The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Camper shell for a '53 short bed pickups?

Are there still companies making them?

Taint never heard of those but this has been in the back of my mind ever since I first saw it.
Here are a few pictures of Rob English’s GMC Huckster. Gives me a great idea for a cover if I ever get enough energy up to build one. Conduct ribs, canvas cover with a zipper in the back, easy to assemble/disassemble, easy to store an within most peoples capability to make at home.
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/english_rob_1951_01.htm
http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0018.html
Denny Graham

This all steel camper shell was made in Carson, CA. I don't recall the company's name.

Camper Shell

I've seen the canvas top on a truck in the city next to mine. I might knock on the owners door and ask him where he got it.
I've seen another on an old ford F1 as well.

I did a search in Carson and American Camper Shell pops up. I'll give them a call.

found one on craigslist mounted on a '54 bed but it memory serves
me, that bed has flat side rails instead of the angled rails on
'47-'53. I still might drive by and check it out though.

I read that the '54 stepside bed was produced till the late '80's with different fenders depending on the year of the truck.

hi AD Denny.want too see something? go too the gallery,on this site .1951 chevy truck.dan kalenak.I did this 10 years ago.still got her in the barn.

I wrestled with this problem but never took action. I decided that the easiest way to mount a topper was to build up the sloped bed sides and make a flat surface that extended over the edge of the bed. This would allow you to set on a modern cap and bolt it down.

I never did this but I am sure it is possible.

Look at this topper.


http://www.truckwithaheart.com/

Very nice and he did exactly what you described.

My dad always made his camper shells for step side short beds, slight bow top frames cut from 2X4 noched into 2X2's rounded on the ends and extended a bit to match the bed sides and 5 2X2's connecting the 2 end pieces,the 2 top 2x2's notched to extend out to meet flush with bed side, The bottom 2X2's were set at the top edge of the bed sides and notched to set flush with the edge of the bed as well, the 5th 2x2 was the top center and was just cut to fit.

Covered with usually mobile home siding (because it was flat,and cheap at a salvage yard)and extended past the bottom 2X2's to cover the bed sides on the outside for the angled beds by 1" for water protection, then the canopy was framed in for windows and a door, door was put on with a piano hinge windows were hand made with plexy glass and framed in with aluminum channel or taken from a junk camper shell, the back door was aluminum covered thin plywood glued together and support screws at the corners to keep it from peeling and a door lock from a junk canopy as well,The tailgate end was framed in with more 2x2's and a 2x4 for the door to screw to and coverd with aluminum, depending on what time and detail you take on it they do look like factory made, best way to assemble it is to make the cab side first with it pretty much finished then put it in the front steak holes and put in the rear section also, true it up and install the runner 2X2's then put on the siding and finish up with the door, thats how he did it anyway.

Have you seen this one ? Looks nice!

I'd like to see a few more pictures of Al Cutcher's metal camper. I've been kicking the idea around about making a metal frame with a canvas cover to make it easier to remove and store but a ridged cap also interests me.
DG

Let's not forget this site is for discussion of old Chevy trucks. Please post your novelty links in Greasy Spoon.

Thanks.

HUH, cletis.

Explanation: a link to a novelty was posted and commented on. They were both deleted.

I remembered seeing some plans from Popular Mechanics for how to build a truck camper posted on a website a few years ago and finally found it again. Maybe you have seen this before. I wonder how many people tried or did build this back in the day?
That Vintage Projects site has dozens of cool old-tech things you can build. Very interesting...