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I have a canvas top on my M37. I've had older commercial pickups from the 1950s with no headliner, just the bare metal on the roof.

I swear my M37 is not only warmer in the winter with the canvas top, it is also cooler in the summer with the canvas top.

Yet, I've been asked by a lot of people if I freeze in the winter. I am NEVER cold in my M37. It has a great heater and no windshield defroster. Yet, my windshield has never had ice on it. I'm thinking it's because the windshield is flat and, straight up and down. Where as conventional windshield are typically "wrap around and, at an angle.

In other words... dew falls and lands on the conventional windshield and freezes up over night. Where as the M37 windshield being straight up and down catches no falling dew.

You're on the right track on the ice formation. I believe that regular glass forms ice because it points up and radiates heat out into "space". Glass like in the '37 is pointed at things which retain heat, like the woods, your house, etc.

Or something like that.

I think the angle of the glass and the dark color of the metal has alot do to with frost not forming. I know color has much to do with it. Example, my wife's car is a dark gun metal grey. My F150 is white. Both vehicles windshields have similar angles to them. Both vehicles are parked next to each other in the driveway at night. On certain days I come out to go to work and I have to scrape the ice off my truck Yet, my wife's car will just be wet, no ice at all.

I do not know the science behind the frost question. All I know is that these guys talk about putting on a defroster kit and I just shake my head.
On several of my MV's, I just run a good heater in the cab and have never had a problem with frost on the windshield.

I have however fought fog during a snow storm or when it is raining.

I only use my defroster as a defogger. Whether or not your windows fog up has to do with inside/outside temp. difference and relative humidity. My windows fog up just because I'm breathing in my truck. I tried driving once without breathing - didn't turn out so well. . Of course, if you have a leaky water driven heater in the cab, that's a completely different story ....

I'll leave the other "fogging up the windows" jokes to your imagination.

" My windows fog up just because I'm breathing in my truck. I tried driving once without breathing - didn't turn out so well. .

I think that you are 100% right on this one. But I have the fender heater and only use the defroster to defog the glass. As far as getting warm enough I can only say that by the cold air gets warmed up by the heater and gets into the truck its not that warm. In fact I personaly think it leaves a lot to be desired.

mattveeder wrote:As far as getting warm enough I can only say that by the cold air gets warmed up by the heater and gets into the truck its not that warm. In fact I personaly think it leaves a lot to be desired.

One reason I went with the "in the cab" heater. You're heating the air in the cab, not trying to heat outside air and bring it in.....