I have been wanting one for some time. However, I can't find any. Is it rare or what? I know Dennis has a deluxe model.

What is it constructed of? Fiberglass? And how much are those worth today?

 

I know where three of them are if you're willing to come to Calgary.

Last price here was around $500 for one complete.

Every once in a while pick your part gets them,but they only last a couple of days before they are gone.

Yes,Fibreglass and Door is really heavy.
Ask the back of my head.



[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]

[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG




[i][font color=green]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]

[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]


[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]

 

I've had several of these factory toppers over the years, a deluxe one with sliding windows, roof vent, and interior light came on my '78 F150 Supercab, I sold it in '87 for $300.00, bought a '79 F100 Explorer with a standard cap later on, sold the cap for $300.00, and have kicked myself ever since until about 6 months ago when a local body shop had one up front for sale for get this $50.00 !!! Boy I jumped on that one, (anouther deluxe unit)he even had two of the factory "J" hook hold down bolts!!!! best $50.00 I ever spent!!!
Does anyone know how to refinish these units?? how about the compas emblems, can these be restored?? I've also got a couple of spare interior lights with wireing if anyone needs them.

 

I have three of the "deluxe" models I've aquired over the years. One came with my '79, one from a parts donor truck I had bought, and one I saw on the way home one night that had a sign on it that said "Free to anyone who wants it".
Here's how I restored mine.......

Place the cap on small horses or something equivelent so that you can easily access the top and inside of the cap.
Remove all the windows and accessories (the door, the top vent, the interior light, and the compass emblems, etc).
Removed all the loose or cracked seam sealer with a razor knife, and a screwdriver. Scrub the cap real good with a stiff scub brush and hot soapy water to remove the dirt and mold (SOS pads work good as well). Hose it down real good to rinse, and allow it to dry thoroughly.

At this point, any cracks can be repaired using fiberglass and resin. Once cured, you can use spot putty and sand it to fill any imperfections.

If you do make repairs or do any sanding, you will lose the "textured effect" on the cap. Heres how I fixed that......
I took a 3" brush, some latex paint, and a block of wood. You have to find the right touch, distance, and the right amount of paint to load up the brush, so do a few tests first on a piece of cardboard. Hold the brush away from the target and tap on the block of wood. This will produce small paint "specks" that will match what's there on your cap.

Repair all the seams with new seam sealer (available in most auto parts stores, comes in tubes for caulking gun). Once dry, you are ready to paint. I used "Krylon" flat white paint to match the flat factory finish.
Many of these caps came from the factory with the very bottom and front portions painted to match your truck. This can be done with cans of "touch up" or "Duplicolor". Just follow the contours of the cap, or the "texture line" if your cap has one (some don't).

While you are waiting for the "shell" of the cap to dry between coats, you can work on the accessories.
The top vent can be taken apart, sanded, painted, replace the screen, etc.
The door lock "T" handle can be replaced with a new one. Your local locksmith or Home Depot should have a very similar handle for garage doors. The original factory one had an oval shaped bezel. You will have to cut down the length of the square stock shaft, and widen the bolt holes on the metal mounting plate inside the door.
My compass emblems were in good shape, so I just put them back on. An old Ford dealer may still have some of these on their shelf.

I replaced all the hardware with stainless steel bolts (in case I ever have to take it apart again someday).

Some tips for removing and replacing the windows.....
The windows come out as one piece (glass, rubber, aluminum moulding, and all). From the inside, start in a top corner and pull down on the rubber while pushing out on the window.
To put back in, it helps to have a helper. Run thin cording in the groove of the rubber where it will sit on the cap. Sit the bottom rubber on the cap window opening. As your helper pushes the window in from outside, pull on the cording form inside to pull the rubber in. Working your way up from the bottom works best.



Very sorry for such a long post, but I hope it helps you.

 

[hr size="1" noshade width="500" align="left"]
Quote from Dennis: Yes,Fibreglass and Door is really heavy. Ask the back of my head.
[hr size="1" noshade width="500" align="left"]

I spit my coffee out when I read that. My keyboard needed a cleaning. Thanks Dennis!


Graffe.

 

i have a factory topper, i took it off cuz i like the look off better. it needs new rubber, and to be painted, has a small peice of dammaga that can be taken care of very easily, has all the j hooks, looks like it has a light inside but it never worked when i got it, dont know it it needs to be wired or what, has sliding windows, is white, the windows look like they are a soft ray or something type, and it has two vent, one on each side. if anyone wants it i would rather sell it to someone who has an older ford truck. i am in southern california, and i would take less than 200 easily.


cristobal14(No Email Addresses In Posts!)

 

>I know where three of them are if you're willing to come to
>Calgary.
>
>Last price here was around $500 for one complete.
>
>Every once in a while pick your part gets them,but they only
>last a couple of days before they are gone.
>
>Yes,Fibreglass and Door is really heavy.
>Ask the back of my head.

That is an oil change and about two days away from me. :P Shipping doable?

I guess I'll keep on looking for one. Also a drivable truck, too.

 

Thanks for the restoration tips, Kenny!

I'm saving this!

 

One more question: if I buy a deluxe bed cap, where should I plug the interior dome light to?

 

Your truck did not come with a factory cap,so you'll have to run a power and ground wire from up front, the factory wire comes from the solinoyd (just the hot) not sure where the ground comes from.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-Apr-02 AT 07:56 PM (EST)]The harness is two wires running to the topper at the driver's side front corner.

There is no Dome light,there is a light at the back door just inside on the left above your head.

Because I have a Sleeping bed under my canopy,I neede a reading light.
So I went to a van shop and got a combination spot light and mood light. I fiberglassed a piece of plywood to the inside and mounted the light on that.

Please,Don't tell me you want photo's for proof.

[i][font color=blue]Dennis[/font][i]

[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG




[i][font color=green]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html [/font][i]

[font color =green] Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]


[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon [/font]