| This
was a bit optimistic, particularly when it came to leaks.
This trailer has the typical floor rot around the front edges
so common in this period and I don't think it had ever been
resealed in it's life. I have everything stripped out of the
front and am attempting repair of the edges as all the walking
areas of the floor are solid. Worse was that the trailer had
lost the vent cap for the refrigerator which had allowed water
to get down into the front cabinets and damage them. That
repair has not started yet and will test my limited skills
as a woodworker. I wanted a pre-anodized Avion that could
be polished because it is so fashionable these days and back
in the early 70's my wife and I owned and lived in a 1960
Avion Imperial 30 ft for two years while we were in college.
The Imperial was a park version so I had no familiarity with
what "self-contained" meant in the early 60's. The
pressurized water system was intact and in good shape complete
with a working 12v air compressor so I plan to use that as
it actually has some interesting advantages compared to modern
pump systems. After updating the propane tanks and replacing
the leaking original regulator I was pleased when both the
lovely original propane light and the 43 year old Norcold
refrigerator fired right up and worked! Now if I could only
find filters that would fit the quaint stainless steel water
filter built into the countertop I would be in 60's Avion
camping heaven. The original giant Coleman heater has now
been replaced with a new "Platinum Cat" vented catalytic
heater which is very nice (and safe for sleeping). Upcoming
projects include new a Pergo type floor, remodeling the front
into a more "home office" type space, painting and
with some trepidation cutting a hole in the roof and installing
a new Carrier AirV air conditioner with heat strip. I will
update as I move along with the project. Repair of the edges
with "Git-Rot" as all the walking areas of the floor
are solid. Worse was that the trailer had lost the vent cap
for the refrigerator which had allowed water to get down into
the front cabinets and damage them. That repair has not started
yet and will test my limited skills as a woodworker. I wanted
a pre-anodized Avion that could be polished because it is
so fashionable these days and back in the early 70's my wife
and I owned and lived in a 1960 Avion Imperial 30 ft for two
years while we were in college. The Imperial was a park version
so I had no familiarity with what "self-contained"
meant in the early 60's. The pressurized water system was
intact and in good shape complete with a working 12v air compressor
so I plan to use that as it actually has some interesting
advantages compared to modern pump systems. After updating
the propane tanks and replacing the leaking original regulator
I was pleased when both the lovely original propane light
and the 43 year old Norcold refrigerator fired right up and
worked! Now if I could only find filters that would fit the
quaint stainless steel water filter built into the countertop
I would be in 60's Avion camping heaven. The original giant
Coleman heater has now been replaced with a new "Platinum
Cat" vented catalytic heater which is very nice (and
safe for sleeping). Upcoming projects include new a Pergo
type floor, remodeling the front into a more "home office"
type space, painting and with some trepidation cutting a hole
in the roof and installing a new Carrier AirV air conditioner
with heat strip. I will update as I move along with the project. |
