Compact III - kin to the Hunter Compact Jr

[saywhatthat]

Are you saying don't worry about adding more structure?

with that design with the cabinets for the bed and the cabinets in the back that's going to add a lot of support . I do with what he has done. Andrew Gibbons was a very smart cookie .

was thinking this fall when it cools off I might do a flat-packed build of this. and go with original roof design where it picked up and all four corners and just use cloth around the top. Pretty easy & cheap to do hydraulic lifts in the corner

[QueticoBill]

I think I used 1/2" plywood, it's been 10 years now so I'm not sure:

You can see all the north/south bracing I added after I walked on the plywood. I wouldn't span more than 18" or so without some kind of support.



I didn't add near this much bracing on my teardrop, walking on the floor is a point load that tears don't need to be braced for.

Bruce

Two layers of 1/4 ply with a foam core would be stronger than 1/2 ply for sure. And lighter. Works fine for stages - 150 psf live load - with no framing and just point supports at corners of a 4 x 8. And that's with 3/16" ply skins.

[TimC]

Bruce, I like the beefy look of your chassis. I think I would go with something similar for the Compact.

I just located a Viking 2460 Pop-up in poor condition for $200 on Craigslist and have inquired about that. I think the box is 12' long and the width is something around 7'. It was posted three hours before I contacted them but no reply yet. Fingers crossed!

[TimC]

The 1999 Viking 2460 is mine, all mine. $200 bucks delivered to my daughter's place two miles from the seller. She says "Dad, you didn't get that for $200! Is that just the story I'm supposed to tell mom?"

So it is in good shape other than two years of non-use with mouse eaten canvas and the smell of urine throughout. Or so the seller tells me. I haven't seen it yet other than a few exterior photos. Wish me luck. I might get a video call from the kid tonight. Supposed to have working porta potti, shower enclosure, refrigerator, furnace, three burner indoor/outdoor range top, spare tire, 20# LP tank, etc. Looks like 13" wheels and tires are servicable. I don't know the age but even if they are ten years old I have two spares at home.

My concern is that my daughter will open it up and the the "wheels will start turning" in her mind with thoughts of getting her grubby, pintrest makeover hands on it to turn it into HER camper! I made the mistake of mentioning that I looked at Bear Creek Canvas' web site and for that model a full canvas replacement is estimated at a ballpark of $1100. Of course that won't take care of the mouse piss smell completely. I'm sure there will be curtain and mattress/cushion smell issues.

Update; I brought the trailer home after giving it a quick once over. It was already mine and there was no returning it to the seller so I thought about what to do with the trailer all the way home and while I was power washing it in my driveway. Then I proceeded to do a thorough evaluation by setting it up. We owned a Coleman pop-up years ago when the kids were home and enjoyed the trailer despite the task of opening and closing it. Compared to the Coleman the Viking is a real PITA to set up. Our Coleman was an early eighties model and was technically more advanced than this late 90s one. The support poles for the pull out beds seem to me an afterthought by someone who wanted to slap something together with the cheapest materials possible. So after sleeping on it I've decided this trailer is either a demolition job and a new build of a Astroliner type cabin, or sell it and forget it. Part of the reason for going to a bigger trailer is to get my wife a comfortable camper she would be happy with. After a short one-way conversation last night I have come to the conclusion she wouldn't even go camping in a 30' monster with all the features of home. She's just not interested. And I am very happy with my teardrop. So selling the Viking is my intention. I'll post a quick ad on For Sale here on tnttt and on local craigslist to see what happens.

[TimC]

So after a short reconsideration of building a bigger camper to please my wife I have come to the conclusion that the Compact III is not in my future for reasons I describe in the update in my previous post. Thanks for your help and suggestions.

[QueticoBill]

Trailer frame for sale?

[TimC]

Trailer frame for sale?

Yup. I saw that you found it in For Sale.

Besides the tires the chassis is in great shape. And the appliances are dirty but probably work. No guarantee on that though.

I know, I sure flip flopped on this thing. Sorry, sometimes thats the way it goes.

[QueticoBill]

2100+ miles and 30 some hours on the road and no brake controller makes it a challenge. Hmmmmm...

[QueticoBill]

2100+ miles and 30 some hours on the road and no brake controller makes it a challenge. Hmmmmm...

[TimC]

Yeah Qbill, I'm sure there is an old pop up out east that makes more sense. Fuel alone would be crazy.

Gonna mark this sold anyway as my brother wants to bring some power tools and tear this thing apart. That should be fun and I think the bare chassis will be easier to sell when we finish with the fun.

[QueticoBill]

I was considering it ripe for restoring. Goodithas a use.

[TimC]

One reason I have decided it isn't a good candidate for a restore is when I got it home and set it up I was gasping for fresh air and I think I may have effected my lifespan a bit. Wow. When the seller said there was some mouse odor he wasn't kidding.

First, I'm convinced that I shouldn't continue working inside the pop-up without an N95 mask. The dust from the excrement is thick. And the stench will knock you back to last weekend.

Second, as strong as the stink is I don't think eliminating the fabric alone will remedy that stink. There are stains on some wood surfaces between cushions, stains on the vinyl flooring that I think have eaten into the surface, and the mouse crap is piled two inches high in one cabinet made of press board (a virtual sponge).

Third, I don't think there's anyone as crazy as I am to attempt a restore.

It is too bad that people don't take care of their stuff. As I mentioned in another post I don't think this pop-up has seen more than a few thousand miles in its lifetime. The 24 year old original tire's tread looks like it just left the showroom floor. The shower and toilet don't have any telltale signs of use besides mice droppings. Hell, the original plastic shower head hook up high isn't even broken. Does that ever happen in a well used camper? The area where you remove the toilet cassette looks dusty but otherwise like it was rarely used. I've seen used shower/toilet units in RVs and it doesn't take long to build up soap scum and crap in the corners and seams. This is "clean".

Somebody bought this thing in '99, camped a couple weekends and put it in their backyard. The second owner that I bought it from described a similar history. I think he said they hadn't used it in four years. Probably hadn't even looked at it in that long. The window screen is almost gone. A couple curtains are chewed beyond recognition.

It would really bother me to think someone bought it from me with the intention of restoring it without giving them a full disclosure.