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Old 07-03-2016, 06:36 AM   #1
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1964 17' Bambi II
Vintage Kin Owner
Schererville , Indiana
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Avion 32S Beast to Beauty (hopefully!)

I have owned an Avion for several years (in addition to my Bambi II) and like them a lot. They're roomy and built like a tank. I love the layout of the 1988 32S and when one came available not too far from my house, I bought it. It sat in a field for 2 or 3 years...never a great thing. I sold my restored '84 30P to a nice couple and got down to work!
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1964 Bambi II
1988 Avion 32S
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Old 07-03-2016, 06:46 AM   #2
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1964 17' Bambi II
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continued....

The floors were solid inside. Big plus. However, down in the bellows of the trailer, under the fresh water tank, I could see the floor was VERY mushy. My husband & I filled the water tank to try out the plumbing. Oh man....water spurted out everywhere! So, we knew the plumbing was shot. I wanted to see what was going on under the belly pan, so I skirted around the water tank area & removed a few screws. It was nasty under there, so I didn't crawl all the way under. I left to get a few more tools & was standing on the side of the trailer when BAAM!! The entire fresh water tank fell out. It was still full of water. Fortunately, I wasn't under there, because I would have been squished!

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This wasn't exactly the way I planned on cleaning out the fresh water tank, but she's clean as a whistle now! All the water from the leaking pipes was headed right down the cut out in the floor. The floor below had been replaced at one time with OSB & it was like oatmeal. Ewww. After Por-15 on the frame below where the belly pan was off, my husband helped me put the tank back in. There was a lot of contortion of legs & arms under there, believe me!

Bill (my hubby) replaced all the plumbing in the trailer. He did a fabulous job! The copper to the water heater was destroyed in the fall of the tank & he fixed that too. He put a nice big drain plug on the bottom of the tank for quick & easy emptying. I replaced the belly pan from the axles back & she's nice & slick & clean back there.
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1964 Bambi II
1988 Avion 32S
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Old 07-03-2016, 06:57 AM   #3
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continued

So this was what the rear bedroom looked like. The PO built a bank of drawers under the beds. I believe they lived most of the year in Florida with this trailer. They had to go. I didn't want to be sleeping right at the window level, plus, there's plenty of storage for us. The plumbing is under the bed, so access is important. I'm not going to have a leak going on forever like the PO did.
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Bill's very own plumbing store!
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to be continued!
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1988 Avion 32S
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Old 07-03-2016, 09:10 AM   #4
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Great progress! IMO, 32S has one of the nicest floor plans.
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Old 07-04-2016, 05:16 AM   #5
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1964 17' Bambi II
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The dump valves also leaked like sieves. The way these are configured on the Avions is very tight. It was impossible to get the valves back together as they were set originally. It was just too tight to slip in both valves.
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Bill used this valve in the middle instead:

http://www.valterra.com/product/ell-.../?pcat_id=1479

Along with this rubber elbow:

http://www.fernco.com/dimensional-drawings/ql-200
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This may not seem important now, but if you ever have to change your valves, it will save you a lot of time & grief to go this route!
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Old 07-04-2016, 10:16 AM   #6
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1991 34' Excella
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1961 26' Overlander
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That thing is a Beast! I bet the Bambi will fit inside...

Cool camper, looking forward to watching what y'all do with it.
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Old 07-04-2016, 10:50 AM   #7
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1971 27' Overlander
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avion rescue

Thanks for the photos and the step by step rescue. Surprises are almost always in the mix. Keep us informed.:
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Old 07-04-2016, 11:38 AM   #8
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I'm glad you found your Avion! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do ours. Buying our 1987 34W was one of the best things we ever did.

I like your fix for the dump valves. I can put that to use on ours.


PaulnGina
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F250 7.3L PowerStroke

Blessed and highly favored
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1987 Avion 34W
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Old 07-04-2016, 08:19 PM   #9
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1964 17' Bambi II
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Well, Bill said the spare tire that was welded on the rear bumper had to go. He ground off the bracket & put the spare in the curbside compartment as originally intended.

The rear signal lights were loaded with caulk. I removed them, cleaned up the housing, & replaced the lights with LEDs. Also replaced the license plate holder & put in a new LED light. All the running lights were replaced with LEDs.

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Old 07-04-2016, 08:28 PM   #10
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The furnace wasn't blowing out any heat. Bill pulled it & noticed it had been messed with & didn't find the problem. I just can't justify risking using a 30 year old furnace, so we bit the bullet & bought a new one. Exactly the same model is still available, so it was plug in & play.Click image for larger version

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I installed a new microwave. I kept my door panels from my fridge in my previous Avion. Click image for larger version

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Painted the yellowed a/c interior cover, along with a few other yellowed items. Makes things look a lot better.Click image for larger version

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Old 07-06-2016, 07:07 PM   #11
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Replaced all the yellowed square lights with nice oval LED lights. Also replaced the florescent lights with these (accept the one that has a hole cut in the ceiling to recess it), as well as the lamps in the bedroom.Click image for larger version

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I scrubbed this trailer from top to bottom with bleach. Tore out the carpet -- and the million tacks that held it in--because there were mouse droppings EVERYWHERE! Including in all the window sills! I was confident there were no mice in it anymore, since I had a few traps with no takers. Well, a couple of weeks ago I took her out for my first shake-down trip. I found this the day before I left....Click image for larger version

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ID:	266137They were all dead when I found them. One in the middle of the floor, one under the couch, and one under the stove. Needless to say, I didn't sleep very well the rest of my trip! I tore the false floors of the TV table & closet out, only to find two carcasses & oh so much mouse house! Y.U.C.K.!!!

I came home alive and went to war. I never caught any mice, but my trailer now has the over powering smell of Fresh Cab!!!
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Old 07-06-2016, 07:14 PM   #12
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So moving on, I've started with the windows. I'm replacing the rubber seals & cleaning them up. Such a tedious job, but they look so much better when they're finished. The caulk factor is pretty bad, but it's coming along.

Today was too hot to work on the windows, so I finished up the counter top in the bathroom.
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Old 07-06-2016, 07:56 PM   #13
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1966 24' Tradewind
versailles , Kentucky
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Enjoying your thread. Great progress. I've been working daylight to dark in the 90 degree temps here in KY doing some of the same stuff. It's difficult but still rewarding.
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Old 07-06-2016, 09:23 PM   #14
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That's a tuff thing to do! But I keep thinking that I have to get the outside stuff finished before winter!
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Old 07-07-2016, 07:20 AM   #15
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Great posts, very interesting!
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Old 07-07-2016, 11:27 PM   #16
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1971 27' Overlander
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Avion labor

Quote:
Originally Posted by Becky B. View Post
So moving on, I've started with the windows. I'm replacing the rubber seals & cleaning them up. Such a tedious job, but they look so much better when they're finished. The caulk factor is pretty bad, but it's coming along.

Today was too hot to work on the windows, so I finished up the counter top in the bathroom.
The work you are doing is commendable and the results are admirable!
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Old 07-10-2016, 04:55 PM   #17
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Questions

Love your detailed posts about your 32S. We have also just acquired a 1989 32S and just returned from our first week camping.
Would you be willing to share details about:
New LED lights
What paint you used on the interior AC cover
Curtain/blind suggestions
Faucet in the bathroom

We are trying to determine how to make the bathroom a little more spacious in the toilet area. It is a little tight. Thinking about shortening the depth on the vanity cabinet.

Thanks,
Jennifer
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Old 07-10-2016, 08:37 PM   #18
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1964 17' Bambi II
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Schererville , Indiana
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jascherschel View Post
Love your detailed posts about your 32S. We have also just acquired a 1989 32S and just returned from our first week camping.
Would you be willing to share details about:
New LED lights
What paint you used on the interior AC cover
Curtain/blind suggestions
Faucet in the bathroom

We are trying to determine how to make the bathroom a little more spacious in the toilet area. It is a little tight. Thinking about shortening the depth on the vanity cabinet.

Thanks,
Jennifer
I used these LED running lights:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...hVsaAkjM8P8HAQ

They lined right up with the previous holes. I used rivnuts to install all of them.

I used this LED light on my license plate holder (which I had to fabricate together)
https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...nector/30/203/

I used this for my tail lights:

https://trailerparts.com/bargman-47-...kQsaAtXP8P8HAQ

As far as the bathroom faucet, mine came from Menards. It's a standard faucet. Haven't finished all my interior decor yet. I did get bamboo blinds from Menards for my big windows in the "lounge" area that are really nice. They fit perfectly & I just had to shorten them. I used Rustoleum 2X Ultra cover in cream for my plastic stuff. Hope that helps!
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Old 07-10-2016, 08:54 PM   #19
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1964 17' Bambi II
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Window Gear Box

Today, I roped my husband into helping me conquer the dreaded window gear box. It wasn't as awful as I thought it would be!!

After removing the snap rings that hold the window mechanism to the gear box, he drilled out the rivets. He used a punch to keep the drill bit from wandering. He used an 1/8" punch to remove the remainder of the rivets in the gear box. Click image for larger version

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He then removed the plate on the other end of the rod by removing the rivets. After that he tapped on the crank post & pried the gear box free. Click image for larger version

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After cleaning up the window sill (because I'll never have it that easy again!) he put it back together. We could only get rivets in two upper holes on the plate side & I didn't have properly sized rivets for the gear box, so we used bolts to install it.Click image for larger version

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It's all back together & works great! Five windows down.....four to go!

Thanks Bill!!!!
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Old 07-30-2016, 01:21 PM   #20
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1964 17' Bambi II
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Took a few weeks off the project to tend to family matters & go CAMPING! Our daughter was scheduled for a cesarean on August 5. Well, sometimes the best laid plans blow up in your face! She went into early labor & drove herself to the hospital (about 35 minutes from where we're camping) leaving me with her two boys ages 5 & 2 as well as her trailer! Little Boden Thomas was delivered last Friday. He & his mom came back yesterday just for the night. Happy Camper Indeed!!Click image for larger version

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