Winter Project Hunter Compact II

[KyMoonshine]

I bought this Hunter some months ago and it had been sitting for the last 16 years...I began using it and pulled it a couple thousand miles so far...I finally cleared up some room in the garage to begin a Winter upgrade project to make it more user friendly to us...I will post the upgrades and modifications as I go along..we have already booked some EGG Rallies next year and can't wait to get camping with it again...I dare say it may become my favorite of our campers



Started pulling it apart




I've got a gallon of Tilex waiting for this camper




I have a lot of stuff planned and looking forward to this little camper

[BAMA & Pachyderm Posse]

Looks like it is in very good shape, when you finish it should be fantasist , of coarse I don't know if we ever finish one , something that we always want to do next

[Lora]

Originally Posted by KyMoonshine

I have a lot of stuff planned and looking forward to this little camper

I'm enjoying your posts as you share what you are doing. Keep 'em coming!

[Tote-n-Tarry No.2]

Yours looks like a Rolls Royce compared to my shell. Ha

[Uplander]

I noticed you have a propane tank still attached on your unit. As it is now inside a building please be aware it is a major safety hazard and if a fire should occur with this tank inside your garage your insurance company will not honor any claim because the tank was in the building. Remove the tank from the garage ASAP.

Never store a propane tank inside any building...empty or full these tanks should always be stored outside.

I have been told of insurance companies refusing claims for fire damage if a gas grill was discovered on an outside deck attached to a residence!!

Safety First.

[KyMoonshine]

Originally Posted by Uplander

I noticed you have a propane tank still attached on your unit. As it is now inside a building please be aware it is a major safety hazard and if a fire should occur with this tank inside your garage your insurance company will not honor any claim because the tank was in the building. Remove the tank from the garage ASAP.

Never store a propane tank inside any building...empty or full these tanks should always be stored outside.

I have been told of insurance companies refusing claims for fire damage if a gas grill was discovered on an outside deck attached to a residence!!

Safety First.

Thanks...never even thought of the propane tank still being on the camper...but you are correct and I'll remove it...and that is my motto "Safety First(as I bypass this safety feature )

I did manage to get a couple of hours in on the Hunter today...after the initial scrubbing the wall under the kitchen cabinet is almost white but will require another cleaning




I finally got around to installing the custom decals my friend made me



This kitchen exhaust vent was way past it's prime




I have a replacement on the way...

[KyMoonshine]

Then I started on the new outlets I plan to install...we send a lot of time outside at rear of camper so an outlet here is essential....







I will be out of town this coming week so I'll get back on it next weekend...

[francene]

Hi Ky,
Your trailer looks pretty good on the outside. The inside looks very similar to mine when I got it, but yours looks in better shape. My interior fabric was moldy due to rain coming into the trailer via the old bathroom vent.
I don't know if you've seen my trailer rehab posts, so here's a link below.
Good luck and enjoy the progress. I like your idea of an outside receptacle!

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ted-37570.html

Best,
Fran

[Lora]

Hey KY, Your vent looks like mine. I'll be interested to see what your replacement looks like. I also like the idea of the exterior outlet.

[KyMoonshine]

Originally Posted by francene

Hi Ky,
Your trailer looks pretty good on the outside. The inside looks very similar to mine when I got it, but yours looks in better shape. My interior fabric was moldy due to rain coming into the trailer via the old bathroom vent.
I don't know if you've seen my trailer rehab posts, so here's a link below.
Good luck and enjoy the progress. I like your idea of an outside receptacle!

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ted-37570.html

Best,
Fran

Wow!! you really brought that camper back to life...it will last another lifetime now...I love these little campers and see me hanging on to this one a long while...

To those that did not follow my introduction post this was the camper when I purchased it....It was owned by an older lady that used it twice in the 16 years she owned it...her husband passed and she was selling her home to move to a cabin on a lake and needed to sell the Hunter as well...



I brought it home and immediately pulled the A/C from the window and plan to install one under couch area opposite fresh water tank..I pulled the entire front window and cleaned it up






Installed new wheels and repacked bearings



Installed/Fabricated new door lock and knob



And immediately pulled it over 2000 miles through five states




Now I'm addressing the items we found that needed changed to make it more camp friendly to us

[KyMoonshine]

I'm an Airstream guy and usually travel in Vintage Aluminum...but really love this little fiberglass camper

[Bob Miller]

I took the original kitchen vent from my Hunter into my local RV dealer and he quickly found a perfect match in his supplier catalog. Don't even know the part name or number, but it was still available about 2 years ago.

[francene]

Looks like you've done quite a bit of work here, KY. I followed your photobucket with some nostalgia, or rather, memories.
It's very satisfying to finish the project and finally using it was even better.

Enjoy,
Fran

[KyMoonshine]

Unfortunately all the parts I ordered over a week ago have not shipped yet so no work this weekend on the Hunter

I did receive my new shore power connector



and will install it here where the city water inlet used to be...It leaked and I have little use for a cold water only city water hook-up that only feeds the sink

[KyMoonshine]

Got in a few more parts today...so hopefully I will have some time to work on Hunter this weekend

[KyMoonshine]

Finally ha a few hours free today to work on the Hunter...I added attached Jacks some time back and have used them the first few trips on the Hunter and love them..so easy to just drop them and be done...





Next I tackled the new exhaust vent...the one I purchased was perfect except it was to thick



So I cut it down to fit




And it looks pretty nice

[KyMoonshine]

Next I worked on some of the new electric components...I thought about it a lot and in the end decided to go with a separate 30 amp breaker box and a Battery Tender for the 120v side and a nice 12v fuse block for the 12v side instead of one Progressive Dynamics unit...I like to keep it simple and separate...if something goes wrong I will know what it is and replace it instead of uninstalling the entire unit and sending it in for repairs/replacement...I have used the same set-up in the last two Teardrops I built and it works nicely...I will have plenty of power and it all remains simple...plus with a power inverter unit I would have to cut an opening somewhere and relocate other things in the camper....so I started with the shore power inlet








and worked my way into the new breaker box...I use this same breaker box a lot and it will contain two 15 amp breakers




Thats all I had time for today...but hope to spend some more time on Sunday

[francene]

Looks nice so far, KY.
I've kept my 12V and 120V systems separate, too. Like it simple.

Fran

[Bob Miller]

FWIW: The only complete power chassis I have ever had to remove were either: 1) 25+ years old and they were either dead or frying the battery or, 2) Those lovely "American" brand converters used by Scamp until they too saw the light and went to Progressive Dynamics components.


Right now, in my Hunter Compact-II, with a Progressive Dynamics PD-4045, I am using four 120VAC breakers (Main, converter, inside outlets, outside outlet) and 9 fused 12VDC circuits. (Inverter, furnace, water pump, DC outlets #1, DC outlets #2, Lights left side, lights right side, outside light, water tank sensor panel). That way if one circuit develops a problem or is overloaded, it doesn't take anything else out at the same time.


I trade simple for reliability & convenience, but to each their own.

[KyMoonshine]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

FWIW: The only complete power chassis I have ever had to remove were either: 1) 25+ years old and they were either dead or frying the battery or, 2) Those lovely "American" brand converters used by Scamp until they too saw the light and went to Progressive Dynamics components.

I still have the UniVolt in both my Airstreams that are always plugged into shore power and still working 42 years later...