Argosy 20' MH restoration

[martin300662]

I did get caught up in typhoon 10.... I landed into Tokyo early Sunday morning expecting to get the Shinkansen to Kyoto - there werent any running so I had to do a 6 hour ride up to Tsuruga and then down. No fun at all!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by martin300662

I did get caught up in typhoon 10.... I landed into Tokyo early Sunday morning expecting to get the Shinkansen to Kyoto - there werent any running so I had to do a 6 hour ride up to Tsuruga and then down. No fun at all!

That sounds very tough... Many trains and aeroplanes are canceled during a typhoon. That is very inconvenient.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I cleaned a driver's seat with a rinser cleaner today. My cleaner is not for professional use but it worked well.



I used just water. Sprayed water then vacuumed, that's it. I didn't expect the water got dirty so much!!


I will do this process the all of Argosy's seats while weather is hot.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

My Argosy doesn't have a starter motor bracket. My Argosy's motor had been replaced by the previous owner before came to Japan. I guess the starter bracket was missing when the motor was replaced.



I bought a starter bracket, but it didn't fit my motor without modification.
The bracket has two of 5/16 holes. However, my motor has a 1/2-20 hole next to the starter motor. The hole is too big for a 5/16 bolt...


Some days later, I found a thread insert that has a 1/2-20 thread on the outer side and 3/8-16 inner side on the Internet. I got this savior on Amazon.


The first, cleaned the thread hole with a tap.



Inserted the thread insert.


Expanded the bracket's hole for a 3/8 bolt.


Finally, my motor got the starter motor bracket. I'm not sure this bracket is essential or not. Anyway, it shouldn't be bad!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Fixed a misalignment of a v-belt on an A/C compressor. It needed to remove a radiator again even though it had be placed on the chassis...





I decided to replace a water pump pulley and a crank pulley.


And a crank balancer, because it has a different shape on the center bore.


The left one is the exist crank balancer. I'm not sure why the previous owner or a mechanic chose that one. I think the right one is the correct balancer for a BBC.


My Argosy got new pulley, balancer and v-belts.


Anyway, the v-belt alignment has not solved after replaced the genuine pulleys.


The v-belt should be placed back to the rearward of one width of the v-belt. So I relocated the A/C compressor behind an A/C compressor bracket.


It seems not bad.


But the rear mounting bracket or the A/C compressor need to be modified...



This is my solution. There are aluminum spacers between the A/C compressor and the rear mounting bracket. I think this is the easiest and cheapest way to fix it.

[bkahler]

Yuki, I just finished reading the last few months of your thread. I'm really impressed with the quality of work you've been doing. Very impressive.



So when do you plan on taking the first drive?

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Yuki, I just finished reading the last few months of your thread. I'm really impressed with the quality of work you've been doing. Very impressive.



So when do you plan on taking the first drive?

Hi Brad,
Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the encouragement.

I haven't posted any updates on my thread for a while. Because I had a lot of things to do recently... (The last update is in November 2024! Time flies so fast!!! )
Rest assured that I have never abandoned my Argosy restoration project. I have done a few tasks of my project since the last update. But there are still many tasks remaining.















The project is going on slowly....

So when do you plan on taking the first drive?

That is a good question. And that is a tough question. I would say it is hopefully by the end of this year.

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by GREEN ARGOSY

Hi Brad,
Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the encouragement.

I haven't posted any updates on my thread for a while. Because I had a lot of things to do recently... (The last update is in November 2024! Time flies so fast!!! )
Rest assured that I have never abandoned my Argosy restoration project. I have done a few tasks of my project since the last update. But there are still many tasks remaining.

The project is going on slowly....

That is a good question. And that is a tough question. I would say it is hopefully by the end of this year.

Life seems to go very slowly when there is so much out of our control. Earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, massive wildfires, distructive tornados…It’s good to see an update to yiur project. Hope you are correct and it is ready to use by the end of 2025.

Regards,
Carol

[mojofilter]

Yuki -
May I ask, what are you planning to use for defroster vents for your dash top? I am using the original defroster nozzles underneath the new aluminum dash plate (an exact copy of the original aluminum plate), so the defroster slots are in the same place as the original nozzles. I am building a new dash top (as you are?) and was just wondering how you will do the defroster vents on top.
Thanks, Tim.
P.S. You can see some of my build here https://www.airforums.com/forums/f31...ld-257634.html

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by mojofilter

Yuki -
May I ask, what are you planning to use for defroster vents for your dash top? I am using the original defroster nozzles underneath the new aluminum dash plate (an exact copy of the original aluminum plate), so the defroster slots are in the same place as the original nozzles. I am building a new dash top (as you are?) and was just wondering how you will do the defroster vents on top.
Thanks, Tim.
P.S. You can see some of my build here https://www.airforums.com/forums/f31...ld-257634.html

Tim,

I'm fairly certain Yuki's Argosy is a 77 which means the entire front dash is different and I don't think it has the aluminum plate like the 74 to 76 models had. I have a 77 sitting in front of my shop but I never needed to look at the defroster arrangement.

Brad

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by tallytwo1994

Life seems to go very slowly when there is so much out of our control. Earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, massive wildfires, distructive tornados…It’s good to see an update to yiur project. Hope you are correct and it is ready to use by the end of 2025.

Regards,
Carol

Hi Carol,

Thank you for your message.
I should control my project schedule propery in order to take the first drive by the dead line!!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by mojofilter

Yuki -
May I ask, what are you planning to use for defroster vents for your dash top? I am using the original defroster nozzles underneath the new aluminum dash plate (an exact copy of the original aluminum plate), so the defroster slots are in the same place as the original nozzles. I am building a new dash top (as you are?) and was just wondering how you will do the defroster vents on top.
Thanks, Tim.
P.S. You can see some of my build here https://www.airforums.com/forums/f31...ld-257634.html

Hi Tim,

I don't have the aluminum plate that you described. There are defroster nozzles that is attached on the original dashboard.




I'm going to make a new dash top but I haven't decided yet. I'm looking forward to seeing your new dash top!

[mojofilter]

Thanks Yuli - I see how your original dash cover handled the defroster function. I will use a replacement aluminum plate, with the original defroster vent tubes. I think I'll just get some aftermarket defroster grill plates (2" X 21") for the top of the finished dash.
I'm hoping to use 1/4" thick Baltic birch plywood to form the new dash structure, with a "doghouse" in front of the driver to house the instrument cluster.
I'll try to get pictures as I go.

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by GREEN ARGOSY

Hi Brad,
Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for the encouragement.

I haven't posted any updates on my thread for a while. Because I had a lot of things to do recently... (The last update is in November 2024! Time flies so fast!!! )
Rest assured that I have never abandoned my Argosy restoration project. I have done a few tasks of my project since the last update. But there are still many tasks remaining.


The project is going on slowly....

There is nothing wrong with going slowly. Fewer mistakes are made when you're methodically working through things.

That is a good question. And that is a tough question. I would say it is hopefully by the end of this year.

Hmm....maybe this is your first mistake. Now we're going to expect to see it driven by December 31st

[GREEN ARGOSY]

I'm hoping to use 1/4" thick Baltic birch plywood to form the new dash structure, with a "doghouse" in front of the driver to house the instrument cluster. I'll try to get pictures as I go.

Tim,
That sounds good! I have seen your new instrument panel on your thread. That looks like aircraft's ones, very cool!

Hmm....maybe this is your first mistake. Now we're going to expect to see it driven by December 31st

Brad,
Ahh, I made a mistake. I should take the first drive by December 31st!!


There are a few updates recently.




Hood latches and a release handle have been connected with cables. The cable length is not enough but it would be OK.




A windshield washer pump has been installed underneath a reservoir. I made a bracket with an aluminum angle bar.



I'm going to install a front bumper this weekend.
Stay tuned...

[mojofilter]

Beautiful work!!
That's interesting - I'm using the exact same coolant reservoir. It looks like a similar style for the windshield washer fluid reservoir? (to the right of the coolant reservoir). Can I ask the make and model of the washer reservoir and the washer pump?


I am using an electric heater valve with the H style bypass.

[GREEN ARGOSY]

Originally Posted by mojofilter

Beautiful work!!
That's interesting - I'm using the exact same coolant reservoir. It looks like a similar style for the windshield washer fluid reservoir? (to the right of the coolant reservoir). Can I ask the make and model of the washer reservoir and the washer pump?


I am using an electric heater valve with the H style bypass.

Thank you!

No, the smaller reservoir (right side) is not for the windshield washer fluid. Both reservoirs are used for coolant. The small one has a capacity of 1L and the other has 2L. I'm just going to use it as a windshield washer fluid reservoir. This reservoir has seven of -6 AN O-ring ports so I'm going to attach a hose barb fitting (Probably 1/8") on the bottom port for windshield washer and on the upper port for a vent.

The washer pump (Trico #11-100) is the universal part too. I have not used it in my rig yet. I'm hoping it would be working well!

[GREEN ARGOSY]

It's time to take a cross member back to my Argosy. In other words, my garage takes back a vacant space little by little.


I have made a protection grille for a radiator and a condenser with a net. This protection grille attaches on the bottom section of the radiator.


However, I realized my mistake when a cross member had been installed on the chassis. There are braces connect to the cross member and the chassis in front of the radiator. I completely forgot about these braces!!
Unfortunately, those braces interfere the protection grille installation so I need to redo it.



The grille was cut the length, then got a new mounting bracket. The new bracket is fixed on the braces with V-shaped bolts.


The new protection grille has been installed. But it cannot protect the radiator fins against road debris or anything from the bottom side... I will think about it later.