NEW USED TRUCK QUESTIONS..

I just bought a 2008 Tacoma Access cab V6 with the SR5 & TRD package and I want to put a cap/shell on it, but I also want to be able to transport a canoe around Virginia to do some fishing. Any suggestions / recommendations?

Also looking at the bolts holding the bed down they're all rusty, ideas to paint/preserve them as they look lousy with the background of the composite in the bed. Thanks.

 

Fiberglass top with roof rack.

See if you can't replace the bolts. Once they rust bad youll be wasting time and money trying to "fix" it with painting. It will continue to rust under the paint. No amount of prep will get all the rust.

PS speaking of rust, check your frame on an 08

 

A bed mat to hide the bolts.

Or pull them, clean them, shoot with bedliner (budget stuff from HD or such) and reinstall.

I carry my kayaks in the bed with a bed extender. If you don't want to do that, you'll need some form of rack on the shell. And a strong back.

 

I use a bed extender to transport 12' kayaks in my 5' bed. Any longer and they need to go on top.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/tailg...ck bed extender&wl15=5841922987&wl16=&veh=sem

 

Also those bed bolts are a pain to remove. I had to do some coaxing with a big impact gun to get mine to budge. They weren't rusted either.