tonneau cover
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,005
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From: Santa Clarita
tonneau cover
Since the bed of my truck could use some serious sanding/ painting/ wood, I'm thinking about putting a hard tonneau cover over the bed. Any ideas on what materials to use in making one or pictures of your tonneau?. I'd like to use the black vinyl to cover it or????
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,190
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From: Riverside, So Cal
Ed -
I can fill in anything that my gallery doesn't answer about it. The tonneau is working out great. I especially like the way it removed the freeway parachute effect of the gate up at speed. There are some changes I would make if doing it again to reduce cost and weight. Mine is so stout that you can walk on it.
The trickest tonneau I have seen is on a 54 Effie that has been seen in many mags and was at the Western Nationals. (It is the chrome yellow - pearl orange two-tone with flames separating the two colors thru the door area.) He designed and fabbed it out of aluminum and it covers the bed and rails and is weatherproof. Really nice looking and very functional.
I can fill in anything that my gallery doesn't answer about it. The tonneau is working out great. I especially like the way it removed the freeway parachute effect of the gate up at speed. There are some changes I would make if doing it again to reduce cost and weight. Mine is so stout that you can walk on it.
The trickest tonneau I have seen is on a 54 Effie that has been seen in many mags and was at the Western Nationals. (It is the chrome yellow - pearl orange two-tone with flames separating the two colors thru the door area.) He designed and fabbed it out of aluminum and it covers the bed and rails and is weatherproof. Really nice looking and very functional.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,005
Likes: 2
From: Santa Clarita
I took a close look at Randy Jack's gallery. I like the look of his tonneau cover, but as Randy said, You can stand on it. LOL... Very solid.... I'm not sure which way to go with this cover. I saw the one Randy was talking about and it's sweet. I remember seeing one at the Fillmore car show that was nice, but didn't bother seeing how it was constructed. I think I'd like to make one that is lightweight but still won't bounce around on the freeway. Thanks for the ideas though.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,190
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From: Riverside, So Cal
Making a lightweight tonneau is easy when it has upper and lower skins. You just have to tie the upper and lower skins together via a filler like a styrofoam sheet glued to both. A one-sided tonneau gets heavy when you beef up the upper skin thickness to get it stiff enough.
The tonneau won't flop around if you key it into the gate. I used two pins that project out of the tonneau to engage matching holes in the gate. Locks the tonneau down. Since my gate is solenoid-operated, it's pretty secure too.
The tonneau won't flop around if you key it into the gate. I used two pins that project out of the tonneau to engage matching holes in the gate. Locks the tonneau down. Since my gate is solenoid-operated, it's pretty secure too.
old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
Posts: 5,926
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
but is it dry ??
Randy,..
looked at your gallery and like your cover... but is it waterproof ?? how did you seal the edges along the bed sides ??? and where does the run off end up
john
looked at your gallery and like your cover... but is it waterproof ?? how did you seal the edges along the bed sides ??? and where does the run off end up
john
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 177
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From: Elgin TX
The cover on my 56 is super easy. Its just a big piece of vinyl with snaps. The male part of the snaps are on the bed rail. It wont hold up the hail, but I don't want it in the hail anyways. 
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,190
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From: Riverside, So Cal
John -
No, my tonneau is not "waterproof". It is "water controlling".
I figured that if I kept the water out of the bed entirely, with the rake the truck is on, I would just create a lake.
The water runoff is contained to the side support rails, runs to the front, and then down the front bed wall. There are drain holes in the front of the bed to drain it out. Haven't had it in a hard rain yet, but it weathers the car wash real well.
No, my tonneau is not "waterproof". It is "water controlling".
I figured that if I kept the water out of the bed entirely, with the rake the truck is on, I would just create a lake. The water runoff is contained to the side support rails, runs to the front, and then down the front bed wall. There are drain holes in the front of the bed to drain it out. Haven't had it in a hard rain yet, but it weathers the car wash real well.
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