New owner of 73 Compact II....questions :)

[saintz01]

Hi, My name is Greg. I just bought a 73 Compact II FG trailer. It is an interesting camper. I want to modify it somewhat and had a question to those who have already tore down the inside. I noticed in some posts that the closet/furniture help to stabilize the roof. On the drivers side of mine there is the galley overhead fiberglass shell, and by that a skinny cabinet/wardrobe for lack of a better term. I want to take that out, as well as the stove/oven. I intend on building a long bench on that side. My question is this: when I tear out that wardrobe, will I have to brace something up on that side from floor to ceiling. I have looked through some pictures of remodels and some do and some don't. I have seen it both ways. Should I just take it out and see what the roof does(bows) or not and go from there? Also, the canvas pop top on this on was removed, and a metal roof was fabricated in by the last owner...pretty interesting work too. The hatch is now solid, 6 ft. high and has a roll out vent in it. Thanks in advance for any help!!

[campfrugal]

Greg, please post of photo of your pop top replacement, It would be very interesting.

My Campster also has a pop top that I will remove and come up with some
idea like the below photos.

Thank you
Doc and boonDOCer
aka campfrugal

[Donna D.]

Greg, welcome to FiberglassRV. I'll leave the support question to the experts, but wanted to take the time to say

[saintz01]

Hi, nice to meet everyone. Hopefully, I will hear back from some other Compact owners about that roof support. Anyway, the solid roof that is in place now was fabricated with wood and galvanized metal. The guy that had it was a machinist and apparently thought it was a good idea. It is very well built, overbuilt in fact. I will take some pictures later. I kind of like that sky light that you are showing there, that looks nice. I'm just now getting started with this thing. I'm leaving the heater, refrigerator, and sink. The stove/oven combo and little closet on drivers side is going to be going away to open it up and provide for another single bunk. It will be used for camping and hunting, and I ain't sharin with my hunting buddy, lol.

[Donna D.]

Greg, there is a brand of all molded trailer called the Havasu (link to album), which is also a rear-entry trailer but has the top portion molded into the body... permanently. If you're missing all the mechanism and all the canvas, you are going to find getting these pieces purchased or made to be among the most expensive portion of your rebuild. I just want you to know this before you start tearing the top off. If the top was well fabricated and is leak free, you may want to reconsider your decision to pull the top off ... or at least delay it.

You could always say you have a hybrid Compact II. That's my 2 cents.

[saintz01]

Oh no....you misunderstood, I'm not touching that roof...haha. It's water tightt and not going anywhere. I'm just redoing some of the interior. I wanted to know about the need to rebrace the roof with a support after I tear out the wardrobe and stove/oven on the drivers side of the Compact II?

[saintz01]

Well I'll be damned, that Havasu is kinda what mine looks like now.