1966 Top hydraulic cylinders - this doesn't look right ???

[ShaginWagon]

Hello experts,

I am starting to restore a 1967 (edit: it is actually a 1966) Convertible that has been sitting for a dozen years. So far I have it running, stopping, most windows working (passenger front not working), but the top is giving me problems. Using the dash switch, the truck lid opens without issue, the top releases from the windshield and tries to move, but it just stalls. The top pump was empty, so I refilled and I can hear the motor working, but the cylinders do not move (They are leaking also), my concern is that the shafts are curved (bent?), is this normal? I have attached pictures.

[Dan Szwarc]

Shafts should be straight. These are absolutely destroyed. Not normal.

They must be replaced.

They probably overtraveled due to a faulty top down limit switch. The odd part is they’re out which is for top down, but your top is up. What cluster of f*cks is this? I don’t understand how this happened.


If you don’t have electrical or hydraulic experience, you are in for a world of hurt.

[ShaginWagon]

Thanks for the reply Dan:
I think I can work thru this, but I will say, this car has challenged me so far.

1. Just to clarify - "top down" = folded back and in the trunk? and "top up" = closed and attached to windshield?

2. When I remove the cylinders, can I manually fold the top down into the trunk. ?

Mike

[LithiumCobalt]

Wow, those are FUBAR. Don’t know that I’ve seen that here in all the time I’ve been around these cars. Replacements definitely in order.

On another note, looks like you have a russet metallic car. Beautiful color.

[Dan Szwarc]

Thanks for the reply Dan:
I think I can work thru this, but I will say, this car has challenged me so far.

1. Just to clarify - "top down" = folded back and in the trunk? and "top up" = closed and attached to windshield?

Yes to both. This applies whether the deck is opened or closed as normally, the deck can be opened and closed without initiating a top up or down cycle just by stopping at any time.

2. When I remove the cylinders, can I manually fold the top down into the trunk. ?

You and at least one strong friend. It is pretty heavy and it needs support from both sides.

You can disconnect the cylinders from the mechanism by pulling the pins. Don’t lose the bushings and spacers when you get the rods out.

I’ll see if I have any pics of my top mechanism in the up and down positions. Yours still hurts my brain.

[ShaginWagon]

On another note, looks like you have a russet metallic car. Beautiful color.

Yes, russet metallic. It had a respray at some point.

[bd94s10]

Love the color! Ouch! Looks to me that the top was locked and someone kept holding the switch to try and put the top down which caused the cylinders to be massively tweaked.

Time to call Hydro-E-Lectric - https://www.hydroe.com/search/

They also have an eBay store which you can checkout. If you call them and order and mention you saw them on eBay they might offer a slight discount due to not having to pay eBay fees.

[Lee]

I’m shocked to see the bent rods. Never seen that. I thought there was an over-pressure bypass on the pump as a fail safe to prevent that. Maybe a shear pin, at least?

[Mike]

That's crazy. You'd think that mounts or lines or something else would break before it got to the pressure it would take to bend those.

[frasern]

It was not the pump that did that, hydraulics don't work that way, someone forced it. And that square linkage is in the wrong position, so something else is wrong in there.
To start, pull both cylinders and inspect the mount to body, it may have been cracked, then look for bent or broken links. It can be fixed, but I think it will take more than cylinders.

[ShaginWagon]

I have 2x new cylinders on order at Hydro. I agree there is something not correct with the square bracket/pivot area, I was able to open the top manually about halfway before it binds on the pivot mechanism and will not fold completely into the truck. . Can someone send me a pic of this area to see how it rests in the normally closed position (lid open, top in the up position.

[Dan Szwarc]

Top down.

[frasern]

I can't get those pictures right now, and my computer ate all the old pictures, but there may be some in our photo gallery here. (Edit, never mind, Dan got it). look for any cracked or lifting paint on the linkages connected to that bar. The brackets that hold those cylinders to the body are known to crack, you may(?) be able to see more with the back seat out. I will look a little closer tomorrow, but the top is down on my car, and it can't go up in the garage.

[Dan Szwarc]

Ok, someone seriously modified the mechanism, probably just to raise the top, but here’s some pics of how the orientation should look.

My top is half-way up in these pics. The package tray is at a 45 degree angle and the top is pointing straight to the sky.

45 degree package tray position

Crossbar to package tray bracket

In the second pic, look at the green and blue highlights. The crossbar angle has been shifted from the package tray bracket.

You need to disconnect the pistons as mentioned, disconnect the crossbar bracket from the package tray bracket, then rotate it about 180° forward, then reconnect the crossbar. Then lower the top manually, replace the pistons, reconnect, then try jumpering the relays to raise the top to verify.

There are other steps I skipped, but you have a starting point.

[bd94s10]

Well I will say that was just my thought on possibly what happened. I'm not 100% sure but others chimed in on what they think as well. Good luck! Def seems odd that it is tweaked so much!