Visit our Popular Forums

josephhhh · 10-06-2006, 10:59 PM

Howdy,
I am restoring a 72 Argosy 26' Trailer. The rear fiberglass tail light housing is so cracked apart it is unuseable. I have reomved it. I saw somewhere in a forum a year or so ago where someone had replaced the single piece tailight assembly with a separate metal housing mounted on each side for each tail light. It was an off the shelf airstream part I think - silver metal looking unit. Each one seemed to fit nicley over the rectangular hole in the trailer. Does anyone know where to get these parts?
Thanks
Joe

**Janet H** · 10-06-2006, 11:42 PM

try the seach tool on the upper blue bar - hope you find it. try searching several ways.

Happycampers · 10-07-2006, 03:45 AM

Hello Joseph.. My hubby Marvin replaced them on our 75 Argosy with the taillights out of an Excella ... it worked great... you live in a beautiful city.. we passed thru there going to Fla last winter.. would you be attending the Georgia Rally w/e of Oct 20-22.. we will be there on our way to Fla... Will try and find the pics and post here..

Happycampers · 10-07-2006, 07:28 AM

Hi Joe, I used tail lights out of an 85 Excella, it isn't real hard just measure twice and cut once. They fit perect if the hole is cut in the right place. This is what it will look like when finished. Marvin

josephhhh · 10-07-2006, 10:01 AM

Hey! You folks are GREAT!
Thanks for all the replies. Marvin, your tail lights are the ones I saw. Now I just have to find the parts...
Joe

josephhhh · 10-08-2006, 09:58 AM

Well, Unfortunately I will have to miss the rally this time. As a hobby, I present bluegrass concerts once a month in an old opera house here in Macon. A year ago my Oct show got booked for Sat Oct 21. Doh!
I hate missing it. I could bring a screw driver and get me some of those tail lights! I'll be at the next one for sure.
Joe

SnorkyII · 11-04-2006, 08:34 PM

Hello Joe: I am in the process of replacing the tail lights on my 73. I originally thought I would use Airstream taillights. After I removed the plastic housing and the lights, I found two very large holes. They were routed out to clear the horizontal lights use on the early model years. Unfortunately the large holes go into the center section. I Have made two .032 thick alumium cover plates to cover most of the holes, and have purchased Grote Versalite double pod, surface mount light assemblies, #51242. I found them the internet for about $25 each. I mounted nutplates on the cover plates, and on the center section for mounting. I hope to finish the assembly tomorrow. I have to install the cover plate rivets and sealant. I have drilled the pilot holes and have them held together with Clekos.

I removed the Argosy nameplate from the lighthousing and will reinstall it on the center section. They drilled the rivet holes thru the center section skin when they installed the nameplate originally.

If you do not have the large holes, then Airstream light housings will work. I have seen them on ebay, and the rv salvage yard in MO has some. A little pricey, $100 each.

Regards, Sam

overlander63 · 11-04-2006, 09:31 PM

If you don't care about originality, Steve Fixx (sfixx here on the forums) used a pair of square school bus taillights for his Argosy 20. A forums search for his user ID should pull up references and pictures. He got the lights from a bus salvage yard pretty cheap, and they cover up the large holes in the trailer, as well.

Daedalus · 11-05-2006, 07:13 PM

GUNNYUSMC on this forum did a nice job with what I believe were '05 or so Bambi LED lights. You can look up his photos and see for yourself. There was some aluminum patching required. Can anyone venture a guess as to what the designers were thinking when they came up with that solution of the Argosy plastic taillight assembly? From a design point of view it seems to my eye inelegant, additive and awkward, so I will be redoing mine also.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ing-26064.html

SnorkyII · 11-06-2006, 06:00 PM

Here is picture of the new tail light installed.

CanoeStream · 11-06-2006, 06:56 PM

Rich Luhr's 'Airstream Life' Vintage Thunder project changed out for individual taillights:
http://www.airstreamlife.com/vintage...5_archive.html
http://www.airstreamlife.com/vintage...2_archive.html

I'm sure there are more details in his blog somewhere -- something for those deepening nights.

SnorkyII · 11-07-2006, 07:27 AM

Rich Luhr used Airstream tail light assemblies on Vintage Thunder, the same as Marvin did, and the same as on my 04 Safari. Neither Rich or Marvin had the large holes in the skin to deal with. Steve Fixx did install 2, 7 inch round school bus lights on his with a plate to cover up the large holes.

I liked the square Grote assemblies, as they use the same housings and lenses used on other Argosys and Airstreams. The later Argosy Minuet used a two square lamp assembly on each side. These Grote assemblies were the closest, readily available replacements I could find.

I considered making a mold of the Argosy light housing, and then making one from fiberglass, but found that the rectangular Peterson light assemblies are no longer available.

Sam

sfixx · 11-07-2006, 08:10 AM

Hi Joe, I did replace my rear lights with school bus tail lights.

I talk about it here on my blog

The installation was straight forward but I did patch the big holes first. Notice I replaced the license plate illuminator also.

Best of luck,

Steve

edleeseng · 08-15-2007, 10:55 AM

Hi. I also need to replace my worn-out and cracked Argosy (1972 20') Tail light assembly. I LOVE the way the 1985 Excella tail lights look but so far, I have been unable to find them. Any suggestions? Tried Inland and have left a message at Airstream. I am in a hurry to find them because I am in the process of stripping and painting the Argosy and would like to know what size hole I will need for the assembly. My Argosy is in limbo!!! But if I can't find it...I will have to do something else. There are already holes behind the assembly that measure 11.5" wide by 5" tall. I noticed some Argosies don't have the holes. Anyway,all advice would be welcomed and appreciated. Thanks!

CanoeStream · 08-15-2007, 11:04 AM

You could give a call to COLAW RV PARTS & SALVAGE | WE HAVE YOUR PART! in Carthage, MO, and see what they have. Maybe they could run out and take a digital photo and email it if you have any question?

R.J. Dial's Vintage Airstream photo archives only go up to 1980 but might be of help if they come up with an older model.

empresley · 08-15-2007, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephhhh

I am restoring a 72 Argosy 26' Trailer.

Joe,
We are just up the road in Forsyth and have an Argosy also.
I will send you a PM with my contact information.

Will be glad to help with your search for parts.

Martin.

Ganglin · 08-15-2007, 02:27 PM

Here's one on ebay you could possibly use - with it being 2002 Airstream would likely have one to match it.

eBay Motors: Airstream Tailight (item 130143385421 end time Aug-18-07 20:56:00 PDT)

edleeseng · 08-23-2007, 12:23 PM

Thanks for all the help. I found the 85 Excella tail lights from Colaw and just got them in the mail today! Can't wait to install them. I will need to modify the back end a bit as there were already holes cut where the tail lights would go. They were hidden by the plastic/fiberlass piece that held the old tail lights. But I checked and the new tail lights will cover all but a small portion on the holes. I will try to post photos once we get them installed . Thanks again.

Carolinda · 01-07-2014, 06:14 PM

We're working on our '73 Argosy and intend to remove the clunky taillight "frame" to install triple (hopefully) taillights flush with the exterior skin (recessed into the cut outs for the original taillights). Like SnorkyII above, I have holes cut into the center rear panel as well. My guess is that we will have to patch the original holes and cut new ones. What is your experience and opinion? And, my second concern is the curve in the panels. Will a flat triple taillight, such as Monarch offers, work under any circumstances, or must we spring for the curved 80's Airstream taillights, provided we can located them? The curved ones look great, like HappyCampers installed, but pricey...

We are almost ready with the interior--I'll post photos when done--maybe in a couple weeks! Time to think about tasks to be addressed to get the ole gal on the road. Thanks for any info or ideas you can provide on the subject of taillight modification, or source of the curved Airstream taillights.

Sprouty · 01-07-2014, 07:30 PM

I bought some used taillights to put on my 73 but did not like how they looked. I sold them and bought 4 round LED lights. I patched the original holes with aluminum that I had cut new holes for the LED lights, here is how it turned out. They are very nice bright lights and pretty cheap from Amazon. I still need to paint the bare aluminum but I think it will look pretty clean when I am done. I also replaced the clearance light with LED.