Truck Tonneau Cover as Poptop Mod?

[warmblood58]

Hello all, for awhile, I have been looking for a poptop as replacement for my medical top with zero luck. It occurred to me that why couldnt I buy a 3/4 ton rigid tonneau cover and build a flange around opening to seal out water, then mount tonneau, have side curtains made along with other minor mounting hardware and be done with it? Has anyone else thought of this? Thanks!

 

[Google it Research]

I'm not an expert and I've never seen it done, but I think it can be made to work. You would need to build a lip on the roof for the cover to seal on. Plus you would need to find a locking mechanism that could be used from inside. Electronic actuators would be awesome.

 

[warmblood58]

I really believe it has potential and from quotes I have had from 5-7,000 for a poptop, a great affordable solution. Chime in anyone if you have additional thoughts and experience here

 

[Google it Research]

I gave this idea much thought today and I agree it has much potential. Will you mount it rear opening or forward opening?

 

[warmblood58]

I gave this idea much thought today and I agree it has much potential. Will you mount it rear opening or forward opening?

Probably rear, will have to see how I lay out my interior

 

[Ozarker]

Might consider cutting the top off the side and front walls from a pickup bed that fits the top, just a few inches and weld to the roof and cut out the roof opening, such a lip will add strength around the opening. Fid a damaged bed at a salvage yard. Plug the back or use the top edge of a tail gate welded to the sides.

You can have hard sides and back that fold up into the top.

I'll be doing the same thing with the truck, but in a soft sided PVC rip-stop material. I may sandwich insulation board between two materials as a semi hard side, not sure yet as I need to check on the screens being plastic-welded in. The back may be open to attach an extension tent behind the truck.

Look at Low-T's Astro Van, I believe he has a similar pop top. It's a factory job.

 

[warmblood58]

Thanks! I like the idea of welding in a truck bed "lip" to assist with the top seal. Only need an inch or two max for the lip - great suggestion, thanks!

 

[Cole]

I've cut the top open on a VW Eurovan to transplant the Poptop from a wrecked van.

I think a truck bed top could be made to work easily. If the donor tonneau cover has a big lip you could probably get away with just making some steel square stock channels, making a frame for it to sit on. No reason to cut up a truck and try to hack it on there.

Remember that the tonneau was designed to ride on a pickup bed, behind the cab where it's out of the direct wind. So wind noise might be your biggest issue.

As far as an "internal lock", I'd just use Jeep Wrangler style hood latches to hold it down. Inside would be best if you can fit it. Nice to pop the top without having to go outside in the cold/wet.

Where are you located?

 

[warmblood58]

Im in Novato in the Bay Area, yea, I was thinking aluminum angle pieces for the "lip" sealed with rubber gasket underneath or other to seal -this just seems like a fairly easy mod with a little creativity and minor engineering challenges -

 

[Google it Research]

Use a longbed tonneau cover. I see good condition F250 covers on craigslist for as cheap as $100.

 

[madmax718]

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/100913703/Top_Star_Ts_I_Tonneau_Cover/showimage.html

 

[matthewp]

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/100913703/Top_Star_Ts_I_Tonneau_Cover/showimage.html

That would be an awesome top to use!

 

[warmblood58]

Thats what I was thinking . . . in my case, I already have a medical top so the whole in roof is already cut

 

[blacklabel771]

There are a bunch of nice Tonneaus out there - check out this Tonneau guide - it recently helped me a ton when I was on the market for one:

http://www.hitchanything.com/Tonneau-Covers/

 

[scott7022]

I was thinking about something along the same lines as the Top-Star Ts-I Tonneau Cover. With a Marigold shelter mounted on the tonneau and a rack system above. The weight is a little heavy for the empty Marigold but beefing it up to hold 16 more kilos wouldn't be difficult. Could use a bed rail system to lock it in and down when closed. When lifted it would lock into the tube steel roof system. Out of the wind for travel and up off the ground for sleeping. Not really hard engineering wise, but don't see anything like it out there.