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Topic: Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos

Posted By: 67avion on 05/19/11 08:51pm

I have bought aluminum panels from Cayo in Michigan. http://www.rvservicelink.com/rv-service-centers/Michigan/Cayo-Repair-Service-2211.html they'll fit for sure, and the conversation with the guys at the shop is real interesting and informative.

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/20/11 12:33am

I spoke to the guys at Cayo RV and they no longer stock Anodized Aluminum due to the expense. They will do pieces from a very close painted aluminum, I plan to get some of the Anodized 5005 and use it for the interior replacement panels and the rear lower pan. If I get to the point I want to replace some of my dented corners, I can ship some smaller pieces to Cayo and have them formed and then ship them back to install. But for now, I just need some for the rear pan and the interior. The 5005 Anodized I found is $175 per sheet (4'x10') and is .032" vice .025". But I will need to pay shipping from Seattle to Kodiak..... Dennis, Any pics yet of the front corners? I am trying to understand how they are put together. Thanks again! 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: sleepy on 05/20/11 08:13am

You guys are having fun... I'm going to stick my nose in again. Don't use silicne sealant to try to solve the problem of SS screws and aluminum. It will accelerate the corrosion. Don't use any silicone sealant or caulks on the aluminum anywhere. I'm sure that you have noticed the vinegar smell when you have used silicone sealants... that is acetic acid. It will corrode aluminum... but more important it will supply the acid for galvanic corrosion. You can "smell" the acetic acid months after putting it on, its still active. It is impossible to get completely out of the metal and nothing else will ever stick to the area well after silicone has been used. --------------------------- I have personally repaired a Lance 1040 (temporarily) that had the aluminum roof disolved in spots all around the roof near the edge trim and the screws. The aluminum looked like a sponge. After me cleaning and coating the affected area with parbond my friend Tom traded it off. My apologies to the dealer he traded up with and the new owner. --------------------------- good luck on the project keep the pictures coming. 2003 Lance 1161,/slideout/AGM batteries/255W Solar/propane generator/Sat dish/2 Fantastic Fans/AC/winter pkg AirFoil, Trimetric, LED lights, Platcat vent heat 2003GMC K3500 LT/Crewcab/duramax diesel/allison/dually/4x4/OnStar/front reciever mounted spare

Posted By: 69cayo on 05/20/11 02:30pm

Gary, It took me couple of days but I think this is what your looking for, if not let me know............... As you can see there isn't much to the corners, just the skin wrapped around. The area where the cabover meets the corner will be a bit different on yours because of the way I reconstructed mine. The corner gets it's rigidity from the foam insulation and of course the inside skin. I had come across a pic. of an Avion tc that did not have this large radius at the corner, just a small radius at the outside corner than flat across the front, possibly modified ? Dennis

Posted By: 69cayo on 05/20/11 02:36pm

oops, missed one Outer skin where the cabover meets the corner. Dennis

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/20/11 02:46pm

Thanks Dennis! That is what I was needing. The one that you saw, must be the same one that I saw. But the caption said that it was one of the later CAYO campers that did that to make them even bigger on the inside. I havn'e decided what I am going to do yet, but this gives me some better ideas as to the construction. Thanks again!! Garry

Posted By: 67avion on 05/20/11 05:07pm

Well, here's another view of the Avion. From the outside. I had a mishap last year and dinged the right front of the camper. It was more serious than I thought since the damage went all the way into the fiberglass interior wall. Here is Jeff Jones, one of my crew, inspecting the exterior damage. Here is the view from the interior of the fiberglass damage. It was torn and pushed into the compartment. We pushed it out and used fiberglass repair on the exterior: We drilled out the old rivets with a special tool that kept the drill aligned with the rivets. Otherwise there is a chance that you'll slip off and go right through the skin: After drilling out we removed the damaged aluminum panels: We ordered panels from Cayo in Watervliet, Michigan. The first set they sent were for the wrong side of the camper. The second set was correct: We put the panels into place and riveted them. Things were going a little sideways and we found ourselves putting rivets in some strange places. Sure enough, we had installed the whole thing incorrectly. Bent, mishapened, heartbreak. We took the entire thing off....again. Now we went back and re-riveted using a recommended sealant from Airstream (NOT SILICONE). We were very, very careful this time: We were proud of the work. It was properly seated, the rivets filed down and sealed. Finally I took some of Silversand's advice and sat down with a glass of wine and a vanilla flan. Viva Avion * This post was edited 02/03/12 04:28am by an administrator/moderator *

Posted By: sleepy on 05/20/11 05:18pm

Flan-tastic very nice pictures and discriptions sleepy

Posted By: garryk6 on 05/20/11 05:43pm

Thanks 67Avion, I was curious what the individual panels looked like. Is the "beaded" side of the panel just a rolled bead, or is it a complete "rod shaped" curl that wraps 180 degrees? Thanks again, Garry

Posted By: 67avion on 05/20/11 05:54pm

I'm not sure about your question. The "crinks" in the panels merely shorten it on one side so that it fits the curvature of the camper. They are pressed into the metal. I think you may have to give Cayo a call and find out how their molds operate.

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