Door no longer made

Topic: Door no longer made (Read 1562 times) previous topic - next topic

Door no longer made

October 15, 2020, 10:28:42 am

My coach after my excursion into a semi, needs a new door. Just talked to Xtreme, and my door was from an aircraft mfg. than is no longer in business. They were used on 95-99 coaches, along with other doors from other manufacturers. So I need a 95-99 round top door, looks to be 25 inches wide. Can anyone help? This is so not good news.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #1 – October 15, 2020, 10:34:47 am

I forgot, it also has an external hinge. I have called Vision RV in Kentucky and there door are rotted on the bottom, going to call them back and see how badly vs what mine looks like. Thanks guys for any and all help.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #2 – October 15, 2020, 11:06:40 am

Quote from: Chuckd – October 15, 2020, 10:34:47 am

I forgot, it also has an external hinge. I have called Vision RV in Kentucky and there door are rotted on the bottom, going to call them back and see how badly vs what mine looks like. Thanks guys for any and all help.

If you can get a door, and the best you can do is one with "rot" on the bottom, I say go with it. Welding technology has advance so far with the advent of switching power supplies and therefore computer control, a really talented TIG (GTAW) welder can weld two aluminum soda (pop) cans together. Therefore replacing the bottom of a door should be much easier than making a new door. And no "Pop" rivets.

https://youtu.be/ynrU54KbURM

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #3 – October 15, 2020, 11:09:17 am

try Colaw RV Parts and Salvage in Carthage MO they had a couple of Foretravels, not sure the years or door status

Tim Fiedler

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #4 – October 15, 2020, 11:24:18 am

is this what you want??

95 U320

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #5 – October 15, 2020, 03:18:37 pm

Be aware that the 95 door is narrower by a few inches than the following production years. You need a 1995 door.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #6 – October 15, 2020, 04:28:48 pm

Yes Lon I measured and noticed that it was not very wide, did not realize that it was the only year for that width. The pics of buses at the Kentucky RV salvage yard are a bit misleading, none of them are in the condition in the pics. The pics were taken when they were brought in, land now they are pretty much hulks without much left in some cases. For instance there are no side mirrors on any coach. May take door off and see if anything can be done with it. Not going to do that until I have had time to explore all options. Thanks for all the comments.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #7 – October 15, 2020, 04:31:12 pm

95 and 96 are both 24" doors. 97 and up 26"

The 95 door is a unicorn. They KNOW what it's worth if you have to have it.

Sellers market. They need to pull it. Box it and truck ship it.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #8 – October 15, 2020, 07:25:59 pm

Post some pictures of it. Bear in mind there are people who can build you an exact P51 Mustang if you supply a data plate. I'll show my aluminum TIG guy, see what he can do.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #9 – October 15, 2020, 09:37:47 pm

Quote from: Chuckd – October 15, 2020, 04:28:48 pm

For instance there are no side mirrors on any coach. May take door off and see if anything can be done with it. Not going to do that until I have had time to explore all options. Thanks for all the comments.

Is that an all metal door?

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #10 – October 15, 2020, 10:28:59 pm

Yes seems to be

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #11 – October 16, 2020, 09:15:33 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – October 15, 2020, 10:28:59 pm

Yes seems to be

Is it a flat door with round corners and maybe a window? If it's like the one in the picture a high end sheet metal shop can built one easily.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #12 – October 16, 2020, 01:46:42 pm

Perhaps Foretravel can help?

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #13 – October 16, 2020, 04:55:28 pm

Had to have my entry door replaced at FOT and the part came from PPL.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #14 – October 16, 2020, 05:00:29 pm

Steve: PPL is a supplier of doors for Foretravel, but the did not, and do not make these doors.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #15 – October 16, 2020, 05:29:33 pm

Lower stress. There are still craft people in the country. With measurements and pictures. It can be built. Think of all the school bus conversions. Tiny houses on and on. Man made it! It can be made again. Its not that hard.
Mark

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #16 – October 16, 2020, 05:34:33 pm

Maybe PPL is PTL.

PTL Engineering
3333 John Conley Dr. Lapeer, MI 48446
(810) 664-2310

Welcome - PTL Engineering

They made the door on my '03, and the may be able to help. Their website says they do custom work.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #17 – October 16, 2020, 06:21:09 pm

Quote from: SteveB – October 16, 2020, 04:55:28 pm

Had to have my entry door replaced at FOT and the part came from PPL.

My bad. The new door assembly for my coach came from PTL, not PPL.

Steve

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #18 – October 16, 2020, 08:32:06 pm

Pass The Loot

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #19 – October 17, 2020, 09:44:56 am

Update, trying to post pics, but my mind is not in tune with the logic necessary to do same, but I will get it done.

So here are my thoughts so far: Early next week bringing coach to a body shop (friend of mine) and the owner will look at the door. Chris is a body man, but also a builder of hot rods etc from scratch. More than likely we will try to take the door off, and I will leave it with Chris while he either builds a door from scratch or repairs what I have. I will bring the coach to a indoor storage facility a couple of miles from my house. Not heated but will be plugged into electricity. So will see what happens after Chris looks at the door.

Thanks for the ideas, and encouragement.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #20 – October 17, 2020, 11:02:53 am

Quote from: Chuckd – October 17, 2020, 09:44:56 am

Chris is a body man, but also a builder of hot rods etc from scratch.

I watch YouTube videos of master hotrod reconstruction experts and their projects, just because I am so in awe of their almost magical skills. They can bend and shape metal like it is Play-Doh. They can produce entire cars from a few drawings and a pile of raw materials.

So I agree with the above comments. Repairing your old door, or building, if necessary, a brand new door for your coach, should be child's play. Just need to find the right craftsman.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #21 – June 14, 2021, 10:39:17 pm

I am reviving this thread as I am now the one who wants to find the elusive door for this coach. Can someone confirm the outside width (edge of exterior trim to trim) of their larger size door?

I have now removed the bad door and I am left with 26.75" wide opening in the wall. I can make it one inch larger I am confident. I am hopeful that I can convert the opening to a larger door.

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #22 – June 14, 2021, 11:08:15 pm

So in looking at your photo I would be concerned about getting the opening correct more so for the windshield than anything else first. Don't want to end up with a door that fits but consumes windshields. Im curious why you would want to make the opening for the larger door. I agree bigger is always better, but changing it sounds like a really big involved project. the 2001 door frame size just above door strike plate forward to the door hinge plate is 28 5/16. The hinge is about a 1/2 inch forward of the forward frame on the outside. My door has the exposed seal and the improved later years has the seal covered and works better IMO. Also cleaner looking
Scott

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #23 – June 14, 2021, 11:21:44 pm

Ohh I would not change the windshield side at all. That is a main steel structural post there. On the strike side of the door it is a 1.5 x 1.5 wood piece attached to steel. I could easily cut an inch and still clear the awing hardware etc. I don't want a bigger door. I just am thinking that finding this rare smaller door is going to be hard. To make things more difficult I am working crazy hours right now during the day and have zero time to make phone calls and try to track one down. I did have another member reach out and offer to make some calls for me

This site is great!

Re: Door no longer made

Reply #24 – June 14, 2021, 11:47:43 pm

Quote from: nbluesky – June 14, 2021, 11:21:44 pm

To make things more difficult I am working crazy hours right now during the day and have zero time. This site is great!

Do what I did. Couple weeks ago I took of Sunday,Monday,June,July and August off. No money but the time off is priceless.
Scott

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