For the last three months, I've been having issues with my top. I changed multiple relays, and it worked for a while. I was surprised to find one of the new relays stopped working so quickly; my Upper back Panel Limit Switch was also working sporadically. With your help, I replace the Limit Switch and adjust it. Keep in mind I had no clue what I was doing. I can't thank you enough for this video. With you and the help of a family mechanic, I learned a lot about my top in a short amount of time. If you were still in LA, you would have a customer for life.
Hey Manuel, thank you so much for the kind words. Tops are a pain in the ass because so much can go wrong at the same time so figuring it out is difficult at best. I have always said that a convertible owner must know the top system so when something happens, they can deal with it. Thanks again.
Nick: Somehow, this is the second 1966 Convertible top I have had to work on in the last 6-8 months. When I fixed the first one I said "thats the last time I'll have to work on a Tbird top. WRONG! Someone else had tried to fix it and couldn't and left it somewhat in pieces for me. I couldn't get the top to work at all and I found that issue and the back panel would go up and down but it wouldn't retract. This adjustment on the finish panel fixed the top issue so I thank you very much for the video.
A guy told when I first started working on convertible tops, learn how to fix these thunderbird tops and you will know forever how these things will work. Sure enough, 30 years later, nothings changed. Every top I work on is the same to this day. Bentley, medcedes, bmw, etc. Micro switches and relays. Electro mechanical. Brilliant system.
Hey Jan, well Ive never worked on foreign car tops but I have always wondered if they were similar so your experiences puts that to rest. I also wondered if the modern switches and such could be retrofitted to these older cars?? Thanks.
Dear Nick, thank you so very much for your time and expertise on the upper panel switch adjustments. As a convertible owner, I find this video so important to maintain and adjust the intricate parts of the automatic top. You did a great job and I will take your advise and adjust the upper back tray among other pieces. Wonderful job!
Nick I have a 66 convertible Been store 26 years in controlled environment Today I went through the whole thing cleaned all contacts changed the 2 top cylinders. Put fluid in and I got it to go down. After cruising the neighborhood I went to put it up. The tray seemed to bind a bit and it stopped. Now just clicking noise from the relays. Tomorrow I will go through it again and hope that works. Either way after 26 years I was surprised it even worked. I was hoping I got off cheap. Hope it not the motor. If you have any ideas they would be greatly appreciated
@@rogerjackson3227 Hey Roger, saying tray, you mean the flap? If you had the top in the trunk, the tray/flap was up so it only needed to come down after the top went back up. I need more info as to where exactly you were in the process of putting the top back up. Thanks.
Nick, great information. I don't have a 66 I got a 59 but I'm sure some of the things you're talking about will apply to my situation as well. All the best and thanks
Hey Nick, really enjoyed the instructions in this video. It looks like the adjustment is not that difficult if you take your time and follow your instructions. Now if only my Landau was a convertible... George B. in Michigan
Nick Looks like similar system to the Lincoln’s. My 1965 Lincoln panel aligned perfectly with trunk lid panel. The flap won’t close all the way closest to the back seat. I suspect it’s due to all the new rubber on the car after a restoration. Any thoughts?
Hi, yes the aftermarket rubbers are harder than the factory original rubbers so they are not as forgiving. You might want to tip/angle the front of the flap down a tad to give it more force to press against the rubber. This is what I do. However, you have to be careful doing that so as not to put too much force on the flap transmission itself.
Great video! I have a 65 convertible it appears you are operating the top with battery power? Do you use an external power source? I run my top with the engine running, but my wife hates that when it's in the garage.
Hey Mark, I run the top with the car off and key in accessory or I can run the top with the car running. It depends on how charged up the battery is. If I suspect the battery is going flat, Ill run the car. If the battery is at full charge, Ill run the top with the engine off. When I'm testing things on the bench, I use a portable power pack, those things they use to jump cars with.
Thanks for all the incredible videos!! My son and I watch your videos while assembling. latest is steering Column. Wouldn't have the confidence to do it without you!! We are stuck because we lost the spring that goes at the top of the steering shaft over upper bearing 1966 Thunderbird. original shop manual shows the spring but no part number. None of Tbird suppliers have it and some say it really wasn't there or we don't need it although we remember taking it out and see it in the shop manual. Any idea for a replacement or where we could get new one? We checked Birds nest, Thunderbird Headquarters, Macs, Concours parts, etc. Nothing. Thanks!! Your videos are priceless and give everyone the confidence to attempt complicated repairs, THANK YOU!!!!
I know the spring your talking about and I do have some. However, I have always wondered about the purpose of the spring. Notice that the steering shaft is locked in place with 2 lock rings above and below the bearing. Because of the lock rings, the steering shaft cannot move up or down, it is locked into place because the bearing is locked into place. Also, the steering wheel is placed onto the steering shaft and goes on only one way and is not adjustable, it cannot move once installed. The spring goes between the two. So if the shaft cannot move because its locked into place, and the steering wheel cannot move, what's the purpose of the spring? I think the spring is for 1964 only (those steering columns are different believe it or not) because the bearing is not locked to the shaft with an upper lock ring, the shaft can move up and down inside the bearing. I remember being able to move the steering wheel up and down on 64's slightly. The spring helps to push the steering wheel up so it does not lay or rub against the hub. The illustration in the shop manual for 66 is a copy of the 64 illustration because Ford reused previous model illustrations and didn't want to pay someone to draw a new illustration just because of a spring. This is common throughout the manual. You don't need the spring. Id leave it out. Make sure the locking ring is in place above and below the bearing. Also, the two locking rings are not the same style, they do not look the same. I hope that helped.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 Wow, Thanks Nick!!! I can not believe how generous you are! You have solved the riddle of the spring. I really appreciate your thorough explanation. You have got to be the greatest guy as you generously help so many and spend so much of your valuable time doing it. Thanks, we can now move on and stop looking!!!!
I have a one of these switches that I received disassembled. I can't seem to find any assembly instructions anywhere, but I think I've got it together correctly. Using a screwdriver in the slot to rotate it... should I be able to turn it a full half-turn (180 degrees)? More? Less? I feel the spring-load at each end, but I'm definitely less than 180 degrees.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 The back panel limit switch was in pieces... in a bag, when the car was bought . I assembled it without instructions so I'm not 100% sure it's correct. The inside has the "half-moon" hole and the outside has the slot. I'm watching you in this video rotating the switch with the flap arm driveshaft, but l've been using a small screwdriver in the slot. it's hard to see exactly how far you're rotating it. As I rotate mine, the brass rollers inside are completing the circuits as they should, and I feel the spring bounce at both ends. But mine won't let me rotate it a full 180-degree half-turn. As you said, if the motor pushes it too far, the switch is destroyed. So is it supposed to be able to rotate a full 180 degrees?
Hey Harry, I dont have a swtich off a car to check it but memory says that it does turn almost a complete half turn, almost. I never measured it so I can be exactly sure. If your bypassing the switch and just applying power to the motor, then you could run the switch too far and ruin it. But if you were just using the switch on the dash, the limit switch will stop the motor before it goes too far. So if you had the flap itself off the car and the flap trans is on the car and you pushed the button on the dash, the arm on the flap transmission should point almost directly down and almost directly up. Thats almost 180 degrees. But if the arm is pointing to 4 or 5 oclock when down and maybe at 1 or 2 when up, then there is something wrong.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 It makes sense that the contacts opening /closing at the ends of the rotation should protect it if I don't bypass it. It was a real bear getting that switch put back together... so much so that I don't even want to risk taking that outside cover off again to look inside and check my work. The travel I have on it is more like 12:00 to 5:00, so we'll see. Cross your fingers. Thanks so much!
Hey Steven, there is no "fuse" for the convertible top, there is a circuit breaker near the battery. It is round. Take a look and you will find it. I think it is bolted to the battery area floor.
I'm having vacuum issues with my heater on my 66. Where does the main vacuum supply go under the dash. Or where does the under hood heater vacuum actuator plug into under the dash
The vacuum hoses for the heater and AC come from the engine and go through the firewall on the passenger side of the firewall near the top just inboard of the hood hinge. They then run along the top of the heater box, along the top of the AC evaporator box, down the drivers side of the AC evaporator box and then to the AC heater control unit on the dash. This is all shown in my video about the vacuum system.
Great video as always. I’m sending you a video of my problem with the limit switch you referred to in your video. Hoping I can adjust the problem. Or I will have to have the switch rebuilt. If I use a screwdriver to turn the slot in the side of the switch it closes the trunk lid. Can I adjust that or is the switch bad. All other functions work. Thanks
Jim, its my opinion that the switch is bad. You should never have to turn that slot to make the top work. However, I watched your video and it occurred to me that maybe you should try adjusting it just in case. Who knows, I've seen stranger things. Eliminate an adjustment issue completely by adjusting it and then see if it still has a problem. I could be wrong. That way you will know definitively. How does that sound? Thanks.
![Wolfram Physics Project: Working Session Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2020 [Finding Black Hole Structures]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SbDzqlOLIZA/mqdefault.jpg)
For the last three months, I've been having issues with my top. I changed multiple relays, and it worked for a while. I was surprised to find one of the new relays stopped working so quickly; my Upper back Panel Limit Switch was also working sporadically. With your help, I replace the Limit Switch and adjust it. Keep in mind I had no clue what I was doing. I can't thank you enough for this video. With you and the help of a family mechanic, I learned a lot about my top in a short amount of time. If you were still in LA, you would have a customer for life.
Hey Manuel, thank you so much for the kind words. Tops are a pain in the ass because so much can go wrong at the same time so figuring it out is difficult at best. I have always said that a convertible owner must know the top system so when something happens, they can deal with it. Thanks again.
Nick: Somehow, this is the second 1966 Convertible top I have had to work on in the last 6-8 months. When I fixed the first one I said "thats the last time I'll have to work on a Tbird top. WRONG! Someone else had tried to fix it and couldn't and left it somewhat in pieces for me. I couldn't get the top to work at all and I found that issue and the back panel would go up and down but it wouldn't retract. This adjustment on the finish panel fixed the top issue so I thank you very much for the video.
Hey David, glad to be of some help. Thank you.
A guy told when I first started working on convertible tops, learn how to fix these thunderbird tops and you will know forever how these things will work. Sure enough, 30 years later, nothings changed. Every top I work on is the same to this day. Bentley, medcedes, bmw, etc. Micro switches and relays. Electro mechanical. Brilliant system.
Hey Jan, well Ive never worked on foreign car tops but I have always wondered if they were similar so your experiences puts that to rest. I also wondered if the modern switches and such could be retrofitted to these older cars?? Thanks.
Dear Nick, thank you so very much for your time and expertise on the upper panel switch adjustments. As a convertible owner, I find this video so important to maintain and adjust the intricate parts of the automatic top. You did a great job and I will take your advise and adjust the upper back tray among other pieces. Wonderful job!
Thank you Luis
Thanks Nick, this is extremely useful information...and much easier to understand than reading the manual.
Your welcome.
Freakin fantastic video nick.
Thank you Roger.
Nick I have a 66 convertible
Been store 26 years in controlled environment
Today I went through the whole thing cleaned all contacts changed the 2 top cylinders. Put fluid in and I got it to go down. After cruising the neighborhood I went to put it up.
The tray seemed to bind a bit and it stopped. Now just clicking noise from the relays. Tomorrow I will go through it again and hope that works. Either way after 26 years I was surprised it even worked. I was hoping I got off cheap. Hope it not the motor. If you have any ideas they would be greatly appreciated
@@rogerjackson3227 Hey Roger, saying tray, you mean the flap? If you had the top in the trunk, the tray/flap was up so it only needed to come down after the top went back up. I need more info as to where exactly you were in the process of putting the top back up. Thanks.
Well done!! I have owned 47 Convertibles from 61 to 65. We all know theses are both pleasure and pain at the same time. ;)
Thank you Griffin. I would have thought youd be sick of them by now after that many.
Well said!
Nick, great information. I don't have a 66 I got a 59 but I'm sure some of the things you're talking about will apply to my situation as well. All the best and thanks
Thanks Kenny. Yeah 59's dont really have a flap transmission, its all manual. Much simpler mechanism.
Hey Nick, really enjoyed the instructions in this video. It looks like the adjustment is not that difficult if you take your time and follow your instructions. Now if only my Landau was a convertible...
George B. in Michigan
Just cut the top off and youll be set.
Nick
Looks like similar system to the Lincoln’s. My 1965 Lincoln panel aligned perfectly with trunk lid panel.
The flap won’t close all the way closest to the back seat.
I suspect it’s due to all the new rubber on the car after a restoration. Any thoughts?
Hi, yes the aftermarket rubbers are harder than the factory original rubbers so they are not as forgiving. You might want to tip/angle the front of the flap down a tad to give it more force to press against the rubber. This is what I do. However, you have to be careful doing that so as not to put too much force on the flap transmission itself.
Great video! I have a 65 convertible it appears you are operating the top with battery power? Do you use an external power source? I run my top with the engine running, but my wife hates that when it's in the garage.
Hey Mark, I run the top with the car off and key in accessory or I can run the top with the car running. It depends on how charged up the battery is. If I suspect the battery is going flat, Ill run the car. If the battery is at full charge, Ill run the top with the engine off. When I'm testing things on the bench, I use a portable power pack, those things they use to jump cars with.
Thanks for all the incredible videos!! My son and I watch your videos while assembling. latest is steering Column. Wouldn't have the confidence to do it without you!! We are stuck because we lost the spring that goes at the top of the steering shaft over upper bearing 1966 Thunderbird. original shop manual shows the spring but no part number. None of Tbird suppliers have it and some say it really wasn't there or we don't need it although we remember taking it out and see it in the shop manual. Any idea for a replacement or where we could get new one? We checked Birds nest, Thunderbird Headquarters, Macs, Concours parts, etc. Nothing. Thanks!! Your videos are priceless and give everyone the confidence to attempt complicated repairs, THANK YOU!!!!
I know the spring your talking about and I do have some. However, I have always wondered about the purpose of the spring. Notice that the steering shaft is locked in place with 2 lock rings above and below the bearing. Because of the lock rings, the steering shaft cannot move up or down, it is locked into place because the bearing is locked into place. Also, the steering wheel is placed onto the steering shaft and goes on only one way and is not adjustable, it cannot move once installed. The spring goes between the two. So if the shaft cannot move because its locked into place, and the steering wheel cannot move, what's the purpose of the spring? I think the spring is for 1964 only (those steering columns are different believe it or not) because the bearing is not locked to the shaft with an upper lock ring, the shaft can move up and down inside the bearing. I remember being able to move the steering wheel up and down on 64's slightly. The spring helps to push the steering wheel up so it does not lay or rub against the hub. The illustration in the shop manual for 66 is a copy of the 64 illustration because Ford reused previous model illustrations and didn't want to pay someone to draw a new illustration just because of a spring. This is common throughout the manual. You don't need the spring. Id leave it out. Make sure the locking ring is in place above and below the bearing. Also, the two locking rings are not the same style, they do not look the same. I hope that helped.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 Wow, Thanks Nick!!! I can not believe how generous you are! You have solved the riddle of the spring. I really appreciate your thorough explanation. You have got to be the greatest guy as you generously help so many and spend so much of your valuable time doing it. Thanks, we can now move on and stop looking!!!!
@@alecflint8287 No problem, just send a check with a lot of zeros. Just kidding.
I have a one of these switches that I received disassembled. I can't seem to find any assembly instructions anywhere, but I think I've got it together correctly. Using a screwdriver in the slot to rotate it... should I be able to turn it a full half-turn (180 degrees)? More? Less? I feel the spring-load at each end, but I'm definitely less than 180 degrees.
Hey Harry, Im not following you. What is it that your trying to rotate?
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 The back panel limit switch was in pieces... in a bag, when the car was bought . I assembled it without instructions so I'm not 100% sure it's correct. The inside has the "half-moon" hole and the outside has the slot. I'm watching you in this video rotating the switch with the flap arm driveshaft, but l've been using a small screwdriver in the slot. it's hard to see exactly how far you're rotating it. As I rotate mine, the brass rollers inside are completing the circuits as they should, and I feel the spring bounce at both ends. But mine won't let me rotate it a full 180-degree half-turn. As you said, if the motor pushes it too far, the switch is destroyed. So is it supposed to be able to rotate a full 180 degrees?
Hey Harry, I dont have a swtich off a car to check it but memory says that it does turn almost a complete half turn, almost. I never measured it so I can be exactly sure. If your bypassing the switch and just applying power to the motor, then you could run the switch too far and ruin it. But if you were just using the switch on the dash, the limit switch will stop the motor before it goes too far. So if you had the flap itself off the car and the flap trans is on the car and you pushed the button on the dash, the arm on the flap transmission should point almost directly down and almost directly up. Thats almost 180 degrees. But if the arm is pointing to 4 or 5 oclock when down and maybe at 1 or 2 when up, then there is something wrong.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 It makes sense that the contacts opening /closing at the ends of the rotation should protect it if I don't bypass it. It was a real bear getting that switch put back together... so much so that I don't even want to risk taking that outside cover off again to look inside and check my work. The travel I have on it is more like 12:00 to 5:00, so we'll see. Cross your fingers. Thanks so much!
Good luck.
Hi Nick. I have a 62 conv . Where is the main fuse for the convertible top? Is it in the Eng compartment?
Hey Steven, there is no "fuse" for the convertible top, there is a circuit breaker near the battery. It is round. Take a look and you will find it. I think it is bolted to the battery area floor.
@@vintagethunderbirdrepair9426 gracias
I'm having vacuum issues with my heater on my 66. Where does the main vacuum supply go under the dash. Or where does the under hood heater vacuum actuator plug into under the dash
The vacuum hoses for the heater and AC come from the engine and go through the firewall on the passenger side of the firewall near the top just inboard of the hood hinge. They then run along the top of the heater box, along the top of the AC evaporator box, down the drivers side of the AC evaporator box and then to the AC heater control unit on the dash. This is all shown in my video about the vacuum system.
Great video as always. I’m sending you a video of my problem with the limit switch you referred to in your video. Hoping I can adjust the problem. Or I will have to have the switch rebuilt. If I use a screwdriver to turn the slot in the side of the switch it closes the trunk lid. Can I adjust that or is the switch bad. All other functions work. Thanks
Jim, its my opinion that the switch is bad. You should never have to turn that slot to make the top work. However, I watched your video and it occurred to me that maybe you should try adjusting it just in case. Who knows, I've seen stranger things. Eliminate an adjustment issue completely by adjusting it and then see if it still has a problem. I could be wrong. That way you will know definitively. How does that sound? Thanks.
It's actually Brewer Classic Lincoln, not Brewster.
Yeah, I mispronounced that, thanks for the correction.