I have a 51 Ford Convertible.. When i bought the car it had no top mechanics, pump, cylinders, hoses, etc... Currently I just put the top up and down manually. I found the cylinders, but can't seem to locate a pump or hoses or anything else I would need. My question is, is there a pump and hoses and whatever else I need that I can retro fit into the car? Thanks, Mike
Check Hydro-E-Lectric. I bought my cylinders and pump from them, works like a charm. There are also others around.
Your source for ALL things Shoebox... www.shoebox-central.com You may have to type that out manually, the link changes to cAntral for some reason. Weird. Any other pieces they may not have? www.vanpeltsales.com Boom. You're done. ...and both are HAMBers. My '27 T Roadster build: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383
I have found out the fittings for the hoses are all the same up to the modern convertibles,if I can remember correctly the original pump mounted on the firewall but you should be able to grab the pump and hoses from a 90s Chrysler Lebarron or a cavalier and mount it under the well or rear seat cushion. Are you sticking with 6 volt or is it going to be 12 volts?,I converted my 55 Ford convertible to 12 volts and a LeBarron top motor bolted to the original hoses and mounting hoses. If you are going to stay 6 volt a top motor from a 54 to 55 ford or Chrysler product should work,does your 51 still have the original top switch and if its like my 55 the top switch grounded the relay and had no power going through it like most late 50s and up cars so if you plan on using it see if it has three or two wires going to it. Two wires and it just grounds the relay and if it has three then power goes through the switch.
My car is 12 volts. The switch is there, but no wiring to it, it's a momentary switch, I assume middle is off, up is top up and down is top down. The switch has 3 posts on it.
If the switch has three posts then power goes through the switch,just grab you a modern pump with the relays and hoses and that should do it. Do not run full power through those old switches just the power to activate the relays and the switch should last a very long time,I think in 57 ford ran all the power to the pump through the switch and I heard they were prone to burn out and have you priced a switch for those old convertibles. I have seen used switches for my 55 going for over a couple hundred on ebay.
51 top pump was under the rear seat, and is similar to modern converts. 49/50 was on dash (and should be converted to a modern pump....). Go to any convert source - Electromotive, Convert Top Specialists, etc. and buy the whole system. You could probably use the pump out of a modern convert - they are pretty much universal.
I have what you need. Do you have pictures, of a pump just to make sure ! A lot of the early Ford pump assembles were Made by DURA CORPATION. I have alum cylinders or High impact plastic one. Also have, 6 or seven pumps and cylinders. I have Many different cylinder assembles , top pivot bottom pivot. When buying a pump make sure it is not a high pressure pump. These were and are used on imports and some of the late model Chyl products .
There is a outfit in Florida who sells what you need. They advertise in Hemmings. I have a 51 Ford ragtop and I use Concourse Ford parts. These guys have a lot of parts for a 51, might even have the top parts you need.
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