1975 Compact II upgrades

[SouthwestOregon201]

I recently returned from a trip down into California to pickup a Compact II. This unit was very road worthy and made for a nice 600 mile return trip.

The trailer has a 5 year old refrigerator, new 14" wheels and tires, breaks, interior battery, front window shield, and slides for awnings on the side windows. The top was fine as was the top boot.

On that trip, I decided to remove and rebuild the interior cabinets since the drawers and cabinet doors show the use of 39 years of travel.

[SouthwestOregon201]

I removed the cabinets on the curb side as well as the front bunks/battery and water tank.

I am close to finishing that cabinet. The two door closet/porta potty closet was modified to have a shelf and 120V outlet for appliances like a coffee maker. The porta potty can be stored below. The biggest task was the rebuild of three bulkheads and the placement of the refrigerator.

The gas line and the electrical connector are installed behind the refrigerator and I still need to install the 12V line that powers the controls.

[SouthwestOregon201]

A couple of things to clarify:
The exposed fiberglass was coated with dry glue and had to be cleaned and painted. Some of the wheel well will be visible in the cabinet below the refrigerator. Also, the old linoleum must be covered with cabinet flooring.

In the shelf, I decided to put a desk plug for the wires and the plug below the shelf for a cleaner look.





I'm going to start on the driver's side cabinet today and get the two bulkheads for the closet started.

[Bob Miller]

Looks great, what are you using for your construction material? It looks like some sort of prefab structural material.

[SouthwestOregon201]

Got busy with taking out the stove/sink cabinet today. There won't be very much change to this side. I plan to mount the small microwave under the stove top, where the original drawers were located.
The closet will have a deeper opening and a small cupboard below that.

Here is the original bulkhead for the closet. The joints were all built with staples and I have used clear pine with Kreg Jig joints.




This photo shows the modified bulkhead with popsicle sticks stapled to the bulkhead so the 5mm plywood sheeting will fit the sides of the trailer without gaps. Place the bulkhead on your sheeting and draw around the popsicle sticks and cut it out.
Since the bulkhead for the closet will have an interior wall and an exterior wall, I had to put sheeting on both sides of the bulkhead.



This last photo shows the side wall for the bed boxes, cleaned and painted, with the exterior door for the battery. The wood strip across the trailer is the only attachment to the wall. The wood strip needed a 3 1/2 degree cut along its length to adjust for the angle of the fiberglass wall.

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This is a tradeoff having the battery inside the storage area, but it does clean up the tongue.

Dave Heffner
Roseburg, OR

[BuddyLee]

Looks great !!! I have a 1974 Compact I that I am doing some minor cabinet work to. I love these trailers and yours looks great. Keep posting photos I'm curious to see the outcome. Looks like your doing a full out custom job.

[bbuehler]

and slides for awnings on the side windows

AM I hallucinating, or am I really seeing TWINS in your shop, fraternal twins that is!

More importantly, I would love to get a digital or I-Phone pic of the 'SLIDES' for awnings on your side windows. I have screwed in hardware (on the sides of my windows. Someone inserted a slender PVC pipe to hold an awning...but there is nothing to hold it on top, over the window. From the original brochure, all I can see are the yellow striped awnings...but can't see how they are held on and folded up for travel. Would you please send me some pics of the hardware on yours...and also whether it's on the other one. My Compact II seems to one of the few I've seen that has some of the hardware, on the sides.
Also, do you have any ideas of how to invent a way to make the awnings hang on?
Thank you!
Barbara
gardencoach@live.com

[SouthwestOregon201]

Brant,
If you look at photo 1 and 2 you can see my Compact I which is a 1974. Check my Registry and you can see the work I did on that unit.

Barbara,
Yes there is another unit in my shop. A 1974 Compact I which is finished.

I'll get you some photos of the awning tracks on the '75. I believe the awnings were added by a previous owner. They have been riveted to the fiberglass and they don't show on the inside.
As far as holding down the awnings, check out the Registry for a couple units that do have side window awnings. There are a couple nice pictures of a Compact Jr. that sports awnings. I'll be checking out all the units at the Oregon Rally at Bandon in July.

Dave Heffner
Roseburg, OR

[Bob Miller]

The side awnings were an original option, they show in the original sales literature.

[bbuehler]

...I would've spent that $40-50, hard earned money, for the marine toilet option and not for the awnings! Isn't that a no-brainer?
At any rate, 40 years later, I'm ready to learn how to do the old window awnings, keeping them as close to original as I can.
In a week, I'll be traveling I-5 and going relatively close to the huge old RV parts store. If I know what I'm looking for, I can buy something that might work or work when cut down to Compact II size.
I'm excited about getting those slider pics from Dave.
BOB: Also, thanks always for your comments. Why not come up to one of the Oregon or Washington meets? I would love to meet you, see your trailer and glean any more info that you'd like to pass on. That really means I'd like to steal your ideas! and pay you to work on my trailer! A GOOD MAN (one who can work on a trailer) is hard to find...

[SouthwestOregon201]

Here are the pictures of the side window awning rails and bottom mounts.









I received one set of connecting rods and one roller with a piece of material. The rods were connected to the base with a spring.

Today I installed the two bulkheads for the closet. I plan to frame in some of the cabinet and build some shelves in the next few days.

Dave Heffner
Roseburg, OR

[SouthwestOregon201]

Installed the bulkheads for the closet in the last two days. Once all the measurements were adjusted, the bulkheads could be secured to the roof and to the floor.

I decided to place a shelf closer to the bottom of the closet and maybe even a shelf near the top to help with the clothes rack.





The walls are boxed in and I think I want to close off the back wall and the top as well. The diamond wall/insulation layer is incomplete in those areas and I don't want them visible.

The exposed part of the inner bulkhead looks okay in the lower compartment but again, the back wall needs to be covered.





I would like to have Bob or Donna direct me to the archive that shows the original brochure from Hunter, so that I can see the window awnings. So far, I have only seen two samples of awnings throughout the entire Registry photos. I'm not a big awning person, but I don't want to just leave that area alone since it is there to be seen.

Dave Heffner
Roseburg, OR

[Donna D.]

Dave, you might find what you're looking for in the Document Center: Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Compact | Hunter Industries

[Kayakgramma]

Dave, I am so excited to get started redoing our 1971 Compact Jr. I wonder if you would be willing to help on our project a little.

Someone had painted over the striping and decals so yesterday I removed all of that with Acetone and a razor - yuk! but it's done. Do you know where we can get new Compact Jr decals. We'll get striping locally but would like to have the 2 side and back door decals.

Did you buy a new refrigerator for yours? Was it expensive? and where did you buy it? Ours just has an ice box in it. I can see a lot of advantages to KISS (keeping it simple stupid) when it comes to adding appliances.

Originally Posted by SouthwestOregon201

I recently returned from a trip down into California to pickup a Compact II. This unit was very road worthy and made for a nice 600 mile return trip.

The trailer has a 5 year old refrigerator, new 14" wheels and tires, breaks, interior battery, front window shield, and slides for awnings on the side windows. The top was fine as was the top boot.

On that trip, I decided to remove and rebuild the interior cabinets since the drawers and cabinet doors show the use of 39 years of travel.
Attachment 71617

Attachment 71618

[Donna D.]

Jeannette, you really need to check out the Document Center. You'll find a file you can take to a sign shop and get your decals made: Fiberglass RV - Document Center - Compact | Hunter Industries

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Kayakgramma

Dave, I am so excited to get started redoing our 1971 Compact Jr. I wonder if you would be willing to help on our project a little.

Someone had painted over the striping and decals so yesterday I removed all of that with Acetone and a razor - yuk! but it's done. Do you know where we can get new Compact Jr decals. We'll get striping locally but would like to have the 2 side and back door decals.

Did you buy a new refrigerator for yours? Was it expensive? and where did you buy it? Ours just has an ice box in it. I can see a lot of advantages to KISS (keeping it simple stupid) when it comes to adding appliances.

A 3 way refrigerator that will fit the Compact-II is the Dometic RM-2193 and it retails for a bit over $760. If you don't already have the two side vents and the air baffles, a propane line & 120 VAC power it will have to be added as well.

Used ones occasionally show up on Craigslist as taken out of damaged tent trailers and slide-in campers.

[Kayakgramma]

I would like to have a cover/awning for our Compact Jr. Do you know where I could find one?

[Bob Miller]

Do you want a cover that's used to cover the entire trailer when stored
or
Do want an awning, to provide shade.

If the latter, where are you planning on attaching it to the trailer,

[Kayakgramma]

Well, I was talking about the corogated fiberglass awning I see on the front window of some of the trailers. It lifts up to create the awning.
I didn't think about how it attaches. Since our trailer hasn't ever had one on it may be I shouldn't try adding one. ...any opinion on that?

I also have some questions about covering the interior walls. Our trailer hasn't ever had any coverings on the walls and roof top so it's a good clean slate. After reading some of the posts about removing old vinyl and carpeting I feel pretty blessed about that.

Is there a huge advantage to putting In the diamond quilted vinyl on the interior? We do get condensation in cold weather.
Is that covering expensive (what isn't these days?)

[Bob Miller]

That's usually called a "Stone Guard", and you would have to find one of the correct size. I don't know if they are available as an accessory or not.

The Diamond pattern material was original in the Compact-II (and I ?) and I would think that it would be very expensive to have installed at this point.