39 Ford Sedan Convertible Top Question

[rockable]

I stopped by to help a buddy today with another project. While I was there, he said, "Help me put the top down on my new to me 39 convertible sedan." Ok. Well, after about 20 or 30 minutes of screwing around with it, we quit before we damaged something.

We had disconnected the front bow from the windshield header and had removed the pillars between the doors but it remained rigid. There must be some secret handshake to lowering one of these or some sequence which we could not figure out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rock

 

[38 coupe]

You need a reprint of the 1939 Ford Sedan Convertible Top Owner's Manual, available here: https://www.faxonautoliterature.com...tible-Top-Owners-Manual-Reprint-with-Envelope

 

[38convsedan]

This YouTube video shows how to raise a 38 convertible sedan top, starting at about 5:22.
It helped me to figure out how to operate the top of my 38 CS.
Hope it helps!
Steve

https://youtu.be/HtiEDtKVzTs?si=xsmNYGElQmBeqNEQ

 

[rockable]

Thanks so much! Apparently, the front section scissors inward rather than folding back. We never would have figured it out!