1976 Argosy 26' - Restoration

[Phrunes]

Well, Here we go, this officially hooks me into finishing this project to save myself from any public humiliation.

Specs:
1976 Argosy 26
Front and center full gaucho model
Dometic Fridge Model 2600
Suburban furnace
Thetford commode
Rooftop Air (not working)
No awnings
All windows working and intact
Axles good
Tires and original Aluminum rims good
Skin in great condition except large hole PO cut to access rear toilet line leak
No leaks (it rained buckets today)
Title had some issues but a few hours at DMV and $15 and it was retitled.
Purchase price: $750 + taxes, title insurance and reg fees $130.

Pick up: 5 hours
Electric tongue jack malfunctioned, had to resort to a Hi-lift jack.
Brake lights and turn signals were functioning, running lights were not.
I had pilot car follow me home.
It towed like a dream!

DAY 1: Assessment of systems
Original converter in place and functioning properly.
Cabinets: no delamination, however abused by PO
Tambour: 50% present and in exceptional condition. Other 50% gone.
Stove: burners 3 of four working. 1 burner leaking gas from valve at manifold.
Oven: functioning
12v: interior lighting systems functioning
Refrigerator: unknown- rotary dial selector disengaged from switch will need to reattach to test
Battery: no good
Furnace: PO removed valve assembly, sail switch was likely out.
Water: no current leaks, tested undr pressure. Many patches visible in copper lines. Will replace with PEX and gatorbites
Floor: carpet trashed
SubFloor: seems solid with the exception of the rear bath which needs replaced.
Interior walls: Interior skins in good conditon with the exception of the putrid color that PO painted it.
Interior furnishings and bulkheads: Trash
LP tanks: not present, valve present and a good one.
Hitch & Frame: excellent condition, no rust with original factory paint (miraculous, I know!)
Belly pan: all present and no dents, corrosion or falling from trailer. PO cut small hole in curbside rear to acces water pipe problem.
Fresh water tank: good, no leaks or cracks
Water pump: original, works great
Windows: all there, none broken or cracked, all operate with relative ease. One chrome handle missing
Exterior paint: good, a few spots peeling on front cap.
Bonus: found all parts for equalizer hitch...bars and connectors for TT tongue.
Exterior lights: all present with only two covers missing
Skylights: covers and screens present with no leaks
Fan: missing blade assy. And roof mounted cover missing
Exterior trim: 100% complete, no dents or bends. Rear Argosy fiberglass tailight assy has a few cracks, not too bad. Still looks good and not hanging from trailer.
No dead rodents
1 living spider ( non poisonous)
Stench from carpet and rear bath sufloor rot.

DAY 2: Gutting
I got 1/2 way thru today in about 4 1/2 hours. I'm taking care to keep everthing intact to use as a template for new.

Photos to be posted tomorrow.
I'm tired.

Oh, and I bought a new plastic flamingo to stake out in front of it for inspiration... Just to remind me that it is an Airstream

[Phrunes]

Here are some pics with my two helpers.

[Arrowstream]

I just started on a 1977 26 footer. It looks like the wall between the kitchen area and the center gaucho has been removed on yours. I like that idea, it opens up the interior quite a bit... I think that I'll do that to mine! Keep plugging, We'll get there.

[sharbours]

Congratulations! You've got a nice project there; can't wait to see more of your progress. Good luck - and don't forget to update your profile with the new trailer!

[jjustice]

Phrunes,

Great buy, even if you need to replace a few appliances. We did this a year and a half ago with a 1978, 27' Argosy. They are great rigs and they are now looked upon as = to a silver AS. We took out the gold (70s) carpet, changed all the curtains and cushions, put down 'wood' linoleum, updated the toilet and got rid of the 30+ yr smells by coating the subfloor (which was in good shape (not rot) with B I N Shellac-base primer. The last thing we did was have it painted. Please view it in the registry under jjustice.
Good luck and enjoy it
PS had to replace the Armstrong A/C when we went to the AS International in Wyoming last summer and it could not take the Wyoming heat wave. (smile)
Argosys are excellent trailers and were very advanced in their era.

[Phrunes]

Day 3:

I spent about 7 hours on the project today. Tested the fridge completely and it looks like I will be replacing. The unit appeared to have been refurbished already BUT the vent tubes appeared to be overheating. Hot enough to turn the fiberglass insulation back to solid glass in some areas! See pic.

I continued working my way back towards the bath, removing all interior fixtures. Saving what I plan to use again and trashing the rest. It is clear to me now that this will not be a vintage restoraton. Everything is shot, so Ill be designing a new layout utilizing new materials as I progress.

I reached the bath area and managed to remove the sink, basin and toilet. This area is the source of the rear water line issues from the PO. Looks like the ABS has already been replaced...a P trap is directly above the Univolt!!! I'll be relocating that pronto.

After removing the Thetford, I have run into a snag with the toilet seal. How to remove from top of blackwatr tank? Pic attached (i cleaned it and was careful with my photography so as not to be gross) lol
Any help anyone can give on the procedure for removing the seal would be appreciated. Is it timed with witness marks, and you spin it? I cant figure it out.

Also...how do I add photos to my post using the mobile app?

[Baseman]

On my 74 Tradewind, the toilet mounting flange is threaded into the black tank. It came loose without to much trouble, used the open end of a 9/16 combination wrench slid into the slots for the commode hold down bolts, and some gentle hammer taps on the wrench to get it started. Then slowly unscrewed it. The sealant in the threads may be hard and stcky, some folks recomend heating it up with a hair dryer to loosen it up. Good luck, that is a nice looking rig with lots of potential!

[marzboy]

Congratulations and welcome! I am wrapping up frame repair on my 65 Sovereign. I am suppose to paint to day but as luck would have it it is sprinkling!! Sounds like you are off to a good start. Good Luck!!

[Phrunes]

New pictures as promised...I still can't figure out how to post pictures using the mobile app. Any help would be appreciated.

I also need some help from the forum: Can anyone provide detailed pictures of the twin bed frames? I'm going to convert the center full gaucho to the center twins and may end up having to build the frames. I have the front Gaucho already, but if someone has pictures of it's frame so that I can make sure it's all there that would be a HUGE help.

Can someone provide the model number of the Magic Chef 4 burner stove? My data plate is destroyed and I cannot even begin looking for the parts without the model or serial number. I'll attach a picture

The furnace is missing a critical part...I think it's the part where the gas line goes in (sail switch/valve assy?) The site glass is also missing. My furnace is a Suburban N132C. I'll attach a picture

Any advice on what stripper to use on the window frames? I want to strip them, and polish them to a dull shine.

I've been pouring over the threads today and have confirmed the following after my tear out...the bathroom is NOT in it's original configuration. The furnace was moved from it's original location. I'm not sure, but I believe the fridge has been moved and replaced? My fridge is a Dometic 2600 Two Door? I like the additional space, so I'll likely keep that configuration.

I'm gonna go back at it now. TaTa For Now

[mnmhays]

I will look at the stove in my TT tomorrow and get you a model number...hopefully it's close enough!

[Phrunes]

Originally Posted by mnmhays

I will look at the stove in my TT tomorrow and get you a model number...hopefully it's close enough!

Thank you very much!!!!

[mnmhays]

Model number on my magic chef is: BT-183 4W. Hope that helps.

Also, your bathroom layout looks similar to mine, I can't tell what may have been reconfigure from your photos. My furnace is under the stove, where did they relocate yours to?

[Phrunes]

Originally Posted by mnmhays

Model number on my magic chef is: BT-183 4W. Hope that helps.

Also, your bathroom layout looks similar to mine, I can't tell what may have been reconfigure from your photos. My furnace is under the stove, where did they relocate yours to?

Every 26 picture that I've seen thus far had the sink right next to the commode and a tall verticle closet to the right of the entryway. My sink was to the right, where the closet should have been. That configuration placed the replumbed p-trap right over the univolt. Yikes!

My heater was to the left of the oven, not directly below it. Not sure why.

Thank you very much for the model number too. Does yours look like mine in the picture? Sans all of the crud I'm sure! LOL

[Argosy Heir]

I have the center twins pulled out of my Argosy 26 and can take some pics for you. Let me know your e-mail and what pics you need and I will send them to you.

[mnmhays]

Oh...ok, difficult to tell from the one through shot of the bathroom. I understand now. Furnace under the sink instead? Odd...

The stove looks similar...ours is harvest gold though.

Check out some of my pics here:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f227...avy-76185.html

I am in the midst of a remodel myself...

[Phrunes]

Day 4
Lots of stripping today. I spent my evening removing all of the window hardware and stripping the window frames , door and screen frames back to aluminum. I'm beginning to develop the style I'm after. I picked up some material from Home Depot last night that I will use to construct the new wall panels. I tested various finishes to achieve the tone I'm seeking. I'm thinking of adding a strip of suede wallpaper to the center roof panels, flanked by bare aluminum thru the ceiling radius and down the walls terminating with Hawaiian Koa laminate floors. I'll be stripping the vent screen frames back to aluminum which should tie it all together. Bedding/gaucho material I'm thinking a dark microsuede material. I' tacking the waste tanks and subfloor replacement tomorrow. I can't wait till the flooring is in, I think it will move quickly ( at least in my mind) at that point. My vision for the exterior likely wont occur till next year... Charcoal imron with a wide polished stripe running around the TT. I'm toying with the idea of ghosting Airstream into the paint on the endcaps. Oh well, back to today's reality...some good sleep tonite, a full day of work tomorrow and an evening filled with a filthy black water tank removal. Hahaha

[Phrunes]

Day 5:
I spent roughly 5 hours stripping more today. I took a test panel to the left of the door and polished it. It looks phenominal!!!
I'm very excited about that for sure. Also, picked up the PEX and gatorbites today from the big box HI store. I also scored a gift of a 1986 class c motor home parts donor for my replacement fridge and furnace. They are an RV storage lot and that one was on it's way to the recycler...I hope they are in working order. I'm swinging by there on Saturday to test them out before the RV goes to the junk pile. I am super stoked by this oppty. Because my original budget did not include money for system replacement, only repairs and apparently, parts arent available for my heater, and I just don't plain trust the fridge. I've got 5 children and there isnt one of them I'd let sleep in the TT with the problems the old fridge was suffering from. Fire trap for sure.

[Phrunes]

Day 6: more stripping and more stripping. I also removed all of the old copper line and front tank in preparation for the PEX. I removed the front interior panels and cut the c channel bolts in prep for the front subfloor. Found a drivers license under the water tank too. Hahaha have decided to replace the three damaged exterior panels with new next week.

In case anyone doubts what "curbside" is I found it written on the curbside wall stud by the factory. Too funny! I took a picture, and will upload when I get to my desktop computer.

More tomorrow.

[Phrunes]

Proof! LOL

[Phrunes]

Some progress photos