Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Avion truck campers

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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 67avion on 10/23/16 09:44pm

Garry, I have no doubt you'll "get er done". Looking forward to your trip report.

Posted By: garryk6 on 10/24/16 09:24am

Well here are some picture updates.

First in preparation for the Thanksgiving trip to Anchorage the F350 got some new winter shoes.

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Then I put a hole in the skin of the C10....

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Then i sealed the hole with the new intake/exhaust for the new Atwood 12000 BTU forced air heater.

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I'll take some more pics tonight of the install, as I try to finish up the stuff on the inside to include the framing, plumbing and wiring.

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: krustydog on 10/25/16 02:41pm

The wood tub is now officially 'done'. Glued and screwed together and am surprised at how solid it has become.

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Have a few days of riveting to complete before working on the bunk wood. Its hard to find good help for bucking when needed hence the loooong time for completion.

I guess its also time to work on the fiberglass pan. Its purpose will simply be storage as I have decided to have an external bladder bag for gray water as required.

Posted By: garryk6 on 10/25/16 04:13pm

Last nights work:

New flooring going in. Alure Ultra Travertine

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Sink and Closet torn apart and going back together with new heater.

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New Atwood 12000 btu furnace mounted in new framing and new closet floor next to propane cylinder box and sink where original refrigerator was located.

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Adding new foam board insulation over the existing reflectix aluminized insulation.

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Cover panel reinstalled over gas lines and insulation. both covers on the WAve-3 catalytic and the Atwood. and the floor finished to the door, but still have to do the bathroom and closet.

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This is my water tank and water pump mounted to a removable board when work is needed or winterizing the pump.

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This is my wiring distribution and battery compartment.

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and this is the overhead bunk/ window and the new replacement window that will have to wait till next summer to install...

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Till tomorrow...

Garry

Posted By: krustydog on 10/25/16 06:30pm

Garry,

Can't wait to see how the heater works for you....before I order one [emoticon]

I plan to put it where the oven was in my C-11 and just use a drop in stovetop. That will keep all of the propane on one side instead of crossing over. May even get a Dec camping trip in with my little guy, though would take a 100# tank so I dont run out of heat.

Had KrustyDogette out tonite bucking rivets in the dark. A few more evenings at it and will be on to the next phase.

Oh BTW anyone have advice on how to get that rooftop antenna off? There seems to be a setscrew on the handle inside but it may be stripped or something. Could try drilling it out. The antenna is in good shape if anyone is interested I will save it.

KD

Posted By: D1trout on 10/26/16 09:49am

Garry, I have enough old skin to provide all the pieces you need. They are from under the wings and the outsides of the main box and are a bit discolored. Let me know your email address in a PM and I'll send some pics.
Do you want the vinyl coated skin for the interior pieces?
Dick

Posted By: 67avion on 10/26/16 01:24pm

Krustydog wrote:

Oh BTW anyone have advice on how to get that rooftop antenna off? There seems to be a setscrew on the handle inside but it may be stripped or something. Could try drilling it out. The antenna is in good shape if anyone is interested I will save it.

I think you are talking about an aftermarket antenna? My Avion C10 has a n exterior mount for an antenna on the left side of the back. It is controlled by a handle inside the closet. Unfortunately, I have neither the mast nor the antenna...

Posted By: garryk6 on 10/26/16 01:31pm

Well, update time:

Finished plumbing and wiring the furnace last night, and wired in a local procured thermostat, after pouring over all the drawings and schematics, ran new thermostat wires, ran the power wires, and first try, everything works great! cycles/functions perfectly. It did eject a fair amount of packing peanuts when first the fan kicked on, but other than that, it should definitely do the trick! And it will cook you out!!

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Then I started with the insulation... I am adding in addition to the reflectix, additional R-5 1" foam board where ever I can do it that makes sense.

First spot was the upper bunk window. Reflectix against the window, then foam board. I will add another layer of reflectix to the screen before I put the mattress back up.

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Then I started cutting pieces to put in the cabinets. First I put one under the utensil drawer that is above the wing but under the Engel Cooler. Then I put one under the microwave that sits under the cook top. Then I started filling in the outside wall behind the microwave.

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Thats all on the camper right now.

Garry

Posted By: garryk6 on 10/26/16 01:48pm

cajunavion wrote:

Howdy!
Garry did you ever finish the camper trailer? I have a new need. Where do I carry the boat? Yes, need is indeed the mother of invention! The problem with a trailer and a john boat is the hitch would need to be long to come from under the campers porch. I could strap something smaller across the top. That seems pretty high. Inflatable is interesting. Maybe a kayak stored inside the camper. That really gets in the way traveling. Ideas?

Sorry it took me so long to reply to this cajun,

A little over a year ago I scored this old travel trailer frame for $400.

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By April I had finished it to this>>>

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I have since replaced the large 31x10.50x15 mud tires with load range E 225x75x15 trailer tires. the large ones would rub the fenders with the loaded bikes and gear.
Garry

* This post was last edited 10/26/16 02:16pm by garryk6 *

Posted By: c11motorhome on 10/27/16 08:13am

Hello All,
Krustydog I'm envious of your progress, especially as I look out to blowing snow today, which I guess you also have. I have been feeling the need to move more quickly on the Avion, and the reality is I have a more than full time job with the rugrat and the house and my job, so now I will accept and enjoy the restoration no matter how long it takes (I have high hopes of heading out this time next year).

Last weekend we picked up a 12ft 1966 holiday travel trailer to buy us some time to work on the avion. It will fit the 3 of us for a couple years, then it will be the next restoration project, or air bnb suite.

Hubbie took the original water heater to work and the pressure test was successful. I expect reports today on the burner's performance. I haven't vetted the original furnace yet, but expect it to also work fine, with a little maintenance.

All cabinet doors are also with hubbie to be treated with ethylene glycol and then a little sanding/varnishing. They aren't in fantastic shape, but will do for now. I'm looking for second hand latches but may have to order from VTS if I can't find any before spring.

The fridge and stove/oven are stuffed into the Van cab for now - I'm not sure the fridge would fit through the door anyway.

My leak proofing and patching has been mostly successful. Temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend and I should be able to finish up with the front window. As the roof penetrations haven't been resealed/vetted yet I'll tarp the whole thing on the weekend so that I can continue to work on inside wood for awhile yet.

Apart from replacing the toilet and BW tank with a cassette toilet and putting a hepvo vent instead of U-traps we will keep the original configurations as everything is intact and working. I'm going to patch the roof hole from the AC to make more room for solar panels. Both our front and rear original vents have fans, so I will replace the motors with new at some point.

I'm working on a configuration to extend the bed a little and still allow easy access from the van cab to camper and not impede sleeping (for 1) on the dinette bunk. The dinette is a little awkward already as the forward bench was removed to increase the size of the access passage to the van and we need it to be useful and comfortable for 2 adults and 1 rapidly growing child

I did consider moving the fridge more forward to help keep weight forward, but then considered that the ease of getting a beverage from the fridge was much better in the fridge's original location - perhaps those original Avion employee hunters also liked a good cold beverage?

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