I've been lurking and learning here for quite a bit and I want to share my project with you. I have a '66 Q-code convertible that looks as though it sat for many years. It runs pretty well but when I got it the convertible top bits had all been disassembled by a previous owner. It's all there but some of it's pretty rotted or bent. I'm trying to replace only what I have to (like the top ram with the bent shaft). Both banks of relays were pretty corroded. I know from what I've read here how difficult it can be to test and track down electrical problems with the top so I made my own solid state relay bank circuit board (day job, meet hobby). It connects without needing to cut the harness plus it has no mechanical contacts, just really big transistors. I sized it to mount on the plate where the relays were. Here's what it looks like next to the original relays:
And here's what's underneath:
This is it installed on the left side (if I ever re-spin it I need to make a little more room between the connectors and add cutouts to access the screws that hold the plate to the car):
And it works! Pressing a button turns on the associated relay. A yellow LED next to the button lights to indicate that the "coil" is energized and a green one by each pole of the relay lights to show how much current is being drawn through that pole (brighter=more). Using it I've found that the deck lock and panel retract motors are both working, though the panel motor has a little jump in it as it cycles that makes me think its gearbox has a bad tooth (I haven't put the panel back on yet so it's running unloaded). I also learned that the solenoid valves all seem to work and the pump spins in both directions but it leaks. Next step will be to disassemble and (I hope) rebuild the pump. I've already replaced the top up limit switch, which was pretty well destroyed, and I need to somehow bend one of the deck cylinder limit switches' mounting bracket back into shape.
Anyway, I hope you find this interesting. It's been fun working it out.
-Andrew
