Looking for a damaged or unusable canvas cab top

[Beast]

On mine both bows are the same and both seam to be the same height on the vehicle. They are both taller than the windshield but appear to be the same.


My top from WeeBee Webbing that I got in 2005 is still very tight when it's on, and requires quite the pulling to get it snapped, but is super tight and doesn't flap at all when driving and yes like Al's I can bounce a quarter off mine.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Thank you Dave. It looks exactly like what I saw when his top was fitted. I made it tight in thinking that a hot summer day would make it expand some. He has several measurements to check against my top assembly. I hope it is obvious and I hope the solution is able to be found. This was pretty upsetting to me. Thank you for posting your pictures. A fine truck as always.

[Beast]

Thank you Dave. It looks exactly like what I saw when his top was fitted. I made it tight in thinking that a hot summer day would make it expand some. He has several measurements to check against my top assembly. I hope it is obvious and I hope the solution is able to be found. This was pretty upsetting to me. Thank you for posting your pictures. A fine truck as always.

Looking at Eightydeuce's, it looks like his bows are short which would explain why it's so loose on his truck. This old thread has the info and measurements for the top bows. http://www.m715zone.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27451

Compare how short his look compared to mine.

[teking]

Looking at 88's, it looks like his bows are short which would explain why it's so loose on his truck. This old thread has the info and measurements for the top bows. http://www.m715zone.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27451

Compare how short his look compared to mine.

I agree 100% his are definitely shortened. I'm very tuned to this because I am looking into shortening mine to be ... well like his!!!! Yes absolutely they are shorter than stock. No doubt.

[eightydeuce]

Well you are certainly correct. After getting a bunch of measurements from KaiserJeeps. I quickly realized that my bows have been chopped. I used some hose clamps around the posts (this is temporary of course) lifted the bows and VOILA!!!much much better.






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[Kaiserjeeps]

Well no wonder. Thanks for the calls today. This is a huge relief. I believe you have prototyped the very first adjustable top. Simply adjust for winter shrinkage and summer expansion. Never a flap in the wind.

Now the side panels should cover the top of the cab tub. As you mentioned, they were high. Get everything to the right height, then give the sides a tug down and snap it. If it rides up and just is not right, I will make the next side panels even lower. I know a guy with a sewing machine.

[eightydeuce]

So after taking some actual measurements of my bows, the back bow was chopped about .875" and the front one was shortened by about 1.25. My bows are now en route west to a master metal worker who is pretty good with a sewing machine too.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Heh heh heh... I know that guy.... So for the last several days I have gone out to the small second shop where I sew. It is a carport bay closed in and insulated. Small but very functional. So I have had a medium sized wood pecker in there for several days in a row. I open the man door and there are parts all over the floor. Bird poop too. Little bugger. He freaks out, knocks more parts of shelves as he flies back and forth, and I have to open the big garage door till he flies out. This also lets in the coldest air ever. I finally figured out that hip hop music blaring super loud 24 hours a day keeps him out. The problem is it keeps me out also.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Well 5 days into Eightydueces modified bow softtop I made a flaw in the upper door frame corner. An hour or two from being done, I just can't overlook it. It can easily be hidden with a OEM style gutter sewn on. So using Beasts truck as a model I will do so. At least to save all that work. Beasts truck gutter is a decent rise to the front. Some climb to the moon and look funny. Today after messing with cleaning the shop, fitting a couple fuel tanks and not being able to stay away from the problem, I made a pretty decent gutter sample. I am not sure if I am cutting my bows down too, or if Bill is going to get two tops being that they only fit his truck. One for a rainy day and one for date night.

So there are many improvements in this third top. I again redid my patterns. Using the old ones and measuring a hundred times on the truck, I now have a seam that follows the bow the same way from door to door. There are no buckles inside for the footman loops. Eightyduece is using marine style turn buckle fasteners screwed to the back of the cab tub. When he installs the grommets after pulling the top in place, the wrinkles will go away and it will be way tighter. But you can still bounce a Zone quarter off it.
I am still looking for it.

Short bows. It looks almost hard topish. Sleek. Ready for speed or even a low bridge. Something like that...



Learning all the time. Kindly note the proper use of the zone quarter for size reference.




Tight as a trampoline. Notice my quarter is missing. I hope I find it before I get after Toms top. Sheesh...



After a couple attempts at a gutter... This looks pretty good.




All I can say is my hands are sore. I would never want to thumb wrestle an upholsterer who actually knows what he is doing. I would end up with two pinkies... I have a whole new respect for dudes that can run a sewing machine.

Even with the mistakes, this project has been and is awesome! Grateful for it all.

[jhartings]

Dude... that looks fantastic! Good work Sir.