Tradesman Truck Tops commercial style topper/shell

I had a tonneau cover which worked great but then my needs changed and I started looking at doing a topper/shell/cap, whatever you want to call it. At first I looked at ARE, Leer, and Snugtop. I then went out to Extreme Outback Products in Vacaville, CA and the owner showed me his custom Tradesman Truck Top an immediately knew I had found what I was looking for. After swapping some emails I drove out and finalized the design. Some of their welders/fabricators have been with them for over 40 years so Tradesman Truck Tops can make it if you can dream it!

My design centered around the idea of wanting to build a sleep platform with storage underneath. Because of this I chose to have it built 26" above the bed, insulated, carpet lined and a vent put in the roof. They offer several vent options but I chose a basic vent. One nice thing about the basic vent is that without a fan in the way it cranks open wide and doubles as a stargazing window at night.

For the sides Tradesman can do windows, no windows, full length lift doors with windows (windoors) or w/out windows, or side lift tool boxes. On mine I chose for the driver side split in half with one windoor and one toolbox. The windoor has a sliding window with security mesh and the tool box has an internal shelf and dividers and a fold-down shelf that's all carpeted. I've turned the toolbox into my kitchen. On the passenger side is a full length windoor with two sliding windows with security mesh. The windoors, tool box and rear door open wide and I had mine all wired such that when they open they turn on interior LEDs. There is a LED strip inside the top and one LED strip inside the toolbox.

Attention to detail is shown in the reinforced points on each door. If you somehow manage to turn the T-handle when the door is open and then try to close it, the locking rods won't damage the top. Additionally, the locking rods on the T-handles are stout and the reinforced point mean your gear is secure.

Another thing to mention is their proprietary door hinges. They are actual full length hinges, not just an open channel that can spread with time & use.

Tradesman's has various options for the rear - single cargo door, double (ambulance) cargo doors, Full lift door, or half door w/ glass. But here is where their ability to customize made my topper unique. I went with a half door with glass & security mesh and diamond plate panels on each side. On the driver's side I installed a Powertank mount that holds a 8" propane tank and haven't completely decided on what to mount on the passenger side - maybe an on-board water system??

I also opted for what they call their Municipal Equipment upgrade that adds reinforced gussets in the corners and extra roof ribs. This upgrade was recommended for off-road use and since I plan on keeping my truck for years I wanted my topper to last as long as my Taco.

Like with the rest of the topper the front wall has a variety of options: a solid wall, a solid window, a sliding window, a fold-down EZ clean window, or what I went with which is a fold-down EZ clean sliding window.


Other upgrades I went with are the ungraded D-gasket seal, a LED third brake light, and extra strips of aluminum running the length of the roof to add strength to a set of Yakima tracks I had installed.

I mailed them the side mirror cover and the color matched the topper perfectly!

I've had a couple weekends out with it now and can say I absolutely love it! All the doors seal up tight and it got really dusty so the seals got tested. On my second outing I added a small brush to my toolbox kit so that I could dust off the back door before opening it to keep the inside sleeping area clean. Having the quick access close toolbox is a huge plus. Tailgate cooking couldn't get any easier than having the mounted propane tank and kitchen toolbox.

I'm 5'9" and my girlfriend is 5'2" and I naturallly sleep with my knees bent on my side so we sleep comfortably. And there is enough room between the top of the platform and roof to not feel coffin-like. Actually plenty of room to rest on my elbow and change clothes. Additionally, I made my platform so that the center can be pulled out and placed on the bed to make a large area to chill in if the weather gets bad.

 

Fantastic!

 

Dude that's so rad!

Reminds me of some of the builds the guys in Australia are doing.

Nice work!

 

The way that roof was made, it almost looked like a smoked lexan window with a pull back blind, which would be great for star gazing.

 

Great write-up! Love those LEDs. Definitely a unique topper that should last as long as the truck.

 

Would you mind telling me how much a build like that would cost for the camper. Pm me if your more comfortable

 

PM on the way

 

can I get one too!

 

@Old Marine Cal

 

I too would like a pm concerning the price of this dream home....

 

Wow This is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!!

 

Damn..... This thing is awesome. I wish I wasn't so tall!!!!!

 

Agreed. Unless you got a discount for some reason.

 

Great build!
I've been eyeing these shells since I saw the red one on their site. Yours looks almost the same but 3rd gen and different color. I'd like to know the price too. While I have a FWC Finch a lot of the time I think about how much weight could be saved with a similar set up. It is very nice to stand up in my pop-up but the weight is a big factor and mine is only a shell model. I really like how you did the "kitchen". Does the fold down counter/tray fit inside when the door is closed? In my planning for a Tradesman shell I never wanted a side tool box since it cuts down on the sleeping area width but the way you have yours kitted out could cut down on having a kitchen tote.

Looks like you have only had a chance to take this out this summer. What is the coldest temps you've been in so far and how well did the insulation work? Any water leaks?

You mentioned dust. Dust was crazy when I had a Flippac no matter how I tried to seal the truck bed. You don't get dust inside? Not even under the sleeping area?

How tall is your truck at the highest point?

Did you paint the vent cover or request it to be painted? I've got one vent and one fantastic fan in my camper and like having the smoked covers. I can still see stars at night, the moon, etc.

Could you remove the security screens without compromising shell integrity? I like the idea of having them but would also like to be able to take them out when not needed.

Here are a couple of other interesting Tradesmans: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/iggys-1-taco.368214/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overlanerds-home-away-from-home.487366/page-8

Only problem with those are the height which is the same as my FWC. So my three primary concerns are weight, height, and dust. If my camper is on my truck I can't get in the parking garage at work. Thankfully I have a DD and don't have to worry about using my truck to commute too often.

Thanks much!

 

They can be ordered cab height too. The extra height makes it far more comfortable inside. Looks different but function over fashion.

 

Yeah, but at 6'8", even your taller model would be cramped for me.

 

Hell even my camper wouldn't be tall enough.

 

So those looking for price I've told everyone they are pricey with all the options I went with but it is worth it for the customization ability and superior craftsmanship. I've been out in it a few times now and each time I get more stoked on it.


Think about what you need/want and drop Maria an email for an exact quote is best:

Maria@accessmfg.com

 

Beautiful truck, loving that cap design. Wish I had seen this a few years back before buying my overpriced Leer