Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 67avion on 12/12/11 03:27pm

Avion C11 wrote:

Does anyone have any ideas where to get the cream colored aluminum rivets for the interior walls and the vinyl piping that covers the edges of the aluminum sheets on the interior?

The rivets (and walls) in my interior were covered with OEM paint,zolatone.

Zolatone was also used on the Airstream interior. Its a "spatter" type paint that may be difficult for some shops to apply. I know it took three tries before my paint shop finally got it sort of right. The color I chose in the 20 Series was Camille White #20-54.http://www.zolatone.com/home/

The welt that is used between the cabinets and walls has a vinyl cord inside in the OEM. I could not find a replacement. Instead I went to an auto upholstery http://www.atrim.com/Page99.html website and bought an "embossed Welt Style" that is 7/17th overall (I hope I'm giving you the right info since my notes are sketchy). My concern was that the welt was not thick enough to fill in the gaps with the cabinets. Turned out that we did alright with this welt.

I also shifted color to a dark green since we are changing everything in the color scheme except for the high gloss Deck Varnish on the cabinets. Deck varnish also has the advantage of being UV resistant.

The paint on the vertical surface of the wings and in a lot of other places is a Marine hull paint. I wanted to have something that could stand up to scuffing and also had high UV resistance.

Today we measured for the Corian counter tops that will replace the old counter. The stainless steel backsplash is also about to be mounted. My back porch is still filled with wood to be painted or varnished, but I'm making my way through them.

We still have to tackle the electrical upgrades. I have 2 AGM 90Amp batteries at present and we're adding a 3rd one for a total of 270 amp hours. With the switch to LED lighting, we should be able to handle several days without topping up the batteries with the generator.

Its coming to some sort of conclusion, it appears. I by late winter or early Spring the 67 Avion will be on the road again.

Posted By: ticki2 on 12/12/11 03:27pm

Avion C-11

An afterthought , since you have the interior panels off in that location where the cabover joins the main body perhaps you can determine just how much overlap there is . I for one would be very interested.
Another question for you . How much of the interior had to be removed in order to remove the plastic cap on the front ?
My local hardware had the aluminum rivets in white and mill finish . I suspect yours where originally white not cream colored .

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

Posted By: ticki2 on 12/12/11 03:35pm

67Avion,

That is interesting about the Zolatone paint on the interior panels on the C-10 . My C-11 has a vinyl coating , no paint.

Posted By: Avion C-11 on 12/12/11 04:38pm

Mine too has vinyl covered aluminum on the interior.

The edges of all the aluminum/vinyl interior wall sheets has a white vinyl J molding that covers the exposed edges. I have found similar moldings online but not exactly the same.

The reason I need some more of the j molding is because I cut the main interior wall panels in the front and rear to be able to remove them without taking out every interior sheet. Additionally, The piece on the ceiling and the main ones on the walls are so big that it looked like it might be a real pain to take them off in one piece.

Ticki, to get the end caps off you either have to take off all the interior panels or cut them like I did. The caps are under the ceiling and wall panels and have another inner aluminum piece that they are riveted to as well.

I will take more pictures of the bunk corners as I do the work but before I decided to remove the bunk I had done some work to the right corner:

[image]

In the pic below you can see the space between the last rivet and to where the coping is under the bunk. All of that area had unsecured tabs that will be riveted or screwed when I am done.
[image]

Happy Camping!

Avioncamper.wordpress.com

Posted By: garryk6 on 12/12/11 05:13pm

ticki2 wrote:

67Avion,

That is interesting about the Zolatone paint on the interior panels on the C-10 . My C-11 has a vinyl coating , no paint.

When I spoke to Cayo RV this spring to help identify the actual year of my C-10, they said that the vinyl covered panels started in 67 in the C-11's, but mid year C-10's started getting the vinyl too. So because mine has paint, and a few other minor things, as well as a fairly low production number, he thought my camper to be a late 65 or early 66, so I just chose to call it a 66... [emoticon]

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: 67avion on 12/14/11 10:23am

I appreciate the information about the interior of the coaches in 1966-67. I really had no idea that vinyl interiors were part of the Avion.

I read Avion C11's detailed work on the back of the coach. I had many of the same issues with the joints becoming stressed, fasteners pulled out and other signs of collapse. Its a wonder that the toilet didn't crash through.

We went through the entire area and made sure that the floor was supported throughout the overhang. We also fastened into the wings from the propane compartment and from inside the bath. I'm now hopeful that it will remain stout.

However.

The OEM steps in the back placed great leverage where they were fastened into the floor. Since they were unsupported, the weight of a grown-up must have translated into quite a lot of stress. In fact I think that was one of the most significant factors in the issues I encountered while repairing the back of the coach.

Here's my question. At this point we use a solid portable set of stairs, Little Giant, to get into and out of the coach. Though they are the ultimate safe way to go - there is the problem of storage. Have any of you looked at the scissor stairs that rest on the ground thus relieving some of the pressure? The height to the lip of the door is around 34" in my rig.

Secondly, does anyone know if the installation of scissor steps on the Avion would interfere with the hitch set up or access to the spare tire on the Ford F350?

Posted By: ticki2 on 12/14/11 11:18am

I posted this on another thread . I'm not sure if the C-10 has enough floor space . They are working great for me , very comfortable and light weight . The original fold out step that they attach to seems very solid. With your total rise which is less than mine you could probably go directly to the camper . [image]

Posted By: 67avion on 12/14/11 01:08pm

That is very innovative and simple. Looks appropriate to the camper as well. Where do you stow them.

Posted By: ticki2 on 12/14/11 02:42pm

67avion wrote:

That is very innovative and simple. Looks appropriate to the camper as well. Where do you stow them.

Open the door and slide them in on the floor . I have 51" clear to the jut out for the dinette so that's how long I made them . Rise and run is 7.5 and 7.5 ,close to stair dim.. Mortised , glued and screwed , 1 X 8 redwood .

Posted By: 69cayo on 12/14/11 05:12pm

ticki, How do you like the folding grab handle ?
Does it seem to be a quality part ?

Thanks
Dennis

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