Why are the Argosy models painted?

[DianeGem]

I am new to this site and am considering purchasing an Airstream. Does anyone know why the vintage Argosy trailers and motorhomes are painted? Can the paint be removed to show the Aluminum finish?

[t7389sg]

I think it is because the upper two end caps are one piece steel instead of multiple tapered aluminum panels. If you try to polish it all the end caps will look different because they are not aluminum. Plus they would rust. Argosy's are cool.

[bkahler]

At one time I considered polishing my Argosy but then decided I didn't like the looks of the aluminum being polished and the end caps being painted silver. Just doesn't look right to me.

The sky's the limit as to what color scheme you can paint an Argosy. Mine will be painted one of these days I just don't know what color scheme I will use on it yet.

Check out Fred's Airstream Archives. Lots of good information and pictures on his site.

Good luck in your search!

Brad

[overlander64]

Greetings DianeGem!

Welcome to the Forums and the world of Airstreams and Argosys!

Originally Posted by DianeGem

I am new to this site and am considering purchasing an Airstream. Does anyone know why the vintage Argosy trailers and motorhomes are painted? Can the paint be removed to show the Aluminum finish?

There are a number of factors that likely influenced the decision to paint the exterior of the Argosy coaches:

• The Argosy was introduced as a less costly entry point into the world of Airstream RVs.
  • Painting was one way to distinguish the Argosy from the more expensive Airstream products with natural/polished finish.
  • This also offered another means to distinguish the Argosy travel trailers from the Airstreams which were eligible for membership in the WBCCI (Wally Byam Caravan Club International). It wouldn't be until the early 1990s when the Argosy travel trailers would be granted admission to the WBCCI.
• As has been stated earlier, the galvanized steel endcaps can't be polished and need to be protected with a coat of paint. Some have polished their Argosy travel trailers and painted the endcaps metallic silver . . . but there is always a notable difference between the two surfaces.
• The Argosy line was the test bed for ideas that Airstream was considering for introduction into the traditional Airstream coaches, and the Argosy line permitted Airstream with the opportunity to gauge public reaction to a "painted" Airstream. Some other features pioneered on the Argosy were:
  • Panoramic windows installed in the front of all coaches and in the rear of those coaches with rear bedrooms.
  • Composite Aluminum Floors in Minuet 6.0 Metre and 6.7 Metre coaches (not all Minuets of either size had Composite Aluminum floors but they were found in many 6.0 Metre coaches and a few 6.7 Metre coaches).
  • Narrower coach width . . . 7.0' wide on Minuets with 7' 8" on the standard Argosy travel trailers. Airstream carried on with this narrower body for one year after the Argosy travel trailers were discontinued . . . the 1980 Airstream Caravelle (20', 22', 24') coaches were patterened after the Minuets.
  • The motorhome was first offered in the Argosy line then migrated to the Airstream brand as Argosy production was being discontinued.
  • The Minuets utilized acrylic rather than glass for the side windows . . . something that was not tried elsewhere in the Airstream or Argosy lines.
• As a mid-priced coach, the Argosy travel trailers also had a lower level of stadard equipment, but quality appliances and components were still utilized.
• It has been speculated, but there isn't any direct evidence to support the supposition that imperfect aluminum sheets that wouldn't have been acceptable for Airstream construction may have been utilized in building the Argosy coaches.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

P.S.: One of the hazards of polishing an Argosy beyond the existence of the galvanized steel endcaps is the possibility of uncovering panels that have been repaired with standard automotive practices (such as bondo or other plastic fillers). The painted finish on an Argosy permits less expensive repairs to be made short of the panel replacement that is required to make most body repairs on an Airstream.

[idroba]

From Kevin Allen's post: "It has been speculated, but there isn't any direct evidence to support the supposition that imperfect aluminum sheets that wouldn't have been acceptable for Airstream construction may have been utilized in building the Argosy coaches."

Years ago, when camping in Ohio, I ran into a man who had worked for Airstream. He said that they took damaged panels or sheets of Aluminum from the AS factory and used them, because they could body fill and paint them, at the Argosy facility.

Years later, i striped the paint from an Argosy and found many, but not all, of the panels had scratches and some even holes which had been skimmed over with body filler and then painted. I did my best to polish it with the facilities I had at the time, and it didn't turn out too bad, but the panels were certainly not just high quality ones which had been painted. So, what the guy had told me was born out by what I found.

Having had several Argosy's over the years, I would also say that the build quality was somewhat variable. I don't think the Argosy factory had the skilled workers that the Airstream factory had. One minor example: I struggled for years with the curtains on my '74, 20' Argosy. I could never get them to track right. I finally figured out the issue. At the factory they put the bottom curtain tract/couch cushion support out of level by 1 1/4" over the length of 72". It didn't look bad but made for funny curtain and rear couch cushion support.

On another Argosy I had, the closet door in the bathroom was put in with the hinge on the wrong side, making access to the Univolt converter/charger in the roadside rear lower part of the closet virtually impossible. Since the doors are the same I was able to take it off, turn it over and re mount it properly.

BTW, I love my Argosy and please don't take the above information to indicate they were inferior trailers. Just a somewhat lower line, like Chevy vs. Buick of the same era.

[adore]

I have owned both... a Classic Airstream and two Argosys... and I have found a lot easier to take care of the finish of my Argosys than my Classic (Aluminium) Airstream. Regarding the interior and the equipment, I don't find much differences between the two... I am proud of my little Argosy Minuet... :-)

[Ag&Au]

I am about to utter blasphemy, so forgive me in advance. I actually wish Airstreams were all painted white. I believe the maintenance would be easier. For my taste, I would find them better looking. They would be cooler in the sun. However that said, I am sure if I painted ours, its value would plummet. So unless everyone signs a go white pact, I'm stuck with a silver trailer.

Ken

[r carl]

Did Argosy trailers come from the factory in different colors?

[ViewRVs]

I have some pictures of the galvanized steel caps in my blog on the Argosy Galvanized Caps.

[overlander64]

Greetings r carl!

Originally Posted by r carl

Did Argosy trailers come from the factory in different colors?

Throughout the years of production for the first generation Argosy travel trailers there were changes in colors as well as how the two-toning was handled. The earliest coaches were painted a two-tone light tan over dark tan with the belt-line molding separating the colors. The next variation was a light tan over a medium brown on the banana wraps. This treatment was followed by a similar light tan over a burnt-orange/copper color paint on the banana wraps (as well as bumper and hitch), the final variation utilized in 1979 was a colonial white coach with color-keyed striping relating to the interior color (orange, spring green, blue, etc.). I suspect that a determined special order customer could have persuaded the factory to paint the coach in other than the standard colors for the model year if the price was right . . . I am not aware of such a situation actually presenting itself.

Kevin