Exterior end cap: steel or fiberglas?

[JimGolden]

I thought I read somewhere that Airstream (at Wally's direction actually) did in fact make a couple prototype fiberglass trailers. I believe this was the late '50s or,more probably, the early '60s. Wally was always looking for the next improvement. I seem to even remember seeing pictures of them. Maybe they used the mouilds from those to make the end caps for the Argosys?

I did go look at that Keystone Vantage trailer last week; the one that looks like a fiberglass Airstream. I kind of wish I didn't....it's actually a really nice looking coach!

[InsideOut]

I know Airstream made a couple of prototype fiberglass trailers called the "Wally Bee". I have seen the one remaining example - it's here in CO, but in very rough shape having been neglected for so many years. Who knows, someday maybe it will be buzzing around at rallies again...but if I would venture a guess, not in the near future.

Shari

[idroba]

The fiberglass Airstream is in good hands with Luke in Ft. Collins. The last time I talked to him about it he had a new frame built for it. When I looked at it, rough was a nice word for the shell, but Luke is the man to do the job. There were slight outlines of what may have been inside as a "guess guide" to restore the interior. It will be showing up again, I am sure. It is kind of in hiding now.

[ventport]

Just bought a 77 24' made in Cal. both ends steel.

[oldiesel]

We just bought a 1978 24ft twin both end caps are steel and the vin is neither S or V IT IS 24-T8J-20XX The stamping is not real good but it is good enough that the J is not a mistake i cleaned the plate with a pencil eraser so i really can see it.Anyone know what that means?

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by oldiesel

We just bought a 1978 24ft twin both end caps are steel and the vin is neither S or V IT IS 24-T8J-20XX The stamping is not real good but it is good enough that the J is not a mistake i cleaned the plate with a pencil eraser so i really can see it.Anyone know what that means?

Interesting... since V is for Versailles, OH then is J for Jackson Center?

[Bootsinister]

I love this Forum!!

Reading through tonight I came across this thread and i am floored !! I haven't had my coach long but tapping on the end caps never sounded quite right!! I have speculated that they were fiber glass, A- there condition .. they appear flawless B- just don't have a metal sound when tapping.. My coach is not here right now as i have it parked where i am working for the next two months about 75 mile from home. I will see it again on wed night and will be armed with a magnet.. I just thought i was crazy to even think that it may be fiberglass... Just to share the info i have a 1975 22' (lei$ure) with the street side dinette!! interesting enough my VIN carries a V!!! The plot thickens

[idroba]

The suspense is killing me. A V in the VIN and maybe fiberglass end caps? Is there no end to the variations?

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by idroba

The suspense is killing me. A V in the VIN and maybe fiberglass end caps? Is there no end to the variations?

Me too! I went out to my Argosy again and checked the front cap with a magnet. It is steel, no paint, but does not have rust! What gives?

[idroba]

luck roger,pure luck

[Bootsinister]

Well

Here it is 1975 22' with a V in the Vin ... Both the front and the back are fiberglass!! Checked with magnet!! HA i thought so.. Feeling a bit vindicated (or a little less stupid ) as i thought i must be crazy to even speculate that they were fiberglass.. Could it have been an Option? The original owner of lei$ure was a very particular fellow... When I purchased our coach it came with a stack of papers and in them were a few of his letters to the dealer outlining what he liked and what he would like changed ( moved the fresh water input away from the holding tank, added the bathroom vent, reported back that the inside of the cabinets got dusty and the chassis need to be better sealed ) Could it have been an option ?? Not Likely ?? This coach was originally purchased in Oregon ?? Hope this post helps or adds to the mystique !! I LOVE ARGOSY !!!

[idroba]

Bootsinister: Thanks for that report, so now we know that fiberglass end caps occurred on both Ohio made Argosy's and California made ones. Yours is the first report showing that. Now, the Airstream mother ship says all Argosy's were made in Ohio, but we know that is wrong.

I somehow doubt it was an option but more than that, no one knows yet.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by birdsurfs

I'm in California but my serial numbers read

M
20
D
4
V
0
1
2
8
I don't know what the M is for unless it's for Motorhome and the D unless it refers to my model having the bathroom directly behind the drivers seat.

birsurfs, your motorhome serial number is the 2nd earliest that I have noted on the forum. Below is the list that I've been able to compile for Argosy motorhomes. No guarantees that its accurate but its the best I could do with the information I was able to glean from various threads.

Now I know why Bibbs 1976 unit has an S in the serial number. I didn't realize there was a California plant making Airstreams/Argosys. Bibbs has what appears to be the only California produced motorhome, at least that has been recorded on the forum.

1974
M24T4V0100 - fozzies
M20D4V0128 - birdsurfs
M20D4V0159 - bkahler
M20D4V018X - david
M24D4V0217 - 74Argosy24MH
M24T4V01044 - bibbs

1975
M26T5S5392 -bibbs

1976
M28D6V5244 - TricoastalJoey

1977
M28D7V5215 - 77 R Gocmh
M28T7V5391 - warbs
M28D7V5558 - darrel

1978
M28B8V5305 - thenewkid64
M28D7V5418 - QBee

1979
M24R9V5001 - huberto
M24R9V5004 - RichardT
M249RV5016 - LeeMo
M28A9V5054 - RealshineyOne
M24R9V5102 - RichardT
M24R9V5114 - Teemack
M24R9V5117 - Keith53
M24R9V5119 - Puffin Potter
M28A9V5131 - rvlover
M249RV5181 - LeeMo
M28A9V5195 - Bob66789
M28A9V5220 - zamboni

As for my 74 Arogsy motorhome the end caps are definitely steel.

Brad

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by birdsurfs

My 1974 20' Argosy MH has been stripped down to the bare Aluminum AND Steel end caps so nothing is hidden here.

birdsurfs, does your Argosy have any outside storage compartments in the lower corners at the rear? Mine has on on each side in the lower corner plastic/ABS area and one aluminum hatch that gives access to the area under the bed where the electrical box is at the drivers rear.

My 20' is also a front bath unit.

Brad

[DryFly]

OK, so my 20' 1972 (built in Sept) has galvanized steel end caps, both fore and aft. I'll check the VIN and post where it was made.

[JCRC]

Old thread, but I just found out that my 75 24D has fiberglass exterior endcaps. It was not made in California, and they are definitely original. Made it a bit harder to fix the running light grounds...

[gdaymate]

Originally Posted by idroba

I am reviving this thread with some new information and questions for all Argosy Owners.

In corresponding with Kevin Allen about this, I got a thoughtful reply, part of which follows:

"There are no absolutes when dealing with the first generation Argosy line. While I haven't heard about fiberglass endcaps before, their existence as an experiment would not surprise me in any way. There are a number of things that have been learned/discovered about the first generation Argosy trailers that Airstream won't confirm or deny. The most perplexing being that despite the corporate stance that all first generation Argosy travel trailers were produced in Versailles, OH; while VIN numbers have been confirmed that have the "S" for Cerritos, CA rather than the "V" for Versailles, OH.

I have long suspected that Airstream may have experimented with some use of fiberglass at some point in the first generation Argosy production. I can still remember when Mann Trailer Sales in Normal, IL was selling Argosy trailers in the late 1970s, the continuing story about town was that these coaches were fiberglass replicas of Airstreams. I didn't start digging into the history of these coaches until shortly before my purchase of the Minuet in 2005. I suspect that the 1975 experiment with fiberglass endcaps may have been in preparation for motorhome changes, but this is pure speculation. The use of fiberglass for the endcaps may have been an attempt to prevent that galvanic reaction that can be present with the galvanized steel/aluminum juncture. I also wonder if the fiberglass endcaps may have been an alternative to the galvanized panels in field repairs of damaged units.

There have been constant reports of first generation Argosy trailers with fiberglass exteriors. I have yet to discover reliable evidence of their existence . . . but it certainly would not surprise me to learn that a short run of fiberglass first generation Argosy trailers may have been completed as an experiment."

So, I went to look at my '75, 22' rear door Argosy and the VIN # has an S in it, not a V which indicates it was made in the California Plant in Cerritos, not in Versailles Ohio as Airstream says all Argosy's were.

I then contacted Rogerdoger who said his '75 had one steel end cap, and the other was fiberglass. I mentioned the VIN # to him also. This is his reply:

"Interesting info, because my serial# is 28T5Sxxxx which indicates California.
Also, the tag by the door says "Valley Travel Center, Salinas, California" which indicates it was first sold in Cali. Does not necessarily mean made in Cali, but I think the "S" in the serial# does."

Therefore both Rogerdoger's and my Argosy have fiberglass end cap(s) and were '75's made in California.

For now, my question to everyone who has an Argosy, especially a '75, but any other year too, is this:

Take a magnet and see if your front and/or rear outer end caps are magnetic. If they are NOT, please post that information for us. If you can, also look at your VIN # to see if it has an S in it rather than a V, indicating it was made in California (S).

We (Kevin and I both) really appreciate your help on this project of historical discovery. We suspect there could be more.

Thanks very much.

He said # 2 production 1972

[JCRC]

That is really cool. Do you have more pictures or info about this trailer. I've seen only 2 trailers (including mine) with the fiberglass end caps above the windows, but full nose and tail? Wow.

[66Overlander]

I do not have conclusive first hand proof, but have heard reports of Argosy's with fiberglass exterior endcaps built in both Cerritos and Versailles in 1975, and a report of a 1976 built in Versailles with possibly a fiberglass rear endcap only.

I must also note that first generation Argosy trailers were built in three plants, not two and Airstream now understands this, though some employees may have been misinformed in the past:

• Versailles, OH: 1972-1979 model years (MYs)
• Cerritos, CA: 1974-1978 MYs
• Jackson Center, OH: 1978-1980 MYs (a very few 1980s were built in the 1979 calendar year)

As for Argosy motorhomes, they were built as follows:

• Versailles, OH: 1974-1978 MYs
• Cerritos, CA: 1975-1978 MYs (most reported Cerritos MHs are 1975s)

This seems to disprove the idea that the fiberglass exterior endcap experiment was a precursor to the development on the Argosy motorhome, as motohomes were in production before the first reported cases of a fiberglass exterior endcap on an Argosy trailer, not to mention that for sure the motorhome front endcaps was shaped differently than the trailer front endcaps (not sure if the rear endcaps were identical, tho).

[gdaymate]

Originally Posted by JCRC

That is really cool. Do you have more pictures or info about this trailer. I've seen only 2 trailers (including mine) with the fiberglass end caps above the windows, but full nose and tail? Wow.

This is all pictures I have TCT event this last weekend in Michigan. He completely customized it with a rear door.