![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
, And use that space for batteries or something. I proly have too much country in me but those fridges in campers can be a pain sometimes. and its just more propane lines and all that. I do like the Led lights, and solar, and the heat/AC and all. But I'm happy with the inside of mine like it is. Once its on that truck its not coming off if I have my way. The floor of my Avion will be the flatbed of a freightliner. I know I have to raise it a little to clear my tanks in the back. I need to find me a bottom cap to go on the back. If any of you guys have one Ill buy it. I need to do a search for one. Talk to you guys later.
1969 AVION
3/4 12 VALVE
Freightliner/24' Flatbed 50,000 miles/ Titan 4000 receiver Hitch, no Mods needed.
garryk6 wrote:
...for all those working on your campers like me, don't get discouraged, and stop. It's better to be used and not perfectly finished, than it is to have it part way perfect and not finished and loose steam.
Good luck, and God Bless!
Garry
...for all those working on your campers like me, don't get discouraged, and stop. It's better to be used and not perfectly finished, than it is to have it part way perfect and not finished and loose steam.
Good luck, and God Bless!
Garry
I agree 100%. I know I am someone who struggles with motivation if I lose momentum on a project. As a result I tend to work on things quickly and try to make a lot of progress, even if the results are usable rather than perfect. Like with my roof rebuild. I spent months preparing for it, doing design work, getting materials and tools, but still used the camper for camping during that time - deliberately not taking the camper off the road until the last minute. There were loads of little things that I knew I could do better, but I also knew that if I didn't have the camper usable again in a few weeks I would lose heart and the project would grind to a halt.
One symptom of this is that a lot of the things I do on the camper (or any of the vehicles) I do in increments which can be achieved in one day, or at most over a long weekend - that way the camper is back on the road again and we can use it. Using the camper seems to re-invigorate me to plan the next stage of modification work.
Steve.
'07 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab diesel + '91 Shadow Cruiser - Sky Cruiser 1
'98 Jeep TJ 4.0
'15 Ford Fiesta ST
'09 Fiat Panda 1.2
sabconsulting wrote:
I agree 100%. I know I am someone who struggles with motivation if I lose momentum on a project. As a result I tend to work on things quickly and try to make a lot of progress, even if the results are usable rather than perfect. Like with my roof rebuild. I spent months preparing for it, doing design work, getting materials and tools, but still used the camper for camping during that time - deliberately not taking the camper off the road until the last minute. There were loads of little things that I knew I could do better, but I also knew that if I didn't have the camper usable again in a few weeks I would lose heart and the project would grind to a halt.
One symptom of this is that a lot of the things I do on the camper (or any of the vehicles) I do in increments which can be achieved in one day, or at most over a long weekend - that way the camper is back on the road again and we can use it. Using the camper seems to re-invigorate me to plan the next stage of modification work.
Steve.
garryk6 wrote:
...for all those working on your campers like me, don't get discouraged, and stop. It's better to be used and not perfectly finished, than it is to have it part way perfect and not finished and loose steam.
Good luck, and God Bless!
Garry
...for all those working on your campers like me, don't get discouraged, and stop. It's better to be used and not perfectly finished, than it is to have it part way perfect and not finished and loose steam.
Good luck, and God Bless!
Garry
I agree 100%. I know I am someone who struggles with motivation if I lose momentum on a project. As a result I tend to work on things quickly and try to make a lot of progress, even if the results are usable rather than perfect. Like with my roof rebuild. I spent months preparing for it, doing design work, getting materials and tools, but still used the camper for camping during that time - deliberately not taking the camper off the road until the last minute. There were loads of little things that I knew I could do better, but I also knew that if I didn't have the camper usable again in a few weeks I would lose heart and the project would grind to a halt.
One symptom of this is that a lot of the things I do on the camper (or any of the vehicles) I do in increments which can be achieved in one day, or at most over a long weekend - that way the camper is back on the road again and we can use it. Using the camper seems to re-invigorate me to plan the next stage of modification work.
Steve.
I thought I was the only person that did this. You just described me to a "T". To me priority is long term structural integrity, energy efficiency, water and wind proof, and to look like a 1960's era Avion as much as possible. I like making small improvements as I go along and use things rather than turn it in to a chore. If I ever stop I may be 2 years getting back on track.
I frankly don't know why I was so patient with this project, but it appears that I have changed over the years. I certainly was impatient in the past, with short time frames and immediate goals. If those goals weren't reached quickly, I tended to move on leaving a trail of half completed projects. Over time that approach, both in terms of expense and emotion, began to weigh heavily on me.
I really can't take credit for a more disciplined approach...it's just somehow an evolution in my attitude. What to say?
I do not in any way want to compare my attitude to what C11 has decided. We do not know the reasons for his decision other than what he stated. I certainly respect that. It was not clear to me if the camper had been sold on eBay or if its still available. I suppose with a no reserve auction its gone. Wonder where?
On another subject: Overland Expo in Flagstaff, May 16-18. I hope to be there this year and hope that other Avion campers will make the trip as well. If there are ideas about other meet-ups in different parts of the country, I am open to that as well.
I certainly see myself in many of your descriptions. The mixture of determination, deliberation, and confusion, with a touch of ADD to enliven things. Plus a perfectionism that's has caused me to make a lot more work for myself on past projects, mostly boats.
This Avion started last fall as a winter project, something to keep my hands and brain busy. I thought I had bought a reasonably sound rig that would benefit from some upgrades and modest repairs, only to discover the scope of work needed was vastly more extensive...sound familiar?
Now, in pursuit of perfection, I've lifted the shell off the frame, begun assembling the welded aluminum frame that will replace the rotted plywood and am trying to figure if I have really reached the bottom of the curve and am beginning the actual rebuild.
My goal is to be able to drive the finished rig to Glacier NP next August for Annie's birthday trip. It seems a realistic goal from this point, but I am notoriously poor at estimating time...
As soon as I master posting pics, I'll do so.
Dick
Do you have all of the manuals and brochures available to rebuild? Are there parts that you are sure that you need? Is it an OEM restoration? If so, many of us have fridges, stoves, etc that we have removed and that may be available.
I sure would like to see the progress of a frame off restoration. I believe that Dodgeavion is pursuing a very similar path.
* This post was edited 01/17/14 11:11am by 67avion *
I'm well past these pics but they will give you an idea where I started. I thought I was getting a pretty intact camper, in need of minor repairs and updating - a good winter project...
![[image]](http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/D1trout/media/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20Dicks%20MacBook%20Air/iPhoto%20Library/Rotten%20plywood/IMG_0515_zps03d3ac33.jpg.html)
Edited: you can clearly see the rotten plywood at the lower left corner of this bulkhead and at the front of the right wing. The PO had put in some good patches - some new plywood blocks and replaced much of the left side wing (wings are my term for the long horizontal panels on each side of the camper), but these repairs were starting to rot as well. And in some cases, the surface panel was newer and sound but it was attached to a rotten panel...
* This post was edited 01/19/14 07:00am by D1trout *
Here's a pic of the cabover bed. It was completely soaked thru - both layers of plywood and the foam. The PO had added a pegboard panel to hold the mattress above the plywood. All removed and you can see how the water stained the aluminum. It degraded the fasteners as well.
![[image]](http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/D1trout/media/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20Dicks%20MacBook%20Air/iPhoto%20Library/Rotten%20plywood/5D52944C-5145-4ABA-A489-015153BFE905_zpsnhmbpmrc.jpg.html)
The condition of the cabover set off the alarms. Further investigation revealed more rotten plywood as well as repairs made by the PO, whom I have come to refer to as Silicone Man...
![[image]](http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/D1trout/media/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20Dicks%20MacBook%20Air/iPhoto%20Library/Rotten%20plywood/IMG_0006_zps20227963.jpg.html)
As I moved back down the camper, I found more and more damage. This lead me to the aluminum frame solution I'll discuss later. Here's a pic of the floor under the closet
![[image]](http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/D1trout/media/Photobucket%20Desktop%20-%20Dicks%20MacBook%20Air/iPhoto%20Library/Rotten%20plywood/IMG_0526_zps853e1a98.jpg.html)
I'll post this before proceeding
Dick
* This post was edited 01/19/14 02:44pm by an administrator/moderator *