How rare is rear door twin argosy?

[j_c_c]

I have a lead on a twin bed, rear door 22' argosy... potentially overpriced, but there is a specific reason I am interested in this exact one...


Just wondering if the rear door and being a twin front adds any special value over the other options? It is mostly stock I think, gonna check it out this weekend...

thx!

[CanoeStream]

Hi jcc. overlander64's Argosy brochures are here. My recall and these brochures don't quite show a pair of twin beds. The one rear door model shows a front gaucho. Of course there probably were variations produced at the factory in Versailles. We see posts about them on occasion. I know a member with one. Placing any extra value on them is hard to say.

Last posting I recall was mention of one being towed home and having a rock go through a front panoramic window on this first trip. Install those rock guards! And they do tend to be too light on tongue weight -- may be a bit unstable on the tow when totally empty -- should be okay when packed for a trip.

[j_c_c]

Thanks for the rock guard tips! Luckily I would never have to tow it - I'll be keeping it at the beach full-time if I pick it up...

Good point on the config - seller may have a 24 then... I'll know more this weekend.

Thanks!

[overlander64]

The rear door Argosy coaches are quite unusual. While I have never been able to find any production numbers, there weren't that many produced during the 3 years that the 22' rear door was produced - - and the 2 years that the 24' rear door was produced.

My understanding is that the 22' front door model was intended to be a only front lounge layout. I suspect that a few were produced with the optional front dinette, but I don't have confirmation of that suspicion.

Good luck with your investigation!

Kevin

[Kersley]

overlander- do you know how accurate the brochures are for the weights? i'm also looking at one of the rear door argosy trailers (24') and when I called and asked the weight the guy said around 7,000 lbs. The brochure that you have posted shows a weight of 3,750 lbs.

thoughts?

[Aage]

The Argosy models are a LOT light than the comparable AS trailers in that era! Was it just because of the aluminum floor, I wonder?

Up here in Canada, the only Argies I ever see are the 24-footers. In fact, I came close to buying one, a coach that the PO had converted to ALL-DIESEL! Heat, cooking, water heating, all diesel.

And a fill cap outside like a car or truck's, but of course, for diesel. The DW didn't like the interior though.

[overlander64]

Greetings Kersley!

Welcome to the Forums!

Originally Posted by Kersley

overlander- do you know how accurate the brochures are for the weights? i'm also looking at one of the rear door argosy trailers (24') and when I called and asked the weight the guy said around 7,000 lbs. The brochure that you have posted shows a weight of 3,750 lbs.

thoughts?

The weights in the brochures are empty/dry weights and do not reflect the weight of options, accessories, water, LP gas, nor personal possessions. My experience has been that the empty weight is usually a bit higher than the base coach's empty weight - - on my Overlander there is a 250 pound difference and on my Minuet there is a 175 pound difference.

The weights that you were given are even a little heavy for GVWR of the current trailers. My guess is that you were getting very rough estimates from someone who was not terribly familiar with the Argosy coaches.

Argosy saved weight in its coaches a number of ways the interior cabinety and partitions are light weight laminates, and the level of standard equipment is lower than the Airstream. In the Minuet series (1977 through 1979) weight was reduced through narrowing the coach 7' wide rather than the 7' 8" of the standard Argosy coaches, and constructing interior bulkheads and cabinet using vinyl-clad aluminum. There were a few Minuets in both 6.0 Metre and 6.7 Metre that were produced with composite aluminum floors that further reduced the weight of the coaches.

Good luck with your search!

Kevin