Jim and Fred at the Cooperative Motorworks in Orlando, FL.

Sometimes there really is a silver lining to that grey cloud that you might find yourself in! That happened to Fred and I on our Maiden Voyage with our “new” 1977 Argosy 20 motorhome (George is his name). Once we purchased George we knew that we wanted to take him down to Jim Bounds at Cooperative Motor Works in Orlando to have him painted and to look at any mechanical or other issues that the unit may have. Since we would have to leave George for awhile to have the work done, we decided to wait until August to bring him to Jim. We were, however, heading to Disney World in May on this Maiden Voyage. The rig did great getting us to Orlando with a few minor issues. When we left Disney one evening to make a run to Walmart, low and behold, the unit would not start back up. Fred tried everything he could for several hours, but we ended up having to call a tow truck (Yes, on our first trip out. This is where the grey cloud came in!). We knew that we were only about 5 miles from Cooperative Motor Works, so when the tow truck finally arrived around 2:00am, we had him tow us to Jim’s place. As we went to bed outside Jim’s gate around 3:00am we thought about our paid for empty spot at Fort Wilderness and wondered what Jim would think when he saw us outside his gate in the morning….A little before 8:00am Jim arrived and greeted us warmly and proceed to fit us immediately into his tight schedule. He and his crew discovered that the battery ground was bad. Once that was fixed, he proceeded to spend most of the day with us going over our unit. The cooperative part about his business is the best part! You are right there with him as he works on your unit, and he teaches you, so that you can work on things yourself. He taught me (pretty much a girly girl) how to do a tune up on the engine! As you have probably figured out, Jim was our Silver Lining. If you are ever in the Orlando area, I highly recommend that you schedule a time to stop by Cooperative Motor Works. Jim is a GMC Motorhome specialist (he completely restores them).  He also works on Airstreams (which he restores also). He is filled with a wealth of information about vintage coaches. You can even join his Cooperative which enables you to call him at any time with a question, and he will walk you through the troubleshooting process. Jim actually owns the same Argosy 1977 that we own. The picture above is of Jim and Fred on that day.

-Monique

I have found that most of my needs have been met with the 12v system. I never used my 120v cell phone chargers. I charged them exclusively using the 12v outlets. I have two in my unit and I have a dual-outlet adapter that comes in really handy.

Happy travels,

Fred
Fred’s Airstream Archives
1977 Argosy 20′ Motorhome

-Monique

In 2008, this 1986 Airstream 325 was sold in Sacramento, CA and shipped to Holland.  The current owner just sent me updated pictures of the coach in Europe!  It is always great to see one of these coaches being well taken care of!

FYI – Gardaland is a theme park in Italy!

Thanks Jan for the updated pictures!

Happy travels,

Fred

We started looking for an Argosy 20′ unit but found them VERY hard to find!  There were many Argosy 24, 26, and 28′ units.  None of those units would fit behind our house.  We reconsidered the unit in poor condition but the budget to restore the unit went through the roof.

Here is a picture of our new unit.  After we take him to Disney World, we plan to drop him off at the Cooperative Motor Works in Orlando, FL.  He is going to get a whole new paint job (same pattern but with some retro flower power graphics on the curb side).  We really want the unit ti shine.  We are also happy that Jim’s shop will be going over other key systems and making sure everything is serviced.

"Flower Power"

One thing that really impresses me about the unit is how much Airstream was able to pack into such a small space.  The unit even has a shower (no wet bath).

These 20′ units are becoming very hot in the market.  I have had a few advertised on my site but they don’t last long!  Seeing that these sold new for $13,000 to $17,000 new, they are approaching that number now.  I am not sure how you define a collectible vehicle but these are coming close!

The unit that we purchased is in very good condition.  We are the fourth owners.  The unit just made a cross country trip from Montana to California to Georgia over the course of 2 months.

We really feel that this unit is a awesome ride!  When we are finished getting the unit in top shape, we will still have spent 1/2 of what a new unit would cost.

The only question that I have is why did Airstream stop making this unit?  I bet they would have a long list of orders for these units!  A Sprinter Class B unit runs around $100,000 and still would not have the space and cool-points that these units have!  My only wish is that I could swap out the Chevy 454 for a Duramax/Allison combination!

Happy Travels,

Fred

My wife and I just attended the West Virginia Sports Show here in Charleston, West Virginia.  I was disappointed that 95% of the show was travel trailers.  While that is a popular niche, it is only a portion of the RV industry.  I am guessing that the RV of choice in West Virginia is the travel trailer!  It might have something to do with the fact that about half of the vehicles on the road are trucks or large SUVs capable of towing!

The quality is what you would expect from a box trailer.  The flimsy shower surrounds, plastic sinks, wallpaper fake tile backsplash, and misaligned door pulls where all clues to the lower end of the RV scale.  While there were multiple vendors present, most of the units looked the same.  Nothing unique or new except one vendor had motorized drop down bunks in the living room.  The bunks had an electric motor that lowered them from underneath the overhead storage.  It was a great idea and the only unique thing I saw at the show.

TRENDS

Faux Tile Flooring

We did notice that the manufacturers were using linoleum flooring with tile patterns.  Out with the faux wood floors and in with the faux tile floor.  Mostly brown/taupe and mostly diagonals.  I was surprised that a few trailers had linoleum faux tile but in large 12″ tiles which made the unit look smaller.

Outdoor Cooking Stations

The other trend was outside cooking (propane burners or grills), sinks, and refrigerators.  The size and quality varied but it was clear that more units were offering them.

(Lack of) Green RVs

With all of the attention to formaldehyde with the FEMA trailers, I was surprised that we only saw 1 or 2 “green” RVs.  Since we did go in most of the units, I am sure that we inhaled enough of the stuff to preserve us form a few months!  It could be that this is just a local thing.  In West Virginia, if you cannot see it, touch it, or taste it, then it is not on the radar!  We have more than our share of chemical plants here in “Chemical Valley“!

One thing that we determined is that my wife and I prefer a motorhome.  This is just a personal lifestyle preference.  We like being able to pull off the road and have access to everything without having to go outside.  The very first night we used our Airstream 345, we arrived at the campground in a driving rainstorm.  We simply backed into the spot and settled in.  I was not about to plug into shore power in a rainstorm!

I did have a ViewRVs.com shirt on.  One gentleman asked me about my site.  I told him I mainly post older Airstream and Argosy units and that I feel the construction of the Airstream/Argosy line far exceeds to quality of construction of these new units.  I would bet Mitt Romney’s $10,000 that a 22 year old 1990 Airstream would outlast every unit in that building!

If you are looking for “value” in your RV purchase, I think the NEW lots don’t offer much.  A used Airstream or Argosy is a much better value!

-Fred

After a morning of hitting local garage sales, we hit the road to go see the 1984 Blue Bird motor home. When we arrived, we noticed a very large metal building that housed many vehicles including some vintage 1930′s Fords and Chevys. Upon entering, I saw the front of the Blue Bird coach. Not wanting to show any excitement, I calmly walked around looking at the coach.  It was quickly apparent this person’s project was a mess and they had very little experience doing this!  It had a patchwork of very poor exterior panel work.

We then went inside to find a very awkward floorplan and a partially completed wet-bath (which I would not expect in a Wanderlodge). I did notice some very commercial items such as the bus route device above the driver. It occurred to me that a Wanderlodge would never have seem passenger service.

Come to find out, it was an old city bus that the current owner was attempting to make into an RV. The partially completed project was a mess. This Blue Bird bus was basically salvage. There were no bids on the unit. I bet I could have gotten it for less than $50. The problem is that I’d have to spend hundreds to get it started and able to be driven. This bus is destined for the scrap yard!  Oh well, my quest for another RV continues!

The positive side to this is that I plan to develop new sections for the Blue Bird Wanderlodge units in the new future.

Happy Travels,

Fred

ViewRVs.com

Hi Fred
At some point each and every man must find his mind in an RV. And when that first thought floats to our lost mind, we next get to an Airstream Classic RV. Well here I am. Don’t know where I’d go, but alas I’m gone. Please coach me. I’ve never had an RV. I like the thought of pulling a convertible either on a trailer or tow. I’ve dogs and kids and an adventurers basic matrix. Diesel? No Diesel? Please tell me what to do….can’t afford much.
Thanks Fred.
Joe

Fred’s Answer:

This is a great question and requires a long answer!  Not every situation is the same so I will give you a few things to ponder.

1. Do you own a tow vehicle?  This makes a huge difference.  Having a truck or large SUV allows you to buy a used trailer.  Right now, many of the 1980-1995 Airstream trailers are a real bargain.
2. Where do you plan to “camp”?  If you will always be at parks, a trailer makes a lot of sense.  If you plan to “boondock” or “dry camp”, a motorhome makes sense although many trailer folks tote along generators.
3. Do you have somewhere to store an RV?  Many subdivisions do not allow RVs.  A storage facility will run you $40 to $100 per month.
4. How much time off do you have each year?  If you only have 2-3 weeks of vacation, I suggest just renting cabins or hotels.  You really have to have some time available to use the RV.
5. How old are the kids?  Teenagers are a lot less likely to want to go camp with Mom and Dad.  Also, the convertible sofas and dinettes are really made for little ones.  Most teenagers and adults find them hard to sleep on.
6. How many activities are the kids in?  If you are one of those folks with the kids doing things all week, an RV may not be for you.  If you like to spend time together and are not involved in 10 clubs, you will have lots of fun.
7. What kind of things are you close to?  I once lived in Jackson, Mississippi and there was NOTHING within 3 hours of Jackson!  Here in West Virginia, I probably have 100 places to go within 3-4 hours.
8. How much money do you have to spend?  The trailers can be much less expensive.  The Classic diesel motorhomes can run from $19,000 to $39,000 depending on the model and year.
9. How handy are you?  Most RVs, just like an older car, need some work to keep them going.  You either need a pile of cash or be pretty handy.
10. It sounds like you want a diesel classic motorhome.  The classic diesels from 1983 to 1991 do not tow much of anything without modifications to the hitch.  The factory tow weight is 2,000 pounds.  The 1994-1995 Classic diesel pushers can pretty much pull any car.
11. As far as pulling a car, most motorhome owners prefer to tow “four down” (a.k.a. “toad”) or all four wheels on the road with a tow bar rather than using a dolly or trailer.  The dolly or trailer is just one more thing to drag around.  First, the car is much easier to unhitch and drive.  Second, the car is pretty stable on it’s own four tires.

Having an RV can be a great or horrible experience.  You learn about AC and DC electrical systems, plumbing, heating, cooling, and gas systems.  It is a complicated rolling house. It will take you a few trips to really understand your RV.  Have a good mechanic check it out and also show you have the systems work.

I also highly suggest being active in an Internet forum such as Air Forums (http://www.airforums.com/) or the Open Roads Forum (http://www.rv.net/forum/).

The pets are fun to travel with.  My two dogs absolutely LOVED the motorhome.  My pointer mix would run and leap into the RV with such enthusiasm that she usually hit the dinette on the other side of the coach!  They loved going on walks on the trails in the state parks!  Smaller dogs are obviously better.  You’ll need to check with the parks in advance for pet restrictions, fees, and requirements such as paperwork.

I hope that helps Joe!

LOTS of RVs out and about on the roads even with gas at $4.00 per gallon.

Both Casitas were being pulled by Toyota Tacoma trucks.

The Avion trailer is being used as a concession trailer. I got a few pictures that I’ll post in my Avion section.

I did not see a single Airstream motorhome on the trip.

have a ’94 airsteam land yacht LE 34 footer, need a couple rear tail light lenses, and tips for best place to buy?

thanks!

Tom S.

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Tom,

I would try these two places:

Inland RV
http://inlandrv.com/

Colaw RV salvage
http://www.colawrvsalvage.com/

You could also just try an Airstream dealer!

-Fred