I attended an estate auction this past Saturday. The main reason I went was to try and buy a one owner all original and running (last registered in 2009) 1969 GMC stepside 1/2 ton truck. My intentions were to flip it after a little of cleaning and polishing. As the truck was rolled out of the barn where it's been sitting, I noticed a vintage aluminum camper shell hanging up in the rafters of the barn. The camper shell was being sold with the truck. The truck had an inline 6 with a 4 speed on the floor. Not a popular combo. However, the truck was straight and rust free.

Needless to say, I didn't buy the truck. The last bed was at $1300 plus 15% buyer's fee. I didn't feel that the profit gained on the flip would be worth my time.

At the end of the auction, the phone bidder showed up to pay for the truck and take it home. The guy is in his 30s and was excited as this was going to be his first classic vehicle to work on. His girlfriend or wife didn't seem as enthusiastic as him, but understood this special "guy" trait.

I talked to him for some time and gave him some pointers. Even told him to check out LMC Truck for any parts he may need. Once I had the trust built up, I asked him if he was going to put the camper shell back on the truck. He didn't even know about the camper shell. He went inside the barn and looked up at the rafters. I then asked him if he was willing to sell it since he's not going to use it and I didn't want it going to scrap. After a few seconds of looking at it, he turned to me and told me that I could have it for a very fair price. I immediately reached in my wallet and pulled out the cash to pay him.













As you can see, this camper shell has been well preserved for the last 30 or so years from what the family of the estate tells me. It's been hanging in the rafters for at least that much. The camper shell's glass is intact and screens are not ripped. It even has a wired light.

From Julie's prior posts on bed measurements (found here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...short-bed.html), the F1 bed is 78 3/4" long and 58 inches from outside edge of the roll to the outside edge of the other roll (measured through the centers of the rolls).

I measured the camper shell to be approximately 58" wide from the flat bar that would rest on top of the bed rail and approximately 59.5" wide from edge to edge of the shell. It's approximately 80 3/4" long. So, it'll fit our F1 beds and should look too big.






The only modification that will be needed is to fabricate a mounting system since the camper shell frame is flat and the bedsides of our trucks are angled. I thought about placing some square steel tubing in each of the stake pockets, then welding a flat steel plate on top of the square tubing and bolting or clamping the camper shell on top.

Since I don't have a truck, I'm trying to find a local person that does so that I could temporarily place the shell on top of the bed to see how it actually looks.

How about Julie, do you need a vintage camper shell for your truck? What about you, Ross?

I'm going to buy a lot of aluminum polishing compound and give it to the detailer at my friend's body shop. It'll be his project to clean up the shell when things are slow around the shop.

 

That is one cool topper! Nice score!

 

nice score!! i like the idea of using the stake pockets.

 

Looks like it's in great shape. You don't see many of these anymore...

 

Nice. I have been scrounging the south and east coast for a nice one for my 56. Almost found one but it was far too rusted and bentup. Bill

 

A 1969 GM truck would have been a good score too for $1300.,gerry

 

Whats the tag say on the door? Is that the brand of manufacture?

 

The bidding started at $700 and I was bidding. However, the phone bidder was bidding as well. It was basically him and me bidding. He kept bidding up a hundred each time after me. He really wanted the truck.
It appeared to me that the other bidder was willing to pay market price.

The ROI on this purchase, had I been the winning bidder, wasn't going to be worth my time.

 

The tag says "Sports Liner". That's the manufacturer/brand. Below the name it says "San Jose, CA Denver, CO Columbus, OH".

 

That would look good on the trailer Julie is building. chuck

 

Thats a nice looking shell - should spiff-up real nice

 

This is my first time trying to link from ebay.!


1963 Sports Liner Trail-eze Pickup Cap Cover Brochure : eBay Motors (item 370160691438 end time Mar-13-10 10:08:56 PST)

 

I love old info sheets (brochure) like that to go with the cap or whatever you have,Gerry

 

Sorry for bringing back up an old thread, but would the OP still have a pic of that old camper cap?


The pic isn't showing up anymore. I always love seing these things, everyone of 'em is unique.

Anyone know if anyone even makes camper caps anymore?



I did a 18 hour round trip to get one for my short bed F150. Hard to find YES! but I love these things!

 

Yeah, Ilya, repost the pics. I must have been sleeping under a rock back when you posted them because I don't remember this thread. I too like the period camper shells, and would love to find one to park on the back of my project truck. Finding one from the late 40s or early 50s is a real challenge. Here's pics of one that I know about that is sitting on an early 50s Chevy 3600. But I measured it and think it's a few inches too short for a Ford bed. Next time I go see it again I'll do a better job with exact measurements. I think it could be bought.




I also love the old slide in campers. Would love to find one of them. Here's pictures of John Steinbeck's truck from Travels With Charlie, Steve McQueen's Chevy 3800 with camper, and an F-2 with original that is in the Peterson Museum. Stu