Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 67avion on 05/11/11 02:01pm

Our plan is to use a system approach: first will be the water with a new water heater, replaced pipes, and continuing onto the bathroom with the toilets, showers, holding tanks. If everything checks out in a "wet" run, then its onto the electricity, solar and wiring....then propane. Surely not in that order, but you get the idea.

First it has to dry - dry - dry. Fans run in there and we make small inspection holes searching for water. In the past we had made a number of repairs to the wings, tie downs and to the cabover section. The cabover floor that supports the mattress was part of the Zolatone paint job, and its looking good. By the way Zolatone is one tough paint to apply. Our paint shop messed up two attempts before they got a good application. The paint is sort of like butter milk. It was the original paint for many interiors in Airstreams and Avions. Nowadays its used in the trunks of cars - a very hard setting paint with little squiggles that mask dirt and gouges. But my experience sure put it to the test. And its great!

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/11/11 02:18pm

I plan on checking all my wiring first, and duoble checking for any leaks before I start adding anything else, because if I have to pull any skin from the inside, I don't want to be reworking the work over again...

I see that your water fills from the front left of the camper. My fill spout is on the Left side of the camper under the window, and is the cast aluminum with the sealing cap and Air-chuck type fitting to pressurize the water tank with air... I'll be finding a tank like yours, and going to the pump.

Sounds like your plan is pretty good though!
Garry

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: Super_Dave on 05/11/11 02:45pm

You're a better man than me. I would have been looking for the insurance money to put down on something new.

Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Rig: 2018 Big Country 3155 RLK
Boat: 21' North River Seahawk

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/11/11 02:59pm

For us guys that love old things, these campers are just so-well built, that the scream out to be renovated and saved. The Aircraft quiality frameing and skin that have lasted this well for 45 years in my campers case, show that the newer campers will have a hard time matching the quality that these campers have. I looked long and hard at TC's to buy for my family, and finding a stripped out Avion is going to be the best, so we can build it exactly the way we want it, with the equipment we want and without the extra frills that cost weight etc. That is the draw for me, at least... any others want to weigh in? I think these things are definitely worth saving.
Garry in Kodiak, AK

Posted By: 67avion on 05/11/11 03:33pm

I have done a great deal of house restoration in my town. And its true that I am attached to great workmanship that has come down from the past. I am especially attached to the idea of an America that makes things....sadly something that is less true with each day that passes.

But, as I grow older I am also more and more drawn to comfort. That aching joint, that hitch in my hip when I jump down from the truck or step from a bad angle on the TC. There have been some enormous improvements since the 60s TCs. Therefore, I am very respectful of other people's choices in things like campers or other RVs. Some of the new campers, like the wonderful Chalet that's been circling the country with the Maineiacs, are very appealing. I'm sure at some point that's where me and my sweetheart will land. But, now, I want to restore a bit of American glory and go back on the road.

Posted By: mountainkowboy on 05/11/11 07:19pm

I am too an "oldie lover", I looked at a few Avions and a couple of Holiday Ramblers. We would have got one if not for the east/west C/O bed that they seemed to use on all the older units. I suppose it was because the older trucks were single cabs, but both of us decided it would be a pain if one of us has to climb over the other to get out of the bedroom for any reason during the night. We are still toying with the idea of a complete gutting and redesign of the S&S's interior. We will try the stock setup for awhile before we make our final call.

Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

Posted By: Canned Ham on 05/11/11 09:27pm

67avion wrote:

I don't want to clog up the forum with too many posts and try people's patience, however.

67avion wrote:

Thanks for the kind words Canned Ham. When I got my gutted Avion a few weeks ago, I have been searching for restoration pics and tips, and there are only two places that have any pics at all, and one of those places is here. I could not believe the interest I got in the camper just carrying it from Anchorage to Homer AK, and then getting on the ferry back to Kodiak. People really like to see these old campers. and in the 60+ mph winds in the Turnagain Arm area of Anchorage, we felt very safe and stable, even being a 10'3" camper on a Short Box Super Duty, so I hope that these threads might encourage others to rescue some more of these neat old campers.
Thanks again!
Garry in Kodiak, AK

Please be sure to clog this thread with lots of pictures of the progress! [emoticon]

2002 4x4 Dodge DRW Lariat SLT Quad cab
5.9 Turbo Diesel
6-speed manual transmission
with some kind of exhaust(?) brake

...but something's missing...

Posted By: mountainkowboy on 05/11/11 11:43pm

Clog the thread up......we like pics!

Posted By: JoeChiOhki on 05/12/11 01:16am

I want to see it so clogged that a platoon of marines armed with plungers couldn't get it unstopped [emoticon]

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Posted By: computerbug on 05/12/11 02:33am

I'm with Canned Ham. I love the restoration project they almost get me fired up to finish mine. Clog away. Cathie

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