This is a 1976 Airstream Argosy that has just been through a three-year rebuild with Dragonfly Campers based out of North Carolina. It now has a custom yacht-inspired fit out and a unique aft verandah deck for watching the world go by.
Inside, you’ll find a bathroom with a sink and toilet, there’s a fully-equipped kitchenette and dinette area, a convertible sofa bed, and a large rear berth with a long twin bed. The rear lounge has a bbq, a small table, and a pair of classic folding wood and canvas chairs, and a folding overhead awning.
bThis is a 1976 Airstream Argosy that has just been through a three-year rebuild with Dragonfly Campers based out of North Carolina. It now has a custom yacht-inspired fit out and a unique aft lounge deck for watching the world go by.
History Speedrun: The Airstream Argosy
When Airstream introduced the Argosy in 1972, it was a risky departure from the brand’s hallmark polished aluminum look. Airstream is known for their gleaming trailer bodies, and they had long been the aspirational choice of travelers who wanted top-notch design as well as the legendary longevity associated with the brand’s aluminum travel trailers. The Argosy, however, was conceived as something different – a cheaper a mid-priced alternative that broadened the company’s reach, experimented with new shell materials, and in the process created one of the most distinctive chapters in Airstream’s history.
The Argosy project took shape in the early 1970s, when Airstream was looking to expand beyond its established customer base. Production was based in Versailles, Ohio, with Argosy built as a separate brand under the Airstream umbrella.
Unlike the iconic, shiny aluminum trailers, Argosys were finished in factory paint – originally two-tone cream and earth tones – concealing panels that might not have been flawless enough for a polished exterior on one of the mainstream Airstreams. This allowed Airstream to reduce their waste, while also introducing a significantly different look to the lineup.
Structurally, the Argosy was still very much an Airstream. It had a riveted aluminum semi-monocoque body riding on a steel chassis and torsion bar suspension, but it also had steel front and rear end caps rather than aluminum. The steel sections were strong but they also added weight and, in some cases, required more attention to avoid corrosion over time. Still, the trailers were built to Airstream’s high standards, sharing many floorplans and parts with their silver siblings.
Airstream positioned the Argosy in the market as a more affordable entry point, but they were careful to avoid undermining the prestige of the flagship line. While purists sometimes dismissed the painted finish, the trailers filled an important niche – they attracted buyers who appreciated Airstream’s engineering but were perhaps unable to pay for the full premium.
This strategy closely mirrored broader market trends of the 1970s – RV ownership was growing, fueled by rising interest in family travel and outdoor living. At the same time, economic challenges like the oil crises pushed buyers to look a little more carefully at the purchase price.
Airstream positioned the Argosy in the market as a more affordable entry point, but they were careful to avoid undermining the prestige of the flagship line. While purists sometimes dismissed the painted finish, the trailers filled an important niche – they attracted buyers who appreciated Airstream’s engineering but were perhaps unable to pay for the full premium.
Over time, the Argosy line expanded – by the late 1970s, it included the Minuet series, lighter and shorter trailers (20, 22, and 24 feet) designed for smaller tow vehicles, as well as the Argosy Motorhome – a Class A coach built on a Chevrolet chassis. These variants gave Airstream a simultaneous presence in multiple sectors of the RV market – allowing them to extend far beyond their original premium travel trailer roots.
The Argosy travel trailers were manufactured from 1972 through 1979. The Minuet variants carried into the late 1970s, appealing to buyers with smaller tow vehicles. Motorhome production ran from 1974 through 1979, after which Airstream shifted its motorized products under its main brand.
A final revival of the Argosy name appeared in the mid-1980s with a boxy, rectangular trailer produced from 1986 to 1988, though it bore little resemblance to the original curvilinear designs.
Despite its relatively short run, the Argosy line left a lasting impression, and surviving examples are now sought after by vintage camper trailer enthusiasts who are looking for something a little more unusual, and dare I say a little more colorful, than a standard Airstream.
The Custom Airstream Argosy Vintage Camper Trailer Shown Here
The Airstream Argosy you see here is a 1976 model that underwent a three year restoration that finished earlier this year. The rebuild was comprehensive, and included a full overhaul of plumbing, electrical, propane, and HVAC systems, plus new waterproof bamboo flooring, cabinetry, appliances, and furnishings.
The exterior shell was refinished in automotive-grade turquoise blue and black basecoat clear coat paint, and it rides on six-spoke aluminum alloy wheels with new 225/75 Contender trailer tires. It has newly rebuilt electric drum brakes, new dual propane tanks, and new utility connections – including water, 30 amp electric, and waste. The hubs were also serviced and the bearings repacked – ready for some fresh highway miles.
The kitchenette has a quartz countertop and backsplash, a deep basin sink, turquoise-finished soft-close drawer hardware, a two-burner propane cooktop, a microwave oven, an exhaust hood, an under-sink filter, a fridge/freezer, and color-matched coffee maker, griddle, and toaster oven.
The trailer was given a new yacht-inspired aft deck area with a retractable bimini top, an outdoor shower, a table, two chairs, and a gas bbq – a handy addition foBlack Mountain, North Carolinar those warm summer evenings. The kitchenette has a quartz countertop and backsplash, a deep basin sink, turquoise-finished soft-close drawer hardware, a two-burner propane cooktop, a microwave oven, an exhaust hood, an under-sink filter, a fridge/freezer, and color-matched coffee maker, griddle, and toaster oven.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Black Mountain, North Carolina on eBay here, and it has a listed Buy It Now price of $125,000 USD. If you’d like to see more of the work by Dragonfly Campers you can visit their Instagram here.
Images courtesy of Dragonfly Campers + Airstream
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
