Show me your shell!

I made 10 sets if anyone else is interested. Also meeting with a guy with a long bed cap to see if it's worth doing a long bed version. I'll probably post up in the for sale section. Or look into being listed as a vendor. My side hustle is G3 Fabrication / Summit Expedition Trailers.

 

thanks i found a good video on youtube.

 

Interested

 

me like.

 

CA DMV Registration Time!!!
For those of you who live in California and have a pickup truck, we have to pay a "commercial" vehicle fee even if we don't own/use the truck for business purposes. I found a link that says if there is a camper/canopy designed for "human habitation" can be registered as a passenger vehicle at a discounted rate. Has anyone on this site gone through this process with the CA DMV? Any guidance or suggestions? Here's the link: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/reg_hdbk/ch13/ch13_23

 

I talked to a lady at the dmv about this and a shell/topper does not count. It has to be permanently attached to the truck and has to be a livable camper. My neighbor put a live in camper on his F250 and it worked for him. When he got home from the dmv he gutted it and uses it for work.

 

One perc about having a commercial plate is u are allowed to park in loading zones.

 

Here is my Ranch Sierra camper shell (installed 2018) with Yakima tracks and the not currently on jetstream bars. It's a 2012 with 2018 Tacoma rims and tire upgrade/swap.

 

Same thing here. I waited a year and couldn’t find anything or it sold real quick.

 

Tradeoffs depending on your situation. Lots of variables, but be prepared for some work.

I bought a 6 year old used Leer XQ for less than half the new price, was not color matched. I spent a fair bit of time repairing disintegrated 3rd brake light and rear door main and tailgate seals, replacing the gas struts, finding replacement keys, and fiddling with the door latches/stops to make it all work. The pop-out window cranks on the Leer XQs are, well, shit, and expensive to replace, but doable.

Made sense for me, because I needed one right away for security and weather, but still was not sure which make and model I wanted, and god knows they aren't cheap new. In the end, I sold it for what I bought it (because of all the restoration work I did) and bought what I decided I really wanted.

 

Has anyone upgraded components on their shell? I wanted to buy the fold out windows but the shell itself being $2k I was trying not to break the bank. Wondering if I could just order them and install them?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/where-to-buy-windoors-for-camper-shell.514460/

 

I have the oppertunity to buy a used ARE DCU shell with the swinging rear barn doors. I’m sold on the aluminum shell, but not totally on the barn door set up. Does anyone have any preference on it?

I like the added security (2gen with no lock on the tail gate), in theory the easier access to gear. I’m not sure I want to give up having the tail gate as a work platform for camping etc....

 

I have been looking for a used one with the barn doors. I would build fold down platforms on each door and stretch an awning over the two when open. That way I have the tabletops and a covered work/cook area if needed. Plus, having the doors would probably make it easier to get in and out of the bed.
The one downside I do see with the doors would be not being able to haul long pieces of lumber/material/etc. in the bed. You'd have to have a rack on top of the shell.

 

I got an awesome deal on a shell for my 2011 long bed, 500 for a practically new top and the right color. It’s an ARE that has the tracks for a roof rack but no towers or crossbars. New the Yakima setup is around 450, anyone know of a cheaper/diy option for the roof rack. I intend to carry canoes/kayaks fairly often.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ermbs-d-i-y-rack-system-build.433500/

 

Check out Rhino Rack if you don't want to DIY, I have the tracks on my Leer and both Yakima and Thule were in the $500 range when you add everything up including the mandatory locks. I think I saved about a $100 going with the Rhino Rack setup.

 

Sweet set up! Is that the Alu Cab?

 

Yes. It was only $200 more than the ARE overland cap.