Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-20-2020, 09:23 PM   #1
1 Rivet Member
 
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
Detroit , Michigan
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 11
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 meter - I'm a complete newbie! Help.

You guys I'm new and starting a wild project with my new Argosy Minuet. Ok half wild, just adding some bunks, and making a few small mods (remove the stove, glaze the bathroom countertop, stick tile flooring and backsplash, rebuild moldy cushions, etc). We are trying to get 2 bunks inside, and I have some changes I'm curious who has any suggestions for specifics below.

Our story quick: We bought a 78 Argosy Minuet 6.7m We plan to road-school our 3, 7, 8, and 11 year old while we job hunt in the era of COVID, and simultaneously adventure from Detroit to Los Angeles (for work). We are in over our heads, but I am stubborn and going to figure this whole Argosy thing out. Nope, we've never used a camper before. -- I know. Crazy girl in aisle 9. I have my adventure pants on and power tools charging and I'm ready to find out what I'm made of. Help a girl out :

  1. 1. Tambors:
I think we are going to part with them. Is there an efficient way to sell them, or just not waste perfectly good tambor doors? Anyone looking?
  1. 2. Furnace:
has lots of paperwork about getting it inspected through the 90's, but I think we are going to ditch it. Is this a bad move? We don't winter camp, and I'm assuming we won't use it, ever. I need the space -- Is it a boss to remove? What do I need to know? Link me to your forums. Can I sell it, or is that a waste?
  1. 3. Shroud:
It flew off on our way home from purchasing. Yikes. It seemed to run cold on a quick check, but we haven't taken it out yet. Do I need to custom order this shroud? What can I expect, and where do I start?
  1. 4. Water Access Panel Key:
missing! I read somewhere you can just use a generic key from another Argosy? Does anyone know where to start? I can't test anything until I can get into the water access panel. Whelp.

  1. 5. Range:
I think we want to ditch it. We don't think we will use it much. Do people buy these? What do I need to know when I remove it?
  1. 6. Water heater
-- looks like it at one point was mondo leaking. Hard to say since the whole thing is dry as a bone since we bought it... yet musty, from what looks like a window leak, and maybe this water heater. How. do. I. know? Besides testing it once I can get access to the water panel? I plan to work on it a bunch and then take it out for a night to test everything. I'm not excited to re-do things twice, if it is leaking. Advice is my favorite. This needs to work since most campsites require self contained during covid spikes, I think.
  1. 7. Bunks...
This is a plan in my mind I cannot undo. I have been reading your forums and talking to my friends. My mind is engineer brain so I think I can get this one right. But if anyone wants to let me think out loud, speak up and I'll post pictures and plans before I sabotage my own children. The plan: replace plywood at the end of the gaucho, with 3/4" oak (ugh everything else was out of stock, and I'm starting tomorrow). This I will cut taller than the existing gaucho end, to match the height of the countertop on the other end of the gaucho (40"), and add an angled bracket on the countertop, and then on the new taller plywood, to add a 6" platform on each end of the gaucho. On top, we will place a single kid-o-bunk. (Somehow. This connection I haven't worked out yet. suggest away). -- second one I plan to build something over the front bed (we do not have a dinette).


You guys. Help me out. All the forum links and all the suggestions. and offer for my stuff, accepted. There will be more to come. This project is happening as quickly as I can sort it out and do the physical work. I wanted to be on the road my September 1. I know.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Argosy Exterior Original 1 .jpg
Views:	73
Size:	310.1 KB
ID:	376456   Click image for larger version

Name:	Argosy Interior Original 1.jpg
Views:	233
Size:	355.9 KB
ID:	376457  

Click image for larger version

Name:	Argosy Interior Original 2.jpg
Views:	133
Size:	332.7 KB
ID:	376458  
Dawn Bender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2020, 07:53 AM   #2
Rivet Master
 
Belegedhel's Avatar
 
1973 21' Globetrotter
Houston , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,314
Well, you definitely have some aggressive plans, if only in terms of taking a trailer that looks to have had no improvements made to it in the last 40 years and make it full-time habitable in the next couple of weeks....

My first recommendation is to examine the structure before you worry about the relatively superficial interior changes. If you are riding on the original axle, that will need to be changed, as the rubber rods in these torsion axles only last about 20-25 years. There are many threads that describe how to evaluate the condition of your axle, but the easiest is just to jack it up and see how much the arm moves as you lift the body. It should travel 2-3 inches. You can't just buy an axle off the shelf--they are custom built to fit your trailer, and there is usually a several week lead time.

It is hard to see much of the frame on these trailers without pulling off the belly-pan, but you can check for rear end separation by just stepping onto the back bumper and gently bouncing up and down. Yous should not see any relative motion between the body and the frame rails. If you do, then you need to investigate what shape the rear end is in. Unless you lucked out and have aluminum floors in yours, the 70's vintage trailers are prone to floor rot in the rear that results in rear-end separation.

As for all the stuff that you think you might not want, you can try listing it on the Air Forums Classifieds. Or, you can throw it in the dumpster and save yourself some time. About the only thing someone might be interested in is the range. 40 year old furnaces are prone to killing the occupants of the trailer. I would say that if your tambour is in fine shape, then just keep it and use it. With your intentions to be on the road by September, you absolutely don't have time to fix things that aren't broken. That being said, 40 year old tambour tends to fall apart with use, which is why nobody is going to want it, and you might want to make a preemptive strike at getting rid of it, but I would save that for the last thing you do.

The AC shroud (looks like this is the original AC) is unobtainable--your only option is a custom fab.

Water access door lock: I assume you have already tried the keys that go with the other hatches/doors, right? If so, your choices are either to call a locksmith, or you may be able to pull the gaucho out and actually see the latching mechanism from the inside of the coach. You can take the strike off of the lock from inside, and then the door will open up. You may have to modify the inner skin a little bit to allow you the room you need.

Water heater: You need to test the entire water/plumbing system. Other than filling it with water, there isn't much you can do to find leaks. To be safe, you should fill the black and grey water tanks as well as the FW tank and make sure the 40 year old plastic isn't cracked and leaking.

You potentially have a huge project in front of you, even without the bunk bed mods you have planned (depending on what has been done in the past, and maintenance). I haven't even touched on the electrical system (if you have the original "univolt" converter, you will want to replace it), propane system, door and window seals. Think of this as a used car from the 70's that has been sitting in someone's yard for the last 20 years. Not the car i would want to take on a cross-country road trip without something nearing a complete rebuild...

good luck!
Belegedhel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2020, 11:16 PM   #3
1 Rivet Member
 
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
Detroit , Michigan
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 11
Thank you! So much to check on and sort out. We do have aluminum floors! And the axils and tires have been replaced or inspected. So far those are up to par with our plans. The rest I will for sure check out.

Today I got a plan going for the bunks, carpet out, walls cleaned, and I’ve already prepped all my fabric and materials for new cushions. We also got half the furnace out, and half the tambors.

Here’s my bunk plan progress: I’ve mapped out the kid-O-bunks and they’re going to fit as a triple bunk, with the same spacing as the kid-o-bunks on the ground. I mock cut a foam board so I only have to cut my Oak-ply once. I’m happy with the “windows” I traced for each bunk to match the window shape of the argosy. Here is the wall I’m building, more pictures tomorrow, once I cut the windows, and then onto the actual ply.

I also Half successfully Removed the compartments above the bunks. I took the plunge. I might not fill the holes for now— does anyone have a recommendation, maybe caulk? I’ll be caulking the wheel wells once the floor is prepped for new floors.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	7E17DDB5-34A9-499B-B2AF-60E7EED32B29.jpg
Views:	47
Size:	131.5 KB
ID:	376558   Click image for larger version

Name:	FAF20AA1-3ABA-4021-A178-41156395343D.jpg
Views:	62
Size:	272.2 KB
ID:	376559  

Dawn Bender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-21-2020, 11:27 PM   #4
1 Rivet Member
 
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
Detroit , Michigan
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 11
The water heater that looks iffy to me:

It seems like there’s a lot going on around this thing. Any advice based on this picture? The maintenance records indicate the entire argosy has been serviced and maintained carefully through the 90’s. The grey pipe doesn’t match any other pipes I’ve seen, could these indicate “new” maybe repairing whatever was leaking?
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	48119689-64A3-42DA-BE34-96B5EAC54FDD.jpeg
Views:	44
Size:	256.0 KB
ID:	376563  
Dawn Bender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-22-2020, 10:34 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
Belegedhel's Avatar
 
1973 21' Globetrotter
Houston , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,314
Yes, looks like there has been some leakage under the water heater. Again, hard to tell if the the pipes were leaking, and it has already been repaired, or if the tank itself is still leaking. All kinds of bad things can happen if it wasn't winterized properly.
Belegedhel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 07:16 AM   #6
Rivet Master
 
Belegedhel's Avatar
 
1973 21' Globetrotter
Houston , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,314
How's progress?
Belegedhel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 11:16 PM   #7
1 Rivet Member
 
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
Detroit , Michigan
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 11
Update

We are about to hit the road!

My husband opted to just camp dry, so we aren’t even testing or fixing anything on the water for now. I guess the shower will be extra storage while we master being minimalists.

We finished the triple bunk, reupholstered cushions, and put in some LVP flooring this week. We are happy with it for this trip and looking forward to the work in progress. We leave in the morning!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	905B19F3-6B09-4490-9865-CCF75D6CE45B.jpg
Views:	69
Size:	272.1 KB
ID:	378149  
Dawn Bender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2020, 11:24 PM   #8
1 Rivet Member
 
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
Detroit , Michigan
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 11
I will take more pictures but here’s a better one:
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	EA6FC3CB-8645-4CDA-BD8A-2BE902BA6049.jpg
Views:	61
Size:	264.3 KB
ID:	378150  
Dawn Bender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2023, 09:09 PM   #9
New Member
 
1977 Argosy Minuet 6.7 Metre
College Park , MD
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 1
How are things going?

Would love to hear from the OP about how the adventure went. I'm about to buy a 6.7 Minuet with an aluminum floor. Would love to hear about the reno process.
MinuetDream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2023, 02:30 AM   #10
Moderator Emeritus
 
overlander64's Avatar
 
1964 26' Overlander
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
Anna , Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,708
Images: 194
Send a message via Yahoo to overlander64
RE: Renovating a Minuet

Greetings MinuetDream! Welcome to the Forums and the world of Vintage Minuets!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MinuetDream View Post
Would love to hear from the OP about how the adventure went. I'm about to buy a 6.7 Minuet with an aluminum floor. Would love to hear about the reno process.
While I am not the original poster, I have owned my 1978 6.0 Metre Minuet for more than 21 years. You need to do some serious thinking before renovating a Minuet. It isn't easy to keep the weight under control when renovating a standard Argosy or Airstream travel trailer, but it is even more difficult with a Minuet. The frames, interiors, and fixtures were all designed in tandem so any changes to the interior can quickly add weight that will be more than the frame was designed to handle. The Minuets featured vinyl-clad aluminum cabinetry and furniture with vinyl Tambour cabinet doors as a primary elements providing significant weight savings. The side windows were also acrylic to save weight as well (the front Panoramic Windows are standard tempered glass as is the back window). These weight savings moves allowed the frame to be of lighter material than the standard trailers so there is less excess capacity. The base empty weight of the 6.7 Metre Minuet was 2725 pounds with a empty hitch weight of 280 pounds. The GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) should be indicated on a plate that you can find on the front of the trailer behind the LP Tanks on the streetside of the trailer. The likely GVWR for the trailer is around 3,500 to no more than 4,000 pounds. Keep in mind that the empty weight of the trailer does not include any options nor accessories, the weight of the house battery, the weight of fresh water, the weight of LP Gas, nor the weight of any personal possessions. At least two items that many don't consider when looking at optional equipment on these Vintage Argosy and Airstream trailers is that both awnings and air conditioners were optional equipment. The standard features of a Minuet can be reviewed in this document.



Good luck with your investigation!
__________________
Kevin D. Allen
WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC #7864
AIR #827
1964 Overlander International
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
overlander64 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Argosy Minuet 6 meter anthonyk Vintage Kin 2 10-14-2013 08:10 AM
Fun Vintage Diner 1978 Argosy Airstream Minuet 6.7 Meter, 22’, Sleeps 4 eBay Watch Airstreams on eBay 0 12-15-2011 11:20 AM
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre :: 1978 Argosy by Airstream Minuet 6.0 Metre overlander64 Airstream Registry Discussions 0 08-19-2011 08:30 AM
1977 Argosy Minuet 6 meter zimbop Trailer Values 18 08-29-2010 05:17 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:46 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.