Avion truck campers - Hundreds of photos
Without going into too much painful detail, we had a mishap several week-ends ago. While working with sand bag crews on the Mississippi River, the truck and camper fell into the flood waters as a road...
Forum Discussion
Good Morning All, It has been research week as the flu has coincided with the good weather, sadly.
I have been working my way through this long and wonderfully informative thread. I was wondering if anyone would like to weigh in with opinions on floor, cabover, wing construction. Is it better to go with the original construction of 3/8"ply-1"foam-3/8"ply or a ply-ply composite? I would think that the foam composite would be lighter, but perhaps with today's inferior plywood (in comparison with 1960's plywood) the original construction isn't sufficient?
Thank you for any advice, my budget is small so I need lots of time to source surplus/2nd hand goods.
My faith in our ability to complete this restoration is definitely bolstered by the advice and assistance offered here. thanks.
D1Trout, my camper was (is sort of ) attached to the van floor/frame with tiedowns and the lumber frame under the camper is bolted to the van floor. As all the tiedowns are compromised, I can change the mounting arrangement now if I choose. I looked at your most recent pics and see that you have constructed aluminum side frames, my sides are 1x2 wood pieces with aluminum skin with 2x6 wood 'floor'. I assume your aluminum framing hard mounts your camper wings to the truck frame? how have you found the stresses from driving? I am worried that as the camper was designed to be held down in the 4 wing corners, that by applying upwards forces it would stress the aluminum structure...I also have the opportunity to hard attach the rear overhang to the van frame but was worried about the same upwards stresses in areas that were not originally designed for them, especially as the design has the floor 'hanging' from the aluminum superstructure.
Any comments/opinions would be most welcome. thanks again!
I have been working my way through this long and wonderfully informative thread. I was wondering if anyone would like to weigh in with opinions on floor, cabover, wing construction. Is it better to go with the original construction of 3/8"ply-1"foam-3/8"ply or a ply-ply composite? I would think that the foam composite would be lighter, but perhaps with today's inferior plywood (in comparison with 1960's plywood) the original construction isn't sufficient?
Thank you for any advice, my budget is small so I need lots of time to source surplus/2nd hand goods.
My faith in our ability to complete this restoration is definitely bolstered by the advice and assistance offered here. thanks.
D1Trout, my camper was (is sort of ) attached to the van floor/frame with tiedowns and the lumber frame under the camper is bolted to the van floor. As all the tiedowns are compromised, I can change the mounting arrangement now if I choose. I looked at your most recent pics and see that you have constructed aluminum side frames, my sides are 1x2 wood pieces with aluminum skin with 2x6 wood 'floor'. I assume your aluminum framing hard mounts your camper wings to the truck frame? how have you found the stresses from driving? I am worried that as the camper was designed to be held down in the 4 wing corners, that by applying upwards forces it would stress the aluminum structure...I also have the opportunity to hard attach the rear overhang to the van frame but was worried about the same upwards stresses in areas that were not originally designed for them, especially as the design has the floor 'hanging' from the aluminum superstructure.
Any comments/opinions would be most welcome. thanks again!
