Hard top to cab bolt holes

[airbornebandsman]

Ok, do all dueces have the holes that you use to bolt the hard top to the cab or is that something that will have to be drilled if going from a soft to hard top? Thanks

 

[GoHot229]

I think they are stock, pre-drilled.

 

[CGarbee]

I've had a few cabs that did not have the holes drilled, but they did have a dimple where the hole was supposed to go. Made it real easy to drill out the hole since it was obvious where it needed to be and the bit didn't wander...

 

[boomer]

I've had a few cabs that did not have the holes drilled, but they did have a dimple where the hole was supposed to go.

It had to have been made on a Monday, or Friday.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have seen frames with and without the holes. Sounds like its not too bad of a job to drill them.

 

[GoHot229]

Drilling the holes shouldn't be too difficult if need be. Fitting the top takes very little ingenuity. If its fitted and has holes but the cab does not, simply fitting in place and drilling into the cab should be simple. But if the cab has dimples all the easier. Might be wise to mark from the inside once placed in position with a sharpie pen. A side angle drill would be the ticket then. I'd suggest you cherry out the top (slideing window) before final bolting down. Deal with rust and paint issues. But either way its a simple half hour on and off thing, even with just one person, though two is far easier. While fitting, before tightening the cab bolts, I'd make sure that the window/weatherstrip/cab all fit well and the doors close with an easy swing to completly closed and not hang up againsst the weatherstrip too tightly. Acess to all the bolts is good, the only hassel ones are dirrectly behind the driver seat, 3 I think, and they are not bad, just cramped and akward with the seat in place.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

October 30th, 2009.

Transfer punches work well for dimpling the cab wall top flange if yours doesn't have the dimples...... It seems that when I removed the hard top on my 1971 M35A2 that the bolt holes had been all drilled at the factory in the top rail, and I suspect the hard tops were made to that template too. I actually have found my soft top is warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and less apt to act as a resonator for sound. Having said that, my darn cat thinks I put that and the soft top on the Unimog for her as a bird catching hammock!

Be sure to repaint the top rail of the cab, and all contact pints on the hard top before you install, for if there's any moisture in the joints, that is where the rust will form. I don't know if any of the suppliers have a new gasket set for the two piece hard tops.

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan