New member restoring 1969 C11

[M2HB]

I'm making a little progress even though it is going much slower than I anticipated.
Picture of fiberglass cover back on camper. I cut out an area for my gray water tank mount.

Picture looking up through reinforced hole of fiberglass cover. This is where it will be covered with aluminum diamond plate.

Picture of gas line, and plumbing with the fiberglass cover on.

The cover has been taken off one more time to go to the fiberglass guy to get fixed and painted.

Picture of bumper removed so that I could get the fiberglass cover on to see if it still fits.

Picture of Avion emblem repainted with Duplicolor Chevy Orange DE1620. I think the color looks good.

[M2HB]

Picture of two 16 gallon water tanks under the trailer bed. There is a fuse block there also for a water pump and a fuel pump, along with outside lights, etc. The mounts in front of the water tank is for the 20 gallon gasoline tank.

[M2HB]

New range hood going in.

New style Aluminum to Copper lugged conectors. They aren't cheap, but they seem to work well.


I'm testing the gray water and black water tanks for the last time before I put the fiberglass cover back on.

[M2HB]

I had to build a new frame around my new Dometic RM 2510 refrigerator. The last one was made out of Oak and didn't match very well. It cracked, so I made a new one out of Birch. It looks better and mounted really tight up against the cabinet.


I also built my black water hose storage area on the bottom of my removable bumper. I figured that I would make it while I was waiting for the fiberglass to be finished.

The bumper is upside down in this picture.

[M2HB]

Here are some pictures of the under bed battery box mount that is similar to ones I built years ago. This places the battery box under the bed and between the frame and the body. This one is on the right side, away from the fuel filler.















You can't really notice it under there unless you look real hard. I like to line the surface that rides against the frame with Armaflex tape. I also use two angle iron retainers, one on each side of the mount.

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by M2HB

Pictures of stablizer jacks. I made the mounts that set the jacks high, where I don't lose much ground clearance.

ohhh wooooooooooooooowww
wow you are really gifted!
I didn't get to read your whole thread but I will make some time to catch up...!!

[M2HB]

VeggieBullet, thanks. I hope your 5th Wheel project turns out well. I have a 1988 Avion 34' trailer (which is what I think the 5th Wheel was based on) and it pulls real nice. I wonder if you have the independent leaf spring axles like I have?

[M2HB]

I put another strap (2' x 1/8) on the battery bracket. It didn't need it, but I decided that it would look better with it.


I also installed my new Rego Regulator. I went from the 7519D to the 7525. It looks like a real good quality regulator.
Here is a picture of the old one and the new one.

[M2HB]

While waiting for my fiberglass to repairs to be finished I figured that I would get something done. I installed the two LP tanks on the tongue of the trailer.

The axle was ordered at 24 degrees downward angle and arrived at level, which isn't the best angle for a rubber torsion axle. I moved it down 4 splines which should be very close to the optimum angle.



I also finished my water tank piping including a couple of hose bibs on the trailer, one on each side. I can use the trailer pump and put water into the camper's tank if I need to.




A picture of the fill line in the truck bed, next to the gasoline filler.

A picture of the new Rego regulator in the LP container. The tanks have been repainted and are ready to install once I get the lines in. I made a new tank stop since the original tanks shifted toward the LP container door and rubbed a hole in it.

[M2HB]

I have mounted my trailer LP tanks and the regulator for the trailer. I am still trying to figure out the configuration for the low pressure hoses that will go to the Camp Chef stove on the trailer and also goes to provide the main LP to the camper, when it is set up. The refrigerator will run off of the camper LP while traveling. I need to determine if I'm going to use quick disconnects, which is what I'm leaning toward.

I weighed the trailer (empty) this morning and it weighed a little over 2,000# without the stove, spare tire and 20 gallon gasoline tank that is currently being made. With those items I figure that it will weigh about 2,140#. By the time I add the 110# rear bumper and the camper that I think will weigh around 2,750 (empty) I think the total will be around 5,000# empty.
To determine the wet weight, I need to add the weight for 72 gallons of water (600#), 20 gallons of gasoline (120#), and 100# of propane.
If I'm correct the trailer/camper, wet, will weigh about 5,820#. That leaves me with a 1,180# payload.

[M2HB]

I have the camper back on the trailer after adjusting the rubber torsion axle arm angle. The camper rides a couple of inches higher than it did and it has excellent ground clearance.
I have now filled and tested the 40 gallon interior tank and the 32 gallon tanks underneath the bed. Both work great. The pressure fill to the interior 40 gallon tanks certainly works much better than the gravity fill. I use the gravity fill as a vent and to tell when the tank is full. I don't think that the interior tank had that pressure fill originally, but either way, it works great.

I'm still waiting for the fiberglass to get back to me. They are really slow. I probably should have used someone else. I can't put the bathroom back together without it.

[M2HB]

I had changed the water heater, but the new one had a different cover. I needed to adapt the original cover to the new water heater.




I had to cut and bend the upper lip to accept the grooves at the top of the cover. I then drilled the old mount ( I didn't throw that away since I thought I would need it) off of the old sheet metal housing, and with a wedge, it will be attached to the bottom of the new heater housing.

[M2HB]

I have now installed the 20 gallon gasoline tank under the truck bed. I still need to mount the fuel pump and wire it to my fuse block. I am going to use a key switch for the gasoline.




I used the factory filler opening for the gasoline fill and the water fill. I need to make a stainless steel seperator for them.


Back side view of gasoline and water fillers.

[M2HB]

Switch assembly for water pump and gasoline pump. The key swith is for the gasoline.


The hose bibs work great.

[M2HB]

I found some pictures of the trailer frame while I was building it.

[M2HB]

Picture of trailer frame with Quad mount before the expanded metal was installed.


Picture of Ford F-350 spare tire winch installed on trailer.


Picture of axle installed.


Picture of trailer being turned over with tractor. I use to have an overhead hoist which was much nicer.

[girlscan2]

Hi from another Phoenician. I must say you have quite the set up there. I'm not even going to pretend to understand half of what you have done, but if it works, I'm all for it. And it seems you did most of it through a very hot summer!

[M2HB]

Originally Posted by girlscan2

Hi from another Phoenician. I must say you have quite the set up there. I'm not even going to pretend to understand half of what you have done, but if it works, I'm all for it. And it seems you did most of it through a very hot summer!

Yes, it was quite hot through this entire build, and rebuild.

[M2HB]

I just had my horizontal tanks from my 1969 Avion recertified today. They are actually ASME tanks, not DOT tanks and the horizontal tanks don't need the OPV valve.
I repainted these tanks and then I had them tested and topped off. They have had propane in them for about 30 years without being used. The gas company was surpried at how they look new.

[VeggieBullet]

i probably miss it while going thru the thread, but what is the tank of gasoline for? Generator?
Is looking great!
I wish I had half of your skills, congrats