Canvas
I purchased canvas for my bed from New Life Resource Management in Vermont. I decided to use them for the bed canvas instead of Weebee Webbing since I heard from another owner that they had added some extra flaps to his in order to reduce flapping at highway speeds and the shipping was included in the cost of the canvas. The canvas is 383 green in order to have a closer match to the truck's USMC Forest Green paint. I am really happy with the quality of the top and the other pieces that I ordered along with it: bow storage straps, pioneer tool straps, first aid kit strap, bed cover roll up straps (with rivets that I attached to my old bow corner clips), and an in cab storage pouch.
I had Judith add a couple of extra flaps to the inside of the bed cover in order to reduce flapping of the canvas when going down the road at speed. The two flaps secure the top to the ridge pole halfway between the center bow and the front and rear bows and do an excellent job of keeping the canvas in place at 65mph. I was charged an additional $25 in December 2001 to have them installed.
I had previously purchased tailgate chain covers and seat covers from Dave and Donna at Weebee Webbing while attending the Helen on Wheels rally in Helen, GA. I am very happy with the work that they did. I purchased the seat covers with the original style grommets and rope and installed them in one winter evening.
In addition to photos of the canvas on my truck, Photo Page Seven has some shots of Scott's NOS canvas grill cover included in the Stewart Warner winterization kit.
Several members of the forum have asked why it seems that none of the firms fabricating canvas for the trucks carry winterfronts. I contacted Judith at New Life Resource Management to ask about the possibilities of her making winterfronts and received this reply on January 18, 2002:
"We do have a pattern for the M37 winterfront and get a small amount of call for
them every year. But we don't make them. The biggest reason we don't is that they use an
oblong grommet, which is available, but only in very large quantities. The setting tool
for the oblong grommet is very expensive, as well, so given that we might sell about 5 a
year, it doesn't make good business sense to tool up. They also use a very small spring
buckle, which is available, but, again, only in very large quantities. So, the most we've
done with them is rehabbed NOS ones where the hardware was rusty, etc.
The other drawback to the user is that you have to drill holes in your truck so you can
screw the little wire loops on. These are what go through the oblong grommets, and then a
lace goes through the wire loops to hold the whole thing to the truck. Most people don't
want to make holes in their truck.
My suggestion is to use a cardboard "thermostat" which is what we have done here
in Vermont. Very cheap and effective. Or, we could make a military style winterfront with
a different attachment method than the original. But, we've never found a really
good attachment method that works as well as the original."
A copy of an email that I sent out in October 2004 that reiterates a bit from above but with contact info:
The place that I purchased my cargo canvas and a set of straps (along with a cab cover)
from is New Life Resource Management in Vermont. Judith Peach is an
owner/production manager and is very customer oriented. My cargo cover has a pair of extra
flaps on the inside top to add two more attachment points to the ridge pole to reduce
flapping at highway speeds that she was able to add with very little extra cost or effort,
and she provides free materials samples upon request. Top (and all the other items I have
ordered from her, are of very high quality, prices are very reasonable, and she pays the
shipping in CONUS.
Her contact info is:
New Life Resource Management
418 N. Main Street
PO Box 176
Bakersfield, VT 05441
voice 802-827-6124
fax 802-827-3660
nlrm@together.net
My second choice for canvas is WeeBee Webbing. Dave and Donna also do excelent work and
are very customer oriented. I have used thier products with great
success and tend to order from them when I am attending a show where they can deliver the
items to me. They do not include shipping in their prices, so things are less expensive
from them then from Judith if I can pick them up in person.
Contact info is:
http://www.odcloth.com/
WEEBEE WEBBING
341 Township Road 286
Richmond Ohio 43944
CALL TOLL FREE:
1-888-ODCLOTH
(1-888-632-5684)
OR
Order by FAX:
(740) 765-5357