Baja bed cover soft top

[Solaris_Zombiru]

Good Morning,

I am trying to see about some ideas or recommendations for making a Baja Bed cover that is a soft top. So that it looks like these:
https://www.google.com/search?q=soft+to ... YQ_AUIBygC

I was thinking of making some sort of framework for this and I have been studying videos of how these are put together. Wondering if anyone has tried to make anything like this, how successful it was, or any suggestions for success.

[starr-]

I haven't seen anyone try it since I have been on here. Always thought it could look cool... seems like it would be tough to make it properly though.

[Bajahorse24]

I was wondering about those as well. I see a lot of trucks around here that have them.

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[bajaguy]

Long-term goals for mine. Except I'd love to have zippers that allow for an extra piece to convert it into a nice long tent.

[Mykeyboom]

I also second the soft top would love one

[kamesama980]

Snug fit ones have been done many times DYI. Loose fitting over a frame like that'd be easier (doens't have to be "fitted" as well) to make but take longer just due to being bigger.

[starr-]

Was hoping the guy would post for himself... but a guy named Cody O'Neill posted this short write-up for his soft top canopy on the facebook group


" The retired fella whom I bought my car from made it. For the tailgate piece I believe he used a piece of plywood to design the basic specs and shape of the topper. Used 1/2" insulfoam to get the shape and fit over the cab right and used L shaped pieces of steel or aluminum for the topper to sit on the rails of the bed and the cab as the canopy hung over the edge for a water shed. As for support inside the canopy I believe 1/4" x 1 or 2 " sheets of aluminum or steel were bent the match the shape inside the foam and bolted the the L shape side bracings. As for the outside; porous sheets of material used for the mix casting was heavily layered on top of the foam, and rounded on the tail end to match the the shape of the plywood backing. So steps?
1. Plywood Fram for door and canopy shape.
2. Wrap 1/2" foam around the frame and cab for shape. You might have to layer 1/4" so it doesn't break.
3. Create side bracings, and internal canopy bracing.
4. Apply casting material.
I know it's not comprehensive but it'd be a good project and relatively inexpensive.
Tips: foam weather stripping on all edges. This canopy was held down by islets on the topped to the 4 anchor points of the bed. I'm a mechanically inclined nurse, so I'm sure someone will be able to pick this up and run with it, with considerable improvements!"

[LoneEagle7]

Check out Extruded aluminum 80-20 for the Frame. It is a square shape easy to work with. Can be cut to size with a hack saw. Can also get all kinds of brackets and screws to assemble.
I am a Toolmaker and have used it for many projects at work. You can find it at a industrial supply like MSC.
I used the 1 1/2 inch square to make a solid locking cover and tool box rack in the back of a 2006.
good luck

[jbarnes11]

Hi, Really helpful, but guys if we place the coverlet on the top, will it works? I am trying to do so here in Australia and going for traveling in the holidays of Easter!

[cspaugh]

Not quite the same thing but I was envisioning a sort of light weight bed kennel. So that I allow my dogs to go through the hatch in the back seat to the bed and not worry about them jumping out if that makes sense. This made me think that it could be the same thing here but with mesh vs a solid canopy.

[greymud]

Mesh would be easy with 8020 stock. Not cheap, but easy. We used it to make guards around machines to keep operators from reaching into pinch points.

Use some basic 2525 for the frame and 1/2 " mesh panels to fill in.

https://8020.net/

[w.rohr]

We used it to make guards around machines to keep operators from reaching into pinch points.

Well if the spinny parts weren't so shiny we wouldn't want to touch them