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Gypsy Jo · 06-09-2009, 04:24 AM

Am new at computer stuff so don't expect anything to fancy. I have finaly gotten mh someplace I could work on it . Have had it in storage for a year. New the engine had two cylinders out a week after I bought it also tranny won't hold fluid. Haven't gotten to tearing into the engine yet . Will take off valve covers first maybe lucky and will be stuck valves.lol. Am going to pull tranny for sure get it rebuilt depending on what i find in engine will try to fix it while still in mh. Inside of mh. Not to bad. All original from carpets to drapes. Had been thinking about tearing most of it out and starting over but after getting it here where I can get better look. Thinking about keeping interior original. new flooring and drapes reupholster everthing. I'm not sure I like all the plastic paneling but it is in good shape. Have a lot of things I am interested in. Found this site a while ago after bought mh. Have learned alot from it and willcontinue to. will try and post pictures soon.Not very good at computer work.

CanoeStream · 06-09-2009, 04:29 AM

Hello Jo - Welcome to the forums! Learning your way around here will become second nature. This thread might help navigate your way -- http://www.airforums.com/forums/f138...ics-44928.html

Of course it gives you assistance with posting pictures

-- we've been known to crawl to posts for some of those.

Where'd you find your baby?

Zeppelinium · 06-09-2009, 08:49 AM

Gypsy, welcome. You will become better at computers once you are fully addicted to this forum. Hope you get the help you need, here.

Zep

Gypsy Jo · 06-15-2009, 01:57 PM

Thanks for the hello. I've got to get better can't get worse. Found my Argosy at a swap meet in Kingman Az. Don't know much of it's history. Person I bought it from is not a truth teller. It looks like somebody had been living in it at apark. All ready hooked on airstream site. Have been visiting it for over ayear.

Gypsy Jo · 06-25-2009, 12:47 AM

Ok you said pictures. I will give this a try. Pictures are first day,interior,carpet out right away. Annie my helper. New toilet. I think thats all.Got 4 out of 8 not bad takes along time for them to upload . will pot the other four later.

Gypsy Jo · 06-25-2009, 02:54 AM

More pictures. Pulling carpet up.Insie mh. tv came with mh.More interior,and Annie, best helper.

bkahler · 06-25-2009, 05:37 AM

Jo,

Looks good! Doesn't look like you have to do much to get it back on the road.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Brad

todbot · 06-25-2009, 06:41 AM

Looks like you have some good "bones" to work with. We have a 1978 28' and love it. Hope the engine and tranny woes are easily addressed.

Todd

Gypsy Jo · 06-26-2009, 07:59 PM

yes. The more I get inside and cleaning the more Iam impressed with the workmanhip. Like pulling up the carpet was easy. Had actual tack strips. The mh Ilive in now I would have to tear out the walls and all the cabinets to get all of the carpet out. All of the interior systems are working I have a broken water line that was my fault.This will be my first venture into copper plumbing. The guy at the hardware store sold me some kind of fitting so you don't have to solder anyhing.I will find out.Unfortunately I am not going to be able to get into the engine and tranny problem until some time in August have a trip planned to Colo. in july.So I am keeping myself happy by working on the inside. I have went from tearing everything out and starting over to seeing what I need to do to move into it. I made a big sign that says if it works don"t fix it.So far everything is looking good kitchen cabinet needs some work.but other than a good cleaning ,some new curtains ,and some fuzzy window stuff and outside window gaskets and new flooring Oh crap there is always more to do can't keep listing .Will keep posted on progress and pics

Sarah in SC · 06-29-2009, 09:14 AM

Your coach pictures are great! We have a 76 28' that we are thinking of pulling up the carpet and putting down wood.
Would you tell me more about the fuzzy window stuff? I can't get the bus windows up front open very easily and was wondering if I should replace the fuzzy (well, not any more) tracks they slide in, or wax them or something. Any ideas?
Thanks!

Gypsy Jo · 06-29-2009, 07:51 PM

Hello, Just got to love the Argosy. I am planning on replacing my Fuzzy window stuff for that reason. Haven't got started on it yet but its on the list. The stuff to replace it is kind of expensive but it will be nice to open windows. Andy at inland rv gets the real as fuzzy channel.Good luck. I'll look around for your stuff on the forums . I think I'm going to go with cork for the floor I hear it has some cushion to it .Am going to check lumber liquidators when it is time .

Sarah in SC · 06-30-2009, 07:04 AM

Thanks--I did call the folks at Inland. I think we'll do one of them at a time--there are 4 different items you need to replace the fuzzy stuff on the big bus windows up front! And we can sort of get the windows to open now, but it takes a triple dose of elbow grease to move them.

I wondered about the cork, I think it would have good sound dampening qualities, but I would hate to have to wax it. I was thinking that laminate would be easier to maintain.

These old coaches are so much fun, though! Good luck with yours!

Gypsy Jo · 06-30-2009, 08:12 PM

My fuzzy channel is pretty funky in most of my windows. So am just going to bite the bullet and get it all at the same time also the postage.Didn't know you had to wax cork .Will have to check into that Certainly not going to be waxing floors!! I need to have something that is not to slick ,no carpet .Thats still afew days down the road.Does your mh run good?

Sarah in SC · 07-01-2009, 06:29 AM

My friends that put cork down in their kitchen have to wax it every week. Ugh!
Most of the other windows in mine work fairly well--just the big ones up front are a bear. Otherwise our MH is in pretty good shape, fortunately. We bought her back in 2003 from Brett, one of the long-time contributors to this board, and she's still a peach!

DH is pretty handy with the mechanical stuff, so she runs quite well. For my 40th birthday coming up in a couple of years, we are going to get a nice custom paint job done on the exterior. I can't wait!

Gypsy Jo · 07-05-2009, 01:13 PM

Great B-Day present. I'm afraid any paint mine will get for awhile will be applied by me. The only really bad paint is on the caps I think I will prime and then paint with spray paint . I will hve to look around for some flooring cause I won't be doing any waxing. If I had known what I was looking for I would have checked out the forums.But I didn't know about them till after I bought my Argosy.I knew I wanted an aluminum body motor home. I have a fiberglass one now .Well I think me getting this Argosy was fate. I hadn't been to the kingman swap meet for months and just had to go that Sat. I had seen the Argosy in town during the week at a garage(clue engine might be messed up) But was surprised to see it for sale at the meet.I looked at it and drove away I didn't get more than a couple of blocks before I turned around and put a deposit on it. I probably would have bought it even if I had known the motor was messed up but maybe a little less money .She's my baby now Will just work through it till I get livable and movable. movable first.Maybe some day will see each other on the road.

Gypsy Jo · 07-08-2009, 06:59 PM

Well my trip will be postpned due to generator problems in current motorhome $1000 and three weeks worth of problems thats another story. Not taking it to bad because now that means I can start in on My Argosy .Will have to get hold of Andy at inland rv for supplies.Am going for the leaks first then I am headed to the engine and tranny course its only hitting the low hundreds hear so I have a feeling it will be early morning motorhome work and afternoon pool work.Will keep posted with pics know how we love em.

Gypsy Jo · 08-14-2009, 03:28 PM

Here are some engine work pics.Am going to replace engine and tranny with one I have in current mh.the rocker arm we put back on the push rod and it bent the push rod twice so something else is wrong so for piece of mind I am going to use engine I have and know.Also I am impressed with the access to the engine on my Argosy you can get to almost everything from on top.Won't be getting back to the engine for awhile .I live in and use the mh the engine is coming out of so will get the argosy ready to live in and then do the engine tranny swap.Any way thats the plans. Now will see how that works out.

bkahler · 08-16-2009, 08:22 PM

Jo,

Sounds like you have a plan. Only comment I can make is it seems like a lot of work to pull out of your current motorhome. No chance for you to find a chevy pickup that has a good running 454 in it? That's the route I took for our Argosy. We had a 81 chevy 1-ton pickup and ended up pulling the engine to install in the Argosy. I did have it rebuilt but could probably have used it as is, at least for a while.

Anyway, food for thought.

Good luck!

Brad

deltatango · 08-16-2009, 08:43 PM

I have a 280 that I'm restoring.

I would freshen that engine that your getting. New bearings, seals, valve job, etc. easy while it's out right?

I'm thinking of rubber commercial flooring. Maybe even the 3/4 stuff they put in gyms and horse trailers.

What did you think?

Gypsy Jo · 08-17-2009, 10:30 AM

The motorhome engine only has 34,000 miles on it and the motor home isn't really worth anything it has a chronic leak problem and being stick built you know the rest of the story and I am going to be using the some of the appliances .At one point I had thought about using rearend and fontend and putting them in the Argosy only because they are newer but that was a dumb idea since there is nothing wrong with the Argosy.The mh the engine is coming out of is a 1988 and I have lived in it for quite awhile not much traveling lately short trips Qzite and Colo.it runs excellent.On the flooring you might have to worry about smell some friends put in industrial linoleum and they think it smells.Other than that a rubber floor would be cool.I like the idea of some cush.