Bitburger

On a 69 Cutlass with bucket seats and the short center console does the convertible top switch attach to the console (where) or to the dash ( where). Pics of correct mounting would really help.

Thanks

tru-blue 442

Just above the radio.

joe_padavano

Figure 12AA-12 in your 1969 Chassis Service Manual. All accessory switches go above the radio.

Bitburger

Thanks to both of you for the pics. I did look at the manual and figure 12AA 12 and thought that a CVT top switch would fall under the accessory category but just wanted to be sure
. I was a much younger man with a much better memory when I took the car apart. Also put a different dash in so no hole to remind me.

Brad

Bitburger

I can't seem to find anything on the service manual wiring diagram for the top switch, My switch has
a purple and a gray which I believe to be the up and down and an orange. Is the orange ground ?

When installing both the top switch and the courtesy lamp at the accessory location per 12AA 12 is the correct configuration side by side with the top switch nearest the driver ? Wanted to ask before I cut the dash.

joe_padavano

The wiring diagram is in the Fisher Body Manual. Orange is power.

No. The accessory switches are in a row closest to the seats. The map light is in a second row closer to the firewall.

Bitburger

So then both the courtesy lamp and the top switch are centered in the accessory mounting area above the radio and the top switch is nearest the seats.

rcorrigan5

Maybe this picture will help a bit. My '69 4-4-2 convertible has both the power top (standard equipment) and the optional power antenna. The power top switch mounts to the left, regardless of if you have another power option switch. Randy C.

Bitburger

Thanks Randy that pic helps a lot.

Do you know where the short orange power wire from the top switch connects to ?

Yellowstatue

If your dash is out, you will see pads and dimples where the screw hole goes. If your dash is in, maybe you can reach up and over and get a feel of where those dimples are. So we rush down stairs to check on spare dash...there are four pads, one inch long about half inch wide. Big space between pads is for switch. The pad is double the thickness of the dash so the screw has something to bite into.

Bitburger

Excellent, thank you

Bitburger

Thanks to all who responded and the switch location issue is solved.

Now the problem is power to the top motor.

During testing I have placed a 12v battery next to the top motor and operating the top with the three short wires on the top motor. I was just holding the wires to the battery terminals for testing and all went well.

I then attached the ground wire to the body as shown in the manual and nothing, scraped the paint , cleaned the ground wire, reattached nothing tried several other locations tried, using a jumper. Good power though just laying the ground wire on the negative battery terminal.

Anyone have any ideas ?

Yellowstatue

There are two wires for the top. One is up and the other one is down. The motor is grounded and so we only need one wire to get some action.

Bitburger

Not so on mine. I have a red for up a green for down and a white for ground. When grounding the white to the neg terminal on the 12v battery I can raise the top up using the red wire or down using the green wire.

If stock was only two wires, gray for up and purple for down then perhaps I have an aftermarket top motor. The Fisher body manual
figure 13-57 shows the ground wire.

How could the motor be self grounded on rubber mounts ?>

Yellowstatue

Does the white wire have a ring terminal on it to fit under the screw in the panel above the motor? If so, then that is your ground source.

Yellowstatue

After you attached the white wire to the body, did you connect the battery negative to the body? Then apply positive to red or green.

Bitburger

Yes, the white does have the terminal ring on it. I attached it above the motor on the framework separating the rear seat from the trunk. Are we talking about the same panel. I have also tried several other locations via jump wire.

Bitburger

Do you mean a second wire for ground from the neg batt terminal to the same ground as the white wire or a different ?

Bitburger

Problem solved. I eliminated the spare battery at the top motor. Wired in the switch using the spade next to the accessory fuse on the fuse box for power. connected the two harnesses inline from front to back and all is well.

So was my problem when I used the spare battery for testing at the top motor that while the top motor was properly grounded the spare battery was not ? and that was the need for the second ground ?

Bitburger

Yellowstatue thanks for all your help. much appreciated.

Yellowstatue

I kinda figured that you did what you did and came up with an unwanted result. Now, top down, hammer down.