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 collapsed. Because of a number of issues dealing with the wrecker truck, we had to release the camper as the truck was reeled up over the bank. The good news is that the truck is as good as new after a thorough rinsing, inspection of brakes, etc. The bad news is that the camper was thoroughly drowned. A lot of people had far worse trouble than we did, so we consider ourselves lucky. The floods are ongoing as I write.
Our planned trip to Montana in June is called off. heh.
However, I have now convinced my dear Jane that its time to really update the TC. After drying for several days we pulled out the interior. Amazingly the Zolatone paint that I had applied last year is good as new after a cleaning.
Without burdening the TC family overmuch, I'd like to ask some advice other than don't park too near a flood :-).
My DW was overjoyed that I had a plan for the bathroom: a composting toilet developed by Nature's Head http://www.natureshead.net/. Our holding tank was practically unusable and there was no real grey water tank on the 67 Avion. Our plan is to rip out the bathroom and install one of these and converting the blackwater to a greywater tank. Any experience with this?
Finally, the roof. I admit that I have not really done the work I should have. Now, I need to remove the various sealants on the roof and repair it. We are also setting up for a solar installation. Any advice as to this?
Here's hoping I have posted the pictures correctly. And many thanks in advance for your advice.
Our planned trip to Montana in June is called off. heh.
However, I have now convinced my dear Jane that its time to really update the TC. After drying for several days we pulled out the interior. Amazingly the Zolatone paint that I had applied last year is good as new after a cleaning.
Without burdening the TC family overmuch, I'd like to ask some advice other than don't park too near a flood :-).
My DW was overjoyed that I had a plan for the bathroom: a composting toilet developed by Nature's Head http://www.natureshead.net/. Our holding tank was practically unusable and there was no real grey water tank on the 67 Avion. Our plan is to rip out the bathroom and install one of these and converting the blackwater to a greywater tank. Any experience with this?
Finally, the roof. I admit that I have not really done the work I should have. Now, I need to remove the various sealants on the roof and repair it. We are also setting up for a solar installation. Any advice as to this?
Here's hoping I have posted the pictures correctly. And many thanks in advance for your advice.
I note that another poster has put up an Avion truck camper listed at $8995. When we first started this string I think that the average for a good Avion TC was around $2K to $3K. That's quite a jump in expectations.
Recently Jane and I were cruising the back roads near Marion, Kansas. We took a couple of wrong turns and came up on a shop with dozens of Airstream trailers in various states of repair. The guy, whom I met, went into business about 5 years or so ago and he sells through the internet as Airstreamguy.com.
Here is what was interesting. There were Australians and Germans walking around his shop in the middle of nowhere Kansas. They were buying Airstreams and shipping them back home. I talked to the guys and they had developed businesses of completely restoring the Airstreams for their respective markets.
So, I turned the corner and there was a C-11 sitting inside the shop. It was listed at $7,000 and had drawn the attention of the Australians since they have good sized trucks.
I was stunned by the entrepreneurship that was tapping into a worldwide demand for the aluminum crafted trailers - and now perhaps for the Avion TC.
The resale numbers appear to be rising...
Recently Jane and I were cruising the back roads near Marion, Kansas. We took a couple of wrong turns and came up on a shop with dozens of Airstream trailers in various states of repair. The guy, whom I met, went into business about 5 years or so ago and he sells through the internet as Airstreamguy.com.
Here is what was interesting. There were Australians and Germans walking around his shop in the middle of nowhere Kansas. They were buying Airstreams and shipping them back home. I talked to the guys and they had developed businesses of completely restoring the Airstreams for their respective markets.
So, I turned the corner and there was a C-11 sitting inside the shop. It was listed at $7,000 and had drawn the attention of the Australians since they have good sized trucks.
I was stunned by the entrepreneurship that was tapping into a worldwide demand for the aluminum crafted trailers - and now perhaps for the Avion TC.
The resale numbers appear to be rising...
Howdy!
This one is rich! We ran in to grab a bite. Not a soul in sight. When
we returned, we were surrounded. Right smack dab
the middle of a parking lot car show. Everyone was
captivated. (I think we might have even won something!)
This one is rich! We ran in to grab a bite. Not a soul in sight. When
we returned, we were surrounded. Right smack dab
the middle of a parking lot car show. Everyone was
captivated. (I think we might have even won something!)
As promised here are some pictures of the awning. Not as easy to set up as one of the new style ones but this is in better shape than the one that is on a 2005 travel trailer I have.
In this picture you can see the awning enclosure above the kitchen side windows.
A โQuality Product from A&E Systemsโ.
First you can see the two clips along the topside of the enclosure which has protected the awning for so long.
Opened up you have the lower arm folded attached to the awning drum and the upper arms that are clipped in above the awning
The awning partially out, upper arms not connected.
The mounting clip on the side of the camper for the lower arms. They could also be placed directly on the ground and staked in.
Detail of the upper arm clipped in to the awning drum
Awning out in position. Unfortunately the front lower arm is missing the proper stop and thus was not holding.
Overall it took me about 10 minutes to set up the awning by myself. The biggest issue with the awning was that I needed a 6 foot ladder to set it up, which is not something I'm likely to carry when camping. Which is probably why this one is in such good condition (it was used very little). As cool as it is to have an original awning I do like the way and ease of your set up 67avion, and will probably do something similar off the back of the camper.
In this picture you can see the awning enclosure above the kitchen side windows.
A โQuality Product from A&E Systemsโ.
First you can see the two clips along the topside of the enclosure which has protected the awning for so long.
Opened up you have the lower arm folded attached to the awning drum and the upper arms that are clipped in above the awning
The awning partially out, upper arms not connected.
The mounting clip on the side of the camper for the lower arms. They could also be placed directly on the ground and staked in.
Detail of the upper arm clipped in to the awning drum
Awning out in position. Unfortunately the front lower arm is missing the proper stop and thus was not holding.
Overall it took me about 10 minutes to set up the awning by myself. The biggest issue with the awning was that I needed a 6 foot ladder to set it up, which is not something I'm likely to carry when camping. Which is probably why this one is in such good condition (it was used very little). As cool as it is to have an original awning I do like the way and ease of your set up 67avion, and will probably do something similar off the back of the camper.
Here's the Argo update for August 6th. Gary, the master fabricator and I dry fit the aluminum frame on the truck and then set Argo down on that frame to determine that the measurements were accurate. They were - wonders never cease!
The first pic shows the universal body mount bumpers I got from Energy Suspension. They are about the same size and flexibility as the bumpers that support the truck cab.
Here's the frame itself:
Here's Argo actually resting on the frame. My particular concern was the clearance between the bottom of the cabover and the top of the truck cab. It's as I projected. Now I'm sourcing a rubber mat to seal the union of the two surfaces, which get bolted together. The wooden board clamped horizontally along the base of the camper is just a stop so we could get Argo centered on the frame. You can see that Argo ios quite snug up against the back of the cab.
The pink(sagging)strings represent the various levels which the body side panels may come down to. Still to be decided.
And finally, here's what gets taken out over the weekend. Still scratching my head about how to seal the cab/camper connecting surfaces.
But the camper sits quite tight against the cab so I'm optimistic that with lots of caulking and bolts, it can be made tight and waterproof.
The triangular ends of the window will be filled with welded-in metal sheet, Bondo-ed, and painted white.
Pushin' the rock up the hill...
Onward!
Dick
The first pic shows the universal body mount bumpers I got from Energy Suspension. They are about the same size and flexibility as the bumpers that support the truck cab.
Here's the frame itself:
Here's Argo actually resting on the frame. My particular concern was the clearance between the bottom of the cabover and the top of the truck cab. It's as I projected. Now I'm sourcing a rubber mat to seal the union of the two surfaces, which get bolted together. The wooden board clamped horizontally along the base of the camper is just a stop so we could get Argo centered on the frame. You can see that Argo ios quite snug up against the back of the cab.
The pink(sagging)strings represent the various levels which the body side panels may come down to. Still to be decided.
And finally, here's what gets taken out over the weekend. Still scratching my head about how to seal the cab/camper connecting surfaces.
But the camper sits quite tight against the cab so I'm optimistic that with lots of caulking and bolts, it can be made tight and waterproof.
The triangular ends of the window will be filled with welded-in metal sheet, Bondo-ed, and painted white.
Pushin' the rock up the hill...
Onward!
Dick
