Commercially produced aerodynamic pickup bed cap

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by bondo

I cannot bypass the Patent process because there are two applications for a Patent on an aerodynamic truck cap which have been filed right after mine with the USPTO (Patent Office). One is just a few months after the date I filed mine. Luckily I am in the drivers seat right now with the earliest filing date and I must maintain it.

I appreciate you referring me to the company you know of that does fiberglass fabrication. If I was to set up production on my own or with another established company without a Patent in force, then if either of the two people who have filed applications after me are granted a Patent, they would then sue me for Patent infringement.

Best of luck to you CFECO with the X-Car. I wish I had the skill set to develop a vehicle like that.

Bondo

Brett,there's also a fiberglass swimming pool manufacturer in Sanger,TX that expressed a definite interest in aero components.They also do the shot gel-coat with chopper/resin behind it.Snug Top fabricates this way.
I never could get a price on a master mold and tooling to see if I could get into it.So much for local toolmakers!Let us know if we can help at all.

[got gas?]

With what material did you create your air dam?
I have been contemplating doing something similar, out of conveyor belt material...
Fairly structurally secure, yet still Flexible for driveways, curbs, etc...
Any tips or pointers?
Brett in CT

[got gas?]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Ben - here's the picture I was remembering.
Bed cover & mobile greenhouse!

I like the Bonneville Salt Flats Wheel Covers on the Mobile Green House!

Anyone know where to find these wheel covers?
Or the polycarbonate greenhouse Fastback Aero-Cap?

[bdubnelson]

Originally Posted by bondo

Hey Waxy,

If you choose to get a 2005 -2008 F150 6.5 foot bed, I can fix you up now. Next we are doing tooling for the 2007 - 2008 Tundra, so if you maybe getting a Tundra we can fix you up by July of this year.

I have chosen not to take the lucrative contract job I spoke of earlier on page one of this thread. I have now commited to get the aero cap to market. There comes a time in everyones life when you just have to see what you are made of. That time for me is now.

Brett

Bondo, awesome stuff, keep your head up and chin down, it'll come through!!!
hey i know I'm a little late in this thread but I've been playing with this idea on paper for a year or two its so good to find this thread. I've got an 08 tundra dbl cab... if you're still looking for someone to test that design let me know. I have the digital real-time mpg option too if that helps?

[bdubnelson]

Originally Posted by bondo

Welcome to ecomodder pryan37bb.

Thanks for your input on the Aerolid. You are right on about the lack of rear visibilty. Lexan would be a good material to use. Safety glass is best.

One problem with increasing the size of the back window is torsional flex. In a perfect world one would always close the roof of the Aerolid by pulling down on it at the rear center only. But we not not live in a perfect world and the roof will be closed by pulling down on one side or the other causing the roof to twist. This would snap a cold peice of lexan.

Bondo

what if you used something like the window shade slats like the camero's in the 80s had on the back windows? It would give support and not block the view too bad.
Bdub

[bondo]

Originally Posted by got gas?

With what material did you create your air dam?
I have been contemplating doing something similar, out of conveyor belt material...
Fairly structurally secure, yet still Flexible for driveways, curbs, etc...
Any tips or pointers?
Brett in CT

If you are asking where I got my present air dam from, it is stock Ford F150 off of a 2011 model. My truck is a 2009 which had no air dam, the 2010 had a flat simple air dam and now the 2011's have come out with a nice curved lower air dam.

There may be some pictures of my silver 2006 F150 from the time which I did affix a fiberglass air dam I built. It was effective but scraped alot. There is alot of info here on ecomodder where some have built real nice air dams out of flexible materials. You might want to check out some of those posts.

Thanks,

Bondo

[bondo]

Originally Posted by aerohead

Brett,there's also a fiberglass swimming pool manufacturer in Sanger,TX that expressed a definite interest in aero components.They also do the shot gel-coat with chopper/resin behind it.Snug Top fabricates this way.
I never could get a price on a master mold and tooling to see if I could get into it.So much for local toolmakers!Let us know if we can help at all.

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the info on the fiberglass fabrication company in Sanger. I know right where they are at. As of Friday there has been a positive development on finally getting my patent issued, after almost three years. When I get that patent in hand, I may have to run down to Sanger and talk to those guys.

Thanks again,

Brett

[bondo]

Originally Posted by bdubnelson

Bondo, awesome stuff, keep your head up and chin down, it'll come through!!!
hey i know I'm a little late in this thread but I've been playing with this idea on paper for a year or two its so good to find this thread. I've got an 08 tundra dbl cab... if you're still looking for someone to test that design let me know. I have the digital real-time mpg option too if that helps?

The quote you refer to I made were some bold words. Talk is easy and the reality of lack of capital, which has been the problem all along, can quicky bring a halt to any plan.

A shaded rear glass may look very good. Would have to study what kind of turbulence it may create though. I attach a picture where I put an Aerolid on a Tundra. It looks cool! On the day we finally get up and going you will have to be the first Tundra owner to get an Aerolid.

Thanks again,

Bondo

[ajohn7211]

Glad to hear the patent is finally making headway! I ended up making my own aero shell for my 2001 tacoma out of metal EMT, hardware cloth, and gorilla/duct tape. I'll post some pics as soon as i have enough posts to do such a thing.

[bondo]

Originally Posted by ajohn7211

Glad to hear the patent is finally making headway! I ended up making my own aero shell for my 2001 tacoma out of metal EMT, hardware cloth, and gorilla/duct tape. I'll post some pics as soon as i have enough posts to do such a thing.

Welcome to ecomodder ajohn7211. There are several here who have built, and are currently building, some real nice aero shells. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of your shell. I have used that Gorilla tape before too, it is aptly named.

Bondo