From Barn Find to Restoration: A 1967 Avion C-10 Gets a New Lease on Life

Avion’s Enduring Legacy

Avion truck campers occupy a special place in RV history. Built from the mid-1960s through 1970, they earned a reputation for their aircraft-inspired aluminum construction, exceptional durability, and timeless styling. Their riveted aluminum shells not only gave them a distinctive appearance but also helped many survive decades of travel and exposure. Today, well-preserved Avions are among the most sought-after vintage truck campers.

Unlike many truck campers of their era, Avions were designed to provide both comfort and practicality. Their all-wood interiors, efficient floorplans, and quality craftsmanship made them ideal for extended travel. Owners appreciated their ability to handle a variety of climates and road conditions while still offering the conveniences of home.

More than 50 years later, collectors and restorers continue to preserve these campers, often modernizing them while retaining their original character.

The Search

As former Airstream enthusiasts who eventually gravitated toward truck campers, owning an Avion had long been a dream. Finding one in worthwhile condition, however, proved far more difficult than expected. Many of the campers we looked at over the years were either severely deteriorated or priced far beyond what their condition justified.

Our opportunity finally arrived in 2023 when a relative spotted a Facebook Marketplace listing in Burns, Oregon. The asking price was only $1,500, and the camper appeared to have spent most of its life stored inside a barn. While it wasn’t the pristine “barn find” often seen on American Pickers, it checked many of the boxes we were looking for.

The camper was a 1967 Avion C-10 with the desirable side-dinette floorplan. It had a shallow dent on the drivers side rear and an 8-inch tear in the aluminum skin on the rear passenger side, but those cosmetic flaws seemed minor compared to the structural issues commonly found in vintage campers. Because it had been stored under cover, we were hopeful that the floor, wings, and cabover structure had escaped major water damage. Even better, it still retained its original Zolatone interior, a feature that is becoming increasingly difficult to find in old Avions and Airstreams.

Bringing the camper home required some creativity and a little luck. The camper had been sitting for decades on a non-running 1977 Chevrolet C20 pickup that required a tow, and the original La Jaqa jacks were badly rusted and unsafe to use. To safely transfer it, we purchased three new Rieco-Titan tripod jacks rated at 2,000 pounds each. Using only three, unmounted jacks to lift the camper was intimidating, but the process went surprisingly smoothly. Before long, the Avion was loaded onto our Ford F-250 and headed home.

Avion Specifications and Features

When our Avion C-10 left the factory in 1967, it weighed approximately 1,850 pounds and was designed for 3/4-ton pickups with 8-foot beds. The suggested retail price was $3,659. Buyers could choose from three floorplans: Deluxe Gaucho, Custom Side Dinette, and Custom Front Dinette.

All Avion truck campers featured a satin-finished anodized aluminum exterior. Compared to earlier aluminum finishes used by the company, the anodized surface was easier to maintain and more resistant to corrosion, scratches, and dents.

One of Avion’s most significant innovations was Thermo-X insulation, which was introduced in 1966. This closed-cell urethane foam filled the wall cavities, improving both thermal performance and structural rigidity. The insulation helped maintain comfortable interior temperatures while strengthening the camper’s overall construction.

Through the 1967 model year, Avion finished its interior aluminum wall panels with Zolatone, a durable, speckled spray paint commonly used in aircraft and marine applications. Besides providing a distinctive aviation-inspired appearance, Zolatone concealed minor scratches and dents. Because many campers have had their interiors painted or altered over the years, finding one with its original finish intact is considered a major bonus.

The 1967 Avion C-10 was well-equipped for its time. Standard features included a Dometic 3-cubic-foot refrigerator, Magic Chef 21,000 BTU three-burner stove and oven, Hydro Flame 14,000-BTU furnace, Suburban 6-gallon water heater, 20-gallon stainless-steel freshwater tank, 12-volt water pump, 12-gallon black-water holding tank, Hehr jalousie windows, three La Jaqa mechanical jacks, and dual propane cylinders.

According to a 1966 Avion brochure found inside the camper, optional equipment included a water purifier, Humphrey gas lamp, Phillips intercom system, roof vent, clothes rod, and divider curtain for the cabover bed.

A product of the age, the electrical system was remarkably simple. Shore power was supplied through a standard 30-amp shore power connection, while the 12-volt system relied on a single AC Delco lead acid battery maintained by a 120 volt Schauer battery charger.

Every DC component—including lights, roof vent, water pump, furnace ignition, and refrigerator controls—was protected by a single 30-amp fuse hidden behind a removable wall panel.

Unfortunately, Avion’s truck camper production run was relatively short, lasting from 1965 through 1970. The company operated facilities in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and San Jacinto, California, producing the C-10 and C-11 models in several floorplans.

After the Avion name was sold in 1971, the Cayo family continued building truck campers and motorhomes under the Cayo name until 1975, when economic pressures stemming from the Arab Oil Embargo forced the company to close.

Preliminary Work

After spending decades in a barn, the ’67 Avion was filthy. Mice had made nests throughout the interior, leaving droppings and debris in nearly every compartment. Wasps had also taken up residence, building nests inside vents, window tracks, and even within the torn aluminum skin.

Before any restoration work could begin, the Avion required a thorough cleaning and sanitization. With the risk of hantavirus, gloves, respirators, and disinfectants became essential tools as we removed years of accumulated grime and evidence of unwanted occupants.

The first major upgrades involved replacing the jack system and rebuilding the floor.

We began by converting the camper from its original three-jack configuration to a more stable four-corner setup using Rieco-Titan tripod jacks. One major advantage of the new jacks is that their mounts double as anchor points for turnbuckles.

Completing the jack conversion first was essential, as the new jacks would play a critical role in the replacement of the floor.

Although the original floor remained structurally sound, it had developed soft spots over the years due to Avion’s foam-core insulation design. Rather than duplicate the factory construction, we opted for a stronger and more durable solution.

The replacement floor was constructed from two laminated layers of 3/4-inch marine-grade plywood and finished with a modern wood-grain vinyl surface. To provide long-term protection against moisture, the underside was sealed with multiple coats of black deck paint. The original floor served as a template, making fabrication of the new floor relatively straightforward.

Initially, we assumed replacing the floor would require extensive interior disassembly. To our surprise, very little needed to be removed. By carefully raising and lowering the camper with the new jacks, we created just enough clearance to slide the old floor out and the new one into place. What first appeared to be a major structural undertaking ultimately became a manageable project with careful planning, patience, and a little ingenuity.

The Interior

One of the most pleasant surprises was how much of the original woodwork could be saved. The cabinetry, wardrobe doors, drawer fronts, and wall panels were primarily constructed from birch plywood, while many structural trim pieces were hardwood.

Every removable wood component was cleaned, sanded, stained with Golden Oak stain, and protected with two coats of satin clear lacquer.

The original hardware was retained, sandblasted, and refinished with metallic gold paint. The result preserved the camper’s vintage appearance while dramatically improving its condition.

Inside, our goal was to maintain the camper’s character while making it more comfortable for modern travel.

The original dinette foam remained surprisingly usable, so it was reupholstered in a turquoise fabric more fitting for the era.

In the cabover, we replaced the original mattress with a custom 5-inch mattress from the good folks at Mattress Insider.

The galley received several upgrades. The original Magic Chef range was replaced with a Camplux three-burner propane cooktop, while the space beneath was converted into additional storage for pots and pans.

Refrigeration duties are now handled by a Dometic NRX115C DC compressor refrigerator, which offers greater efficiency and reliability than the original absorption refrigerator.

A modern kitchen faucet further improved functionality.

At the same time, we preserved many original features that remained in excellent condition, including the avocado green countertop with matching backsplash, stainless-steel sink, and original range hood. These details help preserve the unmistakable personality of a 1960s Avion.

Safety improvements included a propane and carbon monoxide detector, along with new LED lighting throughout the camper. Whenever possible, existing wiring hidden within the walls was retained and reused.

The most significant modernization involved the electrical system. Three Battle Born 100-amp-hour lithium batteries replaced the original single lead-acid battery, providing dramatically increased capacity for off-grid use.

A Progressive Dynamics lithium battery charger manages the charging duties on shore power, while an exterior SAE port allows easy connection of portable solar panels.

We also installed a six-circuit 12 volt fuse panel, replacing the original single-fuse arrangement.

One especially satisfying project was the original Humphrey gas lamp. Instead of removing it, we converted it to run on 12-volt power, preserving its vintage appearance while eliminating both the hazards of an open flame and the soot it produces.

The plumbing system also received extensive updates. A new freshwater tank and water pump replaced the originals, while most of the copper plumbing was replaced with modern color-coded PEX tubing.

The bathroom was upgraded with a Seaflo residential-style foot-flush toilet. At first, finding a replacement “Twis-Loc” black-water drain valve proved difficult until we located a nearly identical unit manufactured by Dupree Products.

Ventilation was greatly improved with the installation of a Tern Overland Arctic Breeze 12-volt roof fan. Featuring ten speeds, reversible airflow, integrated LED lighting, and a tinted acrylic dome, the fan provides excellent airflow while complementing the camper’s design. The Arctic Breeze’s sleek, modern profile is also a natural fit with the Avion’s distinctive aviation-inspired look.

The heating and hot-water systems were modernized in the camper as well. The original Hydro Flame furnace was replaced with a Truma VarioHeat Comfort propane furnace, providing quieter operation, improved efficiency, and more precise temperature control. Hot water is supplied by a Suburban SW6DE six-gallon water heater that fit perfectly into the enlarged factory opening.

To complete the interior, my wife sewed new curtains using colors and patterns appropriate to the late 1960s. These finishing touches helped blend modern functionality with period-correct aesthetics.

Ultimately, we chose a balanced restoration philosophy. While preserving every original appliance may have been appealing, doing so would have required substantial time and expense with no guarantee of reliability. Instead, we combined carefully selected modern components with the camper’s original design elements, creating a practical resto-mod that honors the Avion’s heritage.

The Exterior

Exterior restoration focused on repairing damage while preserving as much original material as possible.

The most significant repair involved the 8-inch tear in the rear passenger-side aluminum skin. We fabricated a patch from .040-inch anodized aluminum and secured it with Olympic rivets. Using a rivet shaving tool helped create a finished appearance that closely resembles the factory construction. The aluminum was purchased from Online Metals.

Additional repairs included straightening the rear corner dent and replacing the damaged aluminum skin on the entry door. The new door skin was fabricated from the same anodized aluminum used elsewhere in the restoration.

The fiberglass belly pan required crack repairs, which were completed using fiberglass materials and body filler before being refinished in light gray paint.

Removing the original Hydro Flame proved particularly challenging. After decades in place, the vent had effectively fused to the furnace. A reciprocating saw ultimately became necessary. Once removed, the opening was covered with a custom aluminum patch attached using traditional buck rivets. A second reinforcement patch was installed behind the entry-door stop to better distribute impact loads.

To improve safety without sacrificing appearance, we retained the original taillight housings but upgraded them with LED bulbs. The running lights were replaced with modern LED units from Vintage Trailer Supply.

The original steel propane cylinders were also preserved. After locating a certified propane service facility willing to retrofit them with modern OPD valves, we were able to retain the original tanks rather than replace them. While they still show some cosmetic wear, they remain structurally sound and fully functional.

Finally, the original Avion badges needed a refresh too. A steady hand, a small brush, Testors red enamel paint, and a couple of hours was all it took to bring the two badges back to life.

Does the 59-year-old camper look perfect? Not quite. A few scratches and dimples and riveted patches remain visible. Yet those imperfections tell part of its story. More importantly, the camper still possesses the distinctive appearance and personality that have made Avions legendary among vintage RV enthusiasts.

Closing Thoughts

Restoring this 1967 Avion C-10 was truly a labor of love. The project demanded countless hours of hard work and a substantial financial investment, but the finished camper made every minute and every dollar worthwhile.

We want to give special recognition to our son AJ, who replaced the floor and beautifully restored the interior woodwork, and to Patina Airstreams for their outstanding work on the roof vents, running lights, and door. Their craftsmanship and dedication played a major role in bringing this classic camper back to life in a fraction of the time it would have taken had we tackled the entire restoration on our own.

What continues to amaze us is how modern these campers still look more than half a century after they were built. Avion clearly understood what it had created when it introduced its first truck camper in 1965. The combination of aircraft-inspired construction, thoughtful design, and quality craftsmanship remains impressive even by today’s standards.

If given the opportunity, would we do this restomod all over again? You bet! In fact, we’re already keeping an eye out for a late-1960s C-11, whose slightly larger interior would offer even more room to enjoy life on the road.

As for the truck, we’re currently hauling the camper on a 2018 Ram 2500 single cab with the 6.4L HEMI. Because of the Avion’s east–west cabover design, it actually pairs and looks especially good on a single cab truck.

For now, we plan to keep the camper on this setup. Long term, though, we’d love to mount it on a late ’60s to early ’70s 3/4-ton truck. If you know of one for sale or have any leads, we’d really appreciate hearing about it.

Have a truck camper restoration project you’d like to share? We’d love to feature it. Contact Truck Camper Adventure at tcadventuremag@gmail.com, and we’ll add your story to our publishing schedule.