Dual Cab Camping

Thanks for that Ken but he is 73 and the roof top tent, although good isn't quite what he needs.

Can you store anything in the back of the ute with this mounted?

sorry no idea, I don't have one, I was looking for a site that I had bookmarked but could not find again straight away which sold a tent thing that slipped over the top of the rear window of a dual cab canopy which like the link above turned the down tailgate into sleeping length.

"I have seen a few people using the rear seat area for storage. You can remove the seat and use the seat belt and seat mounting points as attachment points for tie down straps to secure everything."

Don't remove, and leave the rear seat out either. At least not without an engineering certificate.

Unfortunately the seat is part of the structure now just as much as the windscreen. Remove it at your own risk.

Cheers Neil

Good point Neil. I doubt if that would apply to all cars though. Many seats are little more than a flexible flat pressed metal base that are probably relying on the floor to add rigidity to them. If your car did have a stressed seat base that was adding strength to the body, a way around it could be to buy another one from a wrecker, remove the upholstery and use it as a base to build a platform to sit your gear on.

Canvas tends to be both hot and cold in extreme conditions. I built a fold up camper for the back of my Landcruiser using 3 ply. It has several advantages as it provides good insulation, is lightweight and is not expensive to work with.
Measure the dimensions of your tray and reduce to a scale of about 10" by 6" or whatever is relevant. Cut out a piece of cardboard as a mock up of your tray and then consider folding as an option for the way it works. For example to allow leg space you would have a sheet that would fold out from the tray and lock in position. Sides would fold up and down as needed. You can also cut `windows' into the folded up sides. Consider a box lid with sides to fit over the arrangement when it is folded for travel.
I once had a Lada and built a box sleeper for the Lada roof rack. Lid came off and was put aside as I folded out and up from the floor. The material is light so it can be managed without assistance.
My present fold up camper on the Landcruiser I call the Half Star Hotel. The roof lifts up from inside. With the steel tray sides dropped down, the drivers side opens out as a box with windows the length of the tray. This is supported partially by struts that slot from the underside of the box to the inside of the dropped side tray. Any gear in the back is moved into the side box.
The passenger side panel lifts up as a roof and is held in place with fold up struts. A cover is thrown over this and that side of the truck is used as the cooking area. My swag has the tray area to set as bed.
The rear panel is cut to open as a small door to the top of the steel rear so that I can put shopping in the back without dropping the rear metal side or back. If I am camping. the back metal drops down and the short door locks into place with the lower portion as a full door. Fold up steps for easy access. Stand up room inside.
Yours tropically, Harry