Home brew hard top

[tobyS]

Has anyone made a steel hard top that resembles the OEM hard top? Especially one that a person can get on top of and not damage it. How about diamond plate? Fleebay has a couple of the OEM at extremely high price (beyond my budget).

I have a sheet metal shop nearby that could make a few. Please list things you would like in or on one. For sure a rear window and knock down for shipping. And I want an overhang on the front to keep rain off the window hinge...maybe a side drip rail to give the window a fair chance of keeping rain out.

 

[Csm Davis]

Probably have to be a Franken cab shape but not so tall, because of all the compound curves on the top portion of the hard top.

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[bigmike]

Which model 5 ton are you talking about? 800 series or 900?

 

[tobyS]

Both...I have a deuce A3, an M931A2 and M929A2. My best investment will probably be for the 929. If I perfect it without getting too much $$$$ invested, maybe try to sell a few.

No Frankencab, but I'm thinking tube roll bar possibly. There is some real nice 2.5" square 1/4 wall tube at my local steel supply (at half price surplus). Or 2 x2 is locally available also...it's noticeably smaller and has plenty of strength.

I have a manual plate roll available that I need to bring home to make them look like OEM round, but the shape of a soft top, which would accomidate a bar, would just need broken corners.

 

[Jbulach]

This is also way down on my list of things to do.
My thought is to use a similar lines as a m1070 roof, with the visor and gain about 2" of head room over the M939 hard top.

 

[tobyS]

Jbulach...Yea I like the visor too. I had a cardboard pattern made for one and then sold the truck. Now the pattern is gone and I start over again. I'm putting new blades and doing some repair on the sheet metal shops shear, so may have to twist their arm to help me with this.

I was using a break in the middle of the front section so it had a slightly pointed look, about 3" overhang in the middle and 1" at both outsides.

What do you think of 1/8" diamond plate on the top (not that I'm getting on top of the dump truck...but shi+ happens)? Would the pattern look strange or just blend in with camo colors?

 

[Elideclan2]

I had a fiberglass hard top sprayed inside and out with line x
Two adults could stand on the thing no problem. Very stout.

 

[74M35A2]

Please keep me in if you guys do make a visor, I really like the look also and want one for my 925a2. I've only seen one guy do it so far, and that was a complete cab swap with semi truck doors, all that. Looked beautiful. I'd be lucky just to get the visor.

 

[Jbulach]

....What do you think of 1/8" diamond plate on the top (not that I'm getting on top of the dump truck...but shi+ happens)? Would the pattern look strange or just blend in with camo colors?

I think 1/8" is good, but I will most likely add some stiffeners of some sort as well.
I never was much of a fan of diamond plate, and will likely just add grit to the paint for slip resistance. If diamond plate is what you like though, I think it will look fine, and will be high enough that it will be mostly out of sight any how.

 

[Jbulach]

Jbulach...Yea I like the visor too. I had a cardboard pattern made for one and then sold the truck. Now the pattern is gone and I start over again. I'm putting new blades and doing some repair on the sheet metal shops shear, so may have to twist their arm to help me with this.

I was using a break in the middle of the front section so it had a slightly pointed look, about 3" overhang in the middle and 1" at both outsides....

I wont be able to look at my truck for a few days, but maybe you could run two slight beak lines from the front center, behind the visor, to the back rear corners, essentially making a triangle pattern. This would add a little strength as well as keeping the back edge straight an easier to work with.

 

[Csm Davis]

Yeah the HET look would be cool,


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[tobyS]

Yeah the HET look would be cool,
View attachment 672060

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Okay, the HET look is cool!!

Jeff, do you happen to have a couple of pictures of the top of the HET? It seems that it's flat, making me wonder what way water would go. I don't want it coming toward the doghouse. If the center has a slight crown, it would drain to the side. I definitely don't want a "pool".

If it were higher on the front (than the windshield), it might make an interesting place for some lights. Same thing in back (for lights). It sure would make forming easier if the front and back had a duck-bill and I used the square lines of the HET. I would still roll the back to match the cab. Making a side overhang would not be out of place either.

Do you happen to have a back window (military surplus)?

 

[Jbulach]

I think they are mostly flat.
I figured would have to research into the RV world for a window, or a 60-70 model pickup aftermarket slider???

 

[Jbulach]

Oh, and don't forget the vents/louvers in the visor, so as not to hurt your aerodynamicsAlthough, I bet they do help with air/rain flow and how well the wipers work?

 

[74M35A2]

Jbulach...Yea I like the visor too. I had a cardboard pattern made for one and then sold the truck. Now the pattern is gone and I start over again. I'm putting new blades and doing some repair on the sheet metal shops shear, so may have to twist their arm to help me with this.

I was using a break in the middle of the front section so it had a slightly pointed look, about 3" overhang in the middle and 1" at both outsides.

What do you think of 1/8" diamond plate on the top (not that I'm getting on top of the dump truck...but shi+ happens)? Would the pattern look strange or just blend in with camo colors?

I bought a thick aluminum plate to put atop of my 925a2 hard top to support my cab roof air conditioning unit (Red Dot R-9777). Not installed yet, but hope to this spring. Same concept you are thinking though, a way to create a hard top surface that can bear some weight. As of stock, they are not even flat and oil can just by pushing on them with your hand.

HET cab is just so cool. I nearly picked that vehicle over my 925a2 when they were selling at auction for $7k or so, but I'd be too scared to take it off road in the really fun areas.

 

[Jbulach]

I bought a thick aluminum plate to put atop of my 925a2 hard top to support my cab roof air conditioning unit (Red Dot R-9777). Not installed yet, but hope to this spring. Same concept you are thinking though, a way to create a hard top surface that can bear some weight. As of stock, they are not even flat and oil can just by pushing on them with your hand.

HET cab is just so cool. I nearly picked that vehicle over my 925a2 when they were selling at auction for $7k or so, but I'd be too scared to take it off road in the really fun areas.

Sounds like you should build the prototype for us then sell you stock hard top, instead of modifying if.

 

[tobyS]

I looked at the 931 with the idea of a HET style roof. It would seem to fit well, but I'm wondering about incorporating a roll bar. One solid place that is available on both my 931 and 929 is right behind the cab at the top of the frame. It could be really solid there, especially integrating in diagonal bracing to the outside top corner, but there would be no flex. Something would give in the connection to the cab.

A good place to mount on the front appears to be the windshield hinge mount. I'm thinking to remove the hinge and make a plate to go in it's place (3/8 CR), has about a 10* angle, and the roll bar tube attached. Then the HET shape (straight lines) really becomes an advantage. The front windows would still open, but the entire assembly would not fold down. The fold down feature hardly seems worth preserving for a hard top, when it appears to be about the strongest point(s) at the front of the cab.

If we want to preserve the cab flex, I guess I will have to mount the top and roll bar to the back of the cab, not frame. I hope you guys have some ideas about mounting a top (roll bar) frame. Maybe a C shape at a cab reinforcement. I'm thinking the roll bar tube will mount on the outside of the cab, not inside, giving just a little bit of back head room at the height of the cab back.

Interestingly (perhaps to this tops detriment), it appears to use the window and door frames from the soft top just fine.

 

[ROCKWELL-C60]

something like this

 

[tobyS]

Slight change of plan. I remembered having some 5/16" plate that is formed into an L shape that is 3" x 7 1/2" with about 1" R (a long bend). I have two pieces that will work perfect for cutting the four corners. I'll cut to fit the curvature of the cowl and stick out 1" further than the present hinge (about 4" wider than the side window) . Going down the road in rain, the (open) window will be shielded by the front support. So the taper of the cab becomes a wider overhang on the sides, but square on the roof. Cardboard patterns are a must. I don't have enough steel like this to waste any.

On the back, the cab corners look strongest. The plate (7 1/2" side) will butt against the window frame and can be welded to it. Then tube cross-members welded to these uprights for the top sheet metal to mount to and have reinforcement.

After I make a few parts, I'll take pictures.

 

[tobyS]

View attachment 672152View attachment 672153something like this

Yes, thanks.....but a lot simpler. I want to keep the OEM windows on the front and sides.

It looks like a Brinks truck! Cool