'53 Crestline convertible top

meric42

meric42

Well-known member
I have a '53 Convertible and all the mechanism for raising/lowering the top has been removed. Is it worthwhile trying to source the parts to get it working again or is it just best to leave it as a manual top? I have heard that the original cable drive mechanism wasn't the best idea Ford had and could be unreliable, what are peoples thoughts with experience of this system?
 

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meric42 said:
I have a '53 Convertible and all the mechanism for raising/lowering the top has been removed. Is it worthwhile trying to source the parts to get it working again or is it just best to leave it as a manual top? I have heard that the original cable drive mechanism wasn't the best idea Ford had and could be unreliable, what are peoples thoughts with experience of this system?
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500646
 
This is what you are missing. Finding all the parts the screw jacks, the motor and the switch, will be quite difficult and quite expensive. Not impossible, but be prepared to have it take awhile.

Not hard to install. Check to see if any of the top frame is broken.

If know some one going to Hershey, you might be in luck.

You can always go hydraulic, the parts are all available aftermarket.
 

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merc42,

First things first, check to see if any of the convertible top frame is broken. If it is, putting a power system in the car will not work, and may cause further damage, as most of the parts are pot metal and very brittle.

Also be very careful with the locking handle, as it is pot metal and breaks very easily, and are almost impossible to find.
 

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Merc Cruzer said:
merc42,

First things first, check to see if any of the convertible top frame is broken. If it is, putting a power system in the car will not work, and may cause further damage, as most of the parts are pot metal and very brittle.

Also be very careful with the locking handle, as it is pot metal and breaks very easily, and are almost impossible to find.
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Thanks for the reply, I certainly will check the frame parts for the top as you suggest. I don't recall seeing any damage when I put the top down but that was a year or two ago. Yes, I know how rare the locking handle is as mine is missing completely, I am going to try and make a replacement out of steel when I get the time and the car is out of storage. :)
 
I bought my first new car, a red '53 convertible for about $2050. When I got it home I tried to get the top down and it got stuck in the half up position. I had to drive it about 3 miles to the dealer that way. I only kept the car for a year because I had a lot of other problems with the car.
 
I've had my '53 Crestline Sunliner for '49 years thus far and I've never had any problems with the convertible top mechanism with the exception of a circuit breaker going bad. Have you checked with Hydro-E-Lectric in Punta Gorda, Florida for the availability of the parts you need?
 
Last week I oiled all the joints in the top mechanism and now the top goes up in 43 seconds and down in 28 seconds. I can live with that.

Yes, I know how rare the locking handle is as mine is missing completely, I am going to try and make a replacement out of steel when I get the time and the car is out of storage.


A few pictures for your handle project.
 

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Seeking parts for the top of an older convertible is a daunting task. There are few, if any, of the usual sources. I spent two years locating parts for my '47. Hydro-E-Lectric was a
good start for the pump and other parts. We had to make many of the eccentric bolts, and design and build a control box. The car was in poor shape when I bought it 25 years ago. Anyone contemplating restoring a convertible should be aware of the cost and time involved.
 
supereal said:
Seeking parts for the top of an older convertible is a daunting task. There are few, if any, of the usual sources. I spent two years locating parts for my '47. Hydro-E-Lectric was a
good start for the pump and other parts. We had to make many of the eccentric bolts, and design and build a control box. The car was in poor shape when I bought it 25 years ago. Anyone contemplating restoring a convertible should be aware of the cost and time involved.
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Agreed it is a daunting task but fortunately I have some experience as I have just rebuilt the mechanism on my '57 Sunliner and also have a '51 to work through in the near future. Luckily both of these are hydraulic systems with parts readily available through Hydro-E-Lectric.
 

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