Truck Caps, Camper Shells, Toppers... call them what you will, lets see them

[808_67C10]

Nice!!!!!!

[SKT]

[ilnvyb360]

Originally Posted by 808_67C10

OMG What an awesome picture - The USS ALABAMA!

I am a retired Navy Chief... 24 years - lived on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor for 16 years... the view from my porch was the USS MISSOURI and the USS ARIZONA Memorial. I miss it so bad!!! I am on the Big Island now and miss living among that amazing history! Killer picture bro!

Hey Frank! Killer truck bro! I’m a Navy Chief as well and looking forward to retirement next year. Interesting story, my squarebody was originally purchased in Kailua in 86 according to the warranty booklet. I’m pretty sure the gentleman was a service member. I bought it back in 2018 Here in Washington state and who knows how many hands it’s exchanged over the years. Stay healthy in paradise!

Mahalo!

[65chevysub]

Originally Posted by sweetk30

cap #2 was purchased today for the pickup trailer #3 .

i wasn't looking for a cap but found this for 100 bucks on c-list . then my buddy wanted to use some plywood i had from odd jobs left over to make sides and roof and cover it with a tarp for his little utility trailer for when he pulls the old carpet out of his house . i said screw that go buy this and use my pickup trailer . so we went and pulled the trailer up to the guys place and got it for 50 bucks and we split that for 25 each and i didn't drive or use my truck or fuel and i get to keep the cap .

2 handle rear gate / 2 sliders 1 per side / solid front window / few dings and dents but solid / just need to run a bead of caulk down the roof seam thats a little drippy is all .

oh ya and the trailer is getting newer better rims monday as these old rusty crusty stock ( ford ) rims got to go .

c-10 back half frame / 4 leaf rear springs / 14ff rear axle cut pumpkin out and sleeved it for dumby axle / capped the spindles off & cut the axle off the caps / grease packed the bearings and rollin on 265/75/16 tires .

Any chance you can post some close up pics of the shock mounts on the door and shell itself? My shell had the 2 piece tube type supports which are long gone so need to convert to the gas shocks. Thanks

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by ilnvyb360

Hey Frank! Killer truck bro! I’m a Navy Chief as well and looking forward to retirement next year. Interesting story, my squarebody was originally purchased in Kailua in 86 according to the warranty booklet. I’m pretty sure the gentleman was a service member. I bought it back in 2018 Here in Washington state and who knows how many hands it’s exchanged over the years. Stay healthy in paradise!

Mahalo!

ilnvy: the hardest thing I did in the military was retire. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss it.. I wasn't Joe-Navy either.... it just became who I was and when it was over, it was tough... get hobbies, stay around other military and stay active! Cool truck too!

[jocko]

period for a 79 - note this truck has only 10k miles on it too (but it was a plow truck and the chassis is very rusty).

[ilnvyb360]

I’m calling my “granopy” update done for now...
Repainted. LEDs. Resealed. Tinted.

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by ilnvyb360

I’m calling my “granopy” update done for now...
Repainted. LEDs. Resealed. Tinted.

That looks awesome!

[Whamo]

Pulled one out of a field this weekend...time for a restore...

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by Whamo

Pulled one out of a field this weekend...time for a restore...

YEAH... Love it!!! Congrats on the find.

[ilnvyb360]

Originally Posted by 808_67C10

That looks awesome!

Thanks, Frank. Work in progress...

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by Whamo

Pulled one out of a field this weekend...time for a restore...

That really changes the attitude of the truck. Looks good.

[ACS]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

So I bought this shell for my C10, even though it looks good it will need some work
...

Not sure if this is cool or not - mod’s can delete if necessary.

I have one of these in 8ft, free to a good home. I’m in Ontario, Canada between Niagara Falls and Toronto. PM if you want it.

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

That really changes the attitude of the truck. Looks good.

I totally agree... I think campers just complete these trucks. It gives them a "used" character that the custom builds just don't have.

[daddyjeep]

I picked up another one.... It is a couple inches narrow, but it works. I have another long bed one that I will probably use to modify this one. It has full length glass with a slider in the last couple feet with good screens. I really need to tint the glass though. I found it on Marketplace for $25.

[1967KaiserM715]

Without, and with truck cap.

[sweetk30]

Scored this old girl yesterday off c-list . Off a mid to late 70's 3/4 ton truck .

Still has the makers tag and the sellers decal on each end .

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by sweetk30

Scored this old girl yesterday off c-list . Off a mid to late 70's 3/4 ton truck .

Still has the makers tag and the sellers decal on each end .

Something about this one speaks to me! Love it!

[daddyjeep]

I finally got around to modifying my cap to fit my truck properly... and my needs. I pulled all the skins off to get down to the base frame and did the same to the other cap that I had. I cut out pieces of the framework from the parts cap to widen the one I will be using. There were even some angle aluminum that worked perfectly to join everything together. I widened it 2".



Since I was here and had a camping trip planned I figured that I might as well insulate the cap while I had it all apart. I used the skin from the parts cap to make an inner skin to trap the insulation.



I had some 2" foam so I made a hot wore cutter with a saw horse, a couple screws, some .035 mig wire, and a battery charger. I ripped the foam down to 1" and put it between all the supports.



A couple thousand screws later and a bunch of screwing around cutting and fitting pieces of aluminum it was done. I picked up some static cling window tint to add some privacy. That **** is garbage. I should have just got normal adhesive stuff, but it does it's job for now.





It worked great camping. The temps were down around 30 degrees and it stayed nice and warm in there. I built a mattress platform to get above the wheel well so it was a bit tight to the ceiling, but that helped to keep it warm.

[808_67C10]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

I finally got around to modifying my cap to fit my truck properly... and my needs. I pulled all the skins off to get down to the base frame and did the same to the other cap that I had. I cut out pieces of the framework from the parts cap to widen the one I will be using. There were even some angle aluminum that worked perfectly to join everything together. I widened it 2".



Since I was here and had a camping trip planned I figured that I might as well insulate the cap while I had it all apart. I used the skin from the parts cap to make an inner skin to trap the insulation.



I had some 2" foam so I made a hot wore cutter with a saw horse, a couple screws, some .035 mig wire, and a battery charger. I ripped the foam down to 1" and put it between all the supports.



A couple thousand screws later and a bunch of screwing around cutting and fitting pieces of aluminum it was done. I picked up some static cling window tint to add some privacy. That **** is garbage. I should have just got normal adhesive stuff, but it does it's job for now.





It worked great camping. The temps were down around 30 degrees and it stayed nice and warm in there. I built a mattress platform to get above the wheel well so it was a bit tight to the ceiling, but that helped to keep it warm.

Oh WOW, that is super cool. Never seen a shell torn down like that. I am sure it wasn't that bad but, came out perfect. Dig it!!!

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by 808_67C10

Oh WOW, that is super cool. Never seen a shell torn down like that. I am sure it wasn't that bad but, came out perfect. Dig it!!!

I may have posted this before, but I got a shell that was wrecked for free and tore it all apart like that and re-arched the bent ribs and bought new sheet metal for the roof and plexiglass for the rear window. I spent a bunch also on nuts/bolts/washers and corner brackets to put the frame back together.

[kipps]

Can someone give me an idea of what these aluminum or fiberglass toppers weigh? Could I remove and install one on a longbed truck in just a few minutes by myself? Or are they too heavy for that? I'm not a gym rat, but I'm definitely not feeble either, if that makes a difference.

I really like the concept of a topper to keep my collection of toolboxes dry, particularly for those sudden summertime thunderstorms. But I also intend to use this truck regularly with a gooseneck trailer. I'm just wondering if it will be feasible to remove/reinstall the topper on a weekly basis.

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by kipps

Can someone give me an idea of what these aluminum or fiberglass toppers weigh? Could I remove and install one on a longbed truck in just a few minutes by myself? Or are they too heavy for that? I'm not a gym rat, but I'm definitely not feeble either, if that makes a difference.

I really like the concept of a topper to keep my collection of toolboxes dry, particularly for those sudden summertime thunderstorms. But I also intend to use this truck regularly with a gooseneck trailer. I'm just wondering if it will be feasible to remove/reinstall the topper on a weekly basis.

I would think my aluminum cap is well under 100 lbs. it is real easy with two people and i would think it would be manageably by yourself.

[kipps]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

I would think my aluminum cap is well under 100 lbs. it is real easy with two people and i would think it would be manageably by yourself.

Thanks for the reply! How are they typically fastened? Is it just a handful of bolts through the bed rails, or is there some sort of quick attach system that works well? Would Jeep hood straps work, by any chance?

[1967KaiserM715]

Originally Posted by kipps

Thanks for the reply! How are they typically fastened? Is it just a handful of bolts through the bed rails, or is there some sort of quick attach system that works well? Would Jeep hood straps work, by any chance?

I would say aluminum cap is closer to 125 pounds, its manageable by 1 person, 2 is ideal

As for attaching, you could drill and use bolts, but they make these aluminum C-clmps that
Are made for attaching truck caps and tonneau covers, 6 for a long bed, I think last I'll checked it was around $30 for a set of 6