Re: [A/S] Pickup lid or camper shell and fuel economy

[Guy Calafato <greencanoe@xxxxxxxxx>]

Heres another option.  When I first got my truck in '99 I looked at those great looking 
fiberglass tops with the rear glass doors, but I was hesitant because of the high price 
and my concern over what shifting cargo might do to that glass door.  Instead I was able 
to have an old fashioned aluminum covered woodframed camper cap built for me to my 
specifications with a rear hatch door which replaces the tailgate and is hinged at the 
top, plus it has a 3 foot wide "camperdoor" in the middle of it for easy access.  I had 
2 large awning windows mounted on each side,  12 volt lights, and 2 roof vents put in, 
one of which is powered, and a cabinet with sliding doors monted at the top front.  The 
interior has oak paneling and it is insulated, too.  It is also tall enough, 4', that I 
can stand a couple bicycles in it and walk around in it bent over.  The whole thing cost 
$500. less than the fiberglass top at the time.  The hard part was finding someone who 
still built them and than
 waiting 6 months for it to be built.  It is a bit heavy, but my gas mileage did not 
change from the empty bed, so I guess the slope I had built into the top of the front 
kind of compensated for the weight.  Of course my V-10 Dodge doen't get very good mileage 
anyway.
Guy