We are having some interesting ideas here! Might be time to get out my T Square!
I think the Vardo idea is cool also! Could play off of the red colors of the truck and offset the yellow to that and the others that go with. It wouldn't be aerodynamic, but it isn't when you tow one either! I am way cool with that when it comes to building these things. Maybe keep the "Fake" sides and add some non-functional wagon wheels too that hang way down.
Kim, I would never take the bed off of my truck, I use it like a redneck for anything and everything. I always have a 1/8 cord of wood in the back that I tote around and I am always hauling or moving something. I really use my truck. Not to mention, I don't want to bastardize my all original classic. The only body mod I would ever consider would be to do a longbed to short bed conversion and put a step side bed on it. When I did that to my last truck, I drove it with a flatbed on it before I got the new bed on it, and I didn't care for it, So I've actually had the experience too
I've seen some with the sides you are talking about, but itts just not me.
I still think the cabover design look too much like a cabover for me. not a bad design at all, don't get me wrong, just personal opinion style-wise, but it cool to see it laid out for sure!