1st Gen Toyota Tundra Aeroshell Build

[Macskyver]

Originally Posted by Ardent

Looking good!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by samwichse

Damn that's pretty.


How are you going to open/close it? Hinge near the back of the cab? Just a small door in the back?

Sam

The shell itself will be bolted to the bed through the stake pockets. I will have a small rear window at the very back that hinges upwards. If you look at the rear rib, you can see the recess where the window will be. I will also have a window with a slider at the front next to the cab. Both windows will be made from 1/4" polycarbonate.

[Macskyver]

Originally Posted by kach22i

Could you please post a very close up photo of a slat joint at the ends?

I'm imaging something like the below image which I found on the Internet.

MLCS Flute and Bead and Tambour Door Router Bits



Excellent work, a thing of beauty.

Thanks. And you are correct, that is exactly how the joints are. Here is a picture or it:

[aerohead]

Are you considering a window on the passenger side? I found that backing out of a parallel parking space into urban traffic was terrifying without it! Traffic didn't appear to care whether they T-boned me or not.

[Macskyver]

I was considering the side window initially, but decided against it ultimately because I thought it would be too big of a PITA integrating it cleanly with the cedar strip construction. I also don't really think I need one. I have really good visibility out the back and I do get some direct visibility out the side through my access cab door window. I'll just take extra care in how I park and get used to using the side view mirror.

[freebeard]

IANAL, but a backup beeper might give you a little edge.

[Macskyver]

A backup beeper is more likely to edge me toward insanity. :P

[Macskyver]

Tonight I trimmed most of the excess cedar and started cleaning up the rails. There will probably be several iterations of test fitting the shell before I get it just right but it is fairly close. I will also probably have to trim quite a bit more off the back for the rear window to be able to open fully.

[freebeard]

I understand, but you could put the beeper on a push button instead of wiring it to the transmission. Then it would only beep when you're anxious.

To paraphrase Apocalypse Now "I love the smell of cedar shavings in the morning."

[Macskyver]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I understand, but you could put the beeper on a push button instead of wiring it to the transmission. Then it would only beep when you're anxious.

To paraphrase Apocalypse Now "I love the smell of cedar shavings in the morning."

It smells like.. victory.

[Macskyver]

I didn't do a whole lot of work tonight on the shell but made some progress. I am pretty sure the shell-to-cab gap is about perfect. The rear eave still needs a lot of trimming. I like how it looks now, but the rear window won't open very far as is. I did a quick cardboard cut-out on the CNC to verify this.