Diskotrek - 1975 Argosy 24

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by kidjedi

Looking at my doghouse... there is a lot of steel all around that area. Not just the lid, but the opening and everything out. I assume they stopped doing that for cost, as it seems there is a lot of plywood in other/newer vehicles. Maybe my PO actually installed some extra safety measures of his own?

Anyway... yeah. I got really, really lucky, and hopefully others are able to make modifications to reflect some of the things that saved my rig (and maybe life).

Also, I can't believe that any of the available fire suppression systems would have contained this fire, but it doesn't mean I won't be immediately ordering one.

Your doghouse, my original one, the one on Bella and now the one on Peanut and the 74 24' sitting by my shop all have (or had) the same kind of doghouse arrangement.

74-76 are the same
77-82ish are metal but a different arrangement
83-on have plastic

So I was wrong, the first year or two of the Classics probably had steel doghouses. The plastic was in use by at least 1984, probably 83.

I'll bet a metal liner could be developed to fit inside the plastic covers to give them a much better fire rating.

My guess the plastic was used to save weight and make it easier to remove the cover for better access to the top front of the engine.

[bkahler]

I'm going to start investigating the fabrication of a replacement for the plastic doghouse covers.

Other than steel would there be any other materials that could be used as a replacement material and/or liner?

Also, should I start a new discussion in the Classic's forum on this subject since it only really applies to the Classics?

Brad

[martin300662]

Originally Posted by bkahler

I'm going to start investigating the fabrication of a replacement for the plastic doghouse covers.

Other than steel would there be any other materials that could be used as a replacement material and/or liner?

Also, should I start a new discussion in the Classic's forum on this subject since it only really applies to the Classics?

Brad

Although steel is massively better than plastic there are a whole range of fiber and resin materials now that are much better than steel.

Its totally possible to have a 'fiberglass' version made with fire retardant resins and graphite woven cloth, that simply will not burn at vehicle fire temps.

Then you need a lining that dissipates the heat before the interior catches from the temps coming through the doghouse.

[kidjedi]

So I've looking at different options for fireproofing the doghouse cover.

I think a ceramic fiber mat on the underside is the way to go. It's incredibly toxic stuff (if you breath it in, you'll get cancer), so it will need to be encapsulated, but it's what we used in glass blowing to line the furnaces. It can withstand 2400F and doesn't start to melt until 3200F. I think a 1 inch layer of that covered in a thin layer of aluminum sheet (to encapsulate it) will be good. Then on the exterior (inside the cab) a layer of 80 mil foil backed butyl mat and another layer of 150 or 315 mil closed cell foam to help further with heat radiation and sound.

https://smile.amazon.com/Lynn-Manufa.../dp/B07ZQPC43B

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QY1X35P

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TKXMPH7


On a rather sad note (depending upon how you look at it)... the insurance company offered more than I expected for the "total" of the Diskotrek, but the salvage buy-back is also more than would make sense compared to purchasing a 1977 GMC Motorhome (my dream RV) that is waaaaaay farther along in regard to mechanical improvements. So it's with a heavy heart that I tell you all that I'm jumping ship. I will continue to remain active with the Airstream trailers, but I will be heavily invested in GMC's on the RV side from here on out.

I assume the Diskotrek will be sold at a salvage auction in Indiana or nearby, if anyone is interested in pursuing a great vehicle with some top side fire damage in the engine bay (no damage to a really well appointed and clean interior).

[martin300662]

So I guess you missed that Brad started a new new as a direct result of your fire?

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f31...my-224895.html

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by kidjedi

....On a rather sad note (depending upon how you look at it)... the insurance company offered more than I expected for the "total" of the Diskotrek, but the salvage buy-back is also more than would make sense compared to purchasing a 1977 GMC Motorhome (my dream RV) that is waaaaaay farther along in regard to mechanical improvements. So it's with a heavy heart that I tell you all that I'm jumping ship. I will continue to remain active with the Airstream trailers, but I will be heavily invested in GMC's on the RV side from here on out.

Sorry to hear the Argosy is being totaled. Understandable but still sad.

Prior to buying our first 84 310 we looked at a GMC. It already had an offer on it so we continued looking and that's when we came across the 310. Who knows, if there hadn't been an offer on the GMC things might have been different

Good luck in your travels

[kidjedi]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Sorry to hear the Argosy is being totaled. Understandable but still sad.

Prior to buying our first 84 310 we looked at a GMC. It already had an offer on it so we continued looking and that's when we came across the 310. Who knows, if there hadn't been an offer on the GMC things might have been different

Good luck in your travels

Just got back from Indiana. It was tough saying goodbye to the Diskotrek. I really loved that rig. I put a long list of all the improvements and service inside the vehicle, so hopefully whoever wins it at the salvage auction knows what they're getting. And hopefully someone fixes it instead of just using it for the price of scrap aluminum. I have a feeling someone will be purchasing a vehicle that only needs about $3-4k of work for less than the price of what the brand new tires are worth (only 1200 miles on them and date stamped 2020!). If the "salvage buy back" from the insurance company had been less, I definitely would have kept it.

That said... I just drove 1200 miles in the "new" 1977 GMC. What a difference it makes to have a vehicle that was actually engineered for its purpose (inside and out) vs. a camper strapped on top of a box truck chassis!!!

I couldn't believe how this thing drove and handled. Eliminating the height needed for a drive train going to the back wheels (plus having no rear axles) is simply amazing. It's still 11,000 lbs of mass trying to pretend it's aerodynamic, but it is a joy to drive. I got far fewer honks, waves, smiles, and questions at gas stations than with the Argosy (still some), but I have a feeling once I get this thing to paint, that all will change.

The Argosy was a cute bubble that looked like it belonged on the moon, but this thing feels like an actual sci-fi vehicle (push button air leveling!)... equally happy on the moon or the interstate.

At some point I still hope to start a 23' GMC project from scratch, but for what I need now, this complete and upgraded 26 footer is about to see some amazing adventures with me and the kiddo.

There are enough similarities that I'll still be hanging around here some (plus I'll never stop doing Airstream trailers), but thanks to everyone who helped so much with everything that went into the Diskotrek. You guys rock.

[PeterH-350LE]

Originally Posted by kidjedi

... I have a feeling someone will be purchasing a vehicle that only needs about $3-4k of work for less than the price of what the brand new tires are worth (only 1200 miles on them and date stamped 2020!). If the "salvage buy back" from the insurance company had been less, I definitely would have kept it...

I suppose it comes down to how much you really wanted to keep it. Salvage buy back is extremely low in my experience, since the Insurance company is well aware of the associated costs with handling/auctioning a non running, fire damaged MH.

The buy back for my 79 28' after massive hail damage was 1700, the 1987 345 I sold and was totaled shortly after was ~ 3500.- And both of those Classics could have been driven to auction.

[kidjedi]

Originally Posted by PeterH-350LE

I suppose it comes down to how much you really wanted to keep it.

Believe me, I did the math. "how much you really wanted to keep it" You could say that about anything. I mean, it could have been burnt to cinders and if I "really wanted to keep it" I could spend $100k getting it back on the road, so that sentiment doesn't really make sense if the math is off. They wanted more than $4k for the buy back. Once I factored in everything I still needed to do (for where I wanted it), compared that to what would be an *ideal* vintage RV, and found a "new" (to me) vehicle with all those things already done, it just didn't make sense to keep it. You can "bundle" so much additional work/features into a purchase, especially when armed with all the new knowledge of working on something for a couple of years (what I now know I need to look for vs. being green when I first purchased the Argosy from my neighbor because it was "cool").

Plus the vehicle is 1200 miles (one way) from where I live, so even finding a great mechanic who was only going to charge me $800 (!!!) to get it running again (friend of a friend and worth every penny), I was looking at $3k in parts to fix the fire damage and get it running again. And that was just to get me back to where I was before the fire (still in need of two windshields). That means to get it back to pre-fire status, I would need to spend as much money as I had in it in the first place.

Obviously these numbers are pretty subjective and all depend on how lucky we get when we find vehicles, parts, what we can save in labor by doing work ourselves, etc.

Anyway... now armed with all this information, I instead used the insurance money to level up. For $15k I have a low mileage, fuel injected, complete GMC TZE, with immaculate glass, all new front end parts, new air bags for the self-leveling system, disc brakes, two brand new Dometic A/C units w/ a multi-zone controller, brand new *huge* full size fridge with a FREEZER , ice cold, powerful dash A/C, brand new Yokohoma Geolander tires, Alcoa wheels, and on and on and on. And my kiddo loves the couch that converts to a bunk bed. This thing is just so far forward of where I was sitting with the Diskotrek as far as using it now and what was included. I had been watching the market for more than two years (for personal knowledge in regard to buying/selling as well as keeping an eye out for cool stuff), so when money became available (insurance) I was able to capitalize on all that knowledge to obtain a ridiculously good deal when it became available. The coach I bought was listed for less than an hour when I purchased it, and I just got lucky that it happened to be only two hours from where the Argosy was already sitting.

Anyway, just wanted to protest a little about being accused of "not wanting to keep it," because I really did love the Diskotrek.

[chiefair]

Sorry to hear of your fire & subsequent loss. Sounds like you make the best of a bad situation.

We need pictures of your new ride - that GMC sounds great!

[kidjedi]

Originally Posted by chiefair

Sorry to hear of your fire & subsequent loss. Sounds like you make the best of a bad situation.

We need pictures of your new ride - that GMC sounds great!

Thanks for the kind words. I'll try to get pics up soon. The exterior is not as exciting as I'd like. It's a sort of yellow-beige, and the PO removed the 70's stripes, which were the only thing giving the paint job any character. I guess it's around $10k to paint these things correctly, so it'll probably be quite a while before I can do that. I'm thinking there might be a rattle can in the near future, at least for a temporary spruce job.

Currently gutting all the interior "upgrades" from the PO. He was a great mechanic, but not so much a finish carpenter. The thing I am noticing though is how all the original components are so obviously designed and engineered for exact applications and parts and pieces are manufactured for specific use. No more dealing with the 70's Argosy factory's "Hey, I found this thing in the corner; it should work for that other thing you were needing! And this Mustang dash will definitely fit!" It's kind of dreamy how everything goes together so perfectly.