j truck tonneau cover?

[tkiller13]

Has anybody ever seen one or know if anybody ever/does make them?

[Elliott]

Yep, I have a NOS tan one for a short bed. They used to pop up on ebay every now and then, might check with Zack at ZM Jeeps...

[tkiller13]

got any pics elliott?

[Elliott]

Well, yeah... of course I do...
I have some from one that was on ebay @ $300 awhile back. If you want I'd be willing to take mine in and get it copied to a 1' longer for your truck if your's is a long bed... but I don't know what that'd cost around here.

[thejum57]

Go to someone who "builds" caps/camper shels/canopies, whatever you call them in your area. I had an aluminum cap built for my J-10, the guy said they could also do a cover, don't really need one with the cap. It's only a matter of measuring carefully (by them) and creating what you need. The place is called New England Cap and Hitch, I beleive, in W. Ma., but I'm sure there are people in your area.

[KaiserMan]

Jim, if you don't mind me asking, what did the cap run you? I've been thinking of having an aluminum cap made to fit my Gladiator.

[goldhammer]

Check out any convertible top and boat top places in your area. They could probably make one up for you.

[Dmntxn77]

I made one for my old Cheby truck years ago..

Here is how I did if you are interested..

I ran 1"x1" angle iron along the lip of the bed rails.. I then cut some treated plywood to fit in between and rest on the angle iron. I made the wood in two peices. There was a 36" peice that I put behind the cab, then another peice that covered the rest. I connected the two peices with piano hinge. I covered the hinge with a strip of vinyl. Then I glued 1/4" high density foam to the rest of the wood. Next, I wraped the two sections seperatly with vinyl..

The vinyl matched my paint, and it looked great...

It was very functional too.. Since it was two peice, I could open the sections seperatly. I would open the front section to reach in my tool box, or the back section for everything big..

I never got around to adding shocks with locks to hold it up..

I sold the truck 6 month later, so I cant comment on durability..

[frank_c]

longbed or shortbed J truck?

first-gen Dakota longbed tonneaus fit the longbed J's. got mine at autoanything.com.

[JeremySmith]

I made one for my old Cheby truck years ago..

Here is how I did if you are interested..

I ran 1"x1" angle iron along the lip of the bed rails.. I then cut some treated plywood to fit in between and rest on the angle iron. I made the wood in two peices. There was a 36" peice that I put behind the cab, then another peice that covered the rest. I connected the two peices with piano hinge. I covered the hinge with a strip of vinyl. Then I glued 1/4" high density foam to the rest of the wood. Next, I wraped the two sections seperatly with vinyl..

The vinyl matched my paint, and it looked great...

It was very functional too.. Since it was two peice, I could open the sections seperatly. I would open the front section to reach in my tool box, or the back section for everything big..

I never got around to adding shocks with locks to hold it up..

I sold the truck 6 month later, so I cant comment on durability..

I've seen covers done like that, and they've always looked good. Only problem now is that the chemicals they switched to for treated lumber is extremely corrosive to steel. Probably eat through the metal in a few years.....

[78J10honcho]

HOOT has one in the for-sale forum, it is black and for an 8' bed, check with him to see if he still has it

[78J10honcho]

hey frank_c, you got a pic of your dakota cover on your J??

[frank_c]

i do...

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/fccdmc/cars009-1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/fccdmc/cars008-1.jpg

[Dirtball]

Wow!!! What more could you ask for? Looks like it was made for it... nice looking truck!

[thejum57]

Jim, if you don't mind me asking, what did the cap run you? I've been thinking of having an aluminum cap made to fit my Gladiator.


Tom, without looking at the receipt, I think it was around $540. I'll look it up if you want. It is a TALL cap, it fits over a stock J-truck roll bar, you can see a pic in my avitar. It has a sliding window, because my truck has one, easy pass thrugh if you want it for camping, it has glass full lenght on both sides for 100% vision, and the side glass slides open with screens. And with the tall cap, you get the pistons that open it automaticly. I just bought a Comanche from a friend that came with a "cab height" fiberglass cap, and I have to almost crawl into it, I didn't say no to it :rolleyes: of corse! I can't say enough about having it on my truck, excelent investment. By the way thanx for the tailgate mat, I have it on my J-10! Jim

[KaiserMan]

That's actually a pretty good price. I'd want a cab height cap, sliding front window with springs instead of gas pistons for the door. Opening glass window on the side with those bubbled windows in front of and behind it, and a rain gutter just above them (in line with the gutter on the cab). I'll get around to having one made someday.

Glad you have a use for that tailgate mat, I've never seen another one of them and didn't really want to throw it out.

[78J10honcho]

:thumbsup: very nice frank

[waynestiles]

how do you fit a cap/tonneau cover on the angled lips of a thriftside (64-j200)?

[Lindel]

Jim, do you have any pics of it going over the factory roll bar??

[JERSEY JOE]

EXACTLY WHAT YEAR?

[J4GRAND]

Long bed Dakotas through 1997.

[Long&Low]

i do...

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/fccdmc/cars009-1.jpg

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/fccdmc/cars008-1.jpg

Frank,

Where are you at in Cleveland, Eastside, West Side? I'm SE over in Bainbridge.

[frank_c]

other side of the same county...for now. hopefully going back up by the lake within a year.

[my 2j20's]

I've made about 10 or 15 using 1" tubing with a bolt at the front side's! but you have to have a welder cost about 60 bucks.

[j20jeepin]

I also used a cover for an 88-91 dakota long bed on the j20. Worked nifty,just find one you like.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f310/robojeep/Jimscruise.jpg
Bob

[Long&Low]

Just noticed in another thread J20 vs Ranger, that the Ranger bed was awful close to the width of the J20 bed. (They were stacked on top of each other in that thread).

But if the older style Dakotas fit, that's good news.

[thejum57]

Jim, do you have any pics of it going over the factory roll bar??

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w13/thejum57/000_1224.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w13/thejum57/000_1222.jpg

Lindel, I hope these help, if not I can take a few detailed interior shots.