AVION Travel Trailers

Hi All! I purchased a 1986 30P Silver Edition Avion back in August and have been renovating it since. It was in almost perfect condition, I am just modernizing it a bit. I'm sure I'll need some help along the way. I live in it full time in Colorado and an absolutely obsessed with it.

Looks nice. What all did you do to it?

Ian

jessidawne wrote: ↑Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:22 pm Hi All! I purchased a 1986 30P Silver Edition Avion back in August and have been renovating it since. It was in almost perfect condition, I am just modernizing it a bit. I'm sure I'll need some help along the way. I live in it full time in Colorado and an absolutely obsessed with it.

Congratulations!

We purchased a 1988 30P in July. I can't say ours was in perfect condition. Much overhaul and restoration work required inside and underneath.

I'll be happy to help you out if you have any 30P-specific questions.

Enjoy!

Bob

Congratulations on your beautiful Avion! Thank you for the pics! Please let us know what you have done to personalize it for you, and your experiences full-timing. I am always curious of a person’s story about your journey to making your Avion “home”. If I could do my job from a MiFi connection we’d be on the road a LOT, if not full-time..... not really sure my wife would agree, but I can always dream!

...... and I can related to being obsessed!

I've painted all the cabinets in white and gray. I did the kitchen counters with a "stone" spray paint with a clear protective coat over. I did the backsplash with a white wallpaper that looks like tin and spray painted it rose gold. I painted the appliances white with a special appliance paint. The counter ledges in the living quarters I re-did with a sticky transfer paper that looks like wood. Just laid it right over the top of the old counters and it turned out incredible. The black walls are chalkboard paint that I mostly use to remember little random thoughts I have. I made new curtains in the back for the windows by the twin beds and re-did the backboards in a white canvas fabric because everything... and I mean EVERYTHING in this camper is/was pink carpet. I tore down all the window valances because they were also pink carpet, but it looks good without them being replaced. Still have alot more to do to make it mine, but at least it's all cosmetic. All the guts are perfect.

Nice job! Can you post some before and after pics of the Windows with/without the valences?

How much benefit do you find the foamboard sealed between the trailer and ground has? I see you did a good job sealing up the steps as well. Have you also had storm windows made?

I didn't have a before picture but I found one that is exactly what mine looked like before. You can see the pink carpet at the top of the windows there. I have not had any heat lamps under my camper yet and it's been below freezing for about a month now at night. I have a heated water hose, but my water has not frozen once under the camper since I have "skirted" it. As far as the windows, I bought aluminum reflective insulation (like you would put in your windshield to protect your car from the sun) in a big roll from home depot and put it on the inside of of my camper over the windows, sealed with aluminum tape. Then of course I have curtains covering it so it's not so ugly. I'm considering putting it on the outside of the windows too just for extra insulation even though it won't be that pretty.

I see what you're saying now about the valence.

So it sounds like you are mostly using your freshwater tank. I use an "ebony line" hose by Valterra that I installed heat tape on and wrapped in foam pipe insulation. I also run the heat tape along the frost free spigot. Works great.

How are you doing for heat. A combination of space heaters and propane?

If you're interested, perhaps we should start a Winter Camping forum. It's one of my favorite times to be in the Avion.

Actually I use water from the ground as well. I bought a heated hose with a thermostat off amazon here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AB ... UTF8&psc=1

This has worked perfectly so far and it's been down to 10° at night here a couple times.

I have a wall mounted propane heater that I'm guessing the original owners installed, an electric space heater just for the bathroom, and a heated blanked. I rarely use the all over furnace unless it's just too cold. I only have two 30 LB propane tanks so I try to preserve as much as possible to avoid driving into town and filling up. I have been considering getting another electric heater for my living space with the weather getting colder though.

This is my first winter in the avion camper so I would be happy to share what has worked for me and what has not! I lived in a camper in northern North Dakota for two winters too so I have a little experience in the cold.