than the pre06 coaches the torque just makes up the difference. At 65 I still average close to 7.8 mpg. The extra 200 ft/lbs of the 650 would be nice but only seen on steep hills.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #14 – December 04, 2010, 09:36:59 pm

The key thing here is M-11 VS the ISX That ISX 600 you have has got to be a bear , from red lights and pulling steep grades . my Phenox has the M-11 500 HP . Yours is the baddest one listed so far . want to trade ?

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #15 – December 04, 2010, 10:00:35 pm

I have driven many forertravels over 15 years. Test drives, deliveries, to and from shows and rallies and such. One that sticks out is a 97 36' 320 w/ 75,000 miles on it.

In '02 I delivered a new 36' double slide 320 to a customer in Reno and drove his 97 back to Escondido. You could definitely tell the difference from a fresh M-11 and one that was "broken in". A 36' 320 non slide has to be right up there in power and performance

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #16 – December 04, 2010, 10:09:54 pm

Quote from: Brad Nerhus – December 04, 2010, 10:00:35 pm

I have driven many forertravels over 15 years. Test drives, deliveries, to and from shows and rallies and such.

Brad,
Remember me trying to keep up with you coming back from Redmond.
No Chance

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #17 – December 04, 2010, 10:35:42 pm

I thought we we on westbound I-70 out of Denver. That was a fun ride !

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #18 – December 06, 2010, 08:22:56 pm

Our U300 (350HP) does OK but can't keep with a lot of the trucks on the big grades here in the west. Will run 82 mph all day at the 2100 ddec limit on the flat. The 6-92TA is way too small to compete but gets good fuel mileage (but not at 82 mph). Sure would be nice to have the the 8-92TA in the back to show them the way. My old 225 hp Greyhound conversion would top out at 86 mph but really died on the hills.

Just back from Mexico and had a ride on a couple of Scania and Mercedes busses. Almost all the front was a monster sized one piece windshield. 6 speed manual trans (with a small, sports car type shift lever) with huge power. They were ultra quiet and went like rockets. What a great conversion they would make.

Check out the photos of the trip at: http://picasaweb.google.com/epiercestewart/YucatanTrip#

Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
1993 U300/36

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #19 – December 08, 2010, 12:38:45 pm

I am continually amazed at how quick my 2000 U 270 feels. With no slides and a 350 Cummins it is light and nimble and handles so well.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #20 – December 09, 2010, 05:10:12 pm

Hows this- I got a ticket outside Onley, Texas for doing 87 in a 55-2003 U320 40ft-ran like a beast

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #21 – December 09, 2010, 08:01:18 pm

Hmm. 87 according to radar in rural Texas. The last time I got a ticket in rural Texas, I was running on cruise control on the Goldwing. I had checked the speedometer against GPS and the speedometer showed faster speed than GPS. Cruise was set on 71 and I was running of flat ground. Texas Trooper claimed I was running 80 according to his "calibrated" radar.

I believe you, but I don't necessarily believe law enforcement radar.

87 - Yee Haw! I complained when wife demonstrated that our "little" Cummins C8.3 would push the coach and toad up I-35 at 77 mph. Her reply, "I had to get around that guy. He kept slowing down. When I tried to pass him, he sped up." She did indeed get around him.

Re: Ok , who has the fastest fortravel ?

Reply #22 – December 11, 2010, 02:51:51 pm

Quote from: J. D. Stevens – December 09, 2010, 08:01:18 pm

I complained when wife demonstrated that our "little" Cummins C8.3 would push the coach and toad up I-35 at 77 mph. Her reply, "I had to get around that guy. He kept slowing down. When I tried to pass him, he sped up." She did indeed get around him.

That's just her practicing for the next dump truck race

Michelle

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