Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: D1trout on 12/02/15 10:27am

Rastaman, do a google images search on trailer restorations for good ideas.

Posted By: garryk6 on 12/03/15 01:08pm

For those that don't remember, this is what the C10 looked like early in the build, and we actually used it this way on it's maiden voyage over Thanksgiving 2011, in not only sub-freezing, but sub-zero weather.
[image]

And this is after redoing the doors, and danish-oiling all the new wood to somewhat match the old. You will also notice a different stove and a different cooler and metal counters vice wood. We used the camper for several years as we built and changed to suit our needs. It is still not "done" but it is very functional, and we will continue to make improvements as time goes on.

[image]

The two lower doors in this pic are from a C-11, and they had particle board centers with a skin of birch inside and out. I had to cut them down is how I found out...
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I hope this helps!

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: SilverPompadour on 12/10/15 06:54am

Makes me wish I had more of the original wood to refinish/reinstall. All my cabinet doors are/were veneered particle board except for the long skinny one I think used to be below the sink(ply). Not that it matters for refinishing.
But Im still a ways off from worrying about that...
[image]

The idea of using lap joints for the frame worked great.
http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah69/syntheticinfinity/P1000597_zpscqccffe3.jpg
http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah69/syntheticinfinity/P1000611_zpsrlg7sphm.jpg
http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah69/syntheticinfinity/P1000625_zpsva1ufes2.jpg
Im using the skin to align everything as best as possible.

1968 Avion C-11
1993 Dodge D250 LE Cummins

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 12/10/15 07:01am

Oops...

Using the panel to align everything as best as possible.
[image]

This thing needs a good scrubbing
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The original bunk lamination only had the top sheet of plywood extended into the channel unlike the wings. Figured I'd get as much meat into the channel as possible.
[image]

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 12/10/15 07:07am

Not quite ready for the interior yet but wondered about some ideas for the rounded plastic panels front and rear. Both of mine are in pieces, some big, some small, but I think I have them all. Sorry if I missed this in a previous post.

Posted By: ticki2 on 12/10/15 11:06am

Take a look at page 54 on this thread . I made some aluminum panels similar to the exterior because the plastic was kaput .

You are making good progress .

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

Posted By: D1trout on 12/10/15 11:28am

Silver, I removed the molded plastic endcaps at either end of Argo and using mat board, fabricated petals that are very similar to the exterior corner petals. These mat board petals are my pattern. It took me about a day of fiddling to get a set of well-fitted pattern pieces. When I get everything wired and insulated, I will cut aluminum pieces using the pattern pieces. I intend to rivet them onto the ribs. I am hopeful they will be neat and attractive. The plastic end caps don't do much aesthetically...
You ARE making good progress. Onward!

Posted By: SilverPompadour on 12/10/15 06:14pm

Thank you both. I'm embarrassed that I missed that write up, amazing work ticki2. Couldn't find it at first, page 266 cause of my 'sort order'.
The freakish weather here has helped me keep a good pace on the project. At this rate, the Avion might make Toroweap(my Muley pt.) this spring.

Posted By: D1trout on 12/10/15 06:21pm

Silver, as I've thought about the process today, I recall that I made rough pattern pieces by laying construction paper over the petals on the outside corner, tracing the shapes, cutting those shapes out and then taping them into the inside corner. Then adjusting those shapes until they were accurate. Then tracing those shapes onto mat board and finally fitting each mat board piece carefully. The same pattern pieces seem to work in all four interior corners.
Dick

Posted By: 67avion on 12/11/15 11:17am

I took my damaged Avion back home yesterday. We traveled to Watervliet, Michigan, where the original Avion trailers and TCs were manufactured. Later Avion expanded to several cities in the West during the height of their popularity. But this is the mother ship.

Chuck Cayo met us at his shop. That's Chuck on the right.

We examined the issues on the roof where the solar panels had been ripped off. We also discovered a lot of problems with the electrical system where shorts had jumped from spot to spot after the solar panels had been damaged. We still don't understand why the fusing didn't stop the wires from burning. It appears that the hot water heater is fried as well as the Wave3 catalytic heater. I think I'm lucky the whole thing didn't burn.

Chuck Cayo inspects the roof.

Outside was an historic Avion TC. It was used by Ford Motor Company when they designed their "Camper Specials" in the early 70s. According to Chuck, Ford wanted a camper that wouldn't fall apart during their arduous track testing. Apparently several other TCs had collapsed. Not only did this Avion survive the 250,000 mile test program, it still is still being used.

I am confident that Cayo can handle the damage to my coach and we'll be camping again.

It turns out the road to Muley Point runs through Watervliet, Michigan.

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