My new project - Argosy 24'

[mprokop87]

Hello everyone. I am in the process of purchasing my first RV, which happens to be a 1976 Argosy 24. My wife and I had always enjoyed camping but we never had any of our own equipment, always borrowed my dad's place for the weekend. I started looking around on CL and other local classifieds to find something cheap that we could try traveling with. One of my coworkers got wind of what I was doing and said his dad had this old motorhome sitting on his property that he had started parting out. He sent me some pictures of it (see attached) and I was immediately interested. I was even more interested when he said the asking price was only $300.

So here is what is needs besides the obvious interior:
-Fridge
-Stove
-Toilet
-Water heater
-Brake lines (pedal went to the floor)
-Rear tail lights
-Mirrors

Also, it doesn't run but it did when it was parked a bunch of years ago. I did some basic diagnosis and I think it's just a grounding issue. Surprisingly the generator is still with it. Something interesting I found under the front is that there were a few air lines that were capped off near the battery tray. Any idea what they are for?


If you guys (and ladies) have any idea where I can find some of these parts let me know. My plan is to keep it looking original on the exterior but upgrade the interior to a more modern contemporary design. The interior was 'upgraded' at one point so most of the original stuff is missing and it is currently torn apart.

I will keep this updated as I make progress with the resto!

[bkahler]

First off, welcome to this forum! The members here have a wealth of information to share.

Originally Posted by mprokop87

Hello everyone. I am in the process of purchasing my first RV, which happens to be a 1976 Argosy 24. My wife and I had always enjoyed camping but we never had any of our own equipment, always borrowed my dad's place for the weekend. I started looking around on CL and other local classifieds to find something cheap that we could try traveling with. One of my coworkers got wind of what I was doing and said his dad had this old motorhome sitting on his property that he had started parting out. He sent me some pictures of it (see attached) and I was immediately interested. I was even more interested when he said the asking price was only $300.

There is absolutely NO way you can go wrong buying the Argosy at that price. The windows alone are worth a lot more than that. With that said the real issue is are you capable of handling mechanical repairs (both engine and coach repairs) yourself? If the answer is yes then it's a great deal. If the answer is no then you will be spending a ton of money to get it road worth and ready for use. If you can just do some of the work then I would probably say the answer is yes, buy it.

So here is what is needs besides the obvious interior:
-Fridge
-Stove
-Toilet
-Water heater
-Brake lines (pedal went to the floor)
-Rear tail lights
-Mirrors

Fridge: $1000 to $1600 depending on size
Stove: $350 to $500
Toilet: $100 to $150
Water heater: $300 to $500
Brakes: $200 to $800
Tail lights: $200 (depending on what all is missing you might need to adapt airstream trailer lights since the Argosy mh lights are no longer available.
Mirrors: $100 to $600 (I might have a pair from a 310 available)

You can buy some of the items above used if you're careful and do your homework before buying.

Also, it doesn't run but it did when it was parked a bunch of years ago. I did some basic diagnosis and I think it's just a grounding issue. Surprisingly the generator is still with it. Something interesting I found under the front is that there were a few air lines that were capped off near the battery tray. Any idea what they are for?

If the motor isn't frozen then there is a good chance the engine will be ok. If you haven't turned it over yet I would squire some automatic transmission fluid (ATF) down each cylinder and let it sit for a few days before cranking it over. The air lines are likely for front air bags that are/were located inside the front coil springs on the suspension. The bags are typically inflated to 55 psi and help improve the ride.

Having a generator is also good but will likely need a thorough going through before regular use.

If you guys (and ladies) have any idea where I can find some of these parts let me know. My plan is to keep it looking original on the exterior but upgrade the interior to a more modern contemporary design. The interior was 'upgraded' at one point so most of the original stuff is missing and it is currently torn apart.

Surprisingly I've got a lot of the appliances for our 310 from ebay. Prices seemed to be as good as found elsewhere and I have yet to have an issue with a vendor.

The interior would probably be the least of my worries. You can literally make it into anything you want.

I will keep this updated as I make progress with the resto!

Good luck and keep us posted as to what you end up doing and your progress.

Brad

[AldeanFan]

That's a great buy!

I'd love to have one, but the wife's cut me off, I'm not allowed to buy anything else with wheels.

In that condition you can make it what ever you want.
I do an almost daily search for Airstream on Ebay, CL ect, and I put the word out to my car guy friends when I need parts, it's amazing who has parts you need.

[bkahler]

Oh yeah, almost forgot tires. Expect to spend $1000+ for the six 16" tires.

You might want to check the tire size and if they are 16.5" tires then start looking for some replacement 16" wheels from a 70s or 80s chevy 1-ton dually pickup. 16" tires are a lot cheaper than 16.5" tires and a lot easier to source as well.

That's what I did on for my 74 Argosy mh and I'm glad I did.

Finding wheels at a good salvage yard shouldn't be to difficult. You've got enough to do that new wheels and tires shouldn't be needed for a while anyway

Brad

[mwells4654]

I agree with bkahler. You can not go wrong at that price. Good luck and keep us informed (with pics) with your progress.

[Alumaholic]

... and what a great project!
I suggest you find a good mechanic to help you with engine, drive train, and all the other automotive stuff.
Take it one step at a time.
The Magic Chef stove you need is for sell in the classified sections of these forums.
bkahler has provided some really good advice.
Keep us posted.
Give us more pictures, please.

[Wazbro]

Nice find I would spend a little extra and get a ceramic toilet instead of plastic.

[mprokop87]

Thanks everyone for helping to reassure me that it was a good buy! I was not too sure at first because of the work involved and my wife is still not sure why on earth anyone would ever want one of these. BKahler, I will be doing most of the work myself (engine included). This thing ran when it was parked 8 or so years ago. The electronics stopped working when someone hooked a battery up with reverse polarity, however, I do not think that this would do any damage and that it was a pure coincidence. I did some testing of the battery cables and I can't seem to get any voltage at the other end of them so this is leading me to believe it is either bad cables or bad ground. Once I replace the cables I will go from there.

Right now my big task is to get the darn thing back home. It's still at the other owners house burried in the stone pad that it was parked on years ago. Surprisingly all of the tires are still holding air! As soon as I get a spot cleared out in my yard I am going to have AAA tow it home. Hopefully this will happen within the next 2 weeks and I will post some new and detailed pictures of her at her new home!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

Thanks everyone for helping to reassure me that it was a good buy! I was not too sure at first because of the work involved and my wife is still not sure why on earth anyone would ever want one of these. BKahler, I will be doing most of the work myself (engine included). This thing ran when it was parked 8 or so years ago. The electronics stopped working when someone hooked a battery up with reverse polarity, however, I do not think that this would do any damage and that it was a pure coincidence. I did some testing of the battery cables and I can't seem to get any voltage at the other end of them so this is leading me to believe it is either bad cables or bad ground. Once I replace the cables I will go from there.

I can't say for certain but there should be a battery disconnect switch somewhere near the battery compartment. So it's possible that the switch is turned off. I'm not certain if the battery cutoff switch affects only the coach battery or the coach and starting batteries.

Assuming it is not the battery disconnect switch the first thing I would do is pull all of the spark plugs so that once you get it to turn over you can build up some oil pressure. Once you have oil pressure then you can try and start the engine. On an engine that has sat that long the bearings are going to be pretty dry so pre-lubing by turning it over without compression will definitely help.

Right now my big task is to get the darn thing back home. It's still at the other owners house burried in the stone pad that it was parked on years ago. Surprisingly all of the tires are still holding air! As soon as I get a spot cleared out in my yard I am going to have AAA tow it home. Hopefully this will happen within the next 2 weeks and I will post some new and detailed pictures of her at her new home!

Be very leery of of having it towed. The back end of the motorhome can easily be damaged by idiot tow truck drivers. I would spend the few extra bucks and have it hauled to your place on a flatbed tow truck. Besides, while it's up on the flatbed you'll have a chance to look at the undeside

Brad

[mprokop87]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I can't say for certain but there should be a battery disconnect switch somewhere near the battery compartment. So it's possible that the switch is turned off. I'm not certain if the battery cutoff switch affects only the coach battery or the coach and starting batteries.

Assuming it is not the battery disconnect switch the first thing I would do is pull all of the spark plugs so that once you get it to turn over you can build up some oil pressure. Once you have oil pressure then you can try and start the engine. On an engine that has sat that long the bearings are going to be pretty dry so pre-lubing by turning it over without compression will definitely help.

Brad,
Thanks for the tips. I was planning on replacing the plugs anyway, I just hope they aren't too bad to get out. The motor home has sunk into the ground so it was hard to get a good look at the bottom side of the engine. Wouldn't that be something if it was just a kill switch? I can only hope!

Originally Posted by bkahler

Be very leery of of having it towed. The back end of the motorhome can easily be damaged by idiot tow truck drivers. I would spend the few extra bucks and have it hauled to your place on a flatbed tow truck. Besides, while it's up on the flatbed you'll have a chance to look at the undeside

My AAA usually brings a flatbed. I checked with them and my current policy covers me for car and RV towing. If I get the right person and I give them the right story I might even be able to get a free tow! If not, it's only a few miles from my house.

Also, I will keep you in mind for the mirrors when I start buying parts. Right now I am not purchasing anything because I do not have the paperwork in my name. As soon as the current owner gets back in town from his business trip (this friday) we are going to setup the transportation.

Matt

[bkahler]

Matt,

Something else to look for would be any wiring that might have been chewed by mice or rats. Unfortunately that is a common occurrence on these sort of vehicles. It's amazing what they seem to find tasty

Good luck!

Brad

[mprokop87]

Update:
Yesterday I was at the place where my Argosy has been sitting for the past few years. She has been emptied out and ready for transport. Based on the last registration sticker she was last moved in 2004 so she sunk into the ground 8 inches or so. With the help of some hydraulic jacks and some chunks of 4x4 it's now sitting level on land. To my surprise, none of the wheels were frozen. I thought for sure one or more would be frozen up. I'm going to over later this week to see if I can get her to turn over. I would love it if the engine would fire up but I'm not counting on it. Once I get it home I will post some updated photos!

[bkahler]

Matt,

I was wondering what was happening with your project. Having the brakes free is a definite bonus after having sat for so long. My 74 Argosy has sat for about 2 years and I had a heck of a time getting the right rear drum off the other day.

Good luck getting it started. You can use starter fluid (judiciously) as you try to start it. If you try and draw gas from the fuel tank check to see if it has an electric fuel pump and if it does make sure it is energized when the ignition is on.

Probably your better alternative would be to use a 5-gallon gas can with a rubber hose ran from the can to the carb. That will elminate any problems with the fuel delivery system.

Good luck!

Brad

[mprokop87]

So big news, SHE RUNS!

Brad, it looks like you were right about the cut off switch. There is a solenoid near the battery box (I thought it was that starter solenoid) that is used to shut off power to the dash and ignition. The switch used to turn the solenoid on runs off off the coach batteries and since there are no coach batteries in the Argosy, that solenoid won't turn on. I bypassed it and was able to get the engine to turn over. With a little starting fluid she started right up, no issues. There is a slight miss but I think it will go away when I replace the plugs. It was also smoking blue a bit but that died down after running for 20 minutes. The only thing that I do not know is if it will shift into gear. I tried to shift it but the tranny is a little low on fluid. I will pick some up tomorrow or this week.

Overall I am ecstatic about today's progress. This week and next weekend I am going to start working on the brakes so I can easily move it around. Once that is done I am going to start putting the basic systems back into it. There is a junk yard in Buffalo, NY (only an hour drive) that I used to go to when I was younger and lived there. They get in RVs and I should be able to get a water heater and the drinking water storage tank/pump. Might even be able to pick up a nice stove and fridge. I will keep posting pics and updates in this forum to keep you guys/gals up to date.

[bkahler]

Congratulations Matt!

Nice to hear you're making progress. Did you start it up from a gas can or are you pulling fuel from the onboard gas tank? If you're running it on old gas that could be part of the "miss" problem. One other possibility is the spark plug cables themselves. The 454s seem to go through spark plug cables regularly even more so if you still have the cast iron headers. Lots of heat there.

Have you had the motorhome towed to your place yet?

When you go through the brakes I would highly recommend replacing the rubber hoses before you even start. They aren't that expensive and having sat that long they are bound to be dry rotted.

The rear brake hose is Napa # 36765
The front brake hoses are O'Reilly # SP5359 and SP5371 (right & left)

Brad

[mprokop87]

Thanks for the info on the parts. I started it from the gas in the tank. I do plan to replace plugs, wires, and the radiator. Any clue as to how difficult that is?

I was supposed to get it towed last Saturday but after about four hours of prep the truck driver showed up, gave about twenty minutes to try to hook up and then gave up. Said that he didn't have right equipment, even though he did. Now today I got another company to show up and it took him ten minutes to hook up to a much smaller wrecker before I even got there. I was very impressed, unfortunately I was so excited I forgot to take a picture of it on the wrecker.

I forgot to mention before that the manuals I have from Argosy are owners, not service manuals. But, they do have some helpful schematics in it.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

Thanks for the info on the parts. I started it from the gas in the tank. I do plan to replace plugs, wires, and the radiator. Any clue as to how difficult that is?

Replacing the plugs and wires isn't difficult. The radiator is a different story!

Since your's has the front still assembled, unlike mine, your best bet is to raise the jack the front end up quite a bit and remove the radiator from below. The later motorhomes have a radiator that sits on top of the frame rails, the Argosies have a narrow radiator that fits between the frame rails.

Check out these threads.

The radiator blues

Argosy radiator thread by TN2

I was supposed to get it towed last Saturday but after about four hours of prep the truck driver showed up, gave about twenty minutes to try to hook up and then gave up. Said that he didn't have right equipment, even though he did. Now today I got another company to show up and it took him ten minutes to hook up to a much smaller wrecker before I even got there. I was very impressed, unfortunately I was so excited I forgot to take a picture of it on the wrecker.

Been there, done that!

I forgot to mention before that the manuals I have from Argosy are owners, not service manuals. But, they do have some helpful schematics in it.

You might contact Airstream to see if they had a service manual for the 76 models. They told me there isn't one available for the 74 model year. I plan on ringing out all of the wiring so I can create a wiring diagram of the coach. I hate working on something when I don't have documentation.

My Argosy owners manual doesn't have any wiring diagrams in that are worth anything.

Brad

[mprokop87]

Thanks for the links. When I get a chance this week I will scan in my schematics from my manual, maybe they can be of some help. Shoot me a private message with your email address to send them to

[mprokop87]

So just a little update for those of you keeping tabs on my progress. I have taken an axe to the back bedroom and started building a custom frame for the bed, which will be queen sized with the head on the drivers side. During the day the bed will fold up to two sixty inch wide couches with a shelf along the back. I still have to finish up the framing this week. Also this week I have to investigate my side mirrors (thank you brad!), put in the new distributor, and put together the tail lights. Please give me your comments if there is something you think I should do, I'm open to suggestions!

[mprokop87]

Here are the pictures, I had trouble attaching them to the last post.