i recently got ahold of a 1988 chevy S10 extra cab truck for $400.00
it was moldy, and havnt been started for 7 months. after a little tinkering it started and ran ok. so i was hooked. at the time i was driving a 84 ford ranger.. and the shame of that ( since im a chevy man anyhow) was about to drive me bonkers ( not that it would take much ANYWAY! )
pic of moldy truck.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/ ... 010013.jpg
after a nice wash job ( 2 of em in fact ) it cleaned up nicely.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/ ... 010015.jpg
after some tinkering and fixing stuff ( electric windows, the drivers inside door latch, mirrors, patch job on the exhaust, etc) i recently started driving it to work.. but i had a problem... i have tons of tools i use, but no way to secure them. its not a big problem except for some reason certain ppl seem to like to barrow tools and never return them
so i set off creating a deck lid. i thought aobut just getting a canopy ( you can find those real cheap, they are trash yes, but cheap! ) around the 50.00 price range... but after useing the canopy on the 84 ford i realized i hate them for the type of work i do. the tools move around and always where either you have to go crawl in after them, or go in threw the cab window or something... to get to them.soo.... deck lid it was.. for a hard bed cover they start at around $200.00. ( ACK! ) couldnt afford it. but being a builder of all things strange and well.. strange... i decided i could do it on my own
the materials i used :
Oak flooring, and oak crown molding. ( these pieces were used for the rim area)
3/4 plywood ( used for the support ribs)
1/4 plywood ( used for the skin )
2x6 ( used for the hing area)
and 1x4 ( used for the seam area under the 1/4 ply )
the worse part about building this thing was the hinges... normal door types would make it swing into the cab when opened.. chevy pickup hood hinges would work, but that requires cash to go to the auto reckers and pick up a pair.. so after discusing this with a bunch of ppl someone gave me a set of these.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/ ... 010160.jpg
as you can see, the hing is at the top. so when the deck opens, it swings AWAY from the cap, PERFECT!!!
so after some routering, and sanding and attaching and taken off, and reataching... this is what i got so far..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/ ... 010157.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/ ... ecklid.jpg
and to make this a real pro job i used 2 80lb lift stuts off the back of a mazda MPV rear hatch.. ( i took em off before we ditched the one with a bad motor MAHAHAHAHA!!! )
so after this my next step is tough up painting ( probably a black edge) some way to latch and lock it ( going to try to come up with something just outstandingly cool...but wont make it so will just do something that works.. ) and some wood ribs on the top for cargo ( i have some more oak flooring i am thinking about useing... havnt decided if i should paint them black too, or maybe stain and clear coat em... )
well folks,
Thats my project, and im sticking to it!
