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Topic: Looking for a Grand Villa (Read 1118 times) previous topic - next topic

Looking for a Grand Villa

First of all, thanks to Gear Jammer for posting the original thread that I was about to hijack.  I am also looking for a GV and have located one in Oklahoma City that looks ok but the problem is trying to get the owner to provide any info.  They said that they want to sell but seem reluctant to provide any info.  I found it here on facebook marketplace:
www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/432938653978708

It looks pretty good but I cant tell from the photos.  Does anybody have any info on this coach?  Is it possible to tell what frame is under it from the photos?  I'm new to Foretravels although I've been researching them for quite some time.  Thanks to all for any insights.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #1 –
Cubman I'm about 30 miles away and would be happy to go look at it with you.  Your profile doesn't say where you are.
Rick & Rhonda
2003 U320 4220  Build #6199
Was
91 36' GV 300 Caterpillar, 92 40' U280 300 Cummins, 97 36' U295 300 Cummins, 2002
U320 450 Cummins
(Guess we're hooked)

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Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #2 –
Quote from: cubman –
  Is it possible to tell what frame is under it from the photos? 

It appears to be an O22C (Oshkosh) with the short bay doors and the latches at the top is the give away, combined with the year.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Johnstons –
Cubman I'm about 30 miles away and would be happy to go look at it with you.  Your profile doesn't say where you are.

Thanks for the offer.  I'm in the Ft. Worth area.  If I can get some response from the owner I'll be sure to take you up on the offer.

Jeff

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #4 –
I read on another threat that the Oshkosh frames do not have problems with the bulkhead.  Is this true?  If so what kind of problems might I come across that could be a deal breaker?

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #6 –
That coach has springs and also hydraulic brakes just so that you know.
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: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #7 –
Are springs and hydraulic brakes a bad thing for motor homes?

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #8 –
No, but air bags and air brakes are better
IMHO
88 Grand Villa 36' ORED 3208 (throwaway)Cat.
 Build # 3150
Happiness is the maximum agreement of reality and desire.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #9 –
It may ride a little harsh and stop only fair.  Drive it a bit before you discount it tho.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #10 –
The Detroit Fuel Pincher engine is very low on power...if you're not going to tow that may be fine, but just know that you will be in the slow lane on any grades.
Len Barron
1988 GV36 U280 3208T(250hp)/MT643
1972 Jeep Commando LS2/4L65e
2000 Chevy Express Hightop Campervan
LBZ Duramax /6sp Allison

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #11 –
Juice brakes stop hard from speed once.  Maybe twice. That's with fresh brake fluid. 

Springs are bouncy.

8,2 does not like big grades.

"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
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: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #12 –
Several of our older fire trucks had juice brakes. Some stopped OK, others didn't. The air drums on the later apparatus were 10" wide and the trucks could easily lock up all 6 wheels without any effort. They did have more fade and that's the drums big failing.

All of our trucks had springs but the shocks worked well and gave a good ride. Our big out of town response OES International had a driver's seat with a shock absorber and had a great ride. I remember the day we put it in service. We had a call down by the beach about 3 in the morning and with the very tall cab. it seemed like a real slug. The captain looked over at me and said "won't this go any faster?." That was what I though as it seemed we going about 40 mph and then looked down at the speedo. 86 mph. Drum brakes and a 6 speed Allison with retarder so it stopped really well unless you had to do it several times in a short period.

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

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #13 –
That FB ad is posted by Carter's Auto "Commerce Profile" If you look closely he sells boats, cars, etc. on FB Marketplace.
Sounds like the GV was for personal use for the last 6 years.
Good luck.
2003 GV U295 (6230)
2006 Jeep Unlimited TJ
2018 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins
Former 94 GV U225

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #14 –
Just FYI there are several different qualities of DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluid that have wet boiling points from in the 250 plus degree to over 500 degree wet boiling point (wet boiling point is when the system has been opened and moisture allowed to absorb into the brake fluid--which is all wet brake systems) The best there was (3 years ago) was Castrol which had a wet boiling point of over 500 degrees.  With a wet brake system the higher boiling point could mead the difference in stopping or not in a steep decline. 
If I were traveling in a mountainous area with wet brakes I wouldn't use anything other than the high boiling point brake fluid.
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #15 –
Thanks for all the replies here folks but some of the jargon being used is unfamiliar to me.  For instance fuel pincher...or O22C....I can figure out juice brakes.  Please keep in mind that I'm here because I need expert advice and its a fairly steep learning curve.  Im gonna have to ask what may appear to some to be stupid questions.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #16 –
Is there an immediate way to tell an Oshkosh chassis Grand Villa from a non-Oshkosh chassis GV? 

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #17 –
Oshkosh has one shock and 1 airbag at each corner.
Fore travel has 2 shocks and 2 airbags per corner.
Oshkosh storage doors tip down    ,the cabinet is only about 28 in deep.
FT tip up with gas struts and the cabinet is very deep or full width.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #18 –
Juice brakes require regular careful fluid changes as the fluid absorbs water vapor and then boils over a few years.  Scary in  mountains at speed.  Trust me.  Sold them new.

Slow careful drivers had lower problems. 

Oshkosh faded also I used hard.

No substitute for the meritor disks and the retarder in the mountains or if you are a harder driver
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
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: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #19 –
The fuel pincher is what Detroit Diesel called the the 8.2 engine which is a v8  4 cycle engine. O22C is the designation for that particular Oskosh chassis.
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: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #20 –
Quote from: Protech Racing –
Oshkosh has one shock and 1 airbag at each corner.
Fore travel has 2 shocks and 2 airbags per corner.
Oshkosh storage doors tip down    ,the cabinet is only about 28 in deep.
FT tip up with gas struts and the cabinet is very deep or full width.

Actually I meant from just looking at a picture.  Visual clues.  Thanks.

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #21 –
Oshkosh storage doors tip down    ,the cabinet is only about 28 in deep. Hinged at bottom .
FT tip up with gas struts and the cabinet is very deep or full width. Hinged at top .

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #22 –
With experience you can tell but it takes time.
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: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #23 –
We owned a 1991 Grand Villa with the non airbag chassis for 15 years. This unit had the 250hp Cummins diesel that was absolutely  trouble free and gave us 10mpg towing a jeep. Hills were not a problem unless you ended up having to slow down to the point that the transmission downshifted to third gear or lower somewhere around 30mph. If that happened, the transmission temps would soar because first, second, and third gears were through the converter while fourth and fifth were lock-up gears. The only times that would happen were if you had to slow down too much for other slower traffic. The spring chassis' ride was OK but probably not quite as good as one with air bags. One other negative I noticed was that our unit wandered and required constant correcting. Maybe an alignment issue, I never had it looked at.

Jim OMahony
2019 ih-45
2006 Mandalay
1991 GV
1985 GV
Ram 1500 toad
1986 GV
Jim & Sherry O'Mahony
Both retired airline folks
No pets but wish we had some
2019 ih-45

Re: Looking for a Grand Villa

Reply #24 –
The 91 22c had a spicer 710 steering box that requires the steering box to be recentered after initial breakin.  Fixed countless coaches wander
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob & Susan
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