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Old 05-23-2006, 11:06 PM   #1
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1978 24' Argosy 24
Woodinville , Washington
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New owner: '78 Silver Argosy 24D

Well, after much searching we ended up with a nice condition 1978 Argosy 24' trailer with the double bed arrangement. The thing that immediately jumps out at you is this trailer is painted silver (Argent in Ford speak ;+). My first question for the forum, were any of the trailers painted this color from the factory? This is obviously repainted. They did an excellent job. The finish is automotive quality smooth and shinny. There's no obvious overspray and anywhere so all the emblems, lights, etc. were removed before painting but normally I'd expect to find some hint of the original color. Even underneath, inside the inspection covers and on the hinges this trailer looks all the world to have always been silver.

Second question, at the back bumper there are two places where it looks like 1" square tubing can slide it and there's even holes on the side for a locking pin. Is this standard and does someone make a cargo platform that slides in here?

One more question while I'm at it. Looks like the two outside tail light bezels were removed (guessing one was damaged). Is there a parts source to replace these? I saw one picture, not sure which year where the back-up and tail lights were the same separate square lenses but surrounded by a common bezel. I like the look of that. And if there's a way to update to LEDs other than just using the LED bulbs with the standard bayonet mount that would be really great.

-the Haydens,
New Happy Campers
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Old 05-24-2006, 07:15 AM   #2
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1995 30' Limited
Ashland , Missouri
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Your new Argosy looks great. I like the silver painted color, which does seem unusual if it originally came with that finish. Cannot help you with the tech question on tail lights, but someone on the forum will chime in, I'm sure. Welcome to the forum and happy travels! ~G
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Old 05-24-2006, 01:38 PM   #3
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1978 24' Argosy 24
Woodinville , Washington
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Max & Georgia,

Thanks for the compliment on the trailer. We like it but then we might be just a little bit bias

Noticed Washington was one of the few States you don't have colored in on your Avatar. Let me know when you're headed this way and I can tell you which of the guide book lies to believe. There's lots to see and do up here in the Pacific Northwest. Every season has something different to offer but be ready of cold and or wet if you come late fall or winter.

BTW, where do you get the cool little map and how do you color in the states you've visited?

-Bernie
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Old 05-24-2006, 01:41 PM   #4
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Your Argosy paint looks very nice. You're right - whoever repainted it did a very nice job. Tailight bezels changed over the years. Your best bet might be to find a pair and replace both left and right. Earlier years has a plastic trim panel that ran the entire width of the trailer while later years looked more like the Airstream version. Airstream bezels would probably be interchangeable, too. Think about bringing your new toy to our Silver Falls rally in July. It's shaping up to be a pretty good turnout. Check the rally calendar for details. Darol
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Old 05-24-2006, 02:23 PM   #5
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1995 30' Limited
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Bernie, thanks for the invitation! Washington, Oregon, the NW area is big on our list of places we must see with our Airstream. About the cold, we camp lots in northern Minnesota where it is not unusual in August to have nights in low 40's or even high 30's and chill damp 50's in the day, but we love it after the heat and humidity of Missouri in summer. The avatar map is available if you use the search tool for "states map", I believe. Just recently we had a thread that gave all the directions for this. It's fun to do. Some people just fill in states where they've stayed with their Airstreams. Others, like us, fill in the states we've visited. Might be fun to keep two going! Let us know if you don't find the link. We'll be sure you get it. ~G
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Old 05-24-2006, 05:08 PM   #6
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1976 31' Sovereign
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Beautiful Argosy. I'm partial to the cream colored ones myself, but your's is very, very nice. I have a 78, 24ft, double bed one too. Great little trailer.
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Old 04-06-2007, 08:41 AM   #7
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ocala , Florida
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my parents have a 23' safari with the round slide in pole things on the left and right side of the bumper.they bought the safari from a guy who worked at "walts rv",an airstream repair shop here in florida.tommy said they were used for apx. 5' poles with another pole going across the two of them connecting at the top.it must of been an option,but he said they were used as a clothes line.hope that helps.
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Old 07-02-2013, 08:31 AM   #8
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Marietta , Georgia
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wow, that info about the clothes line is pretty cool...wish we had a pic of that. has anyone else ever heard of that?
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Old 07-02-2013, 08:52 AM   #9
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1972 25' Tradewind
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Check out LED4RV.com for replacement tail lights and LED replacements.
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Old 07-02-2013, 09:24 AM   #10
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I also had success on ebay, although not sure about the longevity of these.
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Old 07-03-2013, 06:59 PM   #11
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1964 26' Overlander
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
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New owner: '78 Silver Argosy 24D

Greetings bhayden!

Welcome to the world of Vintage Argosy ownership!

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhayden View Post
Well, after much searching we ended up with a nice condition 1978 Argosy 24' trailer with the double bed arrangement. The thing that immediately jumps out at you is this trailer is painted silver (Argent in Ford speak ;+). My first question for the forum, were any of the trailers painted this color from the factory? This is obviously repainted. They did an excellent job. The finish is automotive quality smooth and shinny. There's no obvious overspray and anywhere so all the emblems, lights, etc. were removed before painting but normally I'd expect to find some hint of the original color. Even underneath, inside the inspection covers and on the hinges this trailer looks all the world to have always been silver.
So far as I have learned through my research, there weren't any first generation Argosy travel trailers delivered with anything other than the "standard" color scheme for that model year. Argosy Motorhomes, on the other hand, were offered with customization of color scheme through the commercial division of Airstream. That is one of the fun things about owning an Argosy there isn't any negativity associated with choosing a color scheme that is different from original. In 1978, everything above the rub-rail was painted the same off-white/light beige . . . the banana wraps, hitch, and bumper were painted a bright metallic copper color that is very difficult to match in today's paints (Minuets) or a medium brown (Standard Argosy) . . . Chevrolet offered a very close color in 2005 on the Colorado and Dodge is offering a very close color on its current line-up of trucks and suvs. The full-size 1978 Argosy travel trailers had a trim band at the beltline in the same medium brown as the rest of the trim (the Minuets did not have the beltline trim band color).

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhayden View Post
Second question, at the back bumper there are two places where it looks like 1" square tubing can slide it and there's even holes on the side for a locking pin. Is this standard and does someone make a cargo platform that slides in here?
I have seen these fixtures serving two different purposes. As described by an earlier poster, the collapsible clothesline device. I have also seen a stabilizer that utilized these fixtures. I have never watched someone display the stabilizers utilizing those fixtures, but I have seen several after the stabilizers were deployed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bhayden View Post
One more question while I'm at it. Looks like the two outside tail light bezels were removed (guessing one was damaged). Is there a parts source to replace these? I saw one picture, not sure which year where the back-up and tail lights were the same separate square lenses but surrounded by a common bezel. I like the look of that. And if there's a way to update to LEDs other than just using the LED bulbs with the standard bayonet mount that would be really great.
The taillight bezels utilized on the 1978 Argosy travel trailers were either ABS plastic or fiberglass, and become exceptionally brittle with age . . . almost to the point of disintegrating at touch. The ABS full-width tail light bezel tends to be even more fragile and most owners have had to extensively reinforce and refinish those bezels during restoration. LEDS-4-RVs recently released an LED replacement set for our Vintage Argosy travel trailers with two lights on each side. I haven't ordered these LED replacements for my Minuet, but they are on my needed replacement parts list. The only solution that I have been able to find in regard to the replacement of broken or missing 1978 Argosy travel trailer tail light bezels is to modify the bezel utilized on an Airstream with the same Monarch Lenses . . . I am still looking for a less involved solution.

Kevin
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