power decklid for 59?

[redstangbob]

I'm still in the learning phase on squarebirds, I bet someone here knows the answer to this question. Did the fully automatic top/decklids like in the 60 thru 66 models show up on the late production 59's? I ask because the electric assy manual has a whole section on them, along with the manual deck/power top like the 58's. My march built has the manual decklid, and after some disassembly I find all the hydraulics are bad so I don't mind not buying the deck cylinders and hoses for the more complex system. I believe production ran a little long for 59, maybe because it started so late. Thanks, Bob C

[Alan H. Tast]

A lot of 59-prefixed part numbers show up for 60-style top electric and hydraulic items. Years ago (even before we overhauled the 58-60 OFS manual) I thought I saw reference in a parts book as to when the electro-mechanical system was cut into 59 production but I didn't document where I found it (part listing, serial number or build date). I do have access to a late 50s - early 60s MPC which should be more complete than the 49-59 "Blue Bible" for parts info, plus I came into a collection of 59 TSBs from a long-time VTCA/VTCI member a few years ago but haven't had time to go through them for clues as to when or if production phased the later system in during spring-summer 1959.

In other words, down the rabbit hole I go...

[Alan H. Tast]

Okay, I went down the rabbit hole - at least through my TSB collection - this morning. There was no mention of midyear introduction of the automatic top/deck lid system in any of the TSBs from the beginning of January '59 through the end of December '59. While I didn't look into late 1958 TSBs I don't recall seeing anything related to adding the system. That being said, there were several TSBs from mid-1960 that dealt with changes in the '60 system from 10 to 12 relays. IF it would have been introduced in '59 production, it should have shown up in a TSB prior to issuance of a Product Service Letter (PSL) or Management Service Letter (MSL).

What's getting me here is that the sales brochures were revised in mid-production '59 touting the automatic deck lid/top feature. And while I still have to scour the parts books to find some kind of reference to if/when there was a cut-in for the system in MY 1959, my search of PSLs, MSLs and TSBs to date is inconclusive as to a specific serial number/date when this happened. Ergo, the search continues...

[redstangbob]

Thanks Alan, don't spend a lot of time on this, unless you really want to I found it odd it was included in the Osborne book, but we know things are printed and never really come to be (ie seat belt buckle holders for 1965 cars.

[redstangbob]

Shout out to John Draxler at Thunderbird Ranch, http://tbirdranch.com/ John had what I needed to rebuild the pump for my convertible top When the time comes I hope to pick John's brain on the rebuilding of the squarebird rockers, the 58 parts car may come back to life after all

[Alan H. Tast]

Shout out to John Draxler at Thunderbird Ranch, http://tbirdranch.com/ John had what I needed to rebuild the pump for my convertible top When the time comes I hope to pick John's brain on the rebuilding of the squarebird rockers, the 58 parts car may come back to life after all

In essence 1/4"+thick steel channel against the inner rockers is the shortcut I've heard. Either John or Bill VanEss told me that one as inner rocker structure for 58s used heavier gauge sheet metal plus an additional reinforcement panel along the length of the rocker. Bill's 58 convertible registry has a page on this I need to refresh myself on.

[RAVEN]

Something else to be aware of is the rear deck lids. The hardtop unit is different than the Convert top. This was found out several years back when a fellow I knew was restoring a 58. Due to the size, shape and weight of the lids, an inner additional brace was mounted inside the frame work of the Convert lid. by the factory.
This inner bracing was needed to allow for the weight and curved shape of the lid, as it was leveraged by the hydraulic cylinders in an open condition.
In this fellow's case, the 58 he was restoring needed a better lid and he found a hardtop unit and installed it on his car. Upon moving the new lid on the car it buckled and bent at the curved section of the lid. Scrap that "new" unit and try to find a convert lid or brace the old unit.

Just a tid bit of info