About The Pewter Palace…

Welcome! This is an ongoing blog about our journey as owners of a vintage coach camping trailer.

Visit our YouTube Channel. Subscribe to keep up to date on our projects and travels!

Our journey first started back in 2016 with a 1973 Avion, 28 foot LaGrande model (see bottom of page for more about this trailer). Prior to this we had owned a Class A Motorhome and traveled primarily the east coast on weekends and vacation time from work. We have also been historical reenactors, tent camping in historical canvas tents for over 30+ years.

However, in April 2020 we purchased a 1987 Avion 32S model which features a front kitchen, mid coach salon, side bath and rear bedroom with two twin beds. This is THE ultimate floor plan and size of Avion in our opinion- since we plan to live full time on our 32S beginning no later than 2023. We will be traveling the USA and become “snowbirds” and “chase 70 degrees “since we have children and grandchildren in AZ and VT.

SO OUR SECOND AVION CHAPTER BEGINS….

Below is a photo slideshow of our 1987 32S. We are the fourth owners (again!). This coach has been very well taken care of and the previous owner to us did a lot of the upgrades we would have planned to do! The coach was originally sold and used in Florida until 8 years ago. These are quite rare because this floor plan strangely enough was only manufactured for a limited number of years (3 we believe) by the Avion Corporation.

Some key features in the ’87 32S models are the large “picture window” in the salon, the panoramic window wall in the rear bedroom and the front U-shaped kitchen in the nose of the trailer. This floorplan allows for a real feel of a separation of meal prep, relaxing and sleeping space all in 217 square feet of rolling bliss! Interior Tour Video (2021) Exterior Tour Video (2021)

OUR FIRST CHAPTER-Archive about our previous 1973…..(below)

We purchased a 1973 Avion LaGrande model “luxury travel coach ” in September 2016 and sold it Summer of 2020. We were the fourth owners of this vintage trailer. The rig was 28′ total feet long including the awesome vintage bumper, tongue and hitch. Our actual living space was 7’6″‘ wide by approx. 24 feet long! Interior Tour Video (2019)

This blog will continue to chronicle our story, our personal touches, trailer upgrades and required maintenance to ensure another four decades of camping heritage…as well as of course, our travel journeys with The Pewter Palace herself. We have included separate categories of pages for various projects to be easier to find topics and for us to keep things somewhat organized by chronological date. Hope you enjoy our blog. Please let us know! You can also show your support on our Grateful Growler page

We hope you enjoy our blog! Please follow us and our journeys here and on our YouTube Channel by subscribing!

BELOW is a short slide show uploaded in 2024 to include some photos of interior changes we have made since going full time in May 2023.

Kevin & Luisa Sherman

18 responses to “About The Pewter Palace…”

Kipp Van Orsdel

April 9, 2018

Love reading your blog about your Avion. We just purchased a 1970 T-28 and I was wondering about the Simple Green HD cleaner you used on yours. Di that just clean it or did it give it that satin shine “wet look”

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1. pewterpalace73
  
  April 10, 2018
  
  Kipp, be sure to only use the purple colored Pro HD Simple Green. It is avail at Lowes or HD. You don’t need a lot. Follow directions for mixing with water. Do not wash your rig in sunlight and be sure to only do one section at a time and rinse, rinse, rinse quickly!!! It cleans well without removing the protectant finish that was originally applied at factory. Washing does not produce the shine unfortunately. But as you wash, when the rig is wet you will see how awesome it does look and that will inspire you to get it done.
  For the shine you will need to do another step which is to use a product called Ever bright after threee rig is very clean and very dry. There are other products too but Ever right seems to be the preferred. For a quick fix, you can wipe on WD40. Yup that’s right. Same stuff that loosens up stuck stuff. Wiping it on sparingly but evenly will give your rig a nice but temporary sheen. It will wash off with first rain storm or trailer bath whichever comes first. Problem with towing it with a WD40 wipe down is that every bug will stick to it and that is a pain to pluck them all off. I think if you are at a seasonal site and not really on the road then WD could be a solution. Good luck and thanks for liking our blog. It is a labor of love for all things Avion! – – Luisa Sherman
  
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William Kent

March 30, 2019

Thanks for your video on installing your front window weather strip! We have to do the same thing to our 74 Avion 25’ Travelcader! Hopefully we won’t have to wait for warmer weather too much longer! We live in Fulton
NY

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1. pewterpalace73
  
  March 31, 2019
  
  William,
  So glad it was helpful! Fulton NY!! So great to know there us another Avioner in the state. Do you belong to the several online Avuon Facebook groups? Are you a member of TCT?
  Luisa
  
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2. pewterpalace73
  
  April 8, 2019
  
  Great William! Welcome to Avion ownership. Glad our videos helped. Hope to meet you at a rally. Are you a member of TCT?
  
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William Kent

April 18, 2019

Hopefully we’ll be at Sampson in sept, not with tct! We love the older campers! We’ll stop by and say hi!

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1. pewterpalace73
  
  April 19, 2019
  
  It will be great to meet you at Sampson rally. That actually also is a TCT rally (Northeastern chapter) and I guess from reports they have sold it out and the will be 100 vintage campers. Wow! Kevin and I will also be headed to the TCT Centennial rally in MI next month. Safe travels to you!! Be sure to find us at Sampson state park in NY!! Cant miss us now with our new spare tire cover which says the Pewter Palace.com in big letters.
  
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Melinda M Zaragoza

August 18, 2020

Hello! I just bought an Avion LeGrande, 21″ camper. I love it and will be living in it, semi-permanently, as soon as I get it set up. I do have a problem, hoping you can assist. It is parked on uneven ground and I have no way of moving it again. How high can I chock the wheels up on one side before it becomes to unstable in high winds? It is at 7″ of wood under the wheels now, but needs another 2″. Also, what stabilizing system can be used and where would I place them? The entire underside is aluminum? Thanks for any help. Linda

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1. pewterpalace73
  
  August 23, 2020
  
  Hi Linda,
  what year is your Avion? Where are you located, in what state? perhaps we can locate a fellow Avioner to help you with their tow vehicle to get it to a more level spot. Having it up 9″ on wood, etc. on one side is really pushing it and a strain on the frame and on the tires on the other side. We swear by our Anderson levelers (see our blog post on them) but other companies make similar now. However even they are only good up about 4 inch of raise height. Let me know! best to email me directly at pewterpalace87@gmail.com. Best to you and thank you for viewing our blog. it is a labor of love!= Luisa
  
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Terry Pressel

September 20, 2021

Hello, I am currently remodeling a 1974, 28’ travelcader, and I would love to ask you guys a few questions as well as show you what we have done so far.

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1. pewterpalace87
  
  September 20, 2021
  
  By all means Terry! Ask us anything and we will try to help or connect you with someone who can. We would love to see your pictures!– luisa
  
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2. pewterpalace87
  
  September 20, 2021
  
  Not sure 8f my post went thru. …
  By alleans ask us anything and please do share photos!
  
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mattbuguy

September 7, 2022

Great having dinner with you on the Coast Starlight! You two are wonderful and we wish you happy now and once you begin your post-retirement phase. Matt & Tim

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1. pewterpalace87
  
  September 8, 2022
  
  Thanks so much! We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you both and spending dinner together. Have fun at the party and we will let you know when we are RVing in CA! Would love to have you come for Happy Hour at the Pewter Palace!
  
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What is “The Pewter Palace”? | ThePewterPalace-Our Love Affair with Avions

January 18, 2023

[…] As a shortcut to find out a little more about our 1987 32S Avion and us, click here! […]

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We Narrowly Avoided a Catastrophic Accident – Frame Failure! – ThePewterPalace-Our Love Affair with Avions

August 10, 2024

[…] and as always we welcome your comments, suggestions and appreciate it if you would subscribe to our blog and our YouTube […]

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Gerry

August 5, 2025

I just purchased a 1976 la grande and need some misc. parts. Can you help. Thanks, Gerry

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1. pewterpalace87
  
  August 7, 2025
  
  Hi Gerry,
  Congrats on buying your Avion! As for parts the best overall option for body parts are the several Facebook groups for Avion owners. There is a specific one for Restoration, repair and parts. The other “owner” ones may offer parts for sale now and then too as well as the ‘avions for sale group. We suggest you ask to join all groups. Just do a search on Facebook for Avion and they will pop up. Ask to join as they are private groups to try to keep spammers to a minimum.
  
  We have also found some help with parts by looking at airstream parts sellers although their markup is high.
  
  As for appliances and other interior things like plumbing pipes etc those are typically replaced with modern parts nowadays.
  
  Lastly when seeking parts especially always list the year, length and model (LaGrande or travelcade) in your request. Photos of the original part helps as well. The more photos the better. There are people who part out Avions now and then. Some parts in Avions rarely changed parts from the later 70s thru 80s so don’t feel you can only use parts from 70s. The 50s and 60s models also can share some parts.
  
  Hope this all helps!! The Facebook groups are by far your best resource….along with our website of course! We do list some parts on our “resources” page.
  
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ThePewterPalace Our Love Affair with Avions