Squash’s truck cap ski chalet buildout.

[Squashfest81]

Been watching for a cap to fit my tiny bed Silverado.
For the summer camper pulling season I’ll run the tonneau cover and bike rack above, but come ski season I’d like a little spot to tailgate with the fam at the mountains and hide from the Covid rules.
Here’s what I grabbed for a steal today.

 

[Squashfest81]

Anyone got a sweet setup? Ski storage? Lights? Insulation? Heat?
I’d like to say I’ll get right on building a raised floor and drawers, but that will have to wait.
She’ll get bed lined black come spring.
Lets see the winter cap setups!

 

[shedfullatools]

Anyone got a sweet setup? Ski storage? Lights? Insulation? Heat?
I’d like to say I’ll get right on building a raised floor and drawers, but that will have to wait.
She’ll get bed lined black come spring.
Lets see the winter cap setups!

I'm gonna be following this one close, just put a cap on my truck and am looking to set it up for basically the same purpose

 

[captain14]

I’m in to see how all the custom work is made by GJ members

 

[mike528]

I picked up a cap for my 6.5' bed this spring. I have the decked drawers in mine, when I was pricing the lumber and material to build my own drawers it was within a few hundred of the decked system without factoring in the time it would take to build it. the cap is an ARE commercial one I picked up from a pest control company, the advantage of the summit white truck is its easy to find matching parts and accessories. it came with the ladder rack and a toolbox on the drivers side. I put black vinyl on the side door to make it look like a regular window, painted the toolbox with bedliner and wired in a switch/ outlet panel from amazon, along with some led lights. still have a ways to go to get the top to where i want it but addressing the lift/ tires first.

I will add the pics to this post when i go to lunch.

 

[Squashfest81]

Lookin good Mike528! Really like the drawers. I need to look into those. Eats up space, but what you gain is so useful. Power panel looks good too.
I’ve got a truck tent from a few vehicles ago that I made a raised platform to sit the mattress on, so I like the under bed storage, but I don’t think I’m ready to lose the head room yet. Maybe a small drawer beside each wheel well that creates that low opposing bench seating for ski breaks?
Definitely power? Did you tap in right there or run some serious cable from the battery? I always have the deep cycle camper battery ready to go which I wonder if it should get tossed in when needed?
Here she is vacuumed out.

 

[Squashfest81]

Pulled the racks off to clean up the look. Still got the gutter mount things if needed. I don’t see using the rack as it’s just too high for my uses. I’d just toss it in the bed.
I will be looking for a boat hatch, like 24 by 24 to mount in the roof before the spring paint. I’m coastal, so that should be doable.

 

[mike528]

I ran a fused 10 awg marine wire from the battery for the power panel. I may eventually add a second battery towards the back and run an isolator and larger amp. that will be later though when I add more lights on the top. plan to get rid of my bars and put on a rhino rack platform, then 360 lighting. I have no regrets on the drawers.

 

[shedfullatools]

Wired my cap today, has 3 led strips. Two stuck above the side window frames and one on the glass of the hatch so it lights up the tailgate when the hatch is open. Has a three way switch which sets it to on-off-door, another switch turns two strips off to dim things down for reading or what not. Added a USB port to the switch panel that the toggle switch turns on and off. Also junctioned the third brake light wire inside the box, all plugs into the truck through a weatherpack plug you can see in the picture. Added a prop switch to turn the lights on with the hatch open.

 

[PCustoms]

There's a thread over on TGR about sleeping in your ski rig, some slick setups.

I'll see if I can find it, but be warned, that place is special!

 

[slowtwitch73]

Get a high rise topper.

Skiing all day and crawling in the back of a truck in the winter?

I'll be in the bar.

 

[quickfarms]

There's a thread over on TGR about sleeping in your ski rig, some slick setups.

I'll see if I can find it, but be warned, that place is special!

TGR, what is that?

Expedition Portal has some interesting builds but there are a lot of special people there.

for me I need a bed, heater, porta potty (or equivalent) a small sink and a cooler but my days of sleeping on the ground are over but I did exactly what the OP is proposing when I was in my 20’s

 

[PCustoms]

TGR, what is that?

It's a ski forum. Again, you've been warned, there is essentially no moderation and just about anything goes...

Ski RVs, who's sleeping in parking lots?

 

[Squashfest81]

Shedfull, that’s a nice clean instal of leds. Definitely going to happen on mine.
Slowtwitch, high rise would be ideal, but I grabbed the deal in front of me.
I love the idea of crashing in the
bed at the mountain, but yeah, I’m too old, and there is no way I could convince the wife.
Maybe in 7 years I could convince my future 15yo boy on that kind of
ski adventure.
PCustoms, that TGR sounds just up my alley.

 

[Xti04]

Here you go squash! All in one camper design, toss an air mattress and sleeping bag on top and there ya go!

 

[Squashfest81]

Xti, I do like that dudes clean build.
My latest thought is a single big drawer on one side only tall enough to clear the wheel well. That becomes most of a bed platform retaining headroom and a “bench” style seating. Then I’ll need a filler panel for a full floor to support an air mattress. Now I’m not a tall guy, but the 5’7” bed is tight. I’ve slept on my camper dinette, which is like 6 and it’s not the greatest.
The crew cab provides plenty of storage and I don’t need much.
Bikes, don’t worry, I’ve got a rack for the receiver.

 

[givemethewillys]

I've been looking for a cap for my 2016 6.5ft f150 since I bought it in May, and have yet to find anything that isn't close to new prices. I know there's a deal to be had out there, so I'll keep looking. Until then, subscribed for ideas.

 

[slowtwitch73]

Alot of those ideas/builds are frankly masturbatory in nature. Great for youtube/forum glory/instagram, utterly useless in the real world.

All you need is a platform and two big *** drawers. Allows you to cook, etc etc wherever you want and still be able to get access to the back of your truck.

 

[Squashfest81]

Agreed. Take a sink. A cool hand pump sink is cool, but doesn’t do any better than a water bottle in one hand and the toothbrush in the other.

 

[Squashfest81]

So the cap came off for the camping season. Now I’m back focused on skiing and the cap needs to go back on.
First it’s getting sprayed with Raptorliner.

 

[Squashfest81]

Raptor lined it this morning to beat the rain.

 

[Squashfest81]

While that was drying I pulled the bike rack off the truck and then decided to cover the stake pockets with that thick camper type tape I have.

geojson lat long

 

[Squashfest81]

Pulled the masking and plan to toss it on tomorrow.

 

[Squashfest81]

Woke excited to coordinate with some buddies to toss the cap on. Went out to mount the replacement latch, so I could have an actual key this season.
And…

 

[Squashfest81]

Heartbreaking.
I knew it was cold. I knew it was going to rain, but I had warmish weather and hours before the rain. Plus a time crunch.
I did not expect this. I’m thinking the rain was followed by a frost and here we are.
Hindsight. Raptorliner does not recommend spraying when the temps will get below 40. The real issue I think was the rain. Yeah, they say don’t let it get wet for 72 hours. Huh.
All remasked up for attempt 2.

 

[captain14]

Do you have to do any prep this time? Too bad.

We just need about 4 more months of 50-70* weather a year so we can take care of outside stuff. Unlike it it’s about 105*….

 

[Squashfest81]

No prep. The surface is killer, just hideous. Going to spray this afternoon. It won’t drop below the low 40’s for the week. Rain Wednesday, but that will give me about 36 hours of drying time and I’ll tarp it. No frost. I think that was the killer.

 

[nh_yota]

The ultimate ski chalet is a slid-in camper. My buddy has one that he puts in his truck for such purpose.

 

[Squashfest81]

nh yota, I’m thinking 4wd van, but a small slide in would be amazing. This is all going minimalist for the time being.

 

[Squashfest81]

I’m calling it on the second spray attempt. Looks presentable, but I’m going to respray when the cap comes back off in the spring.

 

[Squashfest81]

Thanks for the thumbs up guys.
Here’s the 1/4 scale ski storage sketch. Stealing the idea off the interwebs. Going with 2 cut 18in by 21in 3/4 ply with a pair of removable stretchers to hold them about 2ft apart. 4 spots for the fam and a couple extra for when the quiver grows. Poles go in the center.
Haven’t cut anything, so suggest away!

 

[Squashfest81]

Cut a ful scale, well 1/2, cardboard test run with the angles adjusted from the drawing.
Planning to up my game by creating a good template and cut panels with a flush cut router bit. Fingers cut.

 

[Clemson13]

Any updates to this?

It looks like I may be moving to an area where I will have skiing close by. Ill likely be doing at least the first season out of a truck w/ mid height topper. Looking for ideas.

 

[Squashfest81]

Since I pulled the cap last spring I’ve been planning to respray as the bedliner didn’t turn out like I hoped. Of course I waited too long and thought I missed my window to respray. Decided yesterday to scruff it up and mask it. Sprayed it this morning. Went back to my roots with Hammered Black. Fingers crossed it all works out.
Tomorrow I’ll have a buddy help me get it to the driveway to give it an interior hose down. Then toss it on the truck later this week.

 

[Squashfest81]

Had a buddy drop by to move the cap to the driveway so the inside can get a hose out before going on.
And then I cut these gaskets. I had purchased a “kit” years ago, but you have to stick it on and it couldn’t be used again. Screw that, I’ll just cut this packing foam.