Jason in Green Bay

[Jason]

Greetings from Green Bay!

I've spent the last six years gutting and rebuilding a 1979 Avion Travel Trailer, which turned into a much bigger project than I anticipated, but they always do. What looked like a solid coach turned out to have rotting, delaminating, and crumbling wood throughout including the floor. I rebuilt everything from the ground up using modern materials but stayed true to the original construction methods and floorplan. It's been a great education.

Before the Avion, I restored a C3 Corvette, and I’d like to get back to wrenching. The GMC has been on my radar for 7 or 8 years, and I think it's finally time. A few things drew me in: I love road trips and the GMC just feels like the perfect machine for them. I'm eager to dig into the mechanical side of something new. Plus I love the idea of taking it to car shows and GMCMI Conventions.

Here's what I'm hunting for:
- Decent paint — original Imron would be ideal. Body and paint work on something this size doesn’t seem like the best way to learn.
- As good of frame as possible
- Longer twin beds — I'm 6'2" and my wife is 5'11", so this is a must.
- A dinette with seatbelts for our kid
- I have a soft spot for Avion’s but they seem be really rare

I'd love to hear suggestions or feedback on my plans. Thanks!

I got this deep into the Avion (it was actually worse, this is after fixing the frame and repainting the frame):

And here we are mostly done


And here is the Corvette:

 

[Richard RV]

Welcome, Jason. The trailer's looking sharp! It's good that you have encountered the more-than-I-bargained-for RV project and came out on the other side. Unfortunately it's not unheard of for someone to buy a GMC, gut it immediately and then, months or years later, realize it's going to take a lot more time, money and effort than they thought, and it gets sold as a project coach or turned into a donor vehicle. Nobody wins when that happens.

Have you been to a Tin Can Tourists (TCT) rally? Just last week I attended my first in Dunnellon FL and there were a few GMCs, a lot of Avion trailers, and something I didn't know they made, an Avion truck-bed camper.

A number of travel trailer people at the rally expressed the same interest in the GMC that you have. GMCs attract people and they're always coming up asking questions and admiring them. Can't blame 'em!

Definitely make it a point to check out one of the GMC rallies near you. It's a great way to see what people have done to theirs, make some friends and find coaches for sale.

GMC Chapters - GMCMI

A list of GMC Motorhome Chapters.

www.gmcmi.com

2026 Rally Schedule | GMC Great Lakers

Below are listed the GMC Great Lakers rallies currently planned for 2026. GMCMI conventions are also shown for your reference. If you have ideas for future rallies, please let someone on the board know your thoughts. April 21-26, 2026GMC Motorhomes International (GMCMI) is a separate...

www.gmcgreatlakers.org

Rally

Upcoming and Past GMC Greater Midwest Classics Rallies

www.gmcmidwestclassics.org

There are a goodly number of GMCs scattered about in your general area. The map is just the GMC people on the Assist List, there are others not shown.

 

[JSanford]

You are in luck, Avion was one of the few up fitters that worked with GMC Transmodes! Avion also designed their interiors with twin beds, something that is extremely rare in the factory built GMC Motorhome.

AVION

GMC finished by Avion

www.bdub.net

 

[tmsnyder]

Greetings from Green Bay!

I've spent the last six years gutting and rebuilding a 1979 Avion Travel Trailer, which turned into a much bigger project than I anticipated, but they always do. What looked like a solid coach turned out to have rotting, delaminating, and crumbling wood throughout including the floor. I rebuilt everything from the ground up using modern materials but stayed true to the original construction methods and floorplan. It's been a great education.

Before the Avion, I restored a C3 Corvette, and I’d like to get back to wrenching. The GMC has been on my radar for 7 or 8 years, and I think it's finally time. A few things drew me in: I love road trips and the GMC just feels like the perfect machine for them. I'm eager to dig into the mechanical side of something new. Plus I love the idea of taking it to car shows and GMCMI Conventions.

Here's what I'm hunting for:
- Decent paint — original Imron would be ideal. Body and paint work on something this size doesn’t seem like the best way to learn.
- As good of frame as possible
- Longer twin beds — I'm 6'2" and my wife is 5'11", so this is a must.
- A dinette with seatbelts for our kid
- I have a soft spot for Avion’s but they seem be really rare

I'd love to hear suggestions or feedback on my plans. Thanks!

I got this deep into the Avion (it was actually worse, this is after fixing the frame and repainting the frame):
View attachment 17866
And here we are mostly done
View attachment 17867

And here is the Corvette:
View attachment 17868

I came from a background of tent camping, then pop-up, then travel trailer, then Class A SOB until we downsized to the GMC motorhome. The change from travel trailer to a class A was incredible. Traveling, especially with kids?!, was so much fun! you will love it. I also thought the kids should be buckled the whole time, and spend good time and money on seatbelts, .... which never were used. They lounge all over the thing, use the bathroom, get snacks, brush teeth and go to bed all while we are traveling. I just take the road speed down and drive extremely defensively (old man mode).

Do it, you seem like the perfect candidate for this affliction we call GMC motorhome ownership. It's awesome.

That vette would be a great toad vehicle!