The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Making a Stovebolt Bed made cap/topper/camper whatever u call it

Need an enroute flight prevention system to transport RC planes to the flying site, among other things. So here's some pics. I like the look of canvas, it's pretty lightweight, and rain isn't really a concern here in the Mojave Desert.

Highly recommend building a camper for your truck. It's the fun of building a clubhouse when you were a kid, except you can take it with you.

These pics cover early test fitting of the canvas. Thats enough for now; will post enclosing the front and rear (with hatch) next. This evening or tomorrow hopefully.

One more thing for now, and this is important...main criteria is to be able to take this thing apart and store it when I get tired of it. So it'll come apart into these main components:
1)front and rear
2)canvas
3)top frame
4)side frames
Will have to be stored inside, not outside, because although we don't have much rain, we do get a little, plus UV from the sun here is INTENSE! Also, no need for anyone's help to remove from truck, as I can easily lift each component and put in the shed myself.

That's nice. I was in San Antonio for rile training about 10 years ago, and in the lobby of the hotel was a very well restored covered wagon. It was fascinating to me how simple yet aesthetically pleasing it was. I took plenty of pictures with the intent of attempting to build something like that for my truck. Unfortunately my phone crashed soon after and I lost all of my pictures.
On the bright side, having lost all of those pictures, I have a perfect excuse for not having built one for ten years, as even if I still had the pictures, I very likely would never have gotten to it.
I will therefore live vicariously through yours.

Nice I remember seeing a post about aftermarket canopy’s from when the trucks were newer and they were similar looking but had a foldable metal frame .looks good I were did you find the canvas for it .

Nice work Scooter! Kind of brings back memories of the old canvas canopies on military trucks, but much nicer.

Since this is a bed accessory, I'll move it over to the Making a Stovebolt Bed forum.

Nice addition to a Beautiful truck. Just one question, how do you get any work done in a Garage that clean ?

Great workmanship! On a beautiful red pickup!

Thanks but it’s all about timing. You take pictures before or after the salvaged 235 gets laid on its side and dumps the final 2 quarts of “black gold” and gallon of muddy coolant on the floor. Never during. 😁

Search Amazon for canvas tarps. This one is “12 oz” thickness but have a heavier 18 waiting in the wings. No idea how long this tan will last but stored in the garage, probably quite some time.

👍 decent price too thanks

Front and back was fairly simple--cut out plywood in the right shape. Easy in front, but the back hatch was the most complicated part, and didn't sketch any plans beforehand.

Deciding what should overlap what during hatch closing--had to ponder it quite a bit. Finally was able to get both front and back (approx 60 inches wide) out of a single 4x8 sheet of 3/8 plywood.

Multiple coats of System Three marine spar varnish on the ply. Wouldn't hurt to varnish inner frame also, but that's ALOT of real estate with many surfaces. Maybe later on.

All done. Painted all the exterior screw heads and angle braces; makes them look better than shiny silver IMO. Thanks for all the kind words.

How does it handle highway speed?

It’s great. Can’t tell it’s back there. Suppose if it wasn’t pulled tight enough the flapping in the wind could wear it out.

The top certainly looks period correct. My dad and Grandpa had similar covers on their Trucks years ago, nothing that nice though.. Great Work..

This would be an interesting find...

Fonz, is the one in the photo yours? That is pretty neat.

No, that is not mine; just a few photos that I found. It would be way cool to find the original framework to one that is in useable condition. The canvas topper could then be fabricated. I venture to guess that finding a framework would be next to impossible. Having a topper like that would be quite a conversation piece.

Any of you guys priced the soft campers currently on the market? MEGA-EXPENSIVE I've got $300 in mine.