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Old 06-02-2012, 08:13 AM   #1
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1972 Argosy 22
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Newbie needs help....what do you guys think of this?

Hey guys....I'm going to look at this camper today, and I wanted to get an expert's opinion. While it looks like an awesome deal to me, a novice, it may look like a total disaster to you guys. A few things I noticed were the repairs on the back around the taillights and rounded part on the top rear....and the tv mount? Is that homemade, or did he just reinforce what was there?

....and the obvious question.....what do you think it's worth?
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Old 06-02-2012, 08:15 AM   #2
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Here's the ad with the juicy stuff.....(I also noticed that I can't really see where Argosy made a 21.)
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Old 06-02-2012, 08:39 AM   #3
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It's pretty hard to go wrong, it looks pretty messy inside, but probably easily cleaned up. The TV mount was improvised. You might have to get some heavy duty sunglasses to tolerate the paint color.

The tail light housing plastic thing is a common failure item on those old Argosys....they just fall to pieces in the sun.
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Old 06-02-2012, 08:43 AM   #4
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I agree and at that price it will sell quickly.
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Old 06-02-2012, 09:34 AM   #5
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Good price. I do think it needs axles, but what '72 doesn't?
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Old 06-02-2012, 10:25 AM   #6
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For that money, and from what I can see in the photos, looks like a good deal to me. Now, the blue bottom and the Harvest Gold interior... but you can fix or live with that. Check for floor rot for sure, then still buy it.
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Old 06-02-2012, 10:37 AM   #7
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Buy it!

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Old 06-02-2012, 10:47 AM   #8
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I agree. Good deal. The old tail light assemblies cracked in about the same area where the PO cut them off. If they were painted blue, most people wouldn't notice the mod.
The VIN plate should ID the length. I would say it's a 22' or maybe 24'.
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Old 06-02-2012, 02:01 PM   #9
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Ok, so I drove for almost 2 hours to see it and I LOVE it. The inside brand new hardwood flooring in it. The gaucho's are rebuilt.....and built in...with a TON of storage underneath. LOTS of attention to detail on the inside. The cabinets and all woodgrain is original and SUPER nice. The original fixtures ie. sink, stove, AC, and fridge all work and are in great shape. The walls still look new....and are original. The plumbing, LP, and electric are all updated. It looks like a furnace doesn't exist. The underside is covered by an aluminum sheeting. The exterior paint was done by a roller? ....and not so well. The step looks like it doesn't function...and there's a metal issue there. The axles look great, although, I'm not real sure what I'd be looking for. Tires, wheels, and centers are brand new. I'm attaching some pics that I took....it's cleaner now.
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Old 06-02-2012, 02:06 PM   #10
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That is a good price, I hope you brought it home!

The trailer body sits low over the wheels, which is why we think the axles are going to need to be replaced. Also axles from that era are suspect just as a general rule. Typically the furnace is in the cabinet under the stove/galley area. Airstreams have ducted heat.


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Old 06-02-2012, 08:04 PM   #11
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There's obviously some work to be done, but at that price how can you go wrong?
Did you bring it home?
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Old 06-02-2012, 08:46 PM   #12
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With all the positive reponses encouraging you to buy it, I get the impression that you passed up the opportunity. I am surprised. If this is the case, I believe that you will regret it.

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Old 06-03-2012, 07:14 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
The trailer body sits low over the wheels, which is why we think the axles are going to need to be replaced. Also axles from that era are suspect just as a general rule. Typically the furnace is in the cabinet under the stove/galley area. Airstreams have ducted heat.


Aaron
Is this a major safety issue that I need to be concerned with? Like, what do they do when they are bad? This is my first ever camper and I almost blew a gasket when I lost that tire last night. LoL Are the axles supposed to be straight across, or do they have a slight arch up? And, finally, where would I get replacements?
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Old 06-03-2012, 07:46 AM   #14
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Congratulations and welcome to the world of Airstream ownership!

There are plenty of threads about axles, but this is my take on them.

The tube should have a bend in it. This is how they were adjusted when built.
When you jack the trailer by placing a jack on the axle mounting plate, the wheel should drop a couple of inches before it lifts off the ground. If the wheels do not drop, they have frozen which will cause the trailer to ride very stiff and cause damage to the trailer.
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Old 06-03-2012, 08:03 AM   #15
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I am really glad that you got it. Welcome to the forums, your life will be forever changed.

You are probably in need of axles. It is not really a safety issue, it just makes it ride rough. My 66 TW needs axles also, but it obviously does not ride too rough because nothing seems to move too much inside and no sheared rivits (from the rough ride). New axles and brakes are on my Airstream Wish list along with Fantastic fans.

I sold a 24 ft Argosy two years ago that was original, but needed a complete makeover for $3,500.

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Old 06-03-2012, 08:53 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wingnut1269 View Post
Is this a major safety issue that I need to be concerned with? Like, what do they do when they are bad? This is my first ever camper and I almost blew a gasket when I lost that tire last night. LoL Are the axles supposed to be straight across, or do they have a slight arch up? And, finally, where would I get replacements?
Not so much safety as long term damage to the trailer in the form of a rough ride. Look underneath the trailer at the axle arms that come out of the back of the wheel, they should be level or pointed slightly downward, it they point up definitely bad. You can order axles from a variety of places, but being on the East Coast I would suggest Colin Hyde. The axles do have a bow upwards. The biggest problem with the older trailers is that the rubber rods inside wear out, and sitting static is the worst thing in the world for an Airstream. They are meant to be towed.

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Old 06-04-2012, 12:43 AM   #17
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Wow....you guys weren't kidding....I DID get a good deal....that one that just sold on Ebay for just over 3 Gs? Holy smokes!

So....I went to change that tire today...and I did it the easy/lazy way with one of those wheel chock lift things you drive up onto. When I drove up onto it, the back axle did not drop like you guys suggested....so, I guess Axles are in my future. I went to a site called Inland something or other and they have them, but there are options and all that I guess I have to investigate further. I'm hoping these are affordable....as I'm a disabled vet on limited income. I can't find a ballpark price anywhere....without having to call someone.

As far as the color....it has to change. I want to take the layers off, which I guess I will do by blasting it....and I found a pic of one with the original colors....the lt beige top and met brown lower....with the orange strip....I LOVE THAT! (if that's the colors shown here, anyway.... http://www.airforums.com/forums/f349...2-a-87061.html)
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Old 06-04-2012, 02:06 AM   #18
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Dear Wingnut

DO NOT BLAST any paint off of anything but the frame!!!!! The body is ALUMINUM, and your endcaps are either steel or fiberglass depending on the year. You'll damage and dent the aluminum. Use a chemical stripper - start looking at "full monte" threads via Search for brands, etc.

New axles are probably in your future, but on this coast Colin Hyde is your "go to" guy. Inland Andy is out on the west coast - and generally is a bit more costly than east coast sources. You're in Kitty Hawk man, Colin Hyde and Out of Doors Mart are your friends in the neighborhood.
Your axles are probably toast, but it could just be bad shocks. Out of Doors Mart can get you the correct horizontal ones.

What you need to do first is sit down and PLAN. Do your tasks in the right order or you could end up having to tear out something and redo it just because you failed to plan your steps logically. It would be a shame to paint, then decide you want to replace an old water heater with a new one that will require modifying the access door!

So here's a partial list in a semi-decent order.
  • Leaks - check, find and stop so no other repairs get damaged. If you need new window gaskets AND plan to repaint you can temporarily seal the windows & roof vents - aluminum tape perhaps - and replace them as part of finishing the paint job.
  • FRAME - gotta drop the belly pan and take a look at the frame and floor from the bottom up. If the frame looks good except for surface rust you got VERY lucky. If on the other hand it looks like swiss cheese you might end up building a new frame, or at least doing some major patching (and all of that nice hardwood inside was just covering a problem)
  • Subfloor - the frame, subfloor and body form a system that support each other - rotten floor means frame and floor separation. Shell not secured to the floor is also a big problem. Subfloor rotted from leaks - ACK!
  • Electrical system - you never know what has been "fixed" badly, or in a 30-40 year old trailer really needs to be upgraded just on general principles. Many old converters can boil batteries, and newer ones charge them much better. An 8 track player - might be replaced by something a little more current.
  • Propane system - they have to run outside of the belly pan, under the trailer - and sometimes they get pinched or damaged. Propane leaks are serious outside, deadly inside. The regulator can also be bad, and again, previous owners do stuff that is just insane! Like take out an oven, and just fold and crimp the line instead of taking it OUT and capping the pipe at the junction with the main line.
  • Propane appliances - refrigerator, water heater, furnace, oven and stovetop. All can have issues, and you can get spiders or other gunk in the lines, filters, etc. Get serious handholding before you take these systems on yourself!
  • Plumbing system - toilet leaks, black tanks and tank valves are the worst part, but your water pump and pipes may have leaks or badly repaired work that needs to be done over, plus you might want to update your faucets too. Filters of course often clog up and need to be cleaned.
  • Roof vents, fans, air conditioners, etc. These can be considered to be part of the leak repair job, or plumbing, or as individual tasks
  • Interior design
  • Exterior finishing
  • Running Gear & lights
  • Towing gear & stabilizer jacks
I think you've got a good one, and hopefully the less visable parts have been well maintained, but make sure you find out so you have fewer ugly discoveries.

Paula
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Old 06-04-2012, 10:46 AM   #19
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Wow, Paula...thank you so much for that. The paint is bugging me, I wish it was higher on the checklist. I can't believe you sat there and typed all that out for 'just me'. It is MUCH appreciated. I bought it in your neck of the woods....in Suffolk. I'm going through the paperwork that he gave me and I have meticulous records. All the way back to the original service instructions, owner's ID card, registration cert, the thank you letter from Argosy, and much more. The guy I bought it from is a 30yr mechanic for the state, and his attention to detail is unbelievable. He cried when I was hooking up to it....only selling it because he upgraded larger to accommodate his family. Oh, and thanks for the tip on blasting it. I thought that would have been easier, but when I was looking for belly pan information, I found a guy that tried to soda blast his and it was all wavy and warped. I'm assuming the end caps are steel since there is a little line of rust forming on the edges of the small chips. I would love to lower the belly pan and clean and undercoat everything....I'm just nervous it's too much of a job for me. The pan looks good, but the exposed metal around the axles has a bunch of surface rust.

Here's a few things I know so far......
-The toilet is brand new. He said the other one seemed to disintegrate from the sun.
-The water tank up front was removed when they rebuilt the bed. I still have the tank.
-They rebuilt the side sofa and made it shorter than the original one. I believe the furnace was located in the part they shortened, so, the furnace doesn't exist on mine.
-I have a 1 year old receipt from where he had the plumbing & propane gone over, leak tested, and repaired. He also had the water heater and appliances cleaned, lit, and tested. To the tune of over $800.
-He said these don't have gray tanks? It only has a black tank? When camping with my parents as a kid, we had both in our newer campers....I guess I just have to be creative with dumping it out and cleaning.
-The electric has been upgraded and a new breaker panel and inverter installed.
-The previous owner replaced the AC cover and the weatherstripping from Inland. He spent a BUNCH of money with them.
-I am 6'2", 350, and when I walk on the floors, they feel like concrete. There is a minor squeak in the bathroom floor, so I guess I can focus back there.


That is all for right now...I have a few errands to run.....I am going to be leaning on you guys a lot, I think. I'm totally stoked about this thing. Even when I was limping home on 3 wheels yesterday, at 20 mph, people were still slowing and taking pictures of it while DRIVING! It's crazy the attention it got in just a 2 hour drive.
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Old 06-04-2012, 11:04 AM   #20
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More an issue with shaking the interior and shell to pieced due to a rough ride. Not really something to put off IMO. Axles to have an arch to them. That's how the alignment (camber) is set.

The rubber torsion rods are what gets old brittle and/or shredded over time.
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