Project Extended Pop-Top Aerodynamic Camper Shell ('99 Tacoma)

[a8ksh4]

Well, I've thought a bunch about it and am just going to keep picking away at this project. I put the shell back on the truck last week and camped in it over the weekend. Should be using for several days over this coming long weekend, too.

I need to go snap some photos, but I built the back door for it and put down some carpet inside to make it more comfortable. I've come to really enjoy the bits of construction I do I using lightweight wood, either with wood glue or fiberglass. The backdoor on this thing is super lightweight and only took a few minutes to assemble (will take a bit longer to finish and paint), sort of same as for the awning door.

[a8ksh4]

Here are a couple photos of the back door. I haven't figured out how to latch it yet... it needs to be accessible from the inside, whatever I do. I need to go by the RV junkyard in Sac again some time soon to see what they have.





The first thing that happened to me when I took off to head out of town last weekend was a box of my stuff slid out the back of the bed, through the door, into the road when I took off. Definitely need to get a latch on that thing... :P

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by a8ksh4

Maybe I missed this earlier. Did you shift your bumper back?

[a8ksh4]

Yep. It's extended out to the end of the lowered tailgate.

[Xist]

Originally Posted by a8ksh4

Yep. It's extended out to the end of the lowered tailgate.

Does the bumper stick out more than before?

[ChazInMT]

Quick & dirty door latch idea



Get a dowel/closet rod, match the door thickness in the bottom corner to the "Jamb" thickness, drill a hole in the door or jamb to match the dowel diameter, make the dowl 1/16th longer than the door is thick, bolt it together with a long bolt. If made as drawn, the weight of the levers should keep it latched.

HOT TIP When drilling the dowl, drill from one end half way in, then meet in the middle from the other side to minimize "off centerness" (a technical term for the hole not being in the middle) If you try to go all the way through on 1 shot you will end up with a way off hole on the exit end, if you meet on the middle, you will have 2 centered holes on each end and a crooked tunnel which can easily be reamed out oversize to make your hole sized long bolt fit through. I used to build stair cases a lot and had to drill "Through holes" in post bottoms and handrails all the time.

Also, when drilling the dowel, For the love of cripes....put the dern thing in a vice or clamp it down very firmly, because when you break through the tunnel, it will invariably jerk like heck and possibly stall your drill, that kind of torque will mess you up. My 1/2 inch Milwaukee Hole Shooter has tried to injure me on numerous occasions, I handle that thing with a ton of caution.

If you put this on one or both corners, it can be opened from inside & out and locked from the inside if you wish with some simple pin thing er sumthin.

Hope this makes sense. Should only cost you a buck or 2

[ChazInMT]

It's about 1.25 inches in size.

Link to Amazon Page for Ives 2A92 Elbow Catch

Oh, and I had one of these from the hardware store for a door to my crawl space, in order to open it from the other side I drilled a 3/32" hole through the "Handle" on the latch and the door and ran a 14ga copper wire through it, then I put a tight loop on each end to keep it from pulling through, when I wanted out I pulled the wire.

In your case I can see this latch being on the inside with the wire sticking out to pull on when you want to open it.

Not so sure this would hold in the bowling balls in the bed of your truck when you mash the go fast pedal to the floor though, but for $3 it would be another cheep fiks.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Xist

Does the bumper stick out more than before?

[Xist]

Thanks! I was not sure how much the extension tapered.

[a8ksh4]

I got back from Black Rock City this afternoon. Here's a photo of my tiny camp. The awning was really nice out there in the sun. It's quick to assemble and seems to have held up well in the wind.