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#1
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1969 firebird top stuck down
Stupid question. Put the top down for the summer. I am putting the car away for the winter. Top is down. motor does not run with switch. Need to get the top up to check the wires at the motor. How can I get it up. Can I muscle it up with 2 people? Any ideas helpful.
Thanks Jim 209-601-4408 |
#2
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The power top on my '64 Le Mans project car has been inoperable ever since I purchased it.
I can get inside the car and raise and lower it by myself, two people doing it would certainly be much easier.
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1964 Tempest Coupe LS3/4L70E/3.42 1964 Le Mans Convertible 421 HO/TH350/2.56 2002 WS6 Convertible LS1/4L60E/3.23 |
#3
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I'd start by bypassing the switch under the dash, it's the most common cause of failure by far. Run 12 volts direct to the two wire harness plug off the switch. (One wire is up the other is down)
If that doesn't do it then either muscle it up with slow steady upward pressure of pulling up by two people if possible. Another option is to pull the rear seats and armrests to then release the pins on the hydraulic cylinders.
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My Break Away Squad 1969 Fbird (Base, 350, 400HO & Sprint Cvt’s - 400HO & TA Hardtops) 1969 LeMans (2dr & 4dr Hardtop and a Cvt) 1969 LeMans Safari 2 seat Wagon 1969 GTO (2 Cvt, 2 Hardtops & Judge Hardtop) 1969 Catalina (3 Cvt’s & a 2dr hardtop) 1969 Ventura 2 Seat Wagon 1969 Executive 4dr Sedan 1969 Bonnie Cvt 1969 Bonnie 3 Seat Wagon (2 of them) 1969 Bonnie Brougham (4dr Hardtop & Cvt) 1969 Grand Prix SJ (2 of them) 1969 2+2 2dr Hardtop (Canadian model) |
#4
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You can unbolt the cylinders on each side and raise and lower it by hand. THere is just 1 bolt on the top of each cylinder.
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#5
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Top up
Got the top up. I ran a "hot wire" from the battery to the motor - one terminal was up, the other down. The manual says there is a top circuit breaker as there is a bar in the fuse block. Where is the circuit breaker located? I hope that is the problem, but it may be a bad wire or the switch itself. The hydraulics were full, so you can not just pull the top up.
Thanks Jim |
#6
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At work right now and don't remember exactly, but on the firewall either between the wiper motor and master cylinder or to the outside of the master cylinder. It is the rectangle block with two wire studs.
DanC
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------------------------------ 1968 Firebird Convertable - my original HS car! 1978 Firebird Esprit "survior" 1930 Ford Model A Coupe .. (original) 1994 Buick .."TowMaster" ...woody wagon |
#7
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Most of the time it is the switch. You can take the connection off of the switch and just use a jumper wire between hot and down\up on the back of the wire connection. That will let you know it is the switch.
The old switches can be taken apart and rebuilt. The new repop switches can be taken apart, respring and clean up the the connection to reuse if not burned. Most of the time it is the "up" mode that burns up. If the down is working you have a bad switch.
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68 400 HO 4sp Convertible Firebird400HO.com My 68 firebird 400 HO convertible Restoration Gallery |
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