Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 67avion on 08/18/14 01:31pm

Looks like a conference with Chuck Cayo is in the offing. They built the Motovator like this 1972 model on a Chevy chassis. If anyone knows what to do he does:

Look here for interior views

click

Posted By: D1trout on 08/18/14 08:41pm

Garry, let me see if I understand just what you mean about mounting the Avion to the chassis.

You're saying to put some of the heavy duty rubber body washers in the attachment of the Avion to the chassis. That would allow flex in the camper. I presume these same rubber washers are used in the connection of the cab to the chassis...?

Wouldn't the danger be that the two body components could flex at different rates in a particular driving situation, causing other problems?

I spoke with Hank, the man who runs the good body shop across from the boatyard today. He pointed out that the pick up bed and the cab are independent of each other in terms of suspension. Thus the problem is how to connect the two to allow easy, weathertight passage. I like the idea of cushioning the ride in the Avion with rubber bushing. And I think I'll need a flexible sleeve or the like to connect cab to camper.

Tomorrow I hope to remove the bed from the truck so I can place the completed aluminum frame on the chassis and begin designing the modifications.

I particularly like that I get a flat floor almost 8' wide and 11' long. That's a lot of space to arrange for living comfortably. Plus there are opportunities to create storage areas on the outside below the floor level, a bit like a utility body on a truck.

67, that particular Motorvator represents part of the genesis of this Plan B. If I hadn't gotten so far down the road with my C11 and if the Motorvator was on a 4wd chassis with good clearance, it would be appealing. However, I like the smaller size of the C11. The Motorvator is 20' long, a full-on Class C rig. I'm thinking our Plan B will be more like an expedition version of the basic truck camper...

I like the Cayo design of putting the toilet and shower on the left side, in a more narrow space.

More will be revealed...

Dick

Posted By: D1trout on 08/18/14 10:33pm

Gents, I saw this rig on CL in Santa Barbara over the winter. I really like the way the lower part of the body was contoured to match the Avion's sleek curves! It makes for a vrey attractive rig and allows for some much-needed storage outside. The trade-off is that the Avion is permanently attached to the truck. I have no sense if this set-up allowed for passage from the cab to the camper. I doubt it.

For what it's worth, here's part of the email from the guy selling the old rig in Santa Barbara:
"The camper was permanently mounted to the truck through the floor directly to the frame of the truck. I couldn't tell how it was mounted myself until after I bought it and pulled up the carpet. There is no truck bed for added support, however that would have been a good idea, in my view. An employee of Boeing Aircraft in Seattle put the rig together. I was told he was a mechanic and/or sheet metal mechanic (not sure). He did a good job fitting the skirt and building access doors into the sides. Great for storage space you normally don't get with a slide in camper."

There has been discussion on the forum about mounting the Avion on a utility body truck to get outside storage. Maybe some of you have seen this Alaskan camper set-up. A very nice package. But, to my mind, not nearly as elegant as the old truck and Avion.

So my plan is an updated version of the old Ford/Avion rig. And you what that means - more will be revealed!

Dick

Posted By: garryk6 on 08/19/14 01:04am

I will qualify my background. I worked in the auto body field from 1982 to 1985, and have continued as a hobbiest restoring antique cars and trucks since. I also was a nuclear mechanic on submarines for 23 years. We used rubber isolators on equipment to reduce vibration and noise. When using rubber body mounts there will be some movement, but if you hard mount some steel cross beams across the front and rear of the truck frame so that you can use the rubber body mounts as far to the outside of the coach as possible. Body mounts are rated in pounds they can support. You have to use the right number, and sufficiently spaced to support the intended weight. The further to the outside that you can place the mounts the less the camper coach can torque the mounts and cause misalignment to the cab. The rubber mounts will take up the minor twisting the factory Ford frame will have when in off camber situations. You may not need a soft seal between the cab and coach, if both the cab and coach are rubber mounted. All trucks have some amount of twist when going off road or in off camber conditions. On our campers, the tie downs usually provide enough give for these situations. I hope this allows you to contemplate options. You will be the one doing the job and driving it. But maybe this gives you a few more things to think about as you continue to build,
No matter what you decide, keep the pics coming! I am so jealous of that aluminum frame. Some day....
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 08/19/14 11:25pm

Garry, thanks for the excellent information. Let me clarify a couple of points. You suggest attaching horizontal crossbars, perpendicular to the chassis rails - 2, 3, 4 of them - whatever an adequate number seems to be to support the load of the Avion. Those crossbars would be attached directly to the chassis rails without any rubber body mounts? Then the base of the camper frame would be attached to those crossbars at some appropriate interval along the bar using the rubber body mounts?

Would you size the rubber mounts according to the weight at each mounting point? In other words, assuming a loaded weight of the Avion camper of 3000 pounds, use 3000 pound mounts throughout or 1500 per side? Any other considerations here? Here's a pic of the chassis in question to help visualize the layout.

I'm convinced this is a realistic and doable modification. And I think it would add a great deal of livability to the Avion. And it would please Annie and the dogs enormously! I'm just slightly horrified to cut the hole in the cab...

Dick

Posted By: ticki2 on 08/20/14 05:35am

It would seem that you will have to raise the camper anyway to clear the cab , why not go with a flatbed ?

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

Posted By: 67avion on 08/20/14 09:18am

Well, D1, it appears that you are boldly going where no man has gone before. This is almost Conestoga Time. I hope that Annie and the dogs are sufficiently appreciative. Best of luck in cutting the body of the truck - and maintaining structural integrity of the cab. Whew!

Posted By: cajunavion on 08/20/14 06:47pm

Howdy!
D1 you know you can have a perfectly adequate
passthrough by just going through the cab window
and lining up a hole through the bulkhead, anyhow
thats how I did it. I just love a passthrough too.
By the way y'all Lance Campers make a square
cushion wedge that fits the transition perfectly.
And not to dampen ones dreams, but I like truck
campers that can detach completely giving your
pickup back, just the best of all worlds IMHO.

Posted By: 69 Avion on 08/21/14 07:31pm

The Avion Camper's floor is made to be setting on a firm surface. It isn't strong as a structure itself. When setting it on a flat bed or a truck bed, those beds provide additional strength. As a combined unit, they are strong.
An example is that an Avion can't be lived in with it up on it's jacks. I wouldn't dare lift it up with a full fresh water tank.

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

Posted By: garryk6 on 08/21/14 08:37pm

69 Avion wrote:

While I agree with your statement for a stock, unmodified Avion.... I know with mine and it's 2x4 framed and 3/4" decking would be fine on a truck chassis minus bed. The same goes for D1s. His is eliminating all wood and replacing it all with aluminum tubing. So I have learned that imperative statements, have to be reviewed to what is implied, and then evaluated. But I do agree with you for bone stock Avions, especially any that have been compromised, which is most now after this many years...

Garry

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