Continuing Top Problems 59 Retracble

[Suainie]

I purchased this car earlier this year and the seller told me that he had purchased the car from a private museum in North Carolina. After receiving the car I saw on the title that he had owned it for 7 1/2 years and only put 55 miles on it during that time period. I also assume that it probably sat in the museum for quite some time. Consequently the transmission gaskets started leaking, the wheel cylinders were froze up, etc.

The top worked fine a few times and then it would stop about 3/4 of the way up. If I reversed the direction a few inches and then tried again it would go on up. The more I tried to put the top up the less it would raise. I finally took it to a local shop who restores antique vehicles. He had never worked on a retractable but I had the technical manual which I had ordered from IRFC and he felt confident he could find the problem. I talked with him on Friday and he said the circuit breaker under the dash needed replaced and then it worked okay but then it was not raising properly again.

I saw him Sunday at a local cruise in and he said that on Saturday it was trying to do two things at once but he was busy and did not go into detail.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Harold Suain
14 Process Rd
Fieldale, VA 24089

276 629 1068
716 904 2572 (cell)

suain@yahoo.com

suainie@gmail.com

[Dave Owens]

The breakers controlling the top motors will trip if the current flowing through them to the motor is higher than their rating. So the question is why is the motor load higher than normal. Grease in the jack gear boxes and on the jack screws can become hard over time. I would start with a complete cleaning and re-greasing of the jack screws and gear boxes. Also a light lubrication of the hinge points for the top linkage should be done.

[Suainie]

Thanks Dave. I will check. I also received a call from Wayne Rollins. I really appreciate the help from the forum.

[Suainie]

After talking with Wayne Rollins we found the wiring harness in the right hand side of the trunk area had bare spots on three of the wires. In fact one of them had broken all of the wire except two strands. That is why the top would start to go up and then stop - it just wasn't able to get enough power through two strands of wire to raise the top any further. Thanks to everyone for their help.