Here are a few images to clarify some questions about the wooden topper. It is not a work of art. It was to be used for a single field project last summer but now I really like it so it will be a permanent part of the rolling home.
Here’s the overview sans roof rack. It has received about five more coats of spar varnish after a good sanding. It is built from recycled lumber so there is some small shrinkage checking and a little discoloration from some mold or fungus but it hardly visible.
Tacomas really suck for attaching racks and toppers for a couple reasons. The top rails of the bed are plastic over some fairly unsubstantial metal and there are no stake holes. There is however, the nifty rail system inside the bed that is secure. To attach this topper, I used some construction straps from the Big Box Store which are screwed in behind the rails. This is the forward view, blemishes and all. The rope is for hanging up wet stuff like towels, swimsuits, etc.
Here is another strap at the aft end utilizing one of the bed bolts in a reenforced spot.
And finally, here is an image of one of the knee braces that are screwed and glued to the frame to strengthen the door area. I hope this helps if someone else wants to construct something like this.
