A friend of mine just purchased an original 1940 Ford convertible. It needs some work but is all there. My question is, how does the top work. I'm pretty sure it is vacuum actuated by can't find any switches or buttons to make it go down. Could someone explain how these old Frd tops work? Thanks.
I'm with Phat Rat, some of the real high end cars from that era may have had some type of power assist tops, but it's a Ford and manual up and down was probably the order of the day back then
I thought it was manual too, until I tried to get it to go and it wouldn't budge. Then I looked in the back behind the back seat at the mechanism and it has a big canister on each side, what are the canisters for and if it's manual and stuck what are some tricks for getting it down. Thanks.
If it is in fact power the big canister you are referring to is the motor and the resovuar for the hydrolic fluid. It will also have at least one or probably 2 cylinders that actuate the top irons. You have to disconnect the cylinders to make it go up and down manually.
They have a cylinder on each side, they are powered by vacuum. Does it still have the steel vacuum lines on the floorboard. they're about 1/2" or 5/8" in diameter. The switch should be on the left side of the dash mounted to the bottom of the dash. Not a 100% sure it could be on the right side of the steering column. If you really need to know I can go look at one right quick at anytime. Good luck, Stafford
As the previous writer says, the top is vacuum operated. If you want to lower it manually and it's not wanting to move..........DON'T force it. There are some cast parts in the top irons that if you break them you will never find them. Take the linkage to the canisters loose to lower the top until you get everything to work. The canisters can be rebuilt. The up and down vacuum switch is located on the left side of the steering wheel under the dash, and is also a very hard to find part. In fact.........anything on a 1940 Ford convertible is a tough find in regards to the top.
The tops are air powered on some of them, which is what the cylinders are. If it is, there will be an electric pump under the back seat, and a push pull lever under the dash to the left of the steering column.
Where does everyone get the idea they're vacuum operated?? I was almost positive all Fords after '40 had hydraulic power tops. The pump motor is under the hood, drivers side, near the firewall. Two top rams, one on either side. Pump is in the back... switch under the dash, left of the column.
If I could post a picture automotive stud I could show you,, there are NO PUMPS under the hood. It is run by VACUUM. There may be hydralic oil in the cylinders, I don't know about that. That would be kinda like air over hydralic. But vacuum over hydralic is possible but it definitely is vacuum powered. They could have made some that were manually operated but my brother has one and I know what I'm telling you is right. Stafford
1940 Ford tops are vacuum operated, all of them. There is no hydraulic assist, no electric pumps. That's the way they came from the factory, if you have seen them with hydraulic systems, they have been modified as lots of them have been. If it's stock, it's vacuum.
It is vacuum, I just removed the rear seat and looked at it all. Stafford, Thanks for the info, and forgive the ignorance, this is my first experience with a convertible. The car is all stock. Does the vaccuum draw off the engine at some point and if so does the car need to running to put the top down. my2nd40, Thanks for the tips, I definitely don't want to break anything. The car does run and it'd be drive to take it around the block with the top down before I tear it apart.
For what it's worth, you can remove all the vacuum stuff and replace the cylinders with 12V screw motors. We did this on a 46 Linclon and it worked great.
i just worked on a `40 ford convertable , the top was vacumm operated..it had a vacumm line coming from the intake manifold going to a control switch under the dash on the left side of the steering columm.
40Standard, Here's a pic of the vacuum switch. It is mounted under the dash on the immediate left side of the column. And here are the lines that run to the back. This was taken under the floor mat on the drivers side. If you need any other pics let me know. Hope this helps.
I have had two dead stock 40 Converts in the shop, and they both have an electric pump under the back seat in exactly the same location, connected to the factory tubing running to the cylinders and the factory switch as pictured above. I will get a picture when we reopen on Wendsday.
I just bought a 47 Ford convertible. Also bought a power top setup off of ebay. can not for the life of me find where the end of the cylinders would attach to the top mechanism. I do see the bottom location below and to the front of the rear seat Anyone have pics to share? thanks in advance
Can anyone tell me how the cloth convertible top attaches to the Header Board. Pictures of installed top at the Header Board will be very helpful. Thank you so much in advance. ANYBODY?
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