Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

Print | Close

Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: garryk6 on 06/30/15 12:42am

Accordion seal

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: ticki2 on 06/30/15 05:42am

I would have to agree with not connecting the cabover with the truck cab , too much twisting going on . Class C's are built for on the road , you're thinking 4x4 and on/off road . When I have been off road I can see the misalignment of the cabover and the top of the truck cab . Not drastic but it would wreck havoc if rigidly connected .

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

Posted By: 69 Avion on 06/30/15 07:49am

The pickup cab is mounted on rubber. The bed is mounted directly to the frame. There is a lot of movement between the two.
Military trucks have spring loaded mounts on the bed to allow the frames to twist. I would use a flexable rubber seal between the two in order to allow for the movement.

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

Posted By: pjay9 on 06/30/15 09:44am

I work in Seattle operating charter dinner boats for Waterways. One afternoon I had finished my shift and was headed to get some refreshment when I stumbled upon this:

[image]

I sure wish I could see the inside..going to keep watching for an owner.

2005 Lance 1161, 2004 Dodge CTD 3500 Dually 19.5's Stabiloads Roadmaster Sway, 2009 20' Raider 185 Pro Fish 90hp & 9.9 Yamaha vintage Penn elec.downriggers EZLoad roller trailer

Posted By: garryk6 on 06/30/15 09:51am

Thats a really good looking C-10! I am not sure about the paint. It does give it a cleaner appearance, If I ever painted mine, I would opt for a silver near the same palette as the anodized aluminum.
Garry

Posted By: 67avion on 06/30/15 03:04pm

I like the looks of the camper. I'd like to know the owner's experience with the painted exterior and the thinking that went into the decision.

I note we are at 300 pages according to my browser. Quite an achievement for a group dedicated to one product: the Avion truck camper. The interesting thing is that the string is self generating with who knows who deciding to post. Though I started it I sure don't have to nurse it along. But I do try to watch it.

I must admit that the conversation that most interests me is the build of Argo. Lots of thought. New ideas. Cross referencing yacht technology. But, I worry that an attempt to create a Class C from a C10 will not end well. I urge Dick to think again about hunting down a clean Motovator and going camping. Just my 2cents worth. I'm sure he'll make great decisions.

As for all of the Avionistas: Forward!

Posted By: 69 Avion on 06/30/15 03:47pm

Just think how well aircraft paint works.

Posted By: D1trout on 06/30/15 05:23pm

Fellow Avionistas, thanks very much for your good ideas and observations about connecting Argo to the truck. Keep your ideas coming. I'm considering it from many angles. In that vein, I called Mark at Provan. They're the folks who make the Tiger line of truck-based campers. Very pricey, they occupy that middle ground between truck campers like our Avions and the Class C, van-based rigs.
Mark told me they use two styles of mounting. The first and original one, as personified by their Bengal model, is having all parts rigidly attached everywhere. The camper frame is bolted to the chassis, then the camper and cab are bolted together. Finally, the bottom of the cabover is bolted to the roof of the truck! These units have accumulated thousands and thousands of miles in all sorts of terrain, including trips from the U.S. To the southern tip of South America. He said there have been no attachment failures or other problems.

They are now also using an independently suspended camper and cab arrangement, with a flexible accordion coupling between the two units. The camper uses a proprietary three point suspension system. He characterized this system as allowing a good deal of flexibility in the camper itself, as distinct from the cab. The bottom of the cabover is some distance above the roof of the cab, rather like a conventional truck camper.

So where does this leave me? With two good options certainly, perhaps even three. I could rigidly mount the camper to the chassis and use an accordion coupling between the camper and cab.

This whole enterprise has become profoundly quixotic. It remains a very interesting design challenge and a compelling one, most of the time!

67, I seriously considered the Motorvator that was on eBay recently. I spoke at length with the salesman and with Chuck Cayo. Arguably, putting a sound Motorvator body on a new 4wd truck chassis would be simpler. However, I concluded that I'm so far down the all-aluminum Avion C11 road, that it wouldn't make sense to buy a rig with unknown issues. Plus, it's hard to imagine selling Argo in his present uncompleted condition. I'm not really after a Class C, just 4wd and reasonable access between cab and camper.

So, for all that, onward!

Dick

And D, thanks for starting this forum. It is astonishing!

Posted By: cajunavion on 06/30/15 07:09pm

Howdy!
What size passthroughs do y'all have. Mine is 2ft square
open when traveling with a cushion between, I had to center it in the
back wall to match the cab. Have y'all
modified the opening. What uses is it put to?
Happy 300!

Posted By: ticki2 on 06/30/15 07:55pm

cajunavion wrote:

Sounds interesting . How about some details and pictures of your pass through ?

Print | Close