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Old 02-01-2007, 02:25 PM   #1
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'78 Argosy MH restore project

Got home from PHX couple days ago with my poor sick....down and almost out... Argosy 28 ft motorhome. Upon seeing it for the first time it was hard for me to believe that this vehicle could actually make the 1600 mile trip back to Tennessee. I am so very thankful that it did make it back ....and without any trouble what so ever. One of the worse things about the trip was that I had absolutely no heat at all. I did a duct tape job on the two broken windows but I still froze. I had originally planned to sleep in the MH for the 4 nights I would be on the road....I did sleep the first night at a truck stop but with only one blanket I froze....LOL. From then on I slept in motels. After running for about 7 hours without heat....I could not bring myself to curl up in a blanket with my stocking hat pulled down over my ears. It was a blessing that the MH ran as good as it did....I told the wife when I got home..."that was without a doubt the dumbest and most scary thing I've done in my life. I'm glad it ran as good as it did also....because I just know if it had of had a break down....even minor....I probably would have just parked her and walked away from her. I told her when we left PHX....that if she would get me home....I'd take care of her.... I think she heard me. Now my part begins in taking care of her. Wife and I plan to go completely through it and bring it back to the proud girl she once was. I will need much help from all of you along the way. So far we have cleaned the insides.....ripped up all the carpet....tore out the bathroom sink.
I have two questions to ask (so far) as we start this project. I will try to post two pictures.....can I get some input on best way to repair the dents in the rear of the MH.....and can anyone tell me what might be missing that was connected to these wires? If I can't get the pictures to work just ignore this paragraph.
I'll try and keep you updated on our progress

Charles & Nancee
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Old 02-01-2007, 02:37 PM   #2
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Charles- Welcome to forum and congrates on your new baby! Would love to see pictures of the whole thing, how exciting. You are lucky in a way as far as the dents go. From what I can see in the photos thedents are in the steel sections and not the aluminum. The steel can be repaired the same way you would repair dents in your car. You cn have a body shop do it for you or you can do it yourself. Once you pull out the dents body filler is used. After you repaint it you will never know you had dents. This has become standard practice for the Argosys. As for the wires, sorry can't help you their with just the one photo. Have fun and good luck with your new baby!
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Old 02-01-2007, 02:51 PM   #3
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MH Project

I was kinda wondering if it would be best to go from the inside and pound out the dents....but then I imagine using a slide hammer to pull the dents might be easier. I probably won't tackel this job until early spring

Charles
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Old 02-01-2007, 03:52 PM   #4
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I was kinda wondering if it would be best to go from the inside and pound out the dents....but then I imagine using a slide hammer to pull the dents might be easier. I probably won't tackel this job until early spring

Charles
Make sure it doesn't leak, and leave the dents until spring. When Spring rolls around, a slide hammer would be best to get most of the dents out, put rivets in the holes you had to drill for the slide hammer, and finish the job with Bondo, or other body filler.
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Old 02-01-2007, 04:59 PM   #5
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That don't look bad! Will take some finesse but should come out fine, I got one in my 20 I need to deal with, Good luck, post progress as you go. Check out my site if ya have time



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Old 02-01-2007, 05:08 PM   #6
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Congratulations, you made it. I wondered how that adventure came out. I agree about forgetting the dents for the time being. Probably best to work on making the ole girl road worthy so you can take her camping and grow to love her. Then when you are bonded, start to do cosmetic work. Get the guts working right and hit the road for a short camping trip with heat. You know you can always go to a campground with electricity and plug in an electric heater. That's what I do with my Argosy in the winter. Saves the propane and the worries of using gas. Listen to balrgn too. He's done wonderful things with his "Peanut" MH.
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Old 02-01-2007, 05:11 PM   #7
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CONGRATS!! You are not the first nut case here to drive home his new to him Classic motorhome and be praying he would make it!! I was in that club too some yrs ago.
The dent advice is sound, you are lucky that it is in those caps, which on your are steel while on the other classics are aluminum and not as easily repaired.
The wires that are hanging....are they coming from behind the control panel?
Its hard to tell from your photo.
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Old 02-01-2007, 05:31 PM   #8
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MH wires

The wires are coming down from above the Solid State Control Panel. I don't have a wiring diagram for my Motorhome but I do have a diagram from a trailer. The colors and size of wire looks like they go to a 40 amp converter. Now I don't even know if my 28 ft MH even has a 40 amp converter.....but...according to the trailer diagram this converter controls some interior lighting....the furnace....Roof Vent....water pump....range hood. All of these things seem to be inop on my MH. I originally thought that because I don't have a house battery yet....nor a way to hook up external power....I thought that was the reason these things are not working.....but then I can't explain what these wires go to. Any of you out there with a 28 footer....can you tell me if you have a converter in this storage bin. It's the bin right above the kitchen sink.
Thanks for your help
Charles
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Old 02-01-2007, 05:35 PM   #9
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the panel wiring if disconnected should be easily reattached. Someone here can hopefully give you an idea of which color goes where. Is there a univolt in there somewhere? You should have an ac connection for shore power in one of the rear outside compartments.
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Old 02-01-2007, 06:47 PM   #10
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Mh

I do have a univolt and I do have the ac cord to connect to ground power....I don't have an adapter to use with this cord however. I plan to get an adapter pretty soon. I do not believe these wires go to the control panel in that bin....mainly because the control panel seems to work. It has light status indicators of battery voltage....waste water level.... water tank level....generator start function....etc....all these indicators seem to work so I don't think these wires go to that panel. Even the guys at Dillon's in PHX did not know what these wires went to......I don't find that supprising however....not a lot of confidence in Dillon's.

Charles
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Old 02-02-2007, 01:14 PM   #11
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Untraced wires

Welcome to the world of Argosy! On my 77 28 footer, I have a light on the underside of that hanging cupboard. It's over the sink about where you have the paper towel rack. As someone else said, there is a exhaust over the stove and the wires could belong there. I have a remote start for my generator in that control panel and it's got about half a dozen wires attached.
My converter is under the passenger seat I hope I've given you some ideas about where those mystery wires are from.
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Old 02-02-2007, 09:03 PM   #12
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Kudo's Charles. That was a pretty "gutsy" drive. I get pretty close to your area when visiting family in Jackson, Tn. In fact, camped at Natchez Trace State Park this past November. Love the area, and hope to see ya on the road some time. Looking forward to more posts, and pictures, of your project.
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Old 02-03-2007, 08:39 AM   #13
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Wires

Hi ya all

As far as the wires go.... It appears to me that something was wired up and placed in that overhead storage bin. I would guess it was done at the factory because the wires come through the ceiling panel of this bin in a very professional way. The wires come through via two little holes. Holes even have rubber grommets around them. What ever it was...and who ever did it....thought that whatever it was needed some very big gauge wire. I do have a genset start switch in there ( on that electrical panel) but it works....in fact everything on that panel works. I'm sure these wires do not go to this electrical panel because the panel is finished off in such a way that there would be no way to get these wires behind the electrical panel. If anyone has a good wiring diagram....maybe I could tell something with wire colors and wire size. Thanks for any clues.
We have snow on the ground here and about 21 degrees right now...so I haven't really done much to the RV. Maybe I'm still thawing out from that long...unheated....drive home. Now I know there are many of you out there that has endured much greater discomforts....in your RV endeavors.....LOL....but hey.... maybe I'm a little more whimppy When it warms up a few more degrees I'll go out there and hit it again. I'm hopping some of those things wrong have healed themself by my absents.
Hope everyone has a GREAT day
Charles & Nancee
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Old 02-03-2007, 08:42 AM   #14
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Maybe you already have...but I would check to see if these are "hot". Look also for screw holes with no screws in them. Most trailers have a light over th sink area...does yours? Could be that these were from an added on item like that.
If they are hot and have a switch connected, or you could add one and use them for such an item.
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Old 02-03-2007, 02:10 PM   #15
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Boy that had to be a chilly ride home Charles! I'm actually changing the engine thermostat in Airstream One tomorrow. Winter had been quite mild until January. I was going to tough it out until I looked at the weather forecast for Asheville NC next week. I've got calls up there Monday and Tuesday and the highs are below freezing.
How warm did the engine get while coming home? You may have a summer thermostat in it and just need to make that change. Or.... check the coolant hoses on top of the motor. You'll find the heat selector cable may be broken or damaged and not moving the heat valve.
Not sure about your dangle of wires, sorry.
Looking forward to seeing your interior photos.
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Old 02-03-2007, 05:04 PM   #16
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Heat

Glenn

I haven't even started on the heat problem yet....I started pulling the instrument panel back just to get a peek at the heater controls. I found both cables...one for the temp control and one to go from heat to air....both cables are bent....the one fo for temp control bent and disconnected. Haven't gone any father with it....I'm sure the heat control valve must be screwed up. On top of that....the heater fan does not work....haven't checked that out yet either....my guess is it's not getting power.
I worked today on interior lights....I got them all working except for the ones above the kitchen sink. I'm now sure that those wires that are disconnected goes to those lights. I can't figure out how to get the light lense off. The lense is about 3 inches wide by about 2feet long. It appears it should just pop right off for changing lightbulbs.....but mine doesn't pop. I'v tried prying with a screwdriver but don't want to break it.....any suggestions?????
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Old 02-03-2007, 06:11 PM   #17
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Hello tn2
in your pictures see the one with the passenger seat removed that is where the converter is . it is in that box. also in the first post picture of the wires is that a switch on the yellow and red wires? the light covering comes off by squeezing the cover in . look real close along the cover and you can see the tabs that hold them in.
hope that this helps out in some way
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Old 02-03-2007, 07:22 PM   #18
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Charles, we just got back from an early movie and I picked up the new 195 degree thermostat so that i can do my swap in the a.m. I'm going to bet that if you look under the dog house (engine cover) you'll see the heater hose with the lever action gate valve. My bets are that it's in the off position.
If the engine is running do you hear the vaccum door open and close when you select heat or vent? If not it may be a vaccum situation too.
I found that I also had to lubricate the HVAC door as it was not opening all the way.
Airstream used Dodge controls on our MoHo's so that may help you too.
If it's the same in your vintage you'll find all this in the area just ahead of the passenger footwell.
Your fan problem is likely a fuse... if you're lucky.
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Old 02-03-2007, 07:28 PM   #19
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Congratulations on getting your rig home in one piece. I made a drive from Fort Worth to Nashville with an unproven 345 Airstream and understand exactly how nervewracking it can be. You might check with an automotive "paintless" dent removal place....you would be amazed at what they can do!
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Old 02-03-2007, 08:37 PM   #20
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tn2, not sure if you're plugged to shore power, but check those wires with it unplugged and just onj 12 volt. If battery works (interior lights operate as you say) make sure they are either 12 volt or 120volt before you work on them to avoid shock or destroying anything you wire to them.
As for the light cover over the sink, I'd wait to squeeze it out until alittle warmer so you don't shatter it in the cold. They do come out, just need some care and persuation.
Do you not have a hood w/ exhaust fan above your stove? I assume your stove is next (to the left) of your sink.
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