Old Argo value?

[Gruffy]

2 questions: What is your time table for having a running argo and are you prepared to put ~2k or greater into it?

I ask this as I just finished going through a 1991 argo and the basic repairs (chains, idler shafts, brake discs, bearings, belt, battery, etc) was over 1500 USD. If I had needed tires or had to get into the engine/transmission I would have easily been over 3K.

It looks like a cool project to get into, but you could be buying a glorified bathtub if the frame is gone.

[North Country Tough]

Mid seventys probably a Kohler 440 ams if you are super mechanically inclined and are not in a big hurry to ride it and can spend the time to research and locate parts on the cheap and have all kinds of time and need a project it would be a great machine for that purpose other than that what I can tell you about that vintage of Argo is the mechanical brakes are substandard and were barely up to the task for a six wheeler,the axles are a pinned style and the pins were prone to breakage,the 440 ams was a pretty fair motor in its day but heat issues plagued it and were some of the last motors if its original to be built in Canada parts are hit and miss,if it was givin to me and I was feeling nostalgic I might give it a go as I liked the two stroke days but if I was looking to build a machine up for a true purpose I would save up and buy a later model twin cylinder four stroke splined axles hydraulic brake machine you will end up closer to the price of one of these than you think to redoo that ole bird.JMO NCT

[Tremmorkeep]

Well, we're still working on the year. Its an air cooled kohler 440, transmission has H/L/R, and its made of some plastic/fiber/composite that only lasted for 2 or 3 years. I'm picking it up next week and bringing it home for some love. I'm excited!

[Canadian_Zuk]

Well, we're still working on the year. Its an air cooled kohler 440, transmission has H/L/R, and its made of some plastic/fiber/composite that only lasted for 2 or 3 years. I'm picking it up next week and bringing it home for some love. I'm excited!

Call ODG customer service at 1-877-argoatv and give them the serial number off of the transmission, they should be able to get you all the info you need.

[Tremmorkeep]

well, the kholer in it is a 70 (based on the serial). The owner says that the body is made out of something that they only used for a year or so...which makes this a very early 70's with an ABS body on it.

[Tremmorkeep]

[North Country Tough]

Yep Kohler 2T early seventy's for sure looks like a Walbro carb that is a tuners nightmare you will gain some experience there the engines worked well we had one in a early 6 wheeler and had a machinist bud of my dad make a elbow and dad mounted a Mukuni on it with a pulse pump worked great that engine was real smooth then good luck you got yourself a project with before pics cant wait for the after.NCT

[curtisbyrne]

you have one hell of a job on your hands.GOOD luck on the project man!

[Tremmorkeep]

Hm, sounds encouraging owner lost the key..but first I need to get her cleaned out. The control sticks don't move at all....i'm going to pull the top off of it first and just clean it out. Figure I'll just replace all the seals and bearings for it. What are some good resources for parts (seals, bearings, chains, etc). for this old beast?

[curtisbyrne]

people say its cheaper to use many sources but just go with argo it all adds up around the same in the end.

[North Country Tough]

Heckthe bearings/ chains are standard stuff any brg place farm equipment place its not specialty stuff,from the pics of the underhood area it appears quite stock for the most part for that era that's a good thing doesn't appear to be all cobbled up makes it easier to get a handle on things still a large undertaking but what the hay you appear to be wanting a winter project get it apart down to the frame as soon as you can establish the soundness of the transmission make sure that it has all ranges turning it by hand,the early years of that tranny had issues with the gears on the input shaft the one with the big clutch on they had more and thinner teeth on the main drive gear on that shaft and they would break teeth off in the later ones the lessened the amount of teeth and made each one thicker hence stronger we had one you had to upgrade to the newer shaft requiring another cluster gear change and then we had no further issue it was a earlier machine than yours but Iam unsure of what year the factory made the change its not the end of the world as that trans style stayed the same for years with no trouble but you had to update the weaker ones,other than that pretty much everything you are going to need can be sourced without a problem the motor as i stated earlier you are on your own to find parts there as its been so long since they were produced and the Argo company will have no parts for that any longer in the long run if the motor is pouched consider a 4 stroke repower it would be the best all around decision.Cheers NCT

[Tremmorkeep]

Sweet, I'm excited to get her underway. I hope to get her home into the garage next week. Got to get a few things sorted out in the garage first. I've heard of bobcat upgrades...i'd like to get an alternator on there and run a 12v bilge pump (just in case)

[Tremmorkeep]

So, its a 72...in case anyone is interested. Its thawing out in the garage now. I'm going to go through and check the chains. I'd bet real $ that the axle seals are shot so I need to find where I can get parts for the beast. I'm also looking into a different carb or maybe engine for it...

[curtisbyrne]

best bet is to get a new engine, but if that one works go for it but your seals are deffinatley gone bearings and possibly axles are bent and distorted. check out garnett M on youtube, he had a later modle with the tecumseh but same body just diff engine, he does a full rebuild. jack it up and tear into it!
also a 72 holy cow thats like 5 years after argo was founded very nice if you could get it up and running and keep it stored for an antique,worth lots in 50 years!

[Tremmorkeep]

The engine turns easy...the old kohler 440 used stainless sleeves I hear....she turns over easy. The dude lost the key so I'll have to get a new one or just wire in a toggle and a push button (which I might). I dont know about the axles...I hope they're not bent...it ran fine when he parked it there..but needed 'carb work' which I understand is an ongoing thing with these old things. I'm excited to tear into it. I'll post pix when I start. It's been sitting parked, under a tarp for the last decade....but should be fun.