1st Gen camper shell buying info

Can you imagine driving down a winding road in something that top heavy?
Someone who had an 8 foot camper similar to that asked me if I thought my RCLB would handle it. I said "yes, but you'd hate it"

 

Me? Heck no. Not my cup of tea. Would want a lot more truck if I was gonna do that slide in life.

 

Funny that this just came up here. I saw this last night at my local grocery and thought the same thing to myself.

 

Those are nothing, if you compare them to the non-popup type. So long as the weight is under 1000lbs, they're fine. I've been driving around with mine, including in strong winds, with no problem. Now one of those huge ones...I don't know. I can't fully stand up in mine. I actually haven't measured exactly how tall it is. I'm ~5'10" and can stand hunched over.

My experience so far: it's a perfect fit for the 1st gen. But a light popup would be even better.

 

Curious what suspension is in that rear end.

 

Yep, zero sag.

 

Looking at how nice the rest of their setup is (high-end tie downs and anchors), I'm guessing airbags.

 

Long bed shell in Texas

 

If I could find one like that around here, I would be all over it like stink on shet. Even if I had to pay seven times what that seller is asking.

 

There was a nice high-rise RCLB cap in dark grey over here within 40 miles of ATL this weekend at a fair price, but when I just went to link it up, it was gone ...

 

They are rare. The ARE ones (pictured in facebook post above) are the best. The Leer ones have a dated look. I don't care about the color, I still have over a quart of Toyota Natural White single stage polyurethane.

 

Would be nice if ARE started making shells for the first Gen Tundras again. Especially since there has been in a resurgence in popularity.

 

I wasn't even aware they ever stopped. So I went and googled ARE to find their website combined with real truck. When did this happen? I always thought ARE was an independent company but maybe they bought Real Truck or got bought by them?

https://www.4are.com/build/?ref=Local

 

Realtruck is acquiring a lot of accessories companies. They also acquired Bedrug. And after my interactions with them about getting Bedrugs re-cut for our trucks from patterns they already have, I can honestly tell you with 1,000% confidence that Realtruck gives less than negative-100 shits about the 1st gen community, or supporting our trucks. It’s a lost cause, don’t bother. Most of what I heard could be paraphrased as, “yeah, y’all aren’t big enough for us, go away kid….” And that was just from the ones who’d actually listen or respond.

 

Yeah when I saw the redirect to Real Truck it really turned me off. Damn shame for those smaller companies making good products. I absolutely refuse to do any business with Real Truck.

 

I wouldn't buy one. Why? Because they would want about $4K for one.
I noticed some members here referring to used toppers over $800 bucks as "pricey". 20% of new isn't pricey, IMO.
There are few moving parts in a topper. You can buy the struts and a new handle with key for $100 and probably have change left over.
Can you buy FGT body parts for 20% of new?
We're conditioned by cheap used toppers for trucks that fall apart in 170K miles, those prices don't apply to FG Tundras.

 

I lied! Here it is but it’s $1k, and rarer still: it has windoors, it looks almost like an ARE, but something janky up with that driver rear corner? And maybe the front corners, top and bottom on driver side too.

 

Too bad it's so far away from Missoula.

 

Well I know where to come if/when I sell!

 

Leer Tall One $1200 so cal,

 

Here’s mine. Came with this color matched Shell. Looks like maybe its a Leer?

 

Another angle of her. Previous owner said he didn't have the keys for it. Then I found them in an envelope full of receipts that he had never opened.

 

Question for guys with windoors on their toppers....Do they eliminate the option of having screens? It's handy for us dog owners and campers to have some fresh air back there in warm weather.

 

I still like my screens. I can open the sliders and it keeps bugs out if I'm sleeping back there.

 

Can’t tell if Leer or ARE or another brand, styling is more like ARE, or really old Leer before they started using the triangular stickers on the sides.

Most caps have a metal plate inside with a serial number, and sometimes that will have a logo on it. If not, you can call a Leer dealer and tell them you need new side windows, ask them to look up the right part based on your serial number. Then give them the serial. You’ll know really quickly if they made it.

 

Some windoors have sliders in them and those sliders have screens. In my experience, if its just a solid window then there is no screen behind it.

 

My passenger sliding window on the topper kept opening on trails, because the piece that holds it shut is broken. So I folded over and stuffed this paper coaster. So far so good

 

The more photos of your truck I see, the more I like that color. It's really really really good. It's too bad they only made it for one year- but that just makes your truck rarer/cooler.

 

What is it called?
Looks like whiteish silver