Argosy manual

[davechili]

I am looking for an owners manual for a 1973 Argosy. Is there a site with printed manuals, print or downloadable?

[Janet H]

You can contact the the store at Airstream Inc and they should be able to get you a reprint of your manual or even the shop manual for your trailer. Their website is https://store.airstream.com/ but you will need to call as this is not a standard item.

[mutcth]

Also take a look on eBay. There are a few vendors there that sell either photocopied reprints or manuals scanned to CD.

I recently bought one of the CDs for $10 to help me learn what to look for in my trailer hunt - it was well produced and worked fine.

[biggoofball]

Welcome to the forums!!! Can I see a picture of your Argosy?

[campman]

I just bought a 79 Argosy and had only part of the owner's manual. I am sure lots of others know about this, but yesterday I googled for one and up came a listing of a guy on eBay who has many years of these on cd for about 10$ plus shipping. I sent off right away. Hope it is what I want. I have also tried, in vain, to get a repair or similar manual but have not found one. Oh, the former owner got one from Airstream, and I saw similar ones there a few days ago when I was in Jackson Center and they wanted $35 plus shipping. A bit outrageous.
Anyway, welcome to the world of Argosy.

[campman]

FREE; When I bought my 79 Argosy,the former owner gave me the copy of the "1980 Airstream/Argosy Owner's Manual" he bought ($30 plus shippping) from Airstream. It deals with all models of Airstream and Argosy for that year. It is nicely illustrated and is ONLY 70 PAGES of the index listing of 117 pages. Do not know why pages missing; maybe he took them out. Free to the first person who sends me your address in a private message. Thanks, Dan

[overlander64]

Greetings Dan!

Originally Posted by campman

I just bought a 79 Argosy and had only part of the owner's manual. I am sure lots of others know about this, but yesterday I googled for one and up came a listing of a guy on eBay who has many years of these on cd for about 10$ plus shipping. I sent off right away. Hope it is what I want. I have also tried, in vain, to get a repair or similar manual but have not found one. Oh, the former owner got one from Airstream, and I saw similar ones there a few days ago when I was in Jackson Center and they wanted $35 plus shipping. A bit outrageous.
Anyway, welcome to the world of Argosy.

From what I have been able to determine, there was never a separate Argosy service manual published; rather, the similar year Airstream service manual was applied -- the technology and construction are very nearly identical -- some items listed as standard on Airstram were either optional or not available on the Argosy.

I have been hearing good reports on Argosy/Airstream manuals on CD that are being offered by that E-Bay Vendor.

Good luck with your Minuet!

Kevin

[campman]

What I had (the freebee is now gone) was just what you said, a general 80s manual for several Airstreams and a bit on Argosy.

[davechili]

Thanks for everyones help. I finally ordered from Airstream secretarial services. The new contact person is Shirley (and her husband Dale) at 937-492-8885. Helen has retired.
The manual is now up to $40. The interesting thing they told me was that Argosy did not make a 28' trailer until 1976, and sure enough the manual only went up to 26'. My title and the plate on the trailer both indicate it to be 28', any ideas from the Argosy Historical Society. If you measure the trailer, it actually measures 24' inside and 26' to hitch.

[overlander64]

Greetings Davechili!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Argosy ownership!

Originally Posted by davechili

Thanks for everyones help. I finally ordered from Airstream secretarial services. The new contact person is Shirley (and her husband Dale) at 937-492-8885. Helen has retired.
The manual is now up to $40. The interesting thing they told me was that Argosy did not make a 28' trailer until 1976, and sure enough the manual only went up to 26'. My title and the plate on the trailer both indicate it to be 28', any ideas from the Argosy Historical Society. If you measure the trailer, it actually measures 24' inside and 26' to hitch.

My information about the 1973 Argosy coaches is inaccessible at the present, but I can relay the following:

• It is not uncommon with either Argosy or Airstream to have the length of the coach mislabeled. My 26' Overlander was mislabeled as a 28' coach when I purchased it in 1995.
• A rather prevalent issue with first generation Argosy coaches is that the metal plate with VIN information is often inconsistently punched resulting in difficult to decipher characters, particularly given the ravages of time and use on our Vintage coaches. Given the numbers on my coach, it wouldn't surprise me too much to have a "6" misready as an "8" somewhere along the line.
• The coach should measure 28' (+/- 6") if it is an Argosy 28; or 26' (+/-) if ti is an Argosy 26.
• My original sales literature for 1975 was the earliest that I have in my current location, and it shows an Argosy 28 being available in '75.

My movement is rather limited right now due to a seriously sprained ankle. I should be able to get to my '73 data early next week.

Good luck with your coach!

Kevin

[Aage]

Hope your ankle is getting better, Kevin.

By any chance would you have data regarding weights for the 1979 Argosy Minuet 6.3 (24')?

I'm looking at one that has been on a serious diet but I'd love to have a clue where it started out.

Thanks,
Aage

[overlander64]

Greetings Aage!

Originally Posted by Aage

Hope your ankle is getting better, Kevin.

By any chance would you have data regarding weights for the 1979 Argosy Minuet 6.3 (24')?

I'm looking at one that has been on a serious diet but I'd love to have a clue where it started out.

Thanks,
Aage

The 7.3 Metre Minuet had an empty weight of 3,820 pounds with a hitch weight of 510 pounds. I don't have the GVWR figures handy, but believe that the rating was approximately 5,000 pounds.

Kevin

[Aage]

Thanks, Kevin!

So, it's comparable to an AS model of it's day, then.

Didn't I see a chart of sepcs for the old models on here somewhere? I searched for it, but I don't seem to have much luck with the search.

[overlander64]

Greetings Aage!

Originally Posted by Aage

Thanks, Kevin!

So, it's comparable to an AS model of it's day, then.

Didn't I see a chart of sepcs for the old models on here somewhere? I searched for it, but I don't seem to have much luck with the search.

There really weren't a tremendous number of structural differences between the standard Argosy line and the similar vintage Airstreams. The biggest difference was a reduced number of standard accessories/features with slightly less posh upholstery and carpets. Weights were typically some 200 to 300 pounds less for the base Argosy when compared to the similar sized Airstream -- options could close the gap up considerably.

The Minuets were 8" narrower than their standard cousins and also had side windows with Acrylic panes rather than glass. Most of the 7.3 Metre Minuets had plywood floors -- the coaches were somewhat lighter than the similar size and vintage of Airstream primarily due to their decreased width and vinyl-clad aluminum cabinetry.

The weights and measures chart was moved on the Airstream site when the most recent rennovations were done. I believe that there is a pdf copy of the file somewhere here on the Forums. Sometimes, Google will find the threads faster than the Forums search function -- at least for me.

I found the document via an old bookmark on my computer:

Airstream Weights and Measures

Kevin

[Aage]

Originally Posted by overlander64

The Minuets were 8" narrower than their standard cousins and also had side windows with Acrylic panes rather than glass. Most of the 7.3 Metre Minuets had plywood floors -- the coaches were somewhat lighter than the similar size and vintage of Airstream primarily due to their decreased width and vinyl-clad aluminum cabinetry.

Thanks for the chart, Kevin!

Yes, the one I saw was a 1979 Minuet 7.3 that had already been deeply modified, even to the point of a new (not repaired) frame. They had also done a new floor in marine grade ply. The owner had removed a lot of stuff he deemed useless added weight, such as the magazine rack, made of 3/4" panels, as an example.

It had the acrylic in the kitchen window, and it had crazed to the point where a curtain was hardly necessary. Wondering if I can replace it with glass.

Well, thanks again, that chart is interesting and clearly shows the weight gain tha AS TTs had over the years.

[irmedatu]

Thanks for the welcome. No pics yet.

S

[TG Twinkie]

What is the hatch above the curb side wheel well?

[matthewsx]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

What is the hatch above the curb side wheel well?

escape hatch?

[TG Twinkie]

It's about 8" square. And below the bunk.
Found out that there is a duplex outlet inside.
Mystery solved.