Just wanted to share a recent find on Craigslist - San Francisco. The selle's ad read: "Protect-O-Top cover. Fits 1980 Toyota short bed size PU. I bought this cover new in 1980. It has been in storage since I sold the truck in 1997. It’s in good shape, insulation shows signs of wear. $50" $50 for a fiberglass bed cover??? When I got to the seller's house he showed me the cover hanging from the ceiling of his garage. This is where he stored it since 1987. He had bought the cover new in 1980 for a few hundred dollars, then switched to a camper shell in 87'. Sold the truck in 97' with the camper shell. I love this bed cover! Not only did it match the color of my truck, but it's so OLD SCHOOL. It's not the smooth fiberglass we see on covers nowadays. It's got that "hammered" texture. The fact that it was 29 years old and in really nice condition, included all the original hardware, SPRING hinges rather than shocks, and the "wear" the seller notes with the "insulation" was just the weather stripping along the edges that sits between the cover and the edges of the bed, an inexpensive and simple fix - it was a steal at $50! Okay, okay, okay, maybe not all of you can understand my thrill over this thing. I don't expect everyone to get it. I really wanted a sturdy cover to protect the bed thru this winter, but dreaded spending too much because I really wanted a whole lot of other things for the truck. To find a "period correct" accessory that still serves a modern day purpose, just added to that wonderful nostalgic feeling I get every time I'm behind the wheel. Stumbling upon it on Craigslist just 12 hours before it rained was a bonus. Thanks for reading - Happy Turkey Day.
The flush ones look fantastic! But I just wanted something fast for this winter and the price was well within my budget. The bulk of my current "truck fund" is going into a 5-speed and suspension parts to get her lowered a bit. Yeah, nothing SEXY about this bed cover but I really do get a kick out of seeing it on my truck. Plus I won't have to sand anymore surface rust in the bed!
