Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 69cayo on 08/15/14 02:39pm

D1trout wrote:

69Cayo, in looking at your picture of your shell with all interior panels removed, I wonder if you reinstalled the original panels or made new ones for some or all of the interior?
I'm looking at that step and wondering if one can, using an original panel as a template, drill the holes and make the cutouts and expect the new panel to fit relatively easily...?
Thanks
Dick

I installed new panels and drilled new holes, same pattern, slight offset.

There is someone over on the Airstream forum http://www.airforums.com/forums/ that did what your looking to do, sorry, no link.

Dennis

Posted By: cajunavion on 08/15/14 08:18pm

Howdy!
Here's an idea I've considered. Instead of
attaching a rack to the roof, attach it to the jack
mounts. Kind of like an IED cage the military builds
in Iraq. No holes and side protection to boot.

Posted By: cajunavion on 08/15/14 09:44pm

I know this is no Avion but I think you get
the idea.

Posted By: 67avion on 08/17/14 10:06am

We're in semi-contact with Cayo about ordering the plates for the roof repair. I think they are very busy...so patience is called for. In the meantime, I am wondering what, if anything, has been decided about slide in compressor fridges? I seem to remember D1 talking about his research. I'm looking at the Engel 60 quart front open. (Because that's what Sweet Jane wants). It has a Sawafuji F-Series "swing compressor". Anyone have any experience? I will probably get a second unit that we'll put in the cabin of the truck that will be only a freezer.

Posted By: garryk6 on 08/17/14 10:11am

67avion wrote:

I can't comment on that particular compressor, but we absolutely love our Engle MT45! It works really well, even with our large family. Engle makes a great reliable product in my opinion, and ours is going on 2 years with not a hitch!

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: D1trout on 08/17/14 09:07pm

67, I don't have the compressor info at hand but I do recall from my research over the winter that the principal advantages of the swing motor were less power consumption while in use and almost no spike in power usage when the compressor starts, as compared with the Danfoss, the old standby for these applications. Maybe fewer moving parts as well...?

It will be a while before I'm in a position to give you an evaluation of the fridge I bought.
Annie and I have embarked on a Plan B, which involves modifying the C11 into more of a Cayo Motorvator-type configuration, with a flat floor mounted directly onto the frame/chassis of a used F250 diesel Supercab 4x4 we bought yesterday. I'm taking the bed off the truck this week and figuring out how to adapt the aluminum frame I've built these past few months. I'm planning on cutting a big hatch in the back of the truck cab and connecting it permanently to the Avion to allow access back and forth for people and dogs while driving.

More will be revealed...

Dick

Posted By: 67avion on 08/18/14 10:01am

D1trout wrote:

More will be revealed...

Uh Oh. The last time that happened it was Cajun Avion. ;-)

Anyhow, so more like a class C? That's an interesting turn of events. I'm not sure of the height of the tub and wings, but it should be enough to tuck into the truck. The major issue will be torquing, I suspect, since the frame may move differently than the cab. Unless it is somehow all engineered together, I don't know how you would solve the problem.

Best of luck.

Posted By: garryk6 on 08/18/14 10:18am

Large soft Body mounts between the bolts to the frame and the camper may work best for this type of mounting system, where you want relative solid mounting to the cab, but still maintain some flex to the frame. You may want to add some large steel plates to your aluminum floor and use those to mount the rubber body mounts to the original bed mount locations... just to add a few more ideas to the mix! ;-)

Garry

Posted By: Desertboy on 08/18/14 11:00am

That is my one and only hang up with truck campers, Id like to be able to access it from the cab. I too will be adding a metal or aluminum base to mine. Or sled if you will. More like a diamond plate metal bottom that surrounds the floor and up the sides of the basement and out under the wings, It will not come out under the bed section though. I want a rigid strong metal floor like casing that surrounds the entire bottom of the camper. But I will not mount it permanently. I need the extra weight anyway to smooth out my ride.

1969 AVION
3/4 12 VALVE

Freightliner/24' Flatbed 50,000 miles/ Titan 4000 receiver Hitch, no Mods needed.

Posted By: D1trout on 08/18/14 11:05am

67, torquing is an interesting point. Perhaps the "sleeve" between the cab and the Avion might be of a flexible material to compensate for that torquing. On the other hand, the forward bulkhead of my rig is a rigid aluminum frame welded to the rest of the rigid aluminum frame supporting the entire shell. Attaching this monocoque assembly rigidly to the back of the cab might not be an issue.
However, the cab of the truck does slope forward slightly so there will be no bolting one to the other without some sleeve/gasket/collar/flange. As I said, more will be revealed...

I have a pic of a homemade Avion conversion from the 70s. I'll put it up shortly.

Dick

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