Canopies/Caps/Toppers - What's the knowledge?

[PineClone]

What is the collective experience with canopies? I've been combing through the archives and there is random info here and there about canopies that might work for various 720s. I happened upon one on FB Marketplace the other day and it was in nice shape and apparently "came off of a Datsun truck". I wasn't able to get the dimensions from the seller before he sold it to someone else. I was disappointed to have missed out, and now am on a mission to find one.

 

I've attached the small truck bed dimensions document I pulled from another post, just for reference. 

 

I'm currently looking at very nice one posted online that is sitting on a 2004 Ford Ranger. Seller is going to take some dimensions for me. It's a 3 hour drive to pick this one up...a long way to go for something that might not fit.

 

Anyway, would love to see where others might have found success. This is the one i'm looking at for my '85 KC 4x4. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

Shell List (1).pdf

Edited November 18, 2025 by PineClone
cleaning up

[Draker]

I think I have that same shell in black. I could measure it and report back. 

[toshts]

For my single cab short bed it's a 76in long and 60in wide if I remember right, some rangers have the same bed depending on the year

[PineClone]

1 hour ago, Draker said:

I think I have that same shell in black. I could measure it and report back. 

What I really want to know is how it looks on a 720. The seller got back to me and said it measures 60 x 74.5 x  22. I think the length would work but it may be a little bit wide. And I just measured and 22 inches would have it sticking up at least an inch over the cab. 

Edited November 19, 2025 by PineClone

[bigleagueteague]

I've been through 3 shells now on my '84 king cab. Still searching for the one.

 

Shell #1 was an old heavy as shit gem top. Looked pretty cool but had a vertical front and didn't match the angle of the king cab. I want to be able to pull the shell without three other people, so I ditched that one.

 

Shell #2 was fiberglass, pretty sure it was off a 90's or early 2000's ford ranger. Angle up front was better but the shell was shorter than the cab - not a clean line.. Fit nicely side to side, was a little short in the length. It had cracks and was pretty shitty, so I ditched it.

 

Shell #3, which I'm using currently, is off a '90 toyota pickup regular cab. It's got the right height and is nicely shaped, but the front doesn't match the angle of the 720 king cab. Pretty sure a shell off an extended cab toyota pickup would fit pretty nicely. Length is good, but it seems a little shy of the 60" width which isn't ideal. I think it's sitting on a 1/2" of bed rail.

 

IMO 74.5" is too short in length.

 

Here's #2, no photo on the 720

 

Here's #3, don't have better photos and too lazy to go outside

 

 

Here's the dream, some dude on facebook built this one

[feefifofum]

I have one that came off a D21. Not sure what it looked like on that truck, as it was already off when I found it for $100. Sometimes I think I overpaid, as it's not exactly what I want, but at the time I just wanted something immediate to keep the bed dry through Seattle winter. There are a lot of features I'd prefer, like a bumped up ceiling for more head clearance, gull wing windows, etc, but the one I have got the job done for the last year.

[BenzDatsun82]

Heres my truck, the dimensions are about 61'' by 76'' (note these are approximate dimensions)

 

I found this cap a bit ago for $75, and it looks a hell of a lot like the cap this truck had on it in the 80s. It's aluminum and has fold out windows and black bubble panels.

 

Putting in some work with an antique couch!

 

As you can see it sticks over the cab a little, but I intend to put some roof racks on it to balance it out. Having the height in the bed is very helpful.

 

Lots of cargo space

 

 

 

[bottomwatcher]

D21 painted it when I painted the truck. The angle doesn't match the back of the cab but probably as close as I can get.

[Draker]

Just realized I didn’t take pic of the canopy itself lol. Here are the dimensions though 

[Rustbin]

My dad built one for his 85 720 kc, out of 2x4 and 3/8 plywood. He matched the sides to the angle of the cab, flat top and raised ribs front and back to attach ladders to and strong enough to stand on. I once used it as a platform for loading kitchen cabinets onto a second story deck of a new house build. He caulked and painted it so it didn't leak and matched the white of the truck. 

[EDM620]

Canopies that have the correct angles and fit would have been sold during that truck model run, with production ending a short time after. Same holds for full-size domestic pickups. I can't imagine a vintage canopy mold being held onto by any manufacturer. Demand would have disappeared. Truck boxes are essentially ALWAYS different from manufacturer to manufacturer (Datsun/Mazda/Toyota/...) so if you should find one in good enough condition and can MAKE it fit, probably as good as you'll get. The "utilitarian" shape is function over form and might prove to be much more useful, plus if you have some skills you can make your own.

[PineClone]

I'm considering a canopy off of a 1991 S-10. I'm having the seller confirm, but the dimensions should be 60 x 74 3/4, 20" high and 4 degree cab angle. For my '85 KC, that would be 1/4 inch short and 2 degrees too steep. I feel like this is about as good of a fit as I'm going to find for the '85, which is an inch shorter than all of the earlier year king cabs. I need to drive a couple of hours to pick this thing up, so curious if anyone here has any gotchas before I make the trip.

[Draker]

Got a picture of the cap?

Not sure if the one I have would fit any better. I'd sell it but I'm probably further away.

[PineClone]

Still waiting on the seller to confirm dimensions. He said it's 5" x 6", but I think it's actually a little longer if it did come off of an S10. He's also supposed to send me some better pictures. This one is located in Yakima. 

 

 

[Draker]

Looks pretty nice!

[PineClone]

Well here's what I ended up with after driving four hours (total), paying a guy $100, and tossing it in the back of my Colorado. Apparently this came off of a '92 Chevy S10. Dimensions should be 60 x 74 3/4 x 20. In reality it measures a bit wider than 60 inches...a healthy 60 1/2 x 75. The cab angle looks like what it's supposed to be from an S10. I feel like it's looking about as good as I could expect. This is a Brahma, which are made of ABS plastic. It's nice and light. I found one very small crack...easy to fix. I'm going to refurbish it before I mount it permanently. Painting it white to match the truck (anyone have the paint code handy?), in hopes of repainting the truck in the not-to-distant future. 

 

Edited December 9, 2025 by PineClone

[EDM620]

Overall that's a pretty damn close fit

[junkafide]

1 hour ago, PineClone said:

Well here's what I ended up with after driving four hours (total), paying a guy $100, and tossing it in the back of my Colorado. Apparently this came off of a '92 Chevy S10. Dimensions should be 60 x 74 3/4 x 20. In reality it measures a bit wider than 60 inches...a healthy 60 1/2 x 75. The cab angle looks like what it's supposed to be from an S10. I feel like it's looking about as good as I could expect. This is a Brahma, which are made of ABS plastic. It's nice and light. I found one very small crack...easy to fix. I'm going to refurbish it before I mount it permanently. Painting it white to match the truck (anyone have the paint code handy?), in hopes of repainting the truck in the not-to-distant future. 

 

You gotta be happy with that!!

[bottomwatcher]

Looks good! The s10s are pretty close in frame size too. I am running a reciever frame hitch from probably a late 80s S10 and two holes even lined up.

[ElliotV]

I think that's about as close are you are going to get without finding a topper for a king cab 720 since they are the only ones with a 6? degree cab angle. I have a aluminum one that supposedly came off a 720 that I plan on throwing on my 85 this friday once I am done with finals, I've got it sitting on my 86 parts truck right now.  Only picture I have of it right now is from the facebook post, previous owner had it sitting on a 620. I will have to post a picture when I get it on the truck. Its definitely a older topper because it has spring struts on the doors.

[NC85ST]

20 hours ago, ElliotV said:

spring struts on the doors

At least you don’t have to replace them every few years.

[ElliotV]

Yeah I bought new ones for my toolbox that I got used when I initially bought the truck and a few weeks ago I was closing it and caught one of the rods on my impact and now it has a slight bend thats only noticeable when I am actually trying to open and close the toolbox.

[ElliotV]

Well the topper is on, is sticks over the side of the bed rails a little bit and isn't the nicest looking topper but I like the aluminum styling and I managed to find a hell of a deal on some old Yakima gutter mount cross bars so now I have a roof rack too.

[Draker]

I like the opening side windows. Looks good. When you get time, just mask it off and paint it to a color you like.

[ElliotV]

I am thinking im going to paint it white but I might not be keeping it on here, I found a mid rise off a mitsibushi pickup that I am going to go look at, the other issue with painting this one is it does need some body work.