convertable top motor/lifters

[dynamic88]

i have a 65 dynamic 88 convertable im redoing. i recently tore the convertable rails and everything out to clean them up and repaint. i think the motor and lifters are shot and will cost about $600.00 to rplace everything. im thinking that the top will spend 95% of its time down anyway, so why bother spending all that money to replace motor and lifters. could a guy just pull the top up by hand if he wanted to put it up in case of rain or does it require the motor and lifters to get it up?????

[Tedd Thompson]

Dynamic88,

We had to do exactly that this past weekend, as we lost one of our hydraulic rams. It's easy enough to manually raise and lower the top of our 55 Olds convertable. You will have to unhook the lifters before you can do it manually. Also, it is easier to put down than it is to get back up. For us, it takes two to put it up again. Since you plan to use it down most of the time, I think you're on the right track.

Good luck.

Tedd

[joe_padavano]

GMs with manual convertible tops used springs in place of the hydraulic cylinders to offload the weight of the top. Good luck finding those today.

[dynamic88]

thanks alot. i now somethings are getting harder to find. im thinking for no more than that top will be up. i might try it with out the motor and cylinders. if its to much of a pain then i can always put them back on.