M35 Cargo bed cover mods

[DutchmanZ]

I'd like to find a used canvas cargo cover for the M35. Does anyone have one they would sell and ship? I dont think the vinyl covers would look the part on my old girl. Honestly, with it being Strata blue, I'm not sure any of them will look good but I want it for a parade cover

 

[Mullaney]

I'd like to find a used canvas cargo cover for the M35. Does anyone have one they would sell and ship? I dont think the vinyl covers would look the part on my old girl. Honestly, with it being Strata blue, I'm not sure any of them will look good but I want it for a parade cover

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Very recently somebody here on a Memorial Day Parade run had what appeared to be a custom (possibly homemade) cover on their Deuce. It was a white cover - reflecting the heat a whole lot better than a green one would.

I couldn't really tell if the sides were rolled up or maybe just not there. Truck had regular Bows and Uprights. To me, it looked like a nice way to stay out of the sun...

It could be that a local canvas shop cold make something like that for you. I noticed that you hale from Pantego, North Carolina. Maybe near the water maybe you could find a local boat top shop if they are creative enough to make a "bikini top" for your truck?

 

[kendelrio]

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Very recently somebody here on a Memorial Day Parade run had what appeared to be a custom (possibly homemade) cover on their Deuce. It was a white cover - reflecting the heat a whole lot better than a green one would.

I couldn't really tell if the sides were rolled up or maybe just not there. Truck had regular Bows and Uprights. To me, it looked like a nice way to stay out of the sun...

I believe you are talking about @texas30cal setup.

It is a great idea, and he went a step further and "C" clamps the stakes a little higher so passengers can stand up in the bed without hitting their heads.

He can tell you better what material he used and how it all went together.

I thought about raising mine too, as it was almost as dark as a cave back there, even with the sides up!

 

[texas30cal]

This was a improvised shade for parades . I used a 9x12 white tarp from Amazon , zip ties to the front and rear bows, and a simple bungee at each bow to hold it down. As Ken said I raised the bows up and used a 1-1/2” c clamp to hold them up. The whole thing takes less than 10 min to install. It is NOT good for driving with at speed though, about 25-30 is max.

Nitrodiver also raised his bows WITHOUT c clamps (which I may copy). He figured out the height he wanted them at and just BELOW that drilled a hole, front to rear, through the vertical part of the troop seats that the bow slides into. He inserts a bolt/nut as a stop for the bow to rest on. I was thinking of using a safety pin with the wire retainer “bail” from a bulldog type trailer hitch so no tools are needed.

I had the same thought as Mullaney about getting a canvas made for it so there would be plenty of eyelets along front/rear to better attach it.

I thought at first that the white looked funny but I’d still do white/tan to reflect heat and provide light.

 

[texas30cal]

I do have a really nice tan cargo cover I’d sell and ship for $300 plus shipping.

 

[DutchmanZ]

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Very recently somebody here on a Memorial Day Parade run had what appeared to be a custom (possibly homemade) cover on their Deuce. It was a white cover - reflecting the heat a whole lot better than a green one would.

I couldn't really tell if the sides were rolled up or maybe just not there. Truck had regular Bows and Uprights. To me, it looked like a nice way to stay out of the sun...

It could be that a local canvas shop cold make something like that for you. I noticed that you hale from Pantego, North Carolina. Maybe near the water maybe you could find a local boat top shop if they are creative enough to make a "bikini top" for your truck?

I have a friend that does boat tops and upholstery but the good fabric is rather expensive. I’ll have him price out just a bikini style top. I read on down and really like the white top/tarp idea from Texas50.

 

[DutchmanZ]

I do have a really nice tan cargo cover I’d sell and ship for $300 plus shipping.

Message sent on the cover!

 

[Mullaney]

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I love it!
THIS kind of discussion and information sharing is what this outfit is really all about.

 

[ToddJK]

I don't know why, but when I listen or read about others discussing canvas cargo covers on a deuce, I picture the deuce in Tremors 2 in my head, lol.

 

[DutchmanZ]

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I love it!
THIS kind of discussion and information sharing is what this outfit is really all about.

Agreed! Of the many sites I’m a member of, SS is the best. Rarely do you see the keyboard morons who go out of their way to insult or belittle others for no reason.

 

[m715mike]

I really like the set-up that @Nitrodiver and @texas30cal have and plan to do the same for parades. Fortunately, I have a set of HEMTT uprights and bows that are the perfect height and allow someone to stand up in the bed (I won’t have to raise the Deuce uprights).

I don’t have a good picture, but Nitrodiver lowers the first set of uprights (i.e., closest to the cab) so there is a good transition from the cab top to the raised bed cover.

 

[texas30cal]

There is a good pic of nitrodivers setup that Ken posted to fb.

 

[m715mike]

There is a good pic of nitrodivers setup that Ken posted to fb.

 

[DutchmanZ]

I made a trip out to White Owl and bought all the cover supports. I had enquirer about a cargo cover on the phone but he said they were out of them. While I dug through the stacks of supports, I asked the guy helping if they had any tops. He said we could look but he didn’t think so. We found 2 in a container labeled M36 but the one top was labeled M35. One stop shopping! I got everything I needed at one time. It’s a 3 color camo top too. BTW, I also ordered the white tarp from Amazon.

 

[ToddJK]

I made a trip out to White Owl and bought all the cover supports. I had enquirer about a cargo cover on the phone but he said they were out of them. While I dug through the stacks of supports, I asked the guy helping if they had any tops. He said we could look but he didn’t think so. We found 2 in a container labeled M36 but the one top was labeled M35. One stop shopping! I got everything I needed at one time. It’s a 3 color camo top too. BTW, I also ordered the white tarp from Amazon.

Nice. The top, is it vinyl? If so, there's paint specifically for vinyl if you wanted it to match your truck better. I know I have touched up a few spots on my vinyl cab top due to fading and it actually worked, not even peeling or anything so far and that's just normal Rust-Oleum rattle can paint.

 

[DutchmanZ]

Nice. The top, is it vinyl? If so, there's paint specifically for vinyl if you wanted it to match your truck better. I know I have touched up a few spots on my vinyl cab top due to fading and it actually worked, not even peeling or anything so far and that's just normal Rust-Oleum rattle can paint.

It’s a vinyl cover. I tried fitting it but it’s about a foot and a half too long so I’m going to call tomorrow and have them measure the other one. No rubber rope so it’s loose in the pic.

 

[ToddJK]

It’s a vinyl cover. I tried fitting it but it’s about a foot and a half too long so I’m going to call tomorrow and have them measure the other one. No rubber rope so it’s loose in the pic.

View attachment 870007

Dang, that sucks. If the other one is a M36 cover, maybe someone on here needs one or is willing to trade a M35 cover for it, that is if the seller doesn't accept returns.

 

[ZiggyO]

That looks like a 5 ton cover--- look at the side roll up tabs on the side of the cover and pay attention to the spacing of the two near the front.

 

[DutchmanZ]

That looks like a 5 ton cover--- look at the side roll up tabs on the side of the cover and pay attention to the spacing of the two near the front.

Can you elaborate on that info? The side roll ups have a plastic hook on the webbing that hooks to the metal ring on the outside. What I think is the rear panel has 2 large triangles with webbing for attachment. The length between the seams at the front and back bow point is 13’6”.

 

[ZiggyO]

First off, I took the below pic off google images (I don't know whose truck it is nor do I have affiliation with them). Look at the hook tabs near the top of the cover (in this pic they look like gray-ish circles). See how they line up with the uprights for the bows-- now look on the 5 ton how the forward two bows have a closer spacing to one another compared to the spacing for the rest of the bows. When you compare the below image to your cover, it looks like the spacing on the tabs is the same with the front two being closer together. That is what I immediately thought of when I saw the pic of your cover.

Z