Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 69 Avion on 09/02/13 10:48am

I'm trying out TorkLift's Power Armor Max box on my Avion C-11 trailer. This large box will allow the addition of up to 5 more batteries. I doubt that I will use all of them because I would end up with a total of 7 batteries and I don't even use the full capacity of the two I currently have. This box is well built and I may put two batteries in it and then use the remaining space for storage. Exra storage is the one area that I am shy of.

Pictures of Power Armor max on front of trailer.

Inside of Power Armor Max box.

If I left the TorkLift Power Armor Max on the front rack of the trailer, then I couldn't put an extra quad up there. That really isn't an option, so I need to make a mount that goes above the LP tanks far enough that I can put aluminum 40# tanks on the trailer and still have room for the battery/storage box.

Pictures of mount for Power Armor Max box.

As you can see, the mount uses seamless receiver tubing so that the entire mount is easily removable with a couple of pins or just the top section with one pin. I weld a nut onto the receiver tubes so that a bolt can be tightened and eliminated any "wiggle" in the receiver tubes.
Also, I plan on mounting a solar panel above the battery box.

Ford F-350 4x4 Diesel
1988 Avion Triple Axle Trailer
1969 Avion C-11 Camper

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 09/02/13 01:55pm

69, your rig is pretty awesome! You have me thinking about doing something similar with mine. It looks mighty convenient to have all that stuff ready to go and with all the storage space for toys and the like.

Happy Camping!

Avioncamper.wordpress.com

Posted By: garryk6 on 09/02/13 05:13pm

67avion wrote:

Garryk6 wrote:

I want to know how long the cabover is. It looks much longer than yours or mine!

If I was back in WA state, I would be very very tempted to Bid on that one!

I went back and looked at it again - though I had a life and death struggle with Ebay autofill that insisted on turning "Avion" into "Avon". I couldn't get away from perfumes.

At any rate, the OP claims that it is 20' long. I can't measure my coach right now because its raining... bless the Lord...but I think that it is longer than my C-10. I'll bet that Ticki knows. Or maybe 69 Avion.

That's also the first complete TV antenna set up that I have seen.

Glad to see the C-11 cranking up again. I think that is going to be one of the most stunning restorations of an Avion TC ever done. Best of Luck!

I received word back, and the cabover is 6 ft long vice the standard 4ft long. I could really love a n/s bed in a C10 Avion!

Garry at the Alaska State Fair

Garry K
Wife + 4 kids
Retired Military Family.... Alway's on the move....
2002 F350 CCSB 5.4 6spd 4x4 in AK
1966 Avion C-10 Truck Camper

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 09/02/13 06:49pm

N/S bed in an Avion!? I saw one in a Cayo before but definitely not a C10. That's gotta be a rare bird.

Posted By: garryk6 on 09/02/13 08:25pm

Well, we've been camping in the Avion Off and on while on vacation. The off, we have been visiting friends in Anchorage, and we bought an older F700 24' box truck which will stay at our friends for a few weeks.

But as far as the Avion goes, I've been fighting a leak around the refrigerator roof vent... I have sealed it off from the inside with aluminum duct tape, and filled the stack with foam. But I have been unable to reach the roof to inspect from above. I looked at the seams between the stack and the roof before we left kodiak, and all looked good. I think it is being blown under the vent cap... As I am probably the only one that sees this part of the TC regularly, since I don't have a refer in the usual spot, I would recommend others that drive or camp in driving rains to inspect how theirs are doing. This may be a source of water intrusion on the left rear that is not normally caught.

Thanks!
Garry

Posted By: garryk6 on 09/05/13 09:12am

69, I really like all the storage you are adding. Definitely the great thing about mounting it on a trailer. How are you doing for loaded weight on that single axle?

We just finished late last night a run from Tangle Lakes, AK to Anchorage, AK. Over 300 miles, and over 100 miles was the Denali Highway. We drove it last year, but this year it was hunting season, so instead of caribou and other wild game, we saw campers, hunters, 4wheelers, etc, and the roads were some if the worst we've driven. Raining at times, potholes galore, combined with wash board and rocks....

What made it worth the trip was the tundra fall colors! We do not get fall colors in Kodiak. It goes from green to yellow to brown in under a week... As soon as we can get better Internet, I'll post some pics.

Rattle check was good on the ole Avion, and it appears I may have stopped the leak near the old refer vent. Only leaks when driving now, and with a gully washer of a rain yesterday, it didn't leak at freeway speeds. Unfortunately, I need to reseal the front window, as some water got by it on the same rain storm...

Oh well, it has been a great trip! All 6 of us are having a great time off the Island,

Talk to you all soon!

Garry in AK

Posted By: ticki2 on 09/05/13 10:43am

garryk6 wrote:

67avion wrote:

Garryk6 wrote:

I want to know how long the cabover is. It looks much longer than yours or mine!

If I was back in WA state, I would be very very tempted to Bid on that one!

I received word back, and the cabover is 6 ft long vice the standard 4ft long. I could really love a n/s bed in a C10 Avion!

Garry at the Alaska State Fair

Just got back from 10 days on the road visiting friends in the Adirondacks in NY , beautiful country .

Took a look at the ebay listing and am puzzled about some things . The cabover does look longer than standard 50" but I question the 6ft . It might be 60" judging from the proportions to the windows which would allow an E/W queen . The main body looks to be a C-10 from the interior layout . If the floor is 10 ft and he claims it is 20ft overall , that would make the cabover 10 ft long . As a comparison my C-11 with a 50" bed is 15'-5"" overall . Even adding 2 ft to make a 6 ft bed would still only be 17'-5" . Too bad someone couldn't see it and take some good measurements . Still an interesting unit .

'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

Posted By: garryk6 on 09/05/13 11:45am

ticki2 wrote:

garryk6 wrote:

67avion wrote:

Garryk6 wrote:

I want to know how long the cabover is. It looks much longer than yours or mine!

If I was back in WA state, I would be very very tempted to Bid on that one!

I received word back, and the cabover is 6 ft long vice the standard 4ft long. I could really love a n/s bed in a C10 Avion!

Garry at the Alaska State Fair

Hey Ticki!
Here is the current owners responses to mine and a few other questions..
1. Q: Hi, I have a 1966 Avion C-10. If I didn't live in Alaska I'd be buying this one. Can you measure from the front outside wall to the front of the cabover section? I have never seen a C-10 with what appears to be an extended cabover section. This may be even rarer than you think. I would also love to have some pics of this, since e-bay now won't let us download pics from eBay...thanks in advance! Sep-01-13

A: Thank you, I checked it has extended bed space ''6 whole feet'' measured from front to where it drops down RARE bEST REGARDS Bryan

2. Q: We have a discussion thread going on RV.Net about this camper. It appears to be a unique Avion. We all hope that people realize what a remarkable truck camper this is and bid accordingly. My question is what is the overall length of the camper? I know that the cabover is 6 feet. And you have stated that the camper size is 20'. So, does that mean that the main coach is 14'? Best of luck with the sale of this unique and one of a kind Avion. Someday it will be very valuable. Sep-02-13

A: Its 18.5 feet to end of step.Roghly 18foot I mispoke.@20 ft Thank you

3.Q: Hello, What a great camper! Does it still have the dinette table? Thanks for your help. Quentin Sep-04-13

A: I did not find it I found 4 pieces of wood that are jointed together to make table top.But Idon't know how legs went .The 4 pieces are 2.5 ft wide by 4 ft and are joined together with tabs .They are original to camper but no legs or joining configuration Best regards Bryan

It is a C10 gaucho model layout. His 6 ft measurement is the inside measurement. Since he includes the step, I am guessing the 18.5 is his outside measurement. Which sounds reasonable for a C10 with a 6 ft cabover.

Boy how I wish I lived in the lower 48 right now, but I'm sure it would get me in trouble with momma.... She kinda thinks I was crazy when I bought the C10. But after numerous trips, and being able to climb in and warm up she likes the C10. But it does get a bit cozy with a family of 6! But by this time next year I expect we will be down to 5 as my oldest is planning to join the Marines after graduation, and the summer fishing at a remote Kodiak set-net site.
Well, gotta get the crew moving! This is our last full day in Anchorage. We head down to the ferry in Homer tomorrow.

Garry

Posted By: ticki2 on 09/05/13 02:44pm

Garry , I read those responses . I'm an old guy and using my old math ,even 6 ft for the cabover and 10ft for the floor is still only 16ft , so how does it measure 18ft .

Posted By: garryk6 on 09/05/13 02:51pm

Sorry about that, I was drawing the contrast from inside partial measurements to an outside overall measurement. My floor of the C10 is over 10 ft inside. Then add wall thicknesses, and exterior trim, then 6 foot of bed space, I could see close to 18 ft.
Just my two cents...
Garry

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