Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/09/14 12:33pm

Jamm3r wrote:

Aluminum Olympic rivets would be a better choice than screws.

No easy way to polish.

Jamm3r,
Is your Avion that was painted "silver" to make it have a consistent finish? O r am I confusing you with someone else? I do know there is a C-10 running around that has a beautiful silver paint job that simulates the anodized aluminum color, and is absolutely beautiful, but that is almost as hard to maintain as a fully polished Avion...

I also wanted to ask everyone, where are you guys buying your Olympic rivets? Since I live on an island in Alaska, it is hard for me to source things from a "store front" so I have to on-line order. and I would like to find a reputable place before trying the "trial and error" method...

Thanks!
Garry in Kodiak

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: 69cayo on 05/09/14 12:50pm

Garry I used Vintage Trailer, http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Olympic_Rivets_p/vts-179.htm, reliable company and the best price I found.

Dennis

Posted By: rfuerst911sc on 05/09/14 02:28pm

Guys I will soon be dropping the rear cover so I can access the rotted wood in the rear floor section. As I peak into the side opening cover I see the existing holding tank which looks like previous owners have cobbled some leak repairs. I believe the factory black tank is difficult to repair and from the initial peek through the cover this one might be toast. The original tank has a raised section that the toilet mounts to, is there any problem if I replace the tank with a rectangular tank and have the waste pipe dump into the side of the tank ? Or should I have it dump into the top of the tank ? If I go that route I won't have to rebuild such a high raised platform for the toilet to sit on, that would allow a toilet that is taller. I have found some used aluminum tanks locally that are 39 " long x 15 " wide by 8 " high that will fit under the rear cover. That's about 22 gallons which will just be black water. I think I can get two of them in there and have 22 gallons each for black and grey. Am I crazy or is this doable ? The tanks I found are dirt cheap so easily worth trying.

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/09/14 03:07pm

rfuerst911sc wrote:

Measure carefully, and you may consider dropping the cover a few inches to gain the necessary interior clearance, but I would also contemplate, if you are going to make a flat-floor bathroom, consider the "electra-magic" from Thetford, as it will not consume potable water for flushing, and does not require a black tank. That would allow you to use the entire rear bustle for grey water and storage. Just some things to consider. We really like our Electra-magic, and without flushing water consumption, our potable lasts a long time, and we still can go a week or more with 6 of us with the 6-7 gallon capacity.

We have even used a 5 gallon bucket to dump the electra-magic to and transferred it to an outhouse when dumping facilities were not readily available.

Just remember with these recirculating toilets, they "REQUIRE" formaldehyde based toilet chemicals. If you do not, they will stink you out of your own camper....

Good luck on the repairs and remodeling!

Garry

Posted By: D1trout on 05/09/14 04:03pm

69cayo wrote:

Garry I used Vintage Trailer, http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Olympic_Rivets_p/vts-179.htm, reliable company and the best price I found.

Dennis

Garry, I second the Vintage Trailer recommendation. I have bought a bunch of Olympic rivets from them and their rivet shaver. I've experimented with setting and shaving the Olympics and found the combination to give a very attractive result. Looks just like a buck rivet. I have also purchased in a pneumatic rivet gun as I will have several hundred rivets to set. It also works quite well. I'm about to start reattaching the shell to the aluminum frame. The rivet gun's going to get a real workout!!!
Pics soon.
Dick

Posted By: D1trout on 05/09/14 04:26pm

Rfuers, I have removed the fiberglass "bustle", as I've come to call it, and glassed a tank into the right side that the gray water will drain into. It has 25+ gallon capacity.
To your point about where the water will enter the tank, I've left a space of about 4" between the floor and the top of the tank. I'm planning to use the Hepvo trap in the pipe from the shower and sink that is low profile and odor-free.
My toilet choice is a cassette model so I have no black water tank.

Dick

Posted By: D1trout on 05/09/14 04:59pm

Davepete et al, regarding polishing, I have been thinking about this subject as my skin is very intact and dent-free but dull and a little splotchy. I've quizzed the auto body paint shop guru across from the boatshop where my rig hangs suspended about painting the shell once I've reassembled the rig. With prep - meaning scrub carefully and completely with the red 3M pads and detail around the windows and openings - then prime and paint would be around $3500. Same as the price to strip and polish from a shop in the SF area that works on Airstreams. I don't know what I'll end up doing but I heard about Coval Molecular coatings and have begun a conversation with them regarding putting one of their high-tech finish coats over over a polished camper to maintain and sustain the polished look without the heavy maintainence.
The exterior finish is the last thing on my list but seems like the frosting! I find it hard to imagine a totally buffed interior and a dull exterior. Just my 2 cents!
Dick

Posted By: Dave Pete on 05/09/14 06:44pm

Thanks guys for thr info. Nice to know about the SS screws issue. Maybe I'll just use new relatively inexpensive zinc coated to reattach my aluminum framed windows. Don't think rivets will work for me as I am setting window frames back into the wood framing of the camper wall. Also I have painted aluminum siding, not the Avion Airstream sort of construction. I just want the windows sealed good, and the rust colored screws replaced with silver, and polish the frames at the same time. Good to know there isn't a special type of spray on wash off stuff. I ain't afraid of elbow grease. Just didn't want to do it if there's a common knowledge easier way.

Oh and this is my camper for those who may be unfamiliar with a Travel Queen or the fact that I don't have the aluminum shell type camper.

[image]

* This post was edited 05/09/14 06:55pm by Dave Pete *

Posted By: rfuerst911sc on 05/10/14 04:34am

My plan is to build a flatter floor but not a flat floor, it has to raise up at least as high as the sidewall of the shower base. I've already torn out the existing monstrosity that was the toilet base but if I remember correctly it was about 8 " high. I think I can cut that down to maybe 4 " high which would then allow a taller toilet. I am not considering a cassette toilet so I have to have a black tank. Another idea may be to join the two tanks together and have a total capacity of aprox. 42-44 gallons they would just have to be welded end to end. I have some options right now just in the planning stages. And yes I've considered extending the rear cover to provide more clearance. Thanks guys.

Posted By: 67avion on 05/10/14 08:56am

rfuerst911sc wrote: wrote:

That's about 22 gallons which will just be black water. I think I can get two of them in there and have 22 gallons each for black and grey. Am I crazy or is this doable ?

Well, you're not crazy and it is doable. But, there are some points that may be helpful as you make a decision.

(1) When will you need that level of capacity? We camp a lot and we seldom have any issues even after three days of boondocking...and that's with the original black tank and the improvised 8-9 gallon grey tank. Note, I did say "seldom".

(2) Moreover, 365 pounds is potentially a lot of weight to hang over a cantilevered rear end. I am sure that the engineers that designed the OEM did not contemplate live weight of that order.

I see that D1 has fashioned a 25 gallon grey water tank. While I raise the same questions, I note that he has completely re-engineered the base of the coach and may not have any issues with potentially 200+ pounds of liquid bouncing around on the right side of the coach. His choice of a cassette toilet changes the dynamic substantially.

D1trout wrote:

With prep - meaning scrub carefully and completely with the red 3M pads and detail around the windows and openings - then prime and paint would be around $3500. Same as the price to strip and polish from a shop in the SF area that works on Airstreams. I don't know what I'll end up doing but I heard about Coval Molecular coatings and have begun a conversation with them regarding putting one of their high-tech finish coats over over a polished camper to maintain and sustain the polished look without the heavy maintainence.

I enthusiastically support the idea of the high tech finish coating. I think it will take the Avion restorations to an entirely different space. I know that many of us love the OEM look of the coach, but there is a lot more that can be done, in my opinion. I hope that colors are also considered. Whether done in this application or in the future, I'd like to know more about the possibilities.

We have been traveling around to truck camper-roamer rallies most of this Spring - heading out to Flagstaff on Monday. The interest and enthusiasm for these campers, as I've mentioned before, is very intense. I half way am think of restoring a number of the campers for clients. As we all have argued, especially 69avion, these campers are built for the long haul...perhaps a century. And they can't make them like this anymore without exorbitant costs.

I've experimented with boat hull paint on the interior as well as fine restoration of the cabinetry. Corian countertops and stainless steel. Soon, we'll invest in a 12 v compressor fridge and separate freezer. High tech wifi, radio and cell phone boosters, etc. All for far less cost than the run of the mill truck campers that are on the market... No disrepect intended... But, its simply true that we can build far better truck campers for less.

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