M37 Cargo Canvas cover frame work

[Kaiser2boy]

The truck I bought had a box of what was said to be the canvas suport frame for the cargo box.
I looked at it and it seemed fairly straight forward.
There were several straight sectons of stamped steel box tubes with a plate welded to the top of them situated like a flag off to one side with three holes verticaly in them to bolt the side rails to.
They seemed to fit down in the side pocket just fine.
Then there were curved sections that looked like they should slide down into the sections with the plates for the side rails.
Then there were cross members that went from side to side to hold up the canvas.
All good so far.
After putting on the canvas I see that the vertical sections are short. The top of the canvas is sitting level with the top of the cab and the bottom edge of the canvas is down over the rear fenders by about 2 inches.
Is there some 6 inch spacer missing or are the sections that slide into the sides to short?
Any one know??..

[carter davidson]

You may be missing the wood pieces that fit into the steel uprights and that the curved bow corners that you mentioned attach to. Cabell Garbee's website has the dimentions of all the wood that is used on the M37, including the pieces you seem to be missing.

http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/bedwood.htm

[Kaiser2boy]

I looked at my bow sections. They all have a section of steel box tube coming down that is stepped down to slide into the tubes that hold the side rails. From the way mine look they have been on there a long , long time.
I did see on EBAY a guy selling "roof bow extentions".
They are steel box tube that look like just what I need.

On a side note , I picked up 4 new tires and asked the service guy to save the best of the old ones for a spare.
After he was done he asked me if I wanted the 55 or the 56?
I got a dumb look on my face and asked what do you mean?
He replied " your old tires are from 1956 and 1955!
Hmmm no wonder they were checkered.
I ordered one more new tire.

[carter davidson]

I suspect what you have are M101 trailer bow upright sections and not M37. The uprights from a trailer are all steel and the correct ones for an M37 have steel lower pieces and a length of wood that fit between the steel bench seat upright (side rails) that the backrests bolt to and the curved steel bow corner.

Some of the tires I recently replaced were, like yours, 1950s dated and dry rot cracked in the sidewall area and a hazard to drive on.

[Kaiser2boy]

I suspect what you have are M101 trailer bow upright sections and not M37. The uprights from a trailer are all steel and the correct ones for an M37 have steel lower pieces and a length of wood that fit between the steel bench seat upright (side rails) that the backrests bolt to and the curved steel bow corner.

Some of the tires I recently replaced were, like yours, 1950s dated and dry rot cracked in the sidewall area and a hazard to drive on.

Could be.
I have a set of brand new bows sitting here . I was told that they were for the trailer. I asked whats the diff. He said they have the bolt holes drilled top to bottom where as the truck bows are drilled side to side so as not to damage the canvas.
That made some sense. But I wonder why they dont care about the canvas on the trailer??.
The bows on my truck have the bolts that run side to side.

[carter davidson]

I have a set of bow corners on my trailer that came installed on it when I bought it that have side to side bolts and the steel posts have corresponding side holes. I have seen others on trailers that had vertical holes. I believe hole orientation was changed over time. Side to side holes are correct for M37s and who knows what went through the heads of the engineers that drew up the specs. for trailer bows.

[Kaiser2boy]

I guess it pays to talk about your stuff.
I got to talking with the fellow down the road from me about the truck. He also drove a M37 in the 50s in Korea.
I mentioned the problem with the wood. He takes me back to his barn and opens the door. He says take what you need. I look and here he has just about any kind and size of wood you can think of all stacked on huge shelves.
I spot three sections of oak 8 feet long and about 1 1/2 by 1 3/4 inch. All nice and dry and free. They might not be the exact thing but they will work.
Also he has a ton of 4 inch wide by 1 inch thick boards of oak. I'm thinking Hmm side boards maybe,, he says take em.
I asked where did this all come from? He says he worked at a sawmill 30 years ago and from time to time they made mistakes with cuts and would just use it for firewood.
He started taking it home.
Thank God for pack rats