argo questions

[racerone3]

i just had a guy call me and leave a message wanting to sell his 80 something argo. i love it when these machines find me! called him back and got his machine... his message claims that it's an 8 wheeler... good shape (don't they all say that?) "has always been a dependable machine... just don't use it anymore" his message gets a bit garbled after that but i can make out 12hp engine. anyone have a geuss what that engine might be? i've never had/ worked on or for that matter seen an argo in person. anything specific i need to look for aside from the typical chain and bearing stuff? problem areas? how does the argo trans work? i know this is a shot in the dark without seeing the machine, but any ballpark on what an argo machine this age might be worth. i need another amphib project like i need a hole in the head right now, but i seem to have a hard time passing them by!
thanks for any insight

[Rock Doctor]

I will only say that a 12hp engine in an 8x8 will probably cause you nothing but frustration

IMHO

RD

[racerone3]

i finally got back in touch with the guy this morning, but i was hung up on a nightmare project at my mother in laws house... went to build a deck and spent most of the afternoon doing plumbing, after catching a pipe with the sawzall while cutting out some termite dammage. what a day! anyhow... i'm going to look at it in the morning. now he claims 12, or 16, or 18 kohler engine... who knows. hasn't been run in 3 years. motor ran great, started having wiring problems... running the battery down. hopefully i can get it for a decent price. wiring is easy. he claims it's been covered the entire 3 years of no use so hopefully the chain and bearings aren't trash. i'll post up some more info tomorrow night, and as always if i don't get it i'll pass it along to one of the other carolina boys