Installed custom fiberglass tonneau cover - pics

[KMK454]

Warning: Long Post!

How do I use a pickup bed that has original paint and bodywork with no dents or rust? How do I protect it from both cargo and weather?

After much debate between Snuglid and Gaylord products, I went with Gaylord due to available photos and past experience. I placed an order almost a month ago...

On Monday I received the following:

1. Gaylord Lids X2000 fiberglass tonneau cover painted Chevy Black
2. Gaylord Lids "California Cruiser" bedrug kit

On Tuesday I lucked out and we finished firing at the range early so work ended around 3 PM, and I immediately went to work on the install!

Installing the bedrug took about half an hour, most of which was spent figuring out where the pieces go since Gaylord didn't include an instruction sheet. The pieces are high quality and fit about as well as one could expect a custom product to fit without the builder having measured my specific truck. I guess Chevy tolerances in the 70's were strict, because all the components fit beautifully. The rug that goes on the bottom has a nice foam pad, and the carpet is soft yet durable and tough. It's not your typical house carpet, yet it's nice enough that I wouldn't mind camping out in the back of the truck!

Onto the lid, and here's where things get complicated...

Step 1: Lift lid onto the bed and line it up, measuring where it sits from the inside
Step 2: Take lid off
Step 3: Install mounting brackets
Step 4: Put lid back on and secure lid to the brackets
Step 5: Install locking device

Done!

Of course, I only had one person, so my install went like this - bring a buddy over, give him a beer, have him put the lid on with me, and then let him go... I then proceeded to lay in the back of the truck under the bed while I installed it. I don't recommend this method since it's much harder, but with some thought it will work out the same.

Proper alignment comes from a good initial fit and measuring, but a lot of it is also trial and error. I had to remove the lid again and re-align it. Luckily, it's easy to remove once the initial install is complete.

Here are some very rough snapshots of the completed product. I haven't washed the truck since the install and didn't put a lot of effort into them, so I'll take some better pictures later:











For reference, here is how it used to look. Click:
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/5732/dsc1202ig8.jpg

Review after a day or so...

Fit and Finish - Gaylord obviously takes pride in the quality of their lids; I'm impressed with how good the paint matches and how solid the fiberglass lid is. Furthermore, the hydraulic arm and lift mechanism is proving to be solid, reliable, and sturdy. The bedrug also fit as well as I could have expected it to. For a custom product in which the manufacturer never sees the receiving truck, the fit is amazing.

Shipping - It took about two weeks to build and then another two weeks to get from California to my door, but the pieces arrived within a reasonable amount of time. Lifting the crate required some friends to come over and help. I found no damage whatsoever on the lid or the bedrug components.

Functionality - The bedrug is installed with velco stickers that are placed on the inside of the bed. From the looks of it, the rug will be able to withstand light dirt and moisture with no issue. Obviously I will try to keep it as clean as possible, though. The lid lowers and rises smoothly and quietly and seals properly when closed.

Waterproof? - The front of the lid between the bed and the cab does not fit perfectly flush, so there is a tiny crack along the leading edge where water gets in. I plan to place rubber weatherstripping along the top of the bed using double-sided tape so as to ensure that the bed is 100% waterproof. Aside from the front of the bed, though, no water entered during a heavy rain.

Locking Mechanism - This is the one weakspot; either Gaylord messed up on the bedrug design or they didn't engineer the lid to work in conjunction with the bedrug. I cannot properly mount the locking points on the bedside of the truck, so for now anyone can open the rear. Fabricating my own solution should be easy enough, and I think it will work with some shorter bolts... I will keep you updated, though.

Appearance - I personally prefer the open bed look without a bedliner or tonneau cover, but if it has to be covered and protected, this is the best way to do it. The sleek lid fits snugly and is invisible to the casual onlooker. There is a silly "GAYLORD" sticker on the back but I will remove that once the paint has fully cured; it still smells like fresh paint! The bedrug also looks great.

Price - $2000 shipped to my front door. Install Price - One afternoon and a few beers.

These pieces definitely aren't cheap, but I will say the quality, fit, and finish of the product make it worthwhile. I figured if I was going to do it, I may as well do it the right way, because that's what the truck deserves.

I hope this helps anyone who is considering doing the same. Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to answer them as best I can!