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61 convertible top motor

Started by tbenson, May 30, 2009, 05:01:37 PM

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tbenson

my new to me 61 convertible top needs added assistance until i get it halfway up when the motor can handle the rest. How difficult/costly is it to change this out so it doesn't take 2 people to put the top up. Is it possible to manually put the top up and down without using the motor. How would I go about doing this.

The Tassie Devil(le)

Have you checked the Fluid Level?

A Hydraulic System needs fluid to operate.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

jaxops

Check for hydraulic leaks behind your rear seat.  Replacing the motor and hydraulic arms is not too difficult.  I bought a replacement unit for my 70 Electra, and my wife and I did it in the garage.  The trick is to bleed the air out and pull in the hydraulic fluid by operating the top with the fluid in a jar using head/gravity pressure to send fluid in through a tube.  We put that together ourselves as well.  I got our parts from Hydro-E-lectric: http://www.hydroe.com/.  The instructions that come with are a great help, and you can ask the Hydro-E-Lectric guys on the phone and they will explain the process to you as well.
1970 Buick Electra Convertible
1956 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine
1949 Cadillac Series 75 Imperial Limousine
1979 Lincoln Continental
AACA, Cadillac-LaSalle Club #24591, ASWOA

paul

check fluid level. it may just be low. im not sure is brake fluid that year or trans fluid. Spray your joints where top bows move . they may be dry. Also a dry older top can cause diddicultys at the latching end. when i had my convertible i used the top every day only puttiing it at night when i parked the car. Ot keeps everything moving and stretched. Expect cylinders to start leaking at piston seal if they havent been replaced. But not right away. Use it and lube it and it should be trouble free. I think hydro electrics and there a guy in fla Just convertiibles that sells and rebuilds original top pumps. Good luck.