Building a hardtop

[JimC2]

Back around 50 or 60 years ago, I built a hardtop for my 37 by wrapping a softtop frame and bow with 12ga steel, using a sliding back window out of a Duece.
It was strong enough to serve as a roll bar without significant damage when I rolled the truck (which I did more than once).

But it was so heavy that it took two people to lift it off or install it.

I'm thinking about building another for my XM708, but I'm thinking about going to 14 or 16ga to reduce the weight while giving up some strength and rigidity.

Any thoughts or advice about the tradeoff ?

 

[John Mc]

OK, now I'm curious: what the heck were you doing that you managed to roll an M37 - and more than once?

I've only had that worry cross my mind once: when I ws forced of a narrow dirt road a few years ago by someone coming the other way who refused to get over on his own side of the road. Ikeptinching over further and further as he aproached until I eventually caught my wheels in the ditch. I was afraid to try to turn out of the ditch as I started to get pulled down in, picturing the truck turning sideways, rolling, and the Arctic top getting crushed like an empty beer can with me inside it. So I just road it out down into the ditch, taking out. telephone pole in the process.

 

[JimC2]

"OK, now I'm curious: what the heck were you doing that you managed to roll an M37 - and more than once?"

Playing.

When not playing, I used the 37 and the Piper Cub for Search and Rescue.

 

[G744]

A right front blowout on a banked turn did it for me, back in the mid 70's. Made a mess out of the things like my hardtop, bed sides, all the windshield stuff, and hood. The only injuries were me & the wife with Pepperoni-sized lacerations on our plams, somehow.

 

[Sgt Jiggins]