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I recently am debating on buying this power top setup. I'm taking it apart to see if it'll be worth the effort.
I always wanted one for my NOM, originally Hard Top only '59 corvette. The PO installed a soft top in 1970. He told me he bought it loose and installed it a few years later.
This power top system is quite complete. All pics HERE
I just started into it. There's fluid in this one. Probably some water too so I have my work cut out for me.
If I decide to buy it I'll do a full tilt rebuild and installation procedure inside this thread. The harnesses are in really nice condition and the switches look good and do the "clicks" just fine. I would add extra fuse protection and my relay modification for the solenoid valves like I did a year ago for that '56 power top.
I need a new soft top anyways so I'll test it with the old vinyl rag first, then if all goes well i'll put my new black Hartz top on it that I bought from a nice forum member last year in Lakeland at the Winter Regional.
Rich, I'm guessing you've seen the thread above. It has lots of links to other power top articles and threads, including JohnZ's article on just this item. Good luck.
Those things are more about "form" than "function"........Of course,
I'm right there with you, as I love gadgets. It really looks pretty decent.
Several years back, I rebuilt and installed one on a 57 that I had. It worked perfectly, but as you know, it's quite an ordeal to "put the top up".
At the car shows, the guys who knew how the tops would work, would come to me during the morning hours, and tell me that there was a chance of rain around 3:00, so that I had time to get it up and latched.
Those things are more about "form" than "function"........Of course,
I'm right there with you, as I love gadgets. It really looks pretty decent.
Several years back, I rebuilt and installed one on a 57 that I had. It worked perfectly, but as you know, it's quite an ordeal to "put the top up".
At the car shows, the guys who knew how the tops would work, would come to me during the morning hours, and tell me that there was a chance of rain around 3:00, so that I had time to get it up and latched.
Mike Coletta
I always thought it would be slick to have a Power top from a "novelty"point of view,
but from the practical side, I could never justify it. Too much unnecessary complexity with the hydraulic design
of that system and all it's components. That being said, Rich I will enjoy watching you do your magic on it : smash:
Those things are more about "form" than "function"........Of course,
I'm right there with you, as I love gadgets. It really looks pretty decent.
Several years back, I rebuilt and installed one on a 57 that I had. It worked perfectly, but as you know, it's quite an ordeal to "put the top up".
At the car shows, the guys who knew how the tops would work, would come to me during the morning hours, and tell me that there was a chance of rain around 3:00, so that I had time to get it up and latched.
Mike Coletta
I laughed silly hard when I read that.
I got that '56 top running it's cycles in a bout 20 seconds......but then again, in a downpour the car could fill up and sink before it got latched.
Originally Posted by Ken Sungela
I'm guessing not, but does anyone make an aftermarket power top system for a C1?
I recall we talked about that in the thread linked above. Could probably do it with electric cylinders like the Restomod guys do. Problem is the control circuit to sequence the decklid and the top frame correctly. Still need switches and relays and maybe a digital circuit to keep it all properly aligned.
Hmmm, I have a digital electronics background.....hmmmm.
Originally Posted by Pilot Dan
I always thought it would be slick to have a Power top from a "novelty"point of view,
but from the practical side, I could never justify it. Too much unnecessary complexity with the hydraulic design
of that system and all it's components. That being said, Rich I will enjoy watching you do your magic on it : smash:
I would just do it for the "cool" factor, just like some of the Restomod guys do it for the hoods and DVD pop up players, etc. Oh, and Mark's '69 Restomod even has a motorized electric pop up wiper door. It is very cool to watch.
Mark, we need a video clip!
Only difference is how old the stuff is that makes all this stuff work. Relaibility? That's the problem with the old stuff.
My experience with hydraulic tops of this era is that many were filled with brake fluid from the factory. When I rebuilt the hydraulics on my '67 GTO 30 years ago, I used brake fluid, and battled seized up pump impellers for about 5 years. If I let it sit without lowering the top every few weeks, the pump would seize from moisture/corrosion from the water absorbed by the brake fluid. I ended up dumping the brake fluid about 20 years ago and installing ATF, and haven't had a single issue since. So, word of wisdom: when you get it up and running, use ATF, not brake fluid.
those things are more about "form" than "function"........of course,
i'm right there with you, as i love gadgets. It really looks pretty decent.
Several years back, i rebuilt and installed one on a 57 that i had. It worked perfectly, but as you know, it's quite an ordeal to "put the top up".
At the car shows, the guys who knew how the tops would work, would come to me during the morning hours, and tell me that there was a chance of rain around 3:00, so that i had time to get it up and latched.
Yup, but actually, once you do all of the preparation to hit the button, it only takes about 20 seconds to go up or down. The prep takes much longer. But that prep is the same as no Power Top.
Its the hold-up straps that delay the process, one each side. It's a must with a PT to latch those properly before the down cycle.
Something I've wondered about as I too considered putting in the power top option on my 59: Can the top still be raised manually in case the power motor fails? With all of the hydraulics attached, it seems that manually putting up the top could be difficult if not impossible.
Something I've wondered about as I too considered putting in the power top option on my 59: Can the top still be raised manually in case the power motor fails? With all of the hydraulics attached, it seems that manually putting up the top could be difficult if not impossible.
It's very difficult as the fluid gives resistance. Typically, the links on the top frame and decklid cylinders must be removed for movement.
If a solenoid valve is stuck or defective, it may not move at all. There is no bypass valve fitted originally to allow easy movement with all hardware connected.
Just keep a pair of pliers handy to pull the cotter pins on the cylinders.
In the many years I played with C1's I have never seen in person a power top that worked completely. I had a 56 and the only part I could get working was the panel behind the seats would go up and down. I found a you tube video of a 57 showing top working. Very impressive.
In the many years I played with C1's I have never seen in person a power top that worked completely. I had a 56 and the only part I could get working was the panel behind the seats would go up and down. I found a you tube video of a 57 showing top working. Very impressive.
Maybe you didn't see my work on a 56 PT system last year. It was my first attempt at a restoration of a system. Post#2 has the link to my original thread.
Maybe you didn't see my work on a 56 PT system last year. It was my first attempt at a restoration of a system. Post#2 has the link to my original thread.
Thanks for bringing to my attention, I do not know how I missed it. Super neat. In the you tube video the guy did the same thing you did. And that was when the top was going towards the windshield header you (and the you tube) just let the top hit on the windshield header. If it was me I would grab the top and lower it gently down for fear of the pins that fit in the door post are aligned with the holes in the door post. I let my manual C1 fall down like that and the pin hit the post and cracked the chrome. But you for sure know more about it then I do. When I purchased my 56 some 35 years ago I could not believe that the power top was standard equipment. I though why put power on a little top like that. Now that I'm an old man, I know why. Very hard on the back lifting top up and down.
The power top I installed on my 1960 over 3 years ago still works. In the summer, it goes up or comes down in around 24 seconds. Much slower in the winter time. My only regret was not figuring out how to refurbish the original motor so that the RPM was close to the original RPM. My motor turned very slow and would not have raised the top fast enough to suit me. Rich had not started on a power top when I embarked on my power top installation.
Joe
10-24-2015, 09:03 AM
1959 Power Top - Here we go again !!!
