Touch up painting an Argosy

juel · 11-09-2004, 05:30 PM

Has anyone tried to paint that little stripe around the bottom of the Argosy? The other paint looks great, including the mid stripe, but that little stripe at the bottom needs some help. I wonder if I can touch it up myself . I think I read somewhere that someone had painted their Argosy with a brush and paint from HD. They said it looked pretty good. I think they just painted the top. Any ideas?

overlander64 · 11-09-2004, 06:28 PM

Greetings Juel!

Matching the existing paint will depend in part whether the original color is the dark brown that was typical of the standard line Argosys or the Metallic Copper/Rust that was more typical of the Minuets. With the dark brown for small areas, you should be able to get a fair match using the Lilly Coatings Paint as follows: Lower--Metallic Brown 44721-AM. If your coach happens to have the Copper/Rust, it will be difficult if not impossible to match with a touch-up product as it contained lead as well as a few other components that can no longer be incorporated in paint products so the new formulations produce a color that is VERY noticeably different than the original. Most automotive paint supply stores can mix the color and put it in an "aerosol" type spray container for touch-ups.

I am planning on a complete repaint on my Minuet with the Copper/Rust metallic banana wraps and my current plan is to utilize one of the new Ford Truck colors that is very similar to the original Copper/Rust metallic paint on my coach's banana wraps.

Good luck with your touch-up project!

Kevin

Moonshot · 11-09-2004, 06:31 PM

I use spray paint on the end caps of my Argosy. It does not look good, but keeps it from rusting until I can get it done right.

The stripe you are speaking of, is it the vinyl strip that is inside a channel? That's what I have on the bottom of mine. The seller replaced mine before he sold it to me. The vinyl strip doesn't cost a lot. I'll try to find a picture...

Moonshot · 11-09-2004, 06:48 PM

The black vinyl strip at the bottom just above the banana wrap is what I'm talking about. Is this the stripe you are wanting to touchup?

juel · 11-09-2004, 08:25 PM

I don't have a black vinyl strip at the bottom. I have a large brown stripe in the middle of the trailer and then about a 3 inch brown stripe around the bottom of the trailer. I can't really tell for sure if the paint is a true brown or something special. I have only seen pictures of the trailer. I will pick it up next week. I wish I was smart enough to get a picture of it on this sight because there are pictures of it advertized on the internet. I just don't have a clue how to get them over to this sight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonshot

The black vinyl strip at the bottom just above the banana wrap is what I'm talking about. Is this the stripe you are wanting to touchup?

juel · 11-09-2004, 08:28 PM

Thank you all for the input. If someone could tell me how to get pictures on this sight I would love to do that. How in the world do you get pictures in your replies?

Moonshot · 11-09-2004, 08:36 PM

Juel,

I'd say give the paint a try on a small area. I've seen plenty of Airstreams that have the blue stripe repainted and at least from a distance they look fine.

If you click on the Reply button or click Go Advanced at the bottom of a thread you can type in a reply then click Manage Attachments. This opens a new window where you can browse to the file (picture) you wish to upload. Now, for my pic in this thread I had already posted this pic in a different thread. I went to that thread and "lifted" the link to my pic and used the IMG tag to insert it here. I'd never done that before, but it worked out pretty nicely.

There is a height/width limitation (100X100, I think) and an overall size limitation (can't remember what) on what you can upload to this website.

juel · 11-10-2004, 04:29 AM

Oh my gosh.....I have no idea what you just said. I think I had better stick to redoing the trailer and leave the computer stuff to you. The "upload" and "lifted the link" are way beyond anything I know how to do. Thanks for the encouragement on the paint. Let you know how that works out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonshot

Juel,

I'd say give the paint a try on a small area. I've seen plenty of Airstreams that have the blue stripe repainted and at least from a distance they look fine.

If you click on the Reply button or click Go Advanced at the bottom of a thread you can type in a reply then click Manage Attachments. This opens a new window where you can browse to the file (picture) you wish to upload. Now, for my pic in this thread I had already posted this pic in a different thread. I went to that thread and "lifted" the link to my pic and used the IMG tag to insert it here. I'd never done that before, but it worked out pretty nicely.

There is a height/width limitation (100X100, I think) and an overall size limitation (can't remember what) on what you can upload to this website.

COArgosy78 · 11-10-2004, 10:00 AM

Hey Juel - I'm going to attempt to give you some definitions here to maybe help clear up some confusion when you get your trailer. In reference to some of what was said above:

RUBRAIL - this is a metal channel running around the bottom circumference of some AS and Argosy trailers that usually has a vinyl insert. In the 1st pic below, I am replacing the RUBRAIL and I am on the CURBSIDE of my trailer. The STREETSIDE of the trailer is the opposite side.

BELTLINE - this is a metal channel running around the middle circumference that usually has a vinyl insert. 2nd pic shows me replacing the BELTLINE. Some trailers also have additional BELTLINE vinyl stickon type decoration (like the pic above from Moonshot). These are NOT in a metal channel, but is stuck to the side going around the trailer - like alot of cars & trucks have added for decoration. In Moonshot's pic, he has the metal channel in between orange vinyl stickons (or orange paint?).

BANANAWRAP - is aluminum part of trailer that wraps up from underneath and is just below the RUBRAIL. (this is my understanding and may need further investigation) On the Argosy trailers, it is usually painted a darker color than the rest of the trailer as mentioned by Kevin above.

BELLYPAN - is aluminum underneath the trailer and is connected to BANANAWRAP. This, too, is painted the darker color.
There is more, but I won't overload you at this point.

Being able to download pics usually requires that they be stored somewhere within your computer. We have a software program for photos in our computer called ARCSOFT. It lets us manipulate our pics by changing their size, fine tuning the color, details, fuzziness, etc. and putting them into a format that is accepted on this forum called JPEG. It sounds complicated, and might seem difficult to understand at first, but once you have played around w/it, not so bad. Once you know how to use the pic software in your computer, it is really a breeze to send them here within a particular posted thread, or into your own GALLERY within the Airstream Photo Forum. Don't worry - as I said in an earlier post, I too am a computer illiterate, but I (and others) will be glad to help you.

Hope all this helps some.

juel · 11-10-2004, 10:19 AM

Well.....my Argosy doesn't look much like the pictures of yours. That BELTLINE is not a channel with a vinyl insert. It's a large brown stripe. The RUBRAIL is the same paint as the beltline without a vinyl strip or channel. I wish I could show you what it looks like; however, I know now that won't happen in my lifetime. I hope you can successfully own an AS without being computer literate. If not, I'm history. Thanks again. I may try a photo sofeware program or pay a friend who builds websites to help me.

COArgosy78 · 11-10-2004, 10:29 AM

Hi again - before replacing our inserts this past summer, our trailer's insert channel was painted. The previous owner had either not been able to get the vinyl insert material, or was not inclined to spend the money. Anyway, it could be that your trailer had the metal channel removed by PO??? I am not real familiar with all the Argosy models, so could be that yours came w/o. I'm guessing you have seen the trailer in person already so you know the channel is gone, or could it be hidden within a paint job (ie, painted over)? So many mysteries yet to be discovered!!!!!!!

juel · 11-10-2004, 04:58 PM

Don't ask me how I did it but I think there are photos of my trailer on here. Please try to get to them if you can. I'm almost as excited about getting these on here as I am about getting the Argosy. I had e-mailed pictures to a friend and I got them off the e-mail and looked at the folder where they were and , well I guess I don't know just how I did it, but I THINK I DID IT. Please let me know if you can see them....ANYONE. Thanks Judy

Quote:

Originally Posted by COArgosy78

Hi again - before replacing our inserts this past summer, our trailer's insert channel was painted. The previous owner had either not been able to get the vinyl insert material, or was not inclined to spend the money. Anyway, it could be that your trailer had the metal channel removed by PO??? I am not real familiar with all the Argosy models, so could be that yours came w/o. I'm guessing you have seen the trailer in person already so you know the channel is gone, or could it be hidden within a paint job (ie, painted over)? So many mysteries yet to be discovered!!!!!!!

overlander64 · 11-10-2004, 06:36 PM

Greetings Judy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by juel

Don't ask me how I did it but I think there are photos of my trailer on here. Please try to get to them if you can. I'm almost as excited about getting these on here as I am about getting the Argosy. I had e-mailed pictures to a friend and I got them off the e-mail and looked at the folder where they were and , well I guess I don't know just how I did it, but I THINK I DID IT. Please let me know if you can see them....ANYONE. Thanks Judy

It looks like you have found a very nice coach. The upholtery isn't original, but is much more attractive than the original (IMHO). I went with something along the same line when I had my Minuet reuphlostered. I believe that COArgosy78 was correct with the observation that the beltline and rubrail mouldings had been painted in the center rather than having the vinyl inserts replaced by a previous owner at some point in time. The good news is that the Argosy organge moulding inserts are being made available by Airstream according information posted here on the Forums recently (the Aristream Factory Parts Center at the Lancing WBCCI International Rally had these moulding inserts available and I purchased enough for my Minuet).

From all indications, I believe that your coach is a regular series Argosy 24 rather than the Minuet. The front center window appears to be too wide for a Minuet, and the Minuets that I have seen do not have the storage lockers above the front lounge.

I am not sure, but believe that either the beltline paint stripe or the banana wraps have been repainted. My suspicion is that the banana wrap has likely been repainted as the hitch and banana wrap appear to be the same color and given the comparative lack of surface rust on the hitch makes me think that this may be a more recent paint update.

It looks like your coach is going to be ready for near immediate enjoyment! Good luck with the get acquainted process!

Kevin

COArgosy78 · 11-11-2004, 08:57 AM

High Fives on the Picture Posts Judy!!!

You have a wonderful looking trailer!! and you are well on your way to being a computer wiz...just like me

Kevin is our resident Argosy expert with much knowledge and material to help us all out. I have asked numerous questions of him and he is alway gracious and quick to reply. He is trying to gather much material for a book, I think, on the trailers, so you can pretty much rely on what info he gives you.

It will be exciting to hear from you after you return with your new family member. (they become very close to your heart). How far do you have to travel to get it? More pics, please!!!