cab bows and frame

[whiteapeman]

Thanks for everyone's help with the canvas top info. Now I'm moving on to the the more complex part, attaining the bows & frame for the cab canvas cover. I am finding that these bows/brackets are more expensive than the canvas itself and getting ahold of them is much more difficult than I anticipated. I see that some of you have been making your own wooden bows (with the correct measurements), though I am at a loss with obtaining the rest of frame. I have searched throughout the internet, though come up empty. Obviously I'm looking in all the wrong places. Any advice?

[randyscycle]

Do you have the side door frames?

If so, I wonder about using electrical conduit. Its obviously not quite as thick walled as the original bows, but is fairly easily bent with a bender available at any hardware store, and where you are located, snow wouldn't be an issue, so support of the canvas is the only real thing you are looking for.

Heck, even an entire top frame made from it would most likely work and be light enough to deal with even if welded together into one piece......

[whiteapeman]

I unfortunately have no framing whatsoever that would support the canvas, just the original hardtop. I live here in Key West, Florida and have been wanting to permanently switch over to canvas for quite some time. Snow is not the issue here, just the torrential tropic downpours.

[amphi]

I unfortunately have no framing whatsoever that would support the canvas, just the original hardtop.

You might want to check with Mike (503m715) and Tim (binford) for some top bow parts. Tim is in the process of dismantling Mike's parts truck. It has a complete set of bent top bows that might be usable in some way.

[george walker]

vpw used to have some of it, also delks in N C used to have a ton of parts trucks
http://delksarmynavysurplus.com/

[SouthernM715]

Is your kaiser with the hard top a rivited on top like mine was..If so my soft top door surrounds and bows were in there just rivited to the metal.

This is what my truck looked like.



When I drilled out all the rivits this was what was holding it..THE bows and door surrounds.




And now I drilled out the holes and smoothed them out so I can install my new soft top that I got from Surplus.

[whiteapeman]

Thanks for all the info. I called Delk army & navy and they hope to get back to me with some good news or usable info by tomorrow. I will also contact Mike & Tim in regards to their bent bows and framing, perhaps they can be saved. I am willing to sell my hardtop or possibly trade out for a set of decent bows and brackets, as I don't ever see me using it all down here.

Your bed is immaculate. I use my M715 to catch and relocate nuisance alligators throughout the mangrove forests here (through Florida Fish and Wildlife), which has taken it's toll on her. My next project is to replace the bed, if I can find one...

Thanks again.

[brute4c]

Nice use of the M715!!!

I see your location...gotta get there one of these days...but we have some trucks in South America...Chile, Brazil...I know we have 2 members in Hawaii but I am unsure if they have trucks...So I am sure you have the Southernmost Mainland US M715 and possibly the Southernmost US M715, possibly even the Southernmost North American M715. No sweat though...I like the location as is...leave it!

[MarknessMonster]

That's one of those trucks from the outfit in Maryland that was selling the lot of 10 or so truck and a parts container for a $25K starting bid on eBay last year. That truck has made quite a journey southward.

[503m715]

I do have the two side frames off of the parts truck in the above pictures. The bows did not come home with me. I think Tim said he tossed them in the trash.