1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Anything related to what's happening with your Avion
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KYAvion
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by KYAvion »

Well done! You should be proud.

Be sure to get a "replacement value" with an insurance company as soon as you are all done. You will likely need an appraisal first.
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by FairAuction »

KYAvion wrote:Well done! You should be proud.

Be sure to get a "replacement value" with an insurance company as soon as you are all done. You will likely need an appraisal first.
Thanks! What do you think its worth? Im thinking of selling it once I secure the title. (easiest in VA to do that with a replaced axel)
The project: topic190.html
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KYAvion
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by KYAvion »

What I meant to say was "agreed value."

I really have no idea about value, but hopefully others know more. Another option is an appraisal. Some time ago I spoke to James Polk via email when I had my restored 79 Airstream, and I believe he said he could conduct an appraisal if provided sufficient images. I ended up not needing to get one done, so I can't say more about the process.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/tincantour ... lerrv/amp/
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
esull
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by esull »

Hi J. Fair!

My name is Elizabeth and I'm a relatively new owner of a 1969 28' Travelcader. It looks like you have taken on some of the projects I am anticipating starting soon, namely floor replacement and potential removal of interior skins. I am confident that I am going to need to replace the entirety of the subfloor of my Avion due to significant water damage and rot. I am also trying to figure out if I need to consider removing the interior skins of the Avion to assess for water damage / mold.

Re: the floor...
I am trying to figure out where to begin with this project without compromising the structural integrity of the trailer. I have read about the need to brace the frame to make sure there is no shifting with the subfloor removed, and was wondering if it may be best to replace incrementally pieces rather than all at once. I'm also trying to figure out where the shell is attached to the frame so I can consider that in floor replacement. I'm also wondering if I'll run into corrosion with the C channel [U channel?] and if any of it may need to be replaced in order to effectively hold the subfloor? Again, these are all things I'm thinking about in advance from my preliminary assessment without removing too much of the floor.

re: the interior skins...
I am trying to weigh my options between just doing a deep clean on the walls and keeping interior skins in place vs. removing interior skins and assessing for water damage within the walls. I know that if I take out the skins I will be in a position of possibly needing to redo / add to the spray foam insulation, as well as the puzzle of putting the pieces back in the right place. I don't want to cut too many corners but I am definitely concerned about the major time setback with removal of interior skins.

Do you have insight into either of these areas? I'd love to hear more about your experience tackling these aspects of the trailer.

Thanks so much,

Elizabeth

[would also love to exchange emails if you're down!]
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FairAuction
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by FairAuction »

esull wrote:Hi J. Fair!

Re: the floor...
I am trying to figure out where to begin with this project without compromising the structural integrity of the trailer. I have read about the need to brace the frame to make sure there is no shifting with the subfloor removed, and was wondering if it may be best to replace incrementally pieces rather than all at once. I'm also trying to figure out where the shell is attached to the frame so I can consider that in floor replacement. I'm also wondering if I'll run into corrosion with the C channel [U channel?] and if any of it may need to be replaced in order to effectively hold the subfloor? Again, these are all things I'm thinking about in advance from my preliminary assessment without removing too much of the floor.

re: the interior skins...
I am trying to weigh my options between just doing a deep clean on the walls and keeping interior skins in place vs. removing interior skins and assessing for water damage within the walls. I know that if I take out the skins I will be in a position of possibly needing to redo / add to the spray foam insulation, as well as the puzzle of putting the pieces back in the right place. I don't want to cut too many corners but I am definitely concerned about the major time setback with removal of interior skins.

[would also love to exchange emails if you're down!]
Hi Elizabeth, Feel free to email photos to fairauctionco ,,,, the at symbol ,,,, g mail,,,, dot ,,,,com. I was also overwhelmed at first, but once I dug in, I found it really easy, just time consuming. The floor is the only structural integrity between the walls and the frame. I bought mine with NO floor, meaning the 2 hours it took me to drive it home were pretty dangerous. As long as your no moving it without a floor, your totally fine. Know that if you remove the entire floor, you'll need to support the walls and ceiling from the frame, or if your belly pan is off, the ground. I did my floor in segments to eliminate the need for a temporary structure inside.

Where geographically is your trailer project going to happen? I was able to find several people close to me that I could bounce ideas off of.
The project: topic190.html
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by FairAuction »

I did not find that the C channel needed to the replaced even though it was somewhat corroded. I cleaned it and reinstalled, moving the screw holes over where I had to get "aggressive" during the removal.

The interior skin is really easy to remove and reinstall, esp. if you take out all the cabinetry like I did. the 1/8" pop rivets go back in easily, and are easier to drill out than the exterior. I didn't have a problem lining up the panels upon installation since I took photos before I removed, and could see clearly which went where. Chances are you wont need to remove ALL the interior panels, just the necessary to do wiring, insulation, etc. To be honest, the interior was the easiest aspect of my project, I did all of it in one day + all-nighter before my first show. :D
The project: topic190.html
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KYAvion
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by KYAvion »

Did you use treated plywood for your floor, and if so, what sort of barrier did you put down between the treated flooring and the frame?
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KYAvion
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by KYAvion »

Elizabeth-- feel free to start a thread about your project. It's great information to have accessible online.
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by FairAuction »

KYAvion wrote:Did you use treated plywood for your floor, and if so, what sort of barrier did you put down between the treated flooring and the frame?
KY- I cleaned off and painted the frame of the trailer with several coats of rustolium undercoating paint, then I painted my already cut-to-size exterior grade plywood subfloor (NOT pressure treated) with several coats of deck paint- white was the cheapest. To conserve paint I only painted the bottoms and edges + about 1 foot on the top. The top/center of the interior flooring will only get water if theres an one-off leak. The exterior edges and the bottom of the floor are most likely to get water (and often) if there is any failure in the belly pan seams, which there are plenty... I believe the paint was an acrylic enamel base but ultimately the materials and chemicals we use on these things is far better than the original, which wasn't painted at all. I found all the paint at Lowes about 2 blocks from my restoration shop. It is not necessary to stress out about getting a specific material, glue or whatever from some far off trailer person. Although I did keep Vintage Trailer supply in business for a couple months, Its about the chemical composition of the materials we use, not who sells them. Im not worried about my floor lasting FOREVER, just as long as I, and maybe the very next folks who own it. After that it's up for that far off person to "figure it out," as I did.

I do not use pressure treated anything in my life. Contact from the chemicals used in pressure treating wood are known to cause several health issues and I recommend avoiding them. Wood grows out out of the ground and is an organic material. Its not going to last forever no matter what you do. If you want your trailer floor to last forever, buy metal decking like commercial flat roofs have, and weld it on to the frame.

A note about sizing, my floor is 1/8" (.125") thicker than the original. The original was 1.25" thick. I used .75" plywood subfloor and 5/8" (.625") which makes my new floor 1.325" total. I had to use a floor jack in some areas to lift up the carcass of the trailer to get the flooring under the C-channel. It gave my belly pan a much needed belly-lift.

These photos say it all about the floor.
The project: topic190.html
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KYAvion
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Re: 1967 Avion 24' Holiday Restoration Thread

Post by KYAvion »

Incredible job!
KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
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