SILVERAVION :: Archives

We our the proud owners of a 1977, 28' La Grande that we purchased back in June, 2001 for $4300 dollars. At that time I was just looking for something that I could afford that was in reasonably good shape when I found this one. It needed some work but overall it was in much better shape than our old 1979, 28' Vega.

This was a time of changes. The silhouette changed shortly before and the anodized aluminum had a much shinier appearance than earlier models.

The first time that I towed it I was so impressed how well it handled. The brakes only worked on one wheel, the front rock guard was beyond repair, there was no awning (or hardware except for the awning rail) and there was no battery box. This picture is pretty much how it looked when we got it.

This picture is what we have done so far. We have replace the roof vent covers and installed new fan motors, installed a new rock guard, completely replaced all of the brakes, installed new tires and wheels, and installed a new Zip Dee awning.

We have also added a satellite antenna. We need to repair the floor in the bathroom but other than that it is functional and we have used it in temperatures that were in the low twenties.

Our Tow Vehicle is a 1994 Dodge B-350 Maxi-Van. It has a 360 CU engine and a 3:23 gear ratio rear end. I have installed a heavy duty transmission cooler and 4 super duty shocks with helper springs. Hey, don't laugh, it's paid for! I installed a Class IV Drawtite hitch and I use 1000 pound load bars. I have dual cam sway bars but I haven't installed them yet. The rig handles well but I plan to install them just as an added safety measure. I have to reposition the propane tanks to facilitate it. Speaking of the propane tanks, they are 40# aluminum and I had the valves changed over to the OFP type. It cost me $35 for the change (both tanks) and tank inspection. I was assured that I easily have another 20 plus years on the tanks. I installed a new battery box from Wal-Mart as well.