Top Bow Brackets

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:36 pm

Subject: Top Bow Brackets: M38 and M38A1
Status: Reproduction
Sold By: Midwest Military, Army Jeep Parts, Peter Debella, Ron Fitzpatrick, etc

Review:

Shape/ Appearance:
I have not bought any, but did get a chance to look at these and talked to a couple of folks who used them. They look very close to the originals, and probably indistinguishable.

Fit/Function:
I was told they fit and worked just like the originals.

Summary:
A good quality reproduction part.

Rating: 9.5 (1- 10, 10 highest)

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:53 am

Check the posting thread here on bow brackets.

Ron Fitzpatrick has some impressive reproduction top bows.

OKCM38CDN · Post by **OKCM38CDN** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:05 am

I bought a set of reproduction top bows for my M-38 from Bensinger at the 2007 convention. They work fine so far except there is no holes drilled for the bracket from the windshield to the top bows...

That dimension is needed to purchase these and install them correctly. At this point I do not have a top so they are just in the storage position...

I think all the bows are made by MD Juan so they are all the same... big problem is shipping them as they are oversize and shipping costs add up.

Hope this helps...

Post by **Ryan_Miller** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:13 am

Hal,

Ron makes his here in the states. He posted a close up of the hinged portion on the other thread and they look exact to originals.

OKCM38CDN · Post by **OKCM38CDN** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:33 pm

The only problem I had was the lack of holes for the top brackets, does he add those?

If so then they are better than the ones I bought...

Post by **wesk** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:44 pm

You really don't want the brace rod holes in there until you actually fit the top and the doors. Windshields have a strong tendency to not all be at the same perfect angle to the cowl so the top edge of the windhield position will vary and you can do better job of tightening up the top and lining up the top edge of the door with the top if you wait to drill those holes when you are certain where you want them.

OKCM38CDN · Post by **OKCM38CDN** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:50 pm

So were they custom drilled at the factory or were they drilled per a template...

If they were manufactured they were most likely predrilled and thus that would be factory correct. IMO...

If they were custom drilled then that would be correct...

See my point...

Post by **wesk** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:56 am

Be reasonable here

In all likly hood they were all pre-drilled at the factory. My point here is due to so many lard arses pulling on the windshields over half a century to lift their butts out of the jeep every windshield has a different tilt now. I never said above that factory original bows did not have holes. I said it is better if the bows you buy today don't have them drilled yet.