LSR Truck Tonneau Cover

[MikeVanErt]

Hello all!  Just recently purchased a 1997 Chevy S-10 with a 4.3L V6 and an automatic transmission.  My plan is to start with the USFRA 130/150 MPH Clubs while I continue to prep the truck for eventual racing in the SCTA MP/MMP classes.  I am closing in on starting to fabricate my tonneau cover but am undecided on materials.  I am leaning towards using two 4'x3' panels of 16 gauge steel with a 16 gauge steel square tubing support structure for each panel.  Was going to use Dzus Fasteners to hold everything down.  I wanted to use steel as it will be doable with my basic fabrication skills, but, every cover I have seen at Bonneville or the dragstrip has been aluminum.  Should I switch to the aluminum or would steel be doable?  Basic calculations puts the steel tonneau cover right around 100 lbs. 

Any thoughts or advice?  Thank you!
-Mike   

[will6er]

Steel would give you more weight which is your friend.

Will Willis #6302

[Stainless1]

But it will raise you CoG, think about the big picture. 

[MikeVanErt]

Agreed on the raised CoG.  Eventually there will be quite a bit of weight on/under the bed floor.  I am just trying to avoid paying for the same modification twice.  Also trying to be careful with adding weight right now as I am really not sure what kind of potential that mostly stock V6 has in it.  Want to at least get into the 130 MPH Club without swapping motors if at all possible.

[Stainless1]

No time like the present to figure out AL... it is easy, your skills should be transferable.... bolt it all together with tabs.... maybe use angle instead of square.... get creative...
It will be fun 

[tauruck]

That double skinned Polycarbonate sheet is light, stiff and affordable.
It's got a box like honeycomb core and methinks you won't need great fabricating skills to make it work.

[Frank06]

Have a look on ecomodder.com, there's a guy there who has made a nice cover for his truck.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

[Frank06]

I think his name is Phil Knox.  It's more than just a cover in that it starts at the top- back of the cab.

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[salt27]

If you think your ambitions may go beyond the 130 club and into a class, I would suggest consulting a
the rule book to avoid building this more than once.

 Don

[MikeVanErt]

I have been researching my plan for this truck thoroughly in the classes I may compete in someday (MP & MMP).  All I can find on tonneau covers is that they must be flush with the bedrails and cannot provide an aerodynamic advantage.  Plan was definitely to build this cover to that, just undecided on the material.  I appreciate all the help and suggestions so far!  Thanks again!

[RichFox]

Absolutely  no reason you can't use steel, if that is what you want to work with.

[1leg]

Sense you plan to run at Bonneville and you only want to do it once I would go with Aluminum. During your build you may be taking the bad off at times the Aluminum will also make that easier. But if all you have or can work with is steel then use steel and get out and race.

[jimmy six]

Use what you want, brace it well so it does not flex, under no circumstances have it higher than the bed top edge even the hinge if you use one. Good Luck