What make was your first motorhome?

Topic: What make was your first motorhome? (Read 2087 times) previous topic - next topic

What make was your first motorhome?

April 05, 2011, 09:01:03 am

Johnny Byassee started an interesting topic when he asked how far would we go to buy a Foretravel? That leads me to wonder what was your first motorhome?

Ours is a 2000 U320.

I thought about doing this as a poll, but I don't know the names of all the manufacturers. But I do know the best one.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #1 – April 05, 2011, 09:17:18 am

Ours was a 1997 Class C Georgie Boy Maverick 31' with the Ford 460 gas guzzler. More storage than our '89 GV but half the fuel mileage.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #2 – April 05, 2011, 09:36:50 am

Champion, a 1991 29 ft Ultrastar. With current fuel prices, almost wish I had it still.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #3 – April 05, 2011, 09:52:18 am

Mine was a 78 EXECUTIVE,about 26 foot with a Dodge 440 engine, wood frames with thin Fiberglas sides, leaked like a sieve and guzzled gas thru that Quadrajet. Had twin beds. It wasn't much compared to the GV but it served us well as we CAMPED with three kids and a dog. I shudder to think about what the outcome of some of the trips we made might have been. One trip of about 100 miles I blew out three (3) tires and changed them myself on the side of the road after I bought More used ones. Youth, where did it go ?

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #4 – April 05, 2011, 10:13:23 am

1994 Safari Trek 26-foot on the Isuzi chassis. We rode it brutally from 60K to 120K and never had an engine or transmission problem. Got 12 MPG towing a small car. Would climb anything slowly - we drove it from Death Valley to Rhyolite for over an hour at 10 MPH. It failed to start once - when I left accessories on and killed the batteries. Started reliably in the low twenties, and did not overheat in the hundreds. Parked almost anywhere, we drove it through fast food drive throughs if there was not an overhang. An amazingly reliable vehicle. Rode like a delivery truck.

But we now have a queen bed and a recliner, things don't bounce off the dash, and we can walk past each other in the kitchen! We can also talk while we drive.

oldMattB

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #5 – April 05, 2011, 10:29:11 am

Mine was a rebranded version of Gary's. A 26 foot Southwind with a 440 Dodge that also slurped gas through a quadrajet. First trip to Mexico saw only 4.8 mpg. Also leaked like a sieve but was a lot of fun. It only had 27K so sold the engine/trans to a guy restoring a SuperBee, bought a damaged Ford truck with a new 7.3 turbo/5 speed manual trans in Min/St.Paul, flew out and drove it home. Spent two weeks putting the diesel in the old rig and the day it was finished (or half finished but ran) we headed to Canada. Got 12 mpg so we did not mind the leaks as much. Still have it with all of the leaks but it runs great today. I think it was the look alike to the motorhome in my favorite movie, Dusk till Dawn. Guess that shows where my taste is.

Our U300 gets about the same fuel mileage on the highway, just not around town.

Pierce & Gaylie
93' U300/36

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #6 – April 05, 2011, 10:33:09 am

1996 Fleetwood Jamboree Rally on a Chevy 454 ci P37 chassis. Got 9 MPG and was all over the road...too tall for the class C configuration. It was a good learning experience for learning all the coach systems. I liked the class C approach, but the quality was non-existent.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #7 – April 05, 2011, 11:13:13 am

1977 Pace Arrow 27' - 454 Chevy - Bathroom in rear - Approx. 30 gal. fresh water

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #8 – April 05, 2011, 11:24:44 am

It was a 1997 Lance 980 11'6" with a dry bath and propane gen. We bought it in 09 and only had it for less than a year. Had to have much rotten wood replaced due to leaks. It was a nice camper but with the 07 Dodge only got 11 mpg with it in the bed. Figured I could get a DP with almost the same fuel economy so I did months of research and liked what I read about the FT brand. Found one at Lazy Days in Tampa and headed down just to take a look for fun and ended up coming home with it. We have been blessed to have been able to purchase such an awesome coach. Looking forward to years of enjoyment.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #9 – April 05, 2011, 11:35:42 am

1999 Southwind 32' single slide with V-10. Bought new and drove for 11 years. Good moho. No leaks and no break downs. Didn't really need another moho, but had owning a diesel on my bucket list. Looked and compared and bought the best one for us. Our Foretravel has basically the same floorplan as the Southwind, but much, much nicer. And it's a diesel. Scratch one off the bucket list.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #10 – April 05, 2011, 11:41:48 am

1999 Lazy Daze class C. 30' IB model purchased in 2000. We had done our research, joined RV Consumer Group, and narrowed it down to LD. Then set up a notification subscription on RV Trader.

When the ad for that coach came across my e-mail one morning, I called Steve, then waited until a somewhat reasonable hour for the seller and called. Luckily I was the first caller - the owner had 6 more calls that day, yet he held the coach for us without a deposit until we could get there. We flew out to Las Vegas (from Austin) to put the deposit down, then flew back again a week later to close the deal and drive it home. Somehow in the 3 day drive home we managed to fit in Camping World and KMart for supplies (we had none), Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon.

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Michelle

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #11 – April 05, 2011, 11:42:56 am

We started with a 1972 Revcon. This was a 25' class A built on an Olds Toronado engine, transmission, and front suspension. Aircraft construction with riveted aluminum on all sides, including the bottom. Interior was all formica covered surfaces. Handled great, 12MPG, decent room inside compared to the GMC models on the same running gear. We needed more room as the family grew (the revcon was really only meant for two). Main issues were inadequate brakes and engine cooling.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #12 – April 05, 2011, 11:45:32 am

Does an 84 VW Vanagon Westphalia count?

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #13 – April 05, 2011, 12:19:35 pm

Foretravel !! Same coach I own now - bought it 10 years ago when Tina and I decided to take a sabbatical in 2001 for 3 1/2 years.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #14 – April 05, 2011, 12:23:26 pm

Foretravel - 93 U280 36'

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #15 – April 05, 2011, 12:33:00 pm

1997 Fleetwood Discovery 37' - Bought it about two months after the son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren moved to a location 800 miles from our home.

Bought the Discovery in August, 2009. Took a couple of 3000+ mile trips. After spending a few days in Montana in December, 2009, visiting daughter, started looking for something with Aqua-Hot or big propane tanks. Bought 1997 U295 36' in April, 2010. FT did fine in Montana and Missouri in December, 2010.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #16 – April 05, 2011, 12:35:00 pm

We started with a 1979 Dolphin, Class C, 17' on a Toyota truck chassis. It had a 102 hp 4 cylinder engine that got 15 mpg, but went through 2 head gaskets in 4 years. Leaked around the A/C frequently. We explored the state of Florida while living in Gainesville. Went to Ft. Wildnerness CG in Disney World 11 times in 4 years.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #17 – April 05, 2011, 01:11:10 pm

I started with a MCI 7 (ex Greyhound), total rebuilt the running gear, three different Detroit Diesel engines, 8V-71, 12V-71 and last the 8V-92. Also had the RTO910 transmission, 3.73 Rear, 11R24.5 tires. Also total stripped inside and redid in a very comfy living coach. Put many miles on it over the 20 years of happiness, never had any issues on the road, not even a speeding ticket, but made friends out of Charlie Danials and Fats Domino who are also bus nuts.
The Foretravel is much easier to own, service, turn, drive and STOP!!!

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #18 – April 05, 2011, 07:53:13 pm

My first coach was a 99 U 270 34 foot. I loved that coach and at times I wish I still had it.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #19 – April 05, 2011, 08:19:19 pm

Our first coach was a 1988 Airstream, P 30 chassis with a 454 Chevy. It had a tag axle that helped with the ride. Engine was in the front so we could not talk to each other, and even then I could not hear what DW was trying to tell me. I had a wish list for my next coach; 1 Diesel, 2 Air Brakes, 3 a shower that I could stand up in. That old silver bullet had the rounded corners and nothing would fit in the cupboards. It was a well made coach and it turned a lot of heads.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #20 – April 05, 2011, 08:56:50 pm

1970 Travco. 440 dodge. 28'
Used for trips to Harlingen TX to the CAF air show in Oct '77 to '88

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #21 – April 05, 2011, 10:00:58 pm

We have burnt up those brain cells but we think that our 1st real RV that wasn't a tent was an early 70's model Ford conversion van. Man we thought that we were in hog heaven not having to sleep on the ground with all those rocks and sweet gum balls. (no matter what you did 1 or 2 would find there way under your bed roll)

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #22 – April 05, 2011, 10:37:38 pm

Quote from: Don Hay – April 05, 2011, 12:35:00 pm

We started with a 1979 Dolphin, Class C, 17' on a Toyota truck chassis. It had a 102 hp 4 cylinder engine that got 15 mpg, but went through 2 head gaskets in 4 years. Leaked around the A/C frequently. We explored the state of Florida while living in Gainesville. Went to Ft. Wildnerness CG in Disney World 11 times in 4 years.

1987 Sunrader, Class C, 21" on a Toyota truck chassis. Went to Floriida with it. That trip was when we realized we needed something bigger, but we also learned how much we loved each other. No storage and constant moving stuff from the over head to the drivers compartment. Before that, had a converted Ford E350 ambulance w/International 6.9 IDI diesel. DW actually drove that. She has not drove the Foretravel yet.

The very first RV was a '60s something Scotty Highlander travel trailer.

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #23 – April 05, 2011, 10:45:43 pm

Mine was a 2000 Foretravel U320 40', but I had a lot of miles driving my father's two Executives (gas engines) during the mid to late '70s. The U320 is an incredible improvement!!!!!!

Re: What make was your first motorhome?

Reply #24 – April 05, 2011, 11:31:20 pm

Ours is a 1997 U320. Bought it in October of 2010. Before that was tents! What a change!

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