Looking sweet. Not a big fan of truck toppers but seeing what you did with the inside is making me think about one. Although I did buy a used toolbox a few months ago for $40 had no dents or anything was oxidized bad So i got some of that self etching marine primer for aluminum boat hulls and primed it after cleaning it up with some tsp then sprayed it black with a semi-gloss rustoleum from a cup gun got a few runs in the back. Ohwell no one will see. To finish it I put a white dodge decal over the old manufacture badge and some 500lb rated shackels so I didn't lose my tie down spots.

 

Sounds clean... For me the topper is a necessity - I only ever haul wood, so it doesn't kill my bed, and I have no place else to store my tools.

 

I have an old, old aluminum canopy that I can r&r myself. Came with the truck, so the only cost was to replace the lock so I have a set of key. And it included a set of aluminum clamps, so it doesn't even require nuts and bolts.

On a long trip last summer (Washington to AZ) I got a pretty honest 20 mpg--mine's a V8 4wd, automatic. About 225k miles on the clock, too. Pulling a motorcycle trailer with the back chock full and a passenger and my dog. I was very impressed! Cruise control helps & so does the O/D. Neither are much good in the mountains tho. 3.55 gear ratios helps, too. I had a Ford F250 with 4.11 & a 4 barrel. You could pretty much see the gas gauge move at highway speeds, and 2-20 gallon tanks was necessary to be able to make it between cities.

Ya know, Ben, we are so friggin' lucky to live in a part of the country where our vehicles aren't exposed to corrosive road salt. Makes upgrading our ancient rigs a possibility. Money put in isn't chasing corrosion related problems.

At 230,000mi., I'm thinking about investing in a new, remanufactured motor sometime in the next 2 years. I talked to Marshall engines, and they'll take my 5.2 as a core for a 5.9 (with only a 100 buck core penalty.) I live in a city, so swapping my automatic for a 5 speed doesn't make sense--too many traffic lights!

 

I have another 100k to go before I get to your point, but I agree that they're awesome trucks. I am about to go on my third long road trip, and I keep choosing it over my Audi S4 (mainly because of the auto transmission. I have knee issues and I can't do traffic with a stick...)

 

Just got back from camping for four days in the Stanislaus National Forest, North of Yosemite. Also checked out some old mining towns in the Eastern Sierra area... Truck averaged 17mpg, with over 100 of the 500 miles in 4wd, a lot of it low range and nearly all of it 1st gear. Enough dust got into the engine compartment that my air filter is almost completely blocked now, but otherwise did great! Altitudes ranged from 33' above sea level to 11,000 feet ASL... It definitely was a bit less powerful up high