New Rebuild - 1976 Argosy 24'

[orangekayak]

Well we finally pulled the trigger, and picked up a 1976 Argosy to join the family! The trailer has was gutted by the previous owners, and I was looking to get your perspective on a build order so we know what to tackle. There is no wiring, plumbing lines, connections or anything. (I'll post some pictures in a bit)

What's been done:

• Two new axles and shocks
• Frame welded, cleaned and coated
• Inner skins taken off, insulation cleaned out

What I assume I need to do:

Check for leaks and seal outside/inside well
Replace seals around doors and windows
Replace A/C and run lines
Run plumbing lines to where I anticipate it will be needed
Add water heater
Gray tank/Black tank (if we don't do composting toilet)
New subfloor (shell on attempt)
Add electrical and run wires
Add 12 volt/Battery setup
Put insulation and reattach inner skins

I know there is a lot more, but what would you say I tackle first? Or first three?

Appreciate your insight - we are looking forward to getting it in shape for our family. Gonna build bunks for our 5 kids!

[dbj216]

Hi and welcome to the vintage Airstream hobby. There is quite an Argosy following here and folks would be willing to offer advice and consultation during your renovation.

So where to start? You certainly have thought of some of the needs the trailer has. You can certainly inspect the frame to insure the welds are sound, the axles are square, the paint is good and anything structural that was done.

You have to prepare a through floor layout so you know what goes where. How to make 7 sleeping surfaces. Where will you all sit and eat? Kitchen sink, stove, fridge and cabinets. The bath is critical too so you know where the toilet and sink will go.

With that layout, now you can plan the waste water tanks and fresh water tank locations. How will your mount them in the frame, how will you drain them?

The subfloor must be high on the list. It is a critical structural component of the trailer. It will be a bear to install with the body on, but it can be done. Read up on it here in the Forums.

You are embarking on a 1500 hour construction job. It will be fun as well as challenging. Here is a photo of an Argosy I met at a campground. Nice trailer.

David

[Biggmixx]

Hello Orange. I think David covered most of your questions. This site can guide you with details along the way.
Your trailer is by default a couple of steps ahead of mine. Post a picture so we can see what you are working with.
Sounds like you got plenty of hands to help with your project.

Dave also

[Eric 26 Argo]

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan. I would move the AC install until after the interior skins are installed. They add to the structural stability of the shell.

Trying to sleep 7 in a 24' Airstream is a bold move. And until recently I would have said can't be done, but Airstream is offering a front bunk option on the 2021 Flying Cloud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzdzG6NK8_c

At around the 20 minute mark Patrick shows the front bunk.

[hselinger]

I will be watching closely what you do! .
Just bought a 1975 Argosy 26' - we are a few steps behind you.
Good luck with all things renovation and please post any thoughts, tips and photos!

[Krek]

Congrats on your purchase!

As someone up to my elbows in rodent feces while gutting one of these, let me compliment you on your wisdom of buying one ready to rebuild!

[orangekayak]

Originally Posted by Krek

Congrats on your purchase!

As someone up to my elbows in rodent feces while gutting one of these, let me compliment you on your wisdom of buying one ready to rebuild!

Well right now it is so HOT. I can't spend much time in there at all. I've almost talked myself into building some gantries and trying to take the shell off, but then I may just not have the time or patience to do it that way.

There seems to be a lot of rivet heads that have busted off some of the seams, and someone replaced them years ago with rusted screws. I need to take those off. We are also figuring out the plumbing stuff so I can purchase the tanks before we solve the subfloor. It's kinda a chicken and egg thing. I can't move around in there without a solid subfloor, and I can't do the subfloor without the plumbing. I think we are going to put a black tank in there, but not the traditional "over the floor" variety that it came with in 1976. So I need to see what's possible for the frame indentation in the rear to support both grey and black tanks.

I also don't have a cover to work on the trailer, so I need to build a pole barn in my very limited space. Oh and I may work on sealing the outside, because there are some LEAKS.

We won't have a propane supply to the fridge, so i may try to figure out how to close the vent above the old fridge. It's leaking there... so rather than seal and keep it, what would you do?

Oh, and there are days i just want to sell it and buy a new one, but what's the fun in that!?

[Krek]

There’s no fun in that!

Much more fun straddling the frame while sweating in the sweltering heat and humidity longing for the day we have floors to stand on, lol.

[dbj216]

Seems to me you want to start with the frame and work your way out from there. Belly pan down, frame and outriggers inspected, and all deficiencies found are repaired. I do the subfloor repairs next making sure everything is solid. You probably have your interior layout plan developed so you know exactly where the toilet will mount, vanity sink, shower pan (if) and galley sink.

One thing I have done, and Airstream has done on some models, is combine the black and grey water into the same big tank. I don't mean to start a debate on the subject as there are advantages to each approach.

Once you have a solid frame and floor, you can take on the next aspect of your build.

David

[orangekayak]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Seems to me you want to start with the frame and work your way out from there. Belly pan down, frame and outriggers inspected, and all deficiencies found are repaired. I do the subfloor repairs next making sure everything is solid. You probably have your interior layout plan developed so you know exactly where the toilet will mount, vanity sink, shower pan (if) and galley sink.

One thing I have done, and Airstream has done on some models, is combine the black and grey water into the same big tank. I don't mean to start a debate on the subject as there are advantages to each approach.

Once you have a solid frame and floor, you can take on the next aspect of your build.

David

I would not mind combining them myself since it would make plumbing and dumping easier. Do you have a link you could share to the set up? I need to tackle that with the floor out

[dbj216]

The first thing is to measure the frame bay the new tank will be located in. It might be something like 56" wide, 5" deep and 23" long. Now decide how you will drain the tank. I usually drain from the side of the tank and just below the frame rail. The drain boss will be 3" in diameter, or 3" below the frame rail. Don't panic, most new Airstreams are built this way.

I use Inca Plastic in California. They have an on line catalog on their webpage. Download it and look for a tank part number that will work in your application. Then see if you can order the tank you want.

Some tanks come with molded shoulders which makes hanging the tank easier. Otherwise figure out a way to hang the tank. You will likely have to build a pan, or box around the tank to keep heat in and protect it a bit.

You can locate the vent pipe, and the drain inlets and drill clearance holes in the subfloor. I like to use the rubber sealing grommets for the penetrations into the tank instead of spin welds. You would have galley sink drain, shower drain, vanity sink drain, and toilet drain along with a couple of vent pipes. Lots of holes in your new tank.

Here are a couple of photos of the new tanks I installed under my 75 Overlander. I have a 30 gallon black tank for toilet and vanity sink, and a 25 gallon grey tank for galley and shower drains.

Installing new tanks ain't an afternoon project. It takes planning, and a lot of work. Many vintage Airstream hobbyists have done it and so can you.

David

[orangekayak]

Originally Posted by dbj216

The first thing is to measure the frame bay the new tank will be located in. It might be something like 56" wide, 5" deep and 23" long. Now decide how you will drain the tank. I usually drain from the side of the tank and just below the frame rail. The drain boss will be 3" in diameter, or 3" below the frame rail. Don't panic, most new Airstreams are built this way.

I use Inca Plastic in California. They have an on line catalog on their webpage. Download it and look for a tank part number that will work in your application. Then see if you can order the tank you want.

Some tanks come with molded shoulders which makes hanging the tank easier. Otherwise figure out a way to hang the tank. You will likely have to build a pan, or box around the tank to keep heat in and protect it a bit.

You can locate the vent pipe, and the drain inlets and drill clearance holes in the subfloor. I like to use the rubber sealing grommets for the penetrations into the tank instead of spin welds. You would have galley sink drain, shower drain, vanity sink drain, and toilet drain along with a couple of vent pipes. Lots of holes in your new tank.

Here are a couple of photos of the new tanks I installed under my 75 Overlander. I have a 30 gallon black tank for toilet and vanity sink, and a 25 gallon grey tank for galley and shower drains.

Installing new tanks ain't an afternoon project. It takes planning, and a lot of work. Many vintage Airstream hobbyists have done it and so can you.

David

David,

Thanks for all the details! I'll send some pictures tomorrow to show you just what I have going on. Those seem like reasonable sizes, and we probably won't be doing much boondocking anyway.

As far as "how to drain the tank", I think the previous setup involved a pipe coming out of the rear bumper. I think I'll replace whatever residual pipe is in there, but nothing remains of the interior plumbing.

I do anticipate a sink, vanity, and shower and toilet, in a very typical set up. I want to add an external shower setup, but that has nothing to do with drain needs i suppose.

As far as the pan beneath the tanks, do I just find a local metal shop to make something? Surely there is something near Atlanta?

One thing I have never done is install tank fill electronics. Is that a part of the tank when you purchase it, or is the empty/full mechanism something different i have to install?

Lastly, can I use the previous vent hole in the top of the airstream rear? Its a small circular hole; I assume thats what was there. Is that sufficient?

[dbj216]

Hi orangekayak: I will try to answer your questions, here goes:

As far as "how to drain the tank", I think the previous setup involved a pipe coming out of the rear bumper. I think I'll replace whatever residual pipe is in there, but nothing remains of the interior plumbing.

Airstream did drain the waste water tanks out the rear street side via a hole in the frame rail. If you are building a rear bath model, this is the shortest route. But finding tanks that "drain out the side" was hard for me. Most modern trailers drain from the street side somewhere. Look around a campground and you will see what I mean.

I do anticipate a sink, vanity, and shower and toilet, in a very typical set up. I want to add an external shower setup, but that has nothing to do with drain needs i suppose.

An external shower is easy. We just plumbed a shut off valve and hose bib into the cargo compartment and then connected a hose with sprayer to that. We did not install a hot/cold mixing valve as the sprayer would be used to wash sand off feet and the dog's feet. Nothing more.

As far as the pan beneath the tanks, do I just find a local metal shop to make something? Surely there is something near Atlanta?

I made a detailed sketch with dimensions I needed. I used a local metal shop to bend up and weld up a pan that would cover my tanks and allow room for an inch of insulation around the tanks. It also covered the drain piping and dump valves.

One thing I have never done is install tank fill electronics. Is that a part of the tank when you purchase it, or is the empty/full mechanism something different i have to install?

The Garnet SeeLevel is your friend. It is a $300 instrument that uses stick on circuits that you simply stick on the tank's deep end close to the drain. Then it is a matter of running two wires from the tanks (black, gray, fresh) to the readout and connect. It is easy and works good in my experiences.

Lastly, can I use the previous vent hole in the top of the airstream rear? Its a small circular hole; I assume that's what was there. Is that sufficient?

Yep, use it. There will be two or three 1 1/2 ABS vent pipes penetrating the roof. All drain lines need a vent so the water flows easily. Think of putting a straw into a class of water, putting your finger over the top of the straw, lifting out the straw and the thing won't drain until you lift your finger. Without a vent, that is what happens to a drain line. It won't drain. Vintage Airstreams usually have a vent pipe in the galley sink drain line, one in the shower pan and vanity sink drain line, and one for the black tank. Plan on the vent piping in your drain plumbing layout.

Here is a photo of the black and grey tank drain valves in the bumper compartment of the Sovereign, and a photo of the vent piping through the roof for the galley sink and bath sink. In the Sovereign, the vent pipe was between the walls.

David

Attachment 376068

[orangekayak]

Thanks for the thorough reply David! The previous owner had purchased a grey tank, but it doesn't look like it will work with the current rear drain set up. Is that your assumption too, based on seeing the picture?

[orangekayak]

A for more questions for the experts. Most of my subfloor is out; how can I tell if the outriggers are good without taking off the belly pan? The previous owner had some welding company come touch some things up, add some pieces and coat the frame.

[orangekayak]

My c channel seems totally missing in some places. Is this normal for these spots, or do I need to fabricate a replacement to bridge those gaps?

[dbj216]

Hi: It does not appear the tank the previous owner purchased has a drain port on the side, or has any taper to it at all. It does have two spin weld fittings installed on the top of the tank. The big one may be a vent connection, and the smaller one maybe a water inlet that he had planned for.

The purpose of the "c channel" is to attached the bottom of the exterior skins and the bottom of the interior skins. This is bolted to the outriggers and the subfloor. Outriggers get rusty, but if they are not cracked or rusted away, they are serviceable. They need strength to hold the body up.

The c channel is not run under the cargo doors or fridge opening. The exterior skins and interior skins are riveted to the frames of these access doors providing plenty of strength to the trailer.

Here is a photo of a page out of my 75 Overlander service manual showing some of the body and chassis parts.

Give thought to dropping the belly pan so you can thoroughly inspect the frame and more easily install the new subfloor and make fastening the frame to the body with good bolts.

David