Any Ideas On How To Make These?

[Woltz]

So first off, I'll be buying my first vehicle in 5-6 months. Saving the money until then. I'll get any vehicle that works without major problems and is in my price range. I am HOPING to get a truck. If I do I have a couple things I wish to do to it. Below are some images. The first is the topper. I want it to be of wood, have the look and finish to this, and be strong. The second thing, is the flooring. I'd like to make the flooring in the second picture, but I have no idea how to do it. I mean it seems fairly simple. Lay a skeletal sub floor, put this on it. But I could be wrong. Please tell me if you have any ideas for the flooring. Thirdly is the back door for the truck. AGAIN I'd like it out of wood if possible and I would like to make it as this door is. The type you can open up and walk into or lift up and put things in. The picture will jog your memory of what I'm talking about. I'm curious if anyone here knows of a way to make all of this possible, without breaking the bank or breaking the truck. I'm a huge believer of making something you spend time in, feel homey.

 

[GotSmart]

My daddy used to say, "Want in one hand, ~~~" 

You are trying to mix apples, avacados, and quince.  

The wood floor shown is built in a truck that does not have a steel floor. The picture shows a job that takes about $400 worth of hardwood not including the stamped steel rails.  This is not counting the cost of having it installed.  You can install one over a steel floor, but since living in a truck includes sitting on the floor, ~~~ why?
 

The ceader truck topper is something that also is hand built, labor intensive by a craftsman with years of experience.  20 coats of varnish.

http://www.toyotatruckclub.com/forum/threads/cedar-strip-canopy-on-2009-toyota-tacoma.13551/

The back door is part of a unit that costs as much as many used trucks.

If you need to save for six months to buy your first vehicle, and have no clue as to what it will be, other than something that works ~~~ Keep looking and dreaming.  Something will click and you will focus on it. 

Ah to be young again!

 

[Queen]

Wood is very pretty, but it weighs a LOT, and I'm not sure how it would do flexing if you wanted to go off road. As a possible alternative, Bob (the site owner) has mentioned Bel-Air shells a few times and thinks highly of them: http://www.belairshells.com/wood-n-alum

 

[bullfrog]

Goggle search tntt trailers, go to the foamies section of their index, start looking for a shipping company that throws away big pieces of foam. Using a sander and foam cutter which they show you how to make cheap and poor man's fiberglass you can build the topper. Maybe paint on wood grain or use type of wood grain covering to get your desired affect. I've redone several old pickup floors by simply using a sheet of oak cabinet grade plywood with metal counter top trim and stainless screws after finishing wood surface. Being an old shop teacher I love to see enthusiasm, "I think I can attitude." Without dreamers in this world would be really boring, but let me tell you it's a really special person who can stick with a big project and see it through, sorta like me, poor,tired,old and still not finished but I don't quit, just ask my wife of 40 years.

 

[DannyB1954]

I made one that looked like that for a Dodge Dakota. Mine did not have the bubble top so it was much easier to make.
My back doors also were hinged on each side and opened in the middle, (also easier to do).
Make the form. Cut the edges of the boards so that they can rotate on each other, (router bit kits are available).
Epoxy the wood sections to each other, sand the outside smooth,  then coat with fiberglass and epoxy. Then varnish, (epoxy does not stand up well to sunlight). You can then take it off of the frame and fiberglass the inside. Add foam if you like and fiberglass again, (that is what I did). The first and last form member gets attached to the side boards. That is what you will be attaching your front and rear bulkheads to. the rest of the form members can stay in or be removed at your discretion. It wasn't very heavy. The Mahogany wood strips that I used were less than 1/2" thick.

Mine looked good for about 3 years, then the fiberglass started popping out from the surface. Perhaps if I varnished it every 6 months that would not have happened.
left click on pic may give you a larger version.

 

[SternWake]

Wood in sunlight needs a lot of Upkeep to remain looking good. And when it eventually requires refinishing, the task becomes huge.

I saw nice wood truck topper here years ago, really nicely done. I gradually saw it fade, then the varnsh blistered and the wood turned grey.

Later on I saw it refinished and bright and Shiny again. I recently saw the same truck, the wood topper was painted white.

 

[DannyB1954]

If you ever had a varnished boat, you would like the look of paint. The pats on the back are nowhere near enough pay for all the work you need to do.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

Wondering if Polyurethane would work on one of these truck toppers?
It seems to weather well, and you can put many coats on, or even get the kind that people who make walking sticks use, the very thick looking kind?
Just curious, as I am not intending to build anything, don't have the know-how or the inclination. LOL

 

[Gary68]

the wood bed you can get in a kit as low as $3-400

the canopy is a skilled craftsmen's work,the other just a canopy you can buy anywhere

something that small wouldnt be much problem sanding and refinishing every few years

 

[highdesertranger]

the wood bed is factory, that's the way they all were built back in the day. of course the one in the pic has been restored. like others have said wood is not the best material for being exposed to the elements. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Plan A
That wood topper was build the same exact way a cedar strip canoe is made. You build a form the shape you want the canoe (or topper) in this case and then you glue the cedar strips to one another and staple them to the form as you go. After it's complete you carefully remove the form and sand all the staples down. There are methods of buiding them with out staples but it's even more labor intensive than using the staples and you won't notice the staples when you're done unless you're looking for them. After it's complete you have to fiberglass it inside and out. It's not a project for beginner woodworkers. Just making the forms is an advanced skill. If you were to hire someone to build it, a canoe that a builder already has the forms for would start at about 5k. I'd guess between 7500 and 10k for someone to design and build the forms and then make the top.

Plan B
Or you can buy an excellent used fiberglass cap that is superior in every way to the wood version for about $300 to $500. I'd go with plan B

 

[DrJean]

Hey they have tile that looks like wood these days (and wood that looks like tile...) maybe there's a light weight no maintenance product for the topper that looks like wood!

It is great lookin' though... I enjoy naturals ...wood, glass, metal...

 

[poncho62]

So first off, I'll be buying my first vehicle in 5-6 months. Saving the money until then. I'll get any vehicle that works without major problems and is in my price range. ................................ I'm curious if anyone here knows of a way to make all of this possible, without breaking the bank or breaking the truck. I'm a huge believer of making something you spend time in, feel homey.

It sounds like you are young and with not much money. If you want my advice, get your pickup and watch the ads (Craigslist etc) and find yourself a fiberglass topper. You will then have the basic shell, can paint it as you wish and customize the inside as you want it. Around here, there are old toppers laying around everywhere going cheap.
There are groups on the forums and Facebook for truck cap camping etc, will give you some ideas.