1973 PlayPac Hitch Hut Project

[Toddzilla]

Greetings! I am here to share my PlayPac Hitch Hut Project. I bought it a while ago and have been meaning to post on the process. Some may recognize it from the classified ads here but, I saw it on craigslist. My wife and I are not big campers and have never owned any type of RV. But, we have always liked the really small fiberglass trailers. I remember seeing a 13' Burro and as a kid and thought it was the coolest thing! So, we bought it as a project and when finished plan to use when we are empty nesters. When we got it the interior had already been gutted, which was a plus for me. We could make it however we liked! It was in over all in pretty good shape but, had some cracks and leaked. It also had a 2x4 holding up the sagging roof. I decided to start on the exterior first.

[Toddzilla]

Here are some of the interior. The back window was broken and the dome was in several pieces being held together with silicone. It had a few old lights and miscellaneous pieces which did not work.

[Toddzilla]

From here on will be the abbreviated process. It is not so much a "how to" but more of a "this is how I did it". I'm no expert so, look into all options before following me. I started working on the outside so I could get it sealed up. There were several leaks from the roof and around some of the windows. I pulled out all the window and started on the surface. After seeing the PlayPac for the first time I knew I wanted a two tone paint job. But, there were many spider cracks in the fiberglass. I didn't want to them to show back up in the paint. I did some research and decided to use boat fairing compound. It is kind of like an epoxy bondo. I ground halfway thru the gelcoat with a Dremel tool and filled in the channel then sanded. Afterword I rolled on a couple coats of marine primer on the roof then sprayed the whole thing with an automotive primer.

[Toddzilla]

Once the primer was on I started working on the windows. I replaced the plexiglass in the back and got a new dome. I re-sealed all the windows with a new rubber gaskets and butyl tape. I painted the trailer with a cheap (purple) Harbor Freight spray gun with an inline hose filter. Around $12 for the gun and $5 for the filter. If you have a compressor or can borrow one I suggest using a regular spray gun. I think this gives the best painting results, far better than rolling or spray cans but, that is just my opinion. I used white automotive paint for the top. This was the first in a long line of decisions that were more money that I was planning on spending but, I am glad I did. I used regular Rustoleom in a quart can for the yellow.

[Toddzilla]

With the outside done I could concentrate on the interior. Having a blank canvas had us thinking about all of the possibilities. This took the longest. I watched tons of videos online, went through many posts here as well as going to RV shows. There are so many different layouts for trailers! In the end we decided we liked the original layout of the PlayPac best!...Bathroom in the corner, kitchen in front, bed/table in back....But, we needed to update a little. This trailer is for my wife and I so, this is designed for two people. First off was the bathroom! I went with a Thetford Cassette toilet. This was another kind of pricey option. The Hitch Hut is very shallow underneath so I knew that a black or gray water tank would be a tough fit. So I chose the cassette style do to it having self contained water and a removable black tank from the outside. I saw where some Hut Huts had a shower and liked the idea of having one. The original had a very unique shaped bathroom that was very narrow in the front only around 18". I knew this was too small and went with a 24" x 24" shower pan. With these two things I started to build everything else around them.

[Toddzilla]

One of the things almost all the videos I watched talked about was storage! You can never have enough. So, I built cabinets, for storage but, also to hold up the roof. I put them on both sides. Another thing talked about was counter space. This is tough in a 13' but, I wanted a place to put keys, phones, drinks when the bed was down so, I made a 5" ledge around the cabinets. Not huge but the equivalent of a descent counter. The last thing the videos highlighted was the Fantastic Fan. So, I had to get one....and I was glad I did! Works great! After I had the cabinets established I worked on the surround for the toilet. I wanted a "factory finished" look. Because of the unique wall shape I made the surround out of of wood and foam then fiberglassed the whole thing to keep it water proof. I painted the cabinets with enamel paint. I painted the interior of the trailer with waterproof paint/sealer. We then glued marine vinyl to walls. Since the outside was bright Yellow and White we went with White, Gray and Black for the interior.

[Toddzilla]

Now comes the hard part. One bench is for storage the other is full of stuff. I have a Bosch 4 gallon hot water heater, a 10 gallon freshwater tank, Seaflo 42 pump and a Progressive Dynamics AC/DC Converter/Charger Panel (this was also more than I thought I was going to spend) I looked into doing some sort of diy breaker panel and charger but, in the end I felt it was safer buying a regular made for RVs type of panel. The pex plumbing and electrical wiring was a pain but I learned a lot. I like a clean look so, I have the battery and a really small propane tank in a box in the front.

[Toddzilla]

In the bathroom I installed waterproof shower panels on all the walls. RV faucet handles and a high pressure low flow shower wand with on/off switch. In the roof is a pop-up vent with electric fan. I was very happy with the way it turned out. My goal was to have very usable spaces in the small trailer. Because of the "hexagon" shape of the walls the widest point in the bathroom is at seat height and measures 32" x 44", very comfortable. The 24" x 24" shower pan is about the area to stand in a standard size bathtub when you take a shower. You do not feel claustrophobic, especially with the translucent door. I made that out of clear corrugated polycarbonate I got at the hardware store. I covered the back in frosted window film and put it in an aluminum frame and hung it with a piano hinge. And don't forget my Dometic(pricey for what it is) waterproof TP holder.

[Toddzilla]

I was happy with the exterior. I like Yellow! I replaced all the lights and wiring. I added a spare tire and stabilizers(not in photo). I also added the box in the front. For those wondering about the panels on the side they are - cassette toilet door, A/C exhaust vents, Water Inputs, A/C fresh air vent, Shore power hook up, 110v outside outlets and cable TV input.

[Toddzilla]

As mentioned we went with white, gray and black for the interior. We put in vinyl gray wood panels on the floor. Inside we have 110v Air Conditioning, Microwave and Fridge. The Cooktop/Sink combo is a Dometic(this was way more than I planned on spending) but, I think I looks awesome. It adds counter space when not in use. (do you hear me trying to justify my spending

[Toddzilla]

The Booth uses the original table stand. It pulls apart and the table top rests on the end of the benches to make the stand for the cushions. I made the booth 60" wide plenty of room for 4 people to sit and even 6 if needed. And because the PlayPac is a little over 80" wide this also allows for a house size queen mattress.(sorry I couldn't find any pics in bed mode) The cushions have been very comfortable but, we have gone on several trips where we only eat outside and don't need the inside table. I like the idea of sleeping really well on my own mattress. This goes along with our goal of designing the camper around two people but also making the space really useful.
The camper is designed to run in sort of three levels.
1.No Hook Ups - Sink, Toilet, Lights, Fans and Stove work
2.Gas generator or shore power - same as 1 plus A/C, fridge, microwave and 110 outlets (not all at the same time mind you)
3.Full Hook Ups - Same as 1 and 2 plus hot water and shower.
Also, gray water is put into portable container or hose at full hookups.
We still have things we would like to do to it but, have really enjoyed the camper and have taken it to four states so far. It's been a real blessing!
Hope my project encourages others the way the others here have encouraged me.

[GOB]

Really nice build. Looks fantastic!

[Donna D.]

Fabulous, absolutely fabulous!! Steven, check this out!!! https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...sel-20842.html

[sunnyone]

You put a lot of thought and work into this rebuild, and it looks beautiful! That stove/sink combo is awesome. Wish I had something that useful and attractive in my Scamp.

[alan H]

Wow….great job
Love the craftsmanship/color choices& layout
Any idea of the weight ?

[Toddzilla]

Thanks for the kind words. I am not sure on the weight, but I can still pull it around by hand on flat ground. Tounge weight is up do the battery and tank in front.

[FRED SMAILES]

Beautiful! Always exciting to see someone display so many talents.
Fred

[Brian G.]

Fantastic. I admire your skills.

[B.Bowen]

Wow. Just gorgeous. This may be my favorite PlayPac yet

[Roberta Glover]

Looks fantastic! You can be very proud of your work. You mentioned marine vinyl glued on the walls. Did you insulate first? If so what did you use? Thanks