Newer truck tonneau for 73 - 87?

[Antti]

I've been searching for a soft tonneau cover for my project truck ('78 LWB fleetside), which propably will be equipped with a cross bed tool box. I think that the Extang Full Tilt Snapless Tool Box Tonneau would be perfect for my truck, but it's not available for 73-87 GM trucks.

The ordinary full tilt snapless is available though. I thought that I could maybe use the SWB cover and make my own cross bow with seal between the tonneau and the tool box, but if the difference in lengths of beds is 24" (), it would leave too much of a gap to fill and thus it would look stupid...

Does anyone know, if a cover listed for some of the newer trucks would fit? I think the inside width between bed rails should be very close for it to work.

The tonneau is available at least for these trucks:
Dodge ram '94 - '08
Chevy full size '88 - '06
Ford full size '73 - '08

[Blazin]

Newer trucks are narrower than ours. Don't think the width on any of those would work either. Do you have a boat top place near you? I know a guy that does boat tops, and covertable tops for cars. He has made a few sweet bed covers with a zipper so you can open your tool box without pulling the cover off the bed at all. Have seen a few he did that have a zipper around a roll bar too.

[Antti]

Thanks Blazin. Yeah, just got mail from Extang. They also said, that they can't recommend any tonneau not listed for the specific truck.

How about the lenght difference between the long and short beds then? There would be far more choices, if I could use a cover for a short bed with a toolbox in long bed.

[Captkaos]

You might want to call them back.  I ordered a full tilt snapless truck box tonno and got a fulltilt snap toolbox tonno.  I ended up getting a fulltop snapless for a short bed and will just get a toolbox to fit my LWB with it.

[choptop]

I put the cover from my 04 Shortbed on my 86 Extended cab and it fit ok. It defiantely is narrower, but once I get the stake pockets filled and the top rails smooth, I think it will look ok. I Will post some pics of it tomorrow if you want.

[Antti]

Good to know, Captkaos! Let me know how it turns out with a toolbox. It could be a way to go, if just the space between the cover and the front of the bed is somewhere close to 20" - 22".

And choptop, yeah, it would be nice to see, how much the width differs.

[Captkaos]

I think this is the PN for the toolbox fulltilt version: 32535

[zieg85]

I know the Toppers for Ford 80-96 fits decent on our 73-87 which should go for the covers.  Hope that helps.

[Antti]

Actually the part no for full tilt tool box w/ snaps for 73-87 longbed is 42535. Actually that will suit me almost as well as the snapless 

It just wasn't listed on Extang's site, so I thought there wasn't any full tilt tool box tonno available for 73-87. But so the snap version is available, just the snapless isn't.

[Captkaos]

Sorry that is correct.   It is listed on Extangs site though.  It is listed here at the bottom of the chevy section: http://www.extang.com/fulltilttoolboxapp.html
I dug up all my numbers when I was trying to get the right one.  The snapless truckbox fulltilt would be a 40535, don't know if they have one, but it isn't listed.

[copperchevy]

Choptop, we need some pics.

[choptop]

Ok guys, sorry for the delay. Heres some pictures and some measurements. Now take into consideration that my be is baout 2 inches longer than a standard shortbed



This is how I measured the bed on my ex cab


Heres the measuements on my swb


The bedcover itself is 81" long, but may be different depending on the cover. This is an Extang Trifecta for an 04 swb. I think you could slide it forward 1/2 inch and have a little more over the thailgate and look ok on a standard swb. I cant test fit it on my swb due to toolboxes. Hope this helps

[choptop]

on second thoughts, you will have to slide it forward a bit more. If you look at how it lines up on the tan truck, if the corner of the cover was at the corner of the bed in front, it may just clear in the rear. Once the bed rails are filled and smoothed, I think it will look ok on this truck. Still indecided

[87OldYeller]

Hey check these people out.. they will pretty much build anythign you want.. steel, fiberglass i would say give them a look..

http://fiberglasslids.com/Gaylords/gaylord_pricing.htm

[1980c10]

I just bought an "access laredo" cover for my '80 swb fleetside. soft roll up cover type. Looks to be of good quality. They do make them for these trucks and come with a life time warranty. I do not yet have it installed. They however did not have it in stock. They called me and asked how soon i needed it; I told them I was in no hurry and it took them about a month and a half as they had to make it.