hello everyone
i got a 73 delta 88 convertible but the guy who owned it before deinstalled the 2 motors + gears for the convertible tops.
Does anybody know a good ressource to get these or alternative parts ?

alex

 

Welcome, Alex.

I see that you are in Germany, so a local junk yard will probably not have what you need.

These people should have most of what you need, but it won't be cheap.

By the way, there is only one motor for the top.
It uses cables to activate two gear-reduction units, one on each side of the back seat, which raise and lower the top.

Good luck with it - the "scissors top" is notoriously difficult to work with!

- Eric

 

hey eric,
hehe german junk yards are rare with olds parts ^^

i saw also the motors each for 225 on ebay + attached gears for additional 200... thats a lot ..

oh okay i see i just need one .. both cables are connected to one motor ?

i am thinking of using a 3rd party 12v motor gear combination to attach it on the cables , the trunk has enough space ^^

What do you mean exactly with "scissors top" - have lot of people problems with getting cuts in the vinyl while using it or are you meaning the scissor mechanic ?

alex

 

Yes, the motor is very small, and sits behind the rear seat, in front of the top well. It has an attached reduction gear, and there are two sockets for the cable, one on each side of the gearbox.


I wouldn't try that, unless you are experienced in electric motor mechanics.
The motor spins very fast and runs through two sets of reduction gears to lift the heavy top.
Also, the two sides of the top mechanism have to be synchronized, so they can't be run independently, or the top will bind.

Instead of raising up and stacking on either side of the back seat like a normal top, the scissors top bows pivot inward toward the middle of the car, and cross each other, like a pair of scissors, then stack behind the back seat instead of on the sides - it's great when it works!

- Eric

 

Today, I just picked up another set of side rails, actuators(the part you need) & the big heavy brackets they attach to. I sell these as cores to a conv. top company, they refurbish them & then resell them. I got them off a '76 Eldorado converible & I'm pretty sure they are the same from '71 to '76 on any big G.M. car? Maybe we could work out a deal? Do you need one actuator or two? Shipping would be quite a bit since they are not light.
Scott

 

Yes, they should all be the same parts.

Once Alex figures out what he's got and what he needs, they may be just the thing.

- Eric

 

hey
there are no actuators, i think hydrauluc actuatior are buld in until 72.

SO i think in my top are some mechanical parts also missing could somebody who own a 73 delta 88 post some pictures of the top mecanic so that i can see what is also missing ... :-)

thanks

 

By actuator, I mean the gear assembly, see the pix & let me know if this is it? There is supposed to be one on each side of the car. These are powered by the cables attached to the top motor.
Scott

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3b80198b.jpg

http://i856.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa61a2950.jpg

 

hey
i have a working frame i just donßt know how cinnect the gear on the frame with the frame.

As you can see on the pictures there soild be a connection betwen the metal with the hole and ehe frame

could somebody make a picture of this unig in a working mode so that i can see how they are connected

alex

 

I have the gear boxes and the cable and the motor. I am not sure if the motor works, the car I took them off of was completely painted including top bows, being restored and some reason it was junked before it was finished. I want $150 for the whole setup. Paul 818-897-4141 Paul Los Angeles

 

Hey
So i bought a colplete new one with new gears.
Installed all and the top seems to work but closes only a bit... Seems that the motor has not enough power oder someting machanical stuck.

Are there any advices to get it back to work complete?

Alex

 

The motor is not hard to disassemble to clean and lubricate - when I took mine apart, there was a little spring steel washer stuck between the stator and the rotor.

If you unscrew the cables and disconnect the wires, there are three rubber bumpers that hold the motor in place. You will probably have to break them to get it out (or some may be broken already). They are the same bumpers that are used in the Cutlass top motors (except the Cutlass uses 2), so they are easy to get, OR you can just replace them with bolts and stacks of washers, and it will work fine, but be slightly noisier.

Once the motor is out, the gear porion comes right apart, and may need to be lubricated.

The remaining motor portion is very small, and should come apart with little problem. The field coils slide out as a unit, if I recall.
It should spin easily, and may need its smooth bearings cleaned and lubricated.

Good luck

- Eric

 

hey eric
thanks for the info but i think you dinīt get my last post correct.
i bought a brand new motor, gear and cables :-)

But the top stuck wortking while opening i uploaded a youtibe video there you can see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bwh...ature=youtu.be



it also seems that the left scissor hangs a bit down but the gears are in 100% syncron position ..

alex

 

Okay. Now I understand better.

There are two things I would suggest:

1. Check the #2 top bow (the bow behind the header bow - the header bow is the one that presses to the top of the windshield, the #2 bow is the one directly over your head) -
It should be stapled to a strip of fabric that is attached to the top material.
It has a ball joint on either end, and if it comes off of the top material, it can swivel around to the front, a few centimeters behind the header bow, and jam.

2. Check the bushings - there are brass bushings at every joint in the top mechanism, and they wear out, introducing too much play, and can cause parts to bang into each other.
The top should not be "floppy" when it is stacked behind the seat.

It is normal for one side of the top to come up first - I forget which side, but it is designed to do that.

- Eric

 

hey eric

1. i checked that hat this issue weeks ago while manually close it, bit this one is okay

2. the meachanism is very floppy ...
see that
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfeTR...ature=youtu.be



is there a bushing replacement kit somewhere avialable ?

 

Yes, that looks too loose to me.

The same company I linked to earlier has a bushing kit for about US$60, if I recall.

- Eric