New Avion 34v Owner
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:55 pm
Hello!
So... I just sold my house and purchased a 1982 Avion 34v, and it needs a LOT of work. Fortunately, my budget and level of commitment are rock solid. I also have a good amount of experience remodeling houses and fixing cars, so the skillset is there, but this is my first travel trailer and I will admit that I know very little about it. Here is what I know so far:
The BAD- Tires are older than dirt, a few sections of subfloor need replaced, fridge IN-OP, water pump possibly IN-OP, furnace fires up but doesn't seem to move a lot of air, water heater=don't know, condition of tanks=don't know, condition of wheel bearings and brakes=don't know
The GOOD: electrical seems to work, stove works, furnace kinda works, only has 2 small leaks that I am aware of, its complete with no major cosmetic damage, its got what is in my opinion, the best floorplan for fulltime living as a single or couple.
Here is the plan in a nutshell: Over the next couple of months, I will remodel the interior to a point where it is livable and get the thing roadworthy. Then I will head south(probably to Austin) where I will work on the exterior, install solar panels, and finish/fine tune everything. I'm thinking that the remodel will go something like this:
Interior Plans:
-remove appliances, dinette, sofa, toilet, flooring and anything else I can to gain access to the subfloor
-replace sections of rotted out subfloor near the door, in the bathroom and wherever else I may find that it needs replacing
-install battery bank and other new electrical components such as inverter charger, solar controller, wiring, etc
-paint shell walls
-install new flooring and then reinstall furniture
-install wood burning stove and composting toilet
-install new countertops and cabinet hardware
-reupholster dinette and sofa (ok, make mom do it)
-check, repair, or replace all system components along the way
Exterior Plans:
-clean shell, seal leaks and replace window seals
-replace tires and repack bearings + check brakes and alignment
-explore the possibility of an axle flip lift
-install solar panels and new AC unit
I suppose I'll cut myself off here because seeing all this stuff written down is starting to stress me out!
Thoughts, opinions, criticisms, and advice are all welcome!
Thanks, and nice to meet ya,
-Dylan
So... I just sold my house and purchased a 1982 Avion 34v, and it needs a LOT of work. Fortunately, my budget and level of commitment are rock solid. I also have a good amount of experience remodeling houses and fixing cars, so the skillset is there, but this is my first travel trailer and I will admit that I know very little about it. Here is what I know so far:
The BAD- Tires are older than dirt, a few sections of subfloor need replaced, fridge IN-OP, water pump possibly IN-OP, furnace fires up but doesn't seem to move a lot of air, water heater=don't know, condition of tanks=don't know, condition of wheel bearings and brakes=don't know
The GOOD: electrical seems to work, stove works, furnace kinda works, only has 2 small leaks that I am aware of, its complete with no major cosmetic damage, its got what is in my opinion, the best floorplan for fulltime living as a single or couple.
Here is the plan in a nutshell: Over the next couple of months, I will remodel the interior to a point where it is livable and get the thing roadworthy. Then I will head south(probably to Austin) where I will work on the exterior, install solar panels, and finish/fine tune everything. I'm thinking that the remodel will go something like this:
Interior Plans:
-remove appliances, dinette, sofa, toilet, flooring and anything else I can to gain access to the subfloor
-replace sections of rotted out subfloor near the door, in the bathroom and wherever else I may find that it needs replacing
-install battery bank and other new electrical components such as inverter charger, solar controller, wiring, etc
-paint shell walls
-install new flooring and then reinstall furniture
-install wood burning stove and composting toilet
-install new countertops and cabinet hardware
-reupholster dinette and sofa (ok, make mom do it)
-check, repair, or replace all system components along the way
Exterior Plans:
-clean shell, seal leaks and replace window seals
-replace tires and repack bearings + check brakes and alignment
-explore the possibility of an axle flip lift
-install solar panels and new AC unit
I suppose I'll cut myself off here because seeing all this stuff written down is starting to stress me out!
Thoughts, opinions, criticisms, and advice are all welcome!
Thanks, and nice to meet ya,
-Dylan