Posted by Paul Cook on November 08, 1999 at 12:22:58:
In Reply to: HELP! need to know dimensions of wood top bows (wc-51) posted by DAVE on November 08, 1999 at 09:52:46:
Cross section of wood uprights and top sections is 1 9/16" by 1 1/8". Length of uprights is 32 1/2". Centerline of eyebolt for safety straps is at 19 1/4" measured from bottom of upright. Length of top piece is 71". Length measurements were made using stopper indents in steel corner pieces. These are "just now" measurements from my NOS bows. I did not have an NOS roof ridge pole (the piece that runs lengthwise at the center of the top bows to maintain their spacing). I used an available piece of wood of approximately the same cross section cut to the correct length. If you do not have the ridge pole brackets, you can make them from strap steel about 7/8" wide. Bend in inverted hat channel shape to suit ridge pole and bolt to center of top bow. Drill hole through bracket to use screws or drill through the bracket and the wood bow to use carriage bolts with wing nuts for authenticity. NOS bows used square nuts that pressed into shallow (width of nut) flat-bottomed holes for mounting both ridge pole brackets and safety strap eyebolts. The press fit keeps the square nuts from turning. Uprights for center bow should be drilled for bolts and nuts for fastening to the bed brackets. (All uprights can be drilled to make them interchangeable.) Straps for holding the tarpaulin sides when rolled up are held by the upper machine screw on the steel corner piece. Good luck.