The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 9ft' bed truck cover

Looking to buy a cover for my 9 foot bed model 253 1950 GMC. Any one have any luck finding one?

Sorry if we've left you hanging ...

Speaking only for myself, as an owner of a '49 1-ton with a 9-foot bed .... I've never actually looked for one, so I can not help. My only guess is that we are such a small segment of the hobby, no one probably makes a bed cover specifically for us (1-ton pickups in the '47 to '54/54 year range). You may have to find someone to custom make one for you. Or get some big dump truck tarp material and make one yourself. Do you have a Plain Community near you? (Amish, Mennonite or Hutterite) There's usually a tarp maker among them.

Maye someone else has a better answer ...?

A flat cover or one with some height to it?

This recent thread had some good pictures and info of an old (store-bought) canvas top with simple framework that you could duplicate or improve upon.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1389782/canvas-bed-cover.html

Some of the aftermarket flat roll up aluminum covers are based on rolling hurricane shutters, or so I've been told. If so then perhaps you could adapt one the right size (probably made to order) to your truck even if the aftermarket truck bed versions aren't sold for 9' beds.

I've seen old aluminum truck caps for the AD trucks but not sure I've seen a 9' version, and rarely see them for sale at any length. I've been thinking about making my own one day with aluminum angle for the framework and aluminum sheet riveted to it, similar to airplane and/or airstream camper construction methods. I have a collection of pictures of original ones to guide my own design. One detail I like is a fold down cot frame on each side, making it a real basic/simple camper.

Grigg

Grigg, I too have been thinking the exact same thing for my 49 3800. I would like to make basically an aluminum shell similar to the one Steve McQueen had in his. Just not as tall.
Does anyone have any leads on the aluminum toppers or shells made back in the 50s?
I thought about buying one and modifying it for the length of the 9 foot bed.