mutineer
New member
This one is gonna be one of those “bolt on” builds that takes place over a long time because it has to happen out of retained earnings, and it’s happening to a vehicle that takes me to work everyday so it’s gotta work well for what the truck will really be doing 49.5 weeks of the year.
Searched high and low for an 3.5 ecoboost F150 with a 6.5 bed for dirt bikes/track bikes.
Found 2012 and jumped
Within days of buying it real life needs got in the way and I have to use it work stuff including some semi regular deliveries for large part of the winter, so a shell became necessary.
So I decided to lean into it and do A fuller prep on the bed. The shell and slide are more for work purposes, the racks so I can still use it for paddles boards and a rocket box for personal gear.
Full set up is the decked drawers, and a cardinal glide add slide, to go under ARE Z Series camper shell, with Yakima racks and bars.
This turned out to be a ridiculously expensive endeavor, over five stacks all installed, but so far it is a very slick system, and the shop threw in a used shell for another company truck for free, so it worked out pretty fair in the grand scheme
The fit and finish on the ARE topper are first-rate, even though I didnt want to get it in the first place I’m pretty happy with the way it looks ( and whether we admit it or not looks matter today to damn near all of us ).
The drawer system gives awaya few cubic feet On paper, but the true usability of the space increases in your bed so much Siri is tha find paper, but the true usability of the space increases in your bed so much Meyer Lawson volume really represents a significant net gain in functionality. Decked makes toolboxes custom-made to fit in the drawers which I plan on adding. Decked makes tool boxes custom-made to fit in the drawers which I plan on adding to the set up.
When you have even a marginally loaded bed a bed slide makes life exponentially easier what it comes to getting stuff out of the back. The Z series Shell has flush mounted windows not fully opened go for a full-size bed I would consider the slide a necessity, but you have to keep in mind I’m an old guy I suppose.
The catch new is my next three new (to me at least, I don’t buy new trucks) will have to be 6.5 foot bed, black F150’s because this setup is following me to the next few trucks.
This truck will tow a trailer to racetracks and for camping at improved sites, but it seems like a pretty good platform to mount a rooftop tent. The drawers and the slide reduce room under the shell too much to use it for anything but maybe a nap on a thermarest.
It’ll take a while for the budget to recover enough that I can get one anyway. Not sure what the dynamic load capability of the shell is, but I have seen some video of a set of Yakima roofracks on the cab and a CVT on the cab, which is probably my plan.
This city park near my house,is about the closest thing this truck will come too all winter for “off piste” work so I think this set of pics is pretty damn funny.
Sorta like taking a picture of my jeep in a mall Parking lot.
Once I convince my 5’2” wife it’s a good plan the running board are going the way of the dodo
As it sits the truck looks a little too ATF for my taste so I’m gonna have to do something to break up the undercover agent look of the truck. Maybe a big smiley face sticker for the door.
Searched high and low for an 3.5 ecoboost F150 with a 6.5 bed for dirt bikes/track bikes.
Found 2012 and jumped
Within days of buying it real life needs got in the way and I have to use it work stuff including some semi regular deliveries for large part of the winter, so a shell became necessary.
So I decided to lean into it and do A fuller prep on the bed. The shell and slide are more for work purposes, the racks so I can still use it for paddles boards and a rocket box for personal gear.
Full set up is the decked drawers, and a cardinal glide add slide, to go under ARE Z Series camper shell, with Yakima racks and bars.
This turned out to be a ridiculously expensive endeavor, over five stacks all installed, but so far it is a very slick system, and the shop threw in a used shell for another company truck for free, so it worked out pretty fair in the grand scheme
The fit and finish on the ARE topper are first-rate, even though I didnt want to get it in the first place I’m pretty happy with the way it looks ( and whether we admit it or not looks matter today to damn near all of us ).
The drawer system gives awaya few cubic feet On paper, but the true usability of the space increases in your bed so much Siri is tha find paper, but the true usability of the space increases in your bed so much Meyer Lawson volume really represents a significant net gain in functionality. Decked makes toolboxes custom-made to fit in the drawers which I plan on adding. Decked makes tool boxes custom-made to fit in the drawers which I plan on adding to the set up.
When you have even a marginally loaded bed a bed slide makes life exponentially easier what it comes to getting stuff out of the back. The Z series Shell has flush mounted windows not fully opened go for a full-size bed I would consider the slide a necessity, but you have to keep in mind I’m an old guy I suppose.
The catch new is my next three new (to me at least, I don’t buy new trucks) will have to be 6.5 foot bed, black F150’s because this setup is following me to the next few trucks.
This truck will tow a trailer to racetracks and for camping at improved sites, but it seems like a pretty good platform to mount a rooftop tent. The drawers and the slide reduce room under the shell too much to use it for anything but maybe a nap on a thermarest.
It’ll take a while for the budget to recover enough that I can get one anyway. Not sure what the dynamic load capability of the shell is, but I have seen some video of a set of Yakima roofracks on the cab and a CVT on the cab, which is probably my plan.
This city park near my house,is about the closest thing this truck will come too all winter for “off piste” work so I think this set of pics is pretty damn funny.
Sorta like taking a picture of my jeep in a mall Parking lot.
Once I convince my 5’2” wife it’s a good plan the running board are going the way of the dodo
As it sits the truck looks a little too ATF for my taste so I’m gonna have to do something to break up the undercover agent look of the truck. Maybe a big smiley face sticker for the door.
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