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I started responding to a thread on the Argo forum, but felt this may benefit everyone. A comment was made there that a mid-70's Argo was a money pit, but I say it doesn't have to be so. You CAN buy an older machine and restore it back to be a good, solid, reliable performer. You'll be learning all about the machine along the way, and as an added bonus you'll save thousands from buying a new or a "newer" used machine.
I'm speaking from personal experience.
Let me walk you through my process of how I got from no Argo two years ago to where I am today.
First, I did my homework, researching all the past Argo models. I decided that what I was looking for was a mid-80's Argo 8x8 I/C (Industrial/Commercial) model. Why? Well...it has 8 wheels, which I wanted, a Kohler KT-17 engine when I already knew internally, and hydraulic brakes. Also, here in Alaska, Argos are very common.
They're so common that my friend came across the exact combination I was looking for. He bought it and decided the rebuild was too much for him, so he sold it to me. He lives less than a mile from me, and I drove it home from his place.
So, what I got was a mid-80's I/C 8x8 with the Kohler KT-17 Series 1 engine. It came with a FACTORY hard top, and a new 2,500-pound Super Winch that was never even wired in. The tub was perfect, and all the original stickers were still on it. The engine purred like a kitten, the transmission shifted smoothly, and it used no oil. What did I pay for all that? A whopping $2,000 cash.
Before purchasing it, I went over it and made a checklist of what required attention. It needed new tires, new seals, bearings inspected, two new front axles (both were bent), all new chain, brake pads, and the brake calipers rebuilt and new brake hoses. Oh..it needed that flexible piece of stainless that connects the muffler to the exhaust pipe too, and the hardtop had a few cracked windows.
Not more than a month after I bought it, a complete Argo of the exact same vintage went on Craigslist only 25 miles from my house. This unit was running, but the tub wasn't in great shape, but it had the gusseted axles all around, and the front axles were spot on straight. It had the same engine and transmission as mine, except the engine was a KT-17 Series 2 with the pressure lube on the camshaft.
Anyhow, that Argo had a broken idler shaft, and the chains were pretty rusty. I paid $400 for it, took it home, stripped it totally apart, and salvaged a lot of used parts. I didn't want the tub laying around the house, so I sold it to a guy up north of Anchorage for $100. He was going to build a meat wagon out of it. So, for $300 I got my two straight front axles, AND I now had a complete spare running engine and a second perfect transmission.
Now I'm up to $2,300.
Then I went online and shopped like crazy, and bought 9 new Carlisle 22x11x8 Chevrons and had them shipped to me for $800.
$3,100 now, and more to go.
Then I put on new brake pads and rebuilt the two best calipers I had out of my four (now that I have inventory from my parts rig), and for that I did fork over about $150 to Argo for pads, new hoses, and the rebuild kits. These were the only Argo parts I ever purchased in my rebuild.
Tires are new, brakes are new, and I'm up to $3,250.
I found a great source in New Jersey for the EXACT same seals and bearings Argo sells, but at about a zillion percent less. A whopping $2.25 each for the seals. I spent around $50 with shipping to replace all my seals and two questionable bearings. when I did that job, I also replaced both front axles using the JB-Weld technique I describe in another post to fill slight wear grooves in them.
$3,300, and I have straight axles, new seals, good bearings all around, new tires, and new brakes.
Then I replaced all the chains. Check out my post in the General ATV forum called "The Truth about Chains" where I detail my recent total re-chain. To sum it up, I shopped the surplus vendors on eBay and spent only $164 to re-chain the ENTIRE machine! That's quality Japanese or USA made chain shipped to my door in ALASKA.
Here's where I'll add in $12 for a flexible stainless pipe for my exhaust at Napa, along with two cans of their chain/cable lube. I also bought a new Gates drive belt on Amazon.com for $27 with free super-saver shipping.
For math's sake, I'll round up my chain cost, lube, pipe, and belt to $200.
Oh...I almost forgot...I put some new safety glass in the hardtop. My local glass shop cut and sold it to me for $200.
So, what did I end up with?
A total cost of $3,700...or less than the price of a nice 4-wheeler, you know, the kind we winch out all the time?
Tell you what...here's the REAL deal. Although they're worth it to me as spares, what if I sold my engine and transmission? I could easily get $1,000 for the engine, and $500 for the transmission. That would take the cost of my current machine to...you'd better sit down for this...only $2,200! I'd never sell them but dang...what a thought!
The question is, would you respond with interest to this ad if you saw it online?
For Sale:
1984 Argo 8x8 I/C
Tub is strong, watertight, and has original decals. No tears in upholstery.
Strong running Kohler KT-17 engine and smooth transmission
(included is a second running KT-17 and and also spare good transmission)
New Carlisle Chevron tires with new spare
New seals, all bearings good, new ANSI chain all around
New brake pads, hoses, and master cylinders and calipers rebuilt
2,500 pound SuperWinch like new
Factory hardtop with good safety glass (NO cracks) and rear hatch
Asking $3,700.
I thank that ad would net a lot of calls.
But I've left out the most important part. I KNOW WHAT I HAVE AND I KNOW HOW TO WORK ON IT! That is totally invaluable. I can do any repair on any part of that rig in the field with 100% confidence. There are no unknowns.
Contrast that to someone who goes out and buys a $10,000 'newer" used machine. They don't have the experience of learning their machine AND they still may need chains, brakes, seals, tires, etc.
My point is, if you do your homework, buy the right rig, and shop around for parts, you can have the rig that I have today for $12,000 less than what a new machine costs you. Sure, you may not have the raised front and rear axles on the Avenger, or the handlebar steering, but MAN....is it worth $12,000 more to have those things?
Not to this camper. I don't have that much loose change laying around! Heck...I could have THREE Argos just like mine for less than it cost to buy one new one. I'd take that "money pit" deal any day!
Hope this helps someone. Maybe it will give you a boost while your "down and dirty" in the bowels of your machine with a flashlight searching for that 50-2 master link clip that just went "Zing!".
Hey...ya'll hang in there!
Planter Bob
I'm speaking from personal experience.
Let me walk you through my process of how I got from no Argo two years ago to where I am today.
First, I did my homework, researching all the past Argo models. I decided that what I was looking for was a mid-80's Argo 8x8 I/C (Industrial/Commercial) model. Why? Well...it has 8 wheels, which I wanted, a Kohler KT-17 engine when I already knew internally, and hydraulic brakes. Also, here in Alaska, Argos are very common.
They're so common that my friend came across the exact combination I was looking for. He bought it and decided the rebuild was too much for him, so he sold it to me. He lives less than a mile from me, and I drove it home from his place.
So, what I got was a mid-80's I/C 8x8 with the Kohler KT-17 Series 1 engine. It came with a FACTORY hard top, and a new 2,500-pound Super Winch that was never even wired in. The tub was perfect, and all the original stickers were still on it. The engine purred like a kitten, the transmission shifted smoothly, and it used no oil. What did I pay for all that? A whopping $2,000 cash.
Before purchasing it, I went over it and made a checklist of what required attention. It needed new tires, new seals, bearings inspected, two new front axles (both were bent), all new chain, brake pads, and the brake calipers rebuilt and new brake hoses. Oh..it needed that flexible piece of stainless that connects the muffler to the exhaust pipe too, and the hardtop had a few cracked windows.
Not more than a month after I bought it, a complete Argo of the exact same vintage went on Craigslist only 25 miles from my house. This unit was running, but the tub wasn't in great shape, but it had the gusseted axles all around, and the front axles were spot on straight. It had the same engine and transmission as mine, except the engine was a KT-17 Series 2 with the pressure lube on the camshaft.
Anyhow, that Argo had a broken idler shaft, and the chains were pretty rusty. I paid $400 for it, took it home, stripped it totally apart, and salvaged a lot of used parts. I didn't want the tub laying around the house, so I sold it to a guy up north of Anchorage for $100. He was going to build a meat wagon out of it. So, for $300 I got my two straight front axles, AND I now had a complete spare running engine and a second perfect transmission.
Now I'm up to $2,300.
Then I went online and shopped like crazy, and bought 9 new Carlisle 22x11x8 Chevrons and had them shipped to me for $800.
$3,100 now, and more to go.
Then I put on new brake pads and rebuilt the two best calipers I had out of my four (now that I have inventory from my parts rig), and for that I did fork over about $150 to Argo for pads, new hoses, and the rebuild kits. These were the only Argo parts I ever purchased in my rebuild.
Tires are new, brakes are new, and I'm up to $3,250.
I found a great source in New Jersey for the EXACT same seals and bearings Argo sells, but at about a zillion percent less. A whopping $2.25 each for the seals. I spent around $50 with shipping to replace all my seals and two questionable bearings. when I did that job, I also replaced both front axles using the JB-Weld technique I describe in another post to fill slight wear grooves in them.
$3,300, and I have straight axles, new seals, good bearings all around, new tires, and new brakes.
Then I replaced all the chains. Check out my post in the General ATV forum called "The Truth about Chains" where I detail my recent total re-chain. To sum it up, I shopped the surplus vendors on eBay and spent only $164 to re-chain the ENTIRE machine! That's quality Japanese or USA made chain shipped to my door in ALASKA.
Here's where I'll add in $12 for a flexible stainless pipe for my exhaust at Napa, along with two cans of their chain/cable lube. I also bought a new Gates drive belt on Amazon.com for $27 with free super-saver shipping.
For math's sake, I'll round up my chain cost, lube, pipe, and belt to $200.
Oh...I almost forgot...I put some new safety glass in the hardtop. My local glass shop cut and sold it to me for $200.
So, what did I end up with?
A total cost of $3,700...or less than the price of a nice 4-wheeler, you know, the kind we winch out all the time?
Tell you what...here's the REAL deal. Although they're worth it to me as spares, what if I sold my engine and transmission? I could easily get $1,000 for the engine, and $500 for the transmission. That would take the cost of my current machine to...you'd better sit down for this...only $2,200! I'd never sell them but dang...what a thought!
The question is, would you respond with interest to this ad if you saw it online?
For Sale:
1984 Argo 8x8 I/C
Tub is strong, watertight, and has original decals. No tears in upholstery.
Strong running Kohler KT-17 engine and smooth transmission
(included is a second running KT-17 and and also spare good transmission)
New Carlisle Chevron tires with new spare
New seals, all bearings good, new ANSI chain all around
New brake pads, hoses, and master cylinders and calipers rebuilt
2,500 pound SuperWinch like new
Factory hardtop with good safety glass (NO cracks) and rear hatch
Asking $3,700.
I thank that ad would net a lot of calls.
But I've left out the most important part. I KNOW WHAT I HAVE AND I KNOW HOW TO WORK ON IT! That is totally invaluable. I can do any repair on any part of that rig in the field with 100% confidence. There are no unknowns.
Contrast that to someone who goes out and buys a $10,000 'newer" used machine. They don't have the experience of learning their machine AND they still may need chains, brakes, seals, tires, etc.
My point is, if you do your homework, buy the right rig, and shop around for parts, you can have the rig that I have today for $12,000 less than what a new machine costs you. Sure, you may not have the raised front and rear axles on the Avenger, or the handlebar steering, but MAN....is it worth $12,000 more to have those things?
Not to this camper. I don't have that much loose change laying around! Heck...I could have THREE Argos just like mine for less than it cost to buy one new one. I'd take that "money pit" deal any day!
Hope this helps someone. Maybe it will give you a boost while your "down and dirty" in the bowels of your machine with a flashlight searching for that 50-2 master link clip that just went "Zing!".
Hey...ya'll hang in there!
Planter Bob
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