71 Challenger power Convertible question

[Jeff Ferrante]

Have some close up pics as I removed my interior. Hope they help.

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Those help a lot. Thanks everybody....

 

[doubleyellow]

Hey @340challconvert, I also have the "double" rear seat brackets welded to the right side of floor. I use the rearward one but the forward one digs into and sticks out of of the carpet. Was going to cut it off, but decided to keep it.

Did you ever get a factory explanation for the double brackets? Good to see I'm not the only one with it.

My car was built April 1970

 

[340challconvert]

@340challconvert, I also have the "double" rear seat brackets welded to the right side of floor. I use the rearward one but the forward one digs into and sticks out of of the carpet. Was going to cut it off, but decided to keep it.

Did you ever get a factory explanation for the double brackets? Good to see I'm not the only one with it.
Hey doubleyellow, hope you and that nice vert of yours are doing well!
My car was built April 1970

Hey doubleyellow, hope you and that nice vert of yours are doing well!
My car is an early build A06 October 6th. Always wondered about the double back seat latch? I thought it might have been because of the differences of the bottom seat frame between a hardtop and convertible. Love to hear other opinions on this.

 

[harlow conrad]

Check with Joe Suchy at joesuchy64@gmail.com he is the 64 Plymouth guy

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Have some close up pics as I removed my interior. Hope they help.

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Awesome pictures, Thank You

 

[challenger6pak]

Hey doubleyellow, hope you and that nice vert of yours are doing well!
My car is an early build A06 October 6th. Always wondered about the double back seat latch? I thought it might have been because of the differences of the bottom seat frame between a hardtop and convertible. Love to hear other opinions on this.

The hardtop upper rear seat frame was thicker in shape than the convertible upper rear seat frame. This left a gap between the seat bottom and back when installed with the hardtop brackets. The second set of brackets were to move the rear bottom back to meet the rear seat back in the convertible. When the metal shop at Chrysler did floors, all floors had one set of hardtop brackets welded to them. A separate floor set was not done for the convertibles. When a convertible came up on the line, it is my understanding, that the second set of brackets were added during assembly. The seat bottom frames in a convertible and a hardtop seem to be the same part. The upholstery is shorter and tighter for the convertible. When installed on the frame, it makes the seat an inch or so narrower than the frame with hardtop upholstery on it. The fronts of the upholstery are the same width. The rear corners that meet the seat back are narrower on the convertible upholstery.

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

OK, Pump is here, Hose is here and Cylinders will be here tomorrow. Looks like I know what I am doing this weekend. I checked the switch and harness, all is good. I am removing nothing because as I said there is nothing there. Just want to make sure everything goes in correct. From all the pictures sent (Thank You again) the pump goes in with the harness towards the drivers side, which makes sense because the switch harness comes out there. The hose from the back (harness side, facing seat) goes to the bottom of the cylinder, and the hose from the trunk side goes to the top of the cylinder. I was hoping to use a clear fluid like jack oil or ISO-32 hydraulic oil (power pole) the shop I got the pump from said any ATF but recommended Dexron III, so Dexron it is.

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Well everything is in, Top goes down OK, needs a little push for the front section to break center than it drops fine. I am sure gravity has a lot to do with that. UP is another story, top will only come out of the well about 4 inches, I can reach back and give it some help, once it gets about straight up gravity again takes over and closes it. Pump is full, no leaks and no air in the lines. I am really disappointed. Tomorrow I am going to lube all the pivot points. Just wanted to post an update and see if there was any advice.

 

[DetMatt1]

I have no advice for you. I think lubing it up is logical and I’ll be interested to hear the result.
Next I would think a call to the manufacturer.

 

[challenger6pak]

Have you checked the cables? I have seen one of them break and cause the trouble you are having.

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Have you checked the cables? I have seen one of them break and cause the trouble you are having.

On the list to check, I saw on another forum to make sure its getting 12v, I checked it with a test light not a meter, going to clean the ground again as well. There is no twisting while moving, straight up and straight down, just struggles.

 

[doubleyellow]

Did the top pull up more or less easily when the cylinders were disconnected? Maybe I missed it earlier, but you should be able to lift it up with normal force manually. If that works, then it is the hydraulics ( or the cable as @challenger6pack)

 

[doubleyellow]

@challenger6pack, thanks for the explanation on the bottom seat brackets. Typical "high quality" Mopar manufacturing processes.

That second bracket is a pain......it cut through the carpet in front of the seat!!

 

[doubleyellow]

@340challconvert.......thanks for asking about my vert......overheated badly last summer as soon as I got it on the road. Plus, had a bad vibration in the drivetrain.

For overheating - replaced the fan clutch, and tightened the gap between the fan shroud and radiator. Running cooler so far, but still a bit hot

For the vibration - installed a new driveshaft, flywheel, clutch assembly, pilot bushing. Just finished today (after 15 hours under the car - gotta get a garage lift !!). Took for a quick spin and it is much better.

Other than that, have about 100 other mechanical and cosmetic items to do.......it's only time and money.

Will keep you posted over the next weeks.

 

[RJHJR]

I'd bet its air or maybe a weak pump.

Air compresses more than fluid so...

These two photos are from the Service Manual. Point is fill it down and then run it up and down a bunch. A whole bunch.

I had mine out on a frame rack I built from scrap wood and it takes forever to get the air out. Flicking the lines would cause the air bubbles to 'leak side ways' and climb up the tubes to the reservoir. Eventually they all got there and the ease of operation was much better and the noise was much lower. All this without cables or a top. I did it twice bc I decided to use my old pump and after the system sat for a week I noticed the pump spotting so I opened up the system and rebuilt the pump- basically a seal kit. The second time assembly and bleeding the air was easier bc I new I had to be patient chasing bubbles. Dips or low spots in the lines make it impossible for the bubbles to climb to the reservoir. Sometimes you just gotta walk away and they'll move up on their own.

 

[doubleyellow]

Since we have a bunch of Vert owners on this thread.....

Another unrelated question - does the plastic anti-rattle piece go below or above the stainless header trim? Thanks

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Since we have a bunch of Vert owners on this thread.....

Another unrelated question - does the plastic anti-rattle piece go below or above the stainless header trim? Thanks

mine are above

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Convertible Top works. Air was the correct answer, Anyone who said Air gets a gold star (RJHJR). Thank you everyone for the fantastic pictures, manual information and advice. Now to put the rear interior back together.

 

[Jeff Ferrante]

Now on a somewhat related topic, Why is the convertible top boot so hard to put on? I have screwed with this thing for a few hours, got three clips on and broke one. It cannot be this difficult...

 

[doubleyellow]

Thanks Jeff on the anti-rattle, but wondering........ I've seen a couple e-bodies with the screws through the anti-rattle plastic, but the cast bracket the anti-rattle sits in does not have any threaded holes. Is this a 1971 Challenger change?

I have a 1970. The repro anti-rattle I bought years ago fit terrible. This is why I was wondering if they went under the stainless trim.

Someone please also verify. Thanks