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Topic: body parts for 94 Grand Villa (Read 937 times) previous topic - next topic

body parts for 94 Grand Villa

I'm not sure if this is the right group to post this, but the PO of my coach tore up the passenger side rear wheel arch on my 94 GV.  I was wondering if anyone knew some salvage yards to call to try and find a replacement.  I was in Nacogdoches a couple weeks ago at Nacogdoches Motorhome Service for some other stuff (Bruce and team did a great job and were very accommodating) and while I was there we got Extreme to quote fixing the piece.  They wanted $2700 to repair so now I'm just trying to find either a replacement wheel arch or options that are a little more affordable to fix the damage on the existing arch.

thanks for any help!
You can call me Hunter.  It's my name.
1994 U240 36'
Cat 3116, 6-Speed
CR-V TOAD

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #1 –
If you are handy you could fix it your self. I taught myself to fiberglass.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #2 –
Agree with Oldguy - that doesn't look that bad.  The damaged arch trim could be easily removed and taken to a bench to work on.  There is plenty of "shape" left that it could be restored with basic body working skills.  If you don't want to tackle it yourself, try taking it to some marine shops that work on boats, or auto repair shops.  I'm betting you could get it fixed for a lot less than $2700.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #3 –
While you were in NAC did you try the FOT parts department?

FORETRAVEL

If they could not help you, try a Google search for "foretravel motorhome salvage yards" and see what pops up.  GVs are gonna be harder to find and have probably been pretty well picked over.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #4 –
Quote from: oldguy –
If you are handy you could fix it your self. I taught myself to fiberglass.
Please use epoxy rather than fiberglass resin to repair fiberglass especially old glass. Much stronger repair. West Marine products👍👍 don't even need to be handy, just tenacious. Repeat till acceptable. Or go to a marine repair shop, fiberglass repair guy. Won't be a issue to repair. IMO
Scott

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #5 –
Yes, agree with the above posts. A very easy fix for anyone with DIY skills and less than $100 in materials including glass cloth and a quart of epoxy resin and a few other things. Lot's of YouTube videos on how to do it. The paint will be the most expensive part as you might as well buy a quart. One step as you don't need a clear coat. As I remember it's Ford Performance white but I don't have the code in front of me.

The repair is small enough that once it's ready for paint, you could spray a can of SEM OEM Refinishing | Refinish | SEM Products Saves buying the paint, gun and all the related stuff.

For your repair, this is the tape I like to use once the damage has been cleaned up. US Stock Fiber Glass Fabric Fiberglass Cloth Width 4 inch Length 130 feet | eBay

This is enough resin to do dozens of repairs: Epoxy Laminating Resin 2:1 Kit UV Stable, High Strength (1.5 Quart Kit-...

The strength of the repair is in the cloth, not the resin. The resin holds it all together with one layer of cloth after another with only enough resin to wet the cloth.

Any boat or body shop can do as well as anyone and probably in your neighborhood. For an inexpensive but good job, try to find a guy on Craigslist that moonlights from a body, boat shop or surf board repair.

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

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #6 –
If I was doing it I would sand it were it is and add a sheet of fiber glass so it will hold it in place and keeps it's shape and then
remove it and from the back grind it down and add fiber glass. The front piece just sand it off.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #7 –
Thanks for all the tips.  I called the parts dept. early on and they said they don't have any of the molds anymore for those parts and none left on the shelf.  I've been working my way toward trying to fix it myself, but I wanted to exhaust other avenues first.  After a grueling search, I was able to find a replacement taillight from a 1985 Isuzu Impulse, so I have some luck finding parts.  Guess it's time to learn some fiberglass repair!

You can call me Hunter.  It's my name.
1994 U240 36'
Cat 3116, 6-Speed
CR-V TOAD

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #8 –
I'm not a DIY guy so I'd contact Xtreme in NAC. They've done excellent fiberglass repair on my '93 GV.
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #9 –
Are both sides the same on the over the tire panels? I had mine off when I rebuilt my basement.I never matched them up but it occurred to me if both sides are the same. Find a fiberglass shop and use the good side to make a mold. Then have them lay up a new fender panel.
Or is this the rear corner edge?
91 GV U300 Unihome 40' Build 3811
6V92TA Detroit

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Jeff & Sandy –
I'm not a DIY guy so I'd contact Xtreme in NAC. They've done excellent fiberglass repair on my '93 GV.

I did call Extreme. They wanted 2700 to fix it, so was looking for options.
You can call me Hunter.  It's my name.
1994 U240 36'
Cat 3116, 6-Speed
CR-V TOAD

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #11 –
Quote from: stump –
Are both sides the same on the over the tire panels? I had mine off when I rebuilt my basement.I never matched them up but it occurred to me if both sides are the same. Find a fiberglass shop and use the good side to make a mold. Then have them lay up a new fender panel.
Or is this the rear corner edge?


Unfortunately they are mirrored left and right and that back edge is different. It's just broken off on this side.
You can call me Hunter.  It's my name.
1994 U240 36'
Cat 3116, 6-Speed
CR-V TOAD

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #12 –
If I was looking for a quick fix: Bondo, sand paper and Krylon spray paint. Buddabing Buddaboom!
Eric, Mary and Carl the jack russel terrorist
1997 U320, #5143, w/450 hp, 6.9 on the richter scale
Sammie the toad
Live Free or Die

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #13 –
I'm an old body and paint man that needs to come out of retirement and get a job at Xtreme. Would only take about two hours to fix and at the most two to paint after being primed. Add a couple hrs to to take it off and put on and done. I agree that it's not worth 2700 and the only way you learn is to jump in with both feet and good advise. Painting is hardest to make look good so if you repaired it and just took to a local body shop to paint would be dollars ahead.

Larry
Larry & Debbie Town
2000 U320 4210 
Previous 88 GV

Re: body parts for 94 Grand Villa

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Mobius –
If I was looking for a quick fix: Bondo, sand paper and Krylon spray paint. Buddabing Buddaboom!
This is what I would do on a 27 or 28 year old coach.
1993 U225 Build #: 4285
500 Watts Solar
Honda CRV AWD
Former 1981 Foretravel Travco
Retired, Full Time Off Grid Snowbird