Convertible Top Issues

[warmblood58]

So this '64 car has been sitting for many months. I can hear noise coming from the trunk when I depress the top down switch but rear hatch does not open. Can it be that linkages etc are stiff and seized from non op situation? Is there a manual release lever or other to manually release rear hatch? Other thoughts convertible top experts? Thanks!

[jopizz]

There's no manual release for the trunk. The only way to manually open the trunk is to remove the two bolts on the inner fender wells behind the rear tires. That will release the two screw locks and you will be able to lift the trunk slightly. However if there's fluid in the pump and cylinders it won't be easy to completely lift the lid. Does the noise sound like a motor running. Can you see the trunk lid start to move when you hit the switch. The first thing that should happen is the screw locks turn and the trunk lid raises about an inch. Then the pump motor will start turning and the lid should go up.

John

[warmblood58]

Today, I could hear motor sound (from trunk) when depressing down switch but no no deck lid movement . . . . .this sound repeated maybe 5 times each time I attempted to lower top and then no sound. Overheated relay perhaps?

[YellowRose]

Convertible Top Issues

James, if you have not done so, go to the Technical Resource Library (TRL) and push the Ctrl and F (for Find) key on your keyboard. Type in Convertible Top and it will take you right to that section. Look for and click on the link to Troubleshooting Convertible Top-60-66 and you will find detailed information there regarding these convertible tops. Also, the wiring schematics for the Flairbird are in the TRL also. Hopefully this will be a big help to you. The link to the TRL is always part of mine and jopizz's signature element, making them easy to find. Or you can go to the Technical Resource Library sub-Forum and access from there. Good luck with troubleshooting and fixing that problem.

[warmblood58]

Thank you Ray!

[warmblood58]

Question: I pulled rear seats to better assess non op rear top. I think filling the pump would be a major pain that way but doable. Can I pull pins/clevis clips off rams that are closest to back seat and lift rear deck lid this way? This top has been not been opened in 10 years so guessing relays need to be pulled and contacts cleaned up based on what I have read from the resource board. Upon pushing up/down switch the other day we heard electric motor running but no lift . . . repeated this 3-4 more times and then no more motor sound so my guess is that one of the circuit breakers blew from heating up. Are these circuit breakers easy to get to from the back seat access location and where are they? I shown my light around and did not see them. Any fuse locations in engine bay/interior that I also need to be aware of? Thanks!

[jopizz]

Those cylinders are for the top, not the trunk lid. Pulling those pins won't help you at all. There are circuit breakers near the solenoid; there are also circuit breakers in the trunk that are not accessible from the back seat. Most of the top circuit breakers are slo-blo. They will reset themselves after a few minutes. If you can reach the deck open relay you can jumper the wires in the plug and bypass the relay. That may open the trunk. The relay locations and how to jumper them are in the convertible troubleshooting manual in the Technical Resource Library.

John

[jopizz]

If you have not removed the two bolts holding the screw locks down then try to jumper the deck unlock relay. The deck needs to be unlocked first before the pump will activate to raise the deck lid.

John

[warmblood58]

If you have not removed the two bolts holding the screw locks down then try to jumper the deck unlock relay. The deck needs to be unlocked first before the pump will activate to raise the deck lid.

John

Thanks John!

[warmblood58]

If you have not removed the two bolts holding the screw locks down then try to jumper the deck unlock relay. The deck needs to be unlocked first before the pump will activate to raise the deck lid.

John

John, I am going to make a jump connection per the resource board - aligator clip to a power source? One of the solenoids?

[jopizz]

Use the flat bus bar that runs between the relays if you can. That has power all the time; even with the key off.

John

[warmblood58]

Use the flat bus bar that runs between the relays if you can. That has power all the time; even with the key off.

John

Got it, thanks John!