hardtop lift mechanism plan

[William G.]

Does anyone have a plan for a lifting and ceiling storage system for the C2 hardtop. I am thinking of attaching an electric winch to my garage wall to lift the hardtop off my car. I need a plan to build the lifting frame to support the top.

Bill

[Don H.]

Re: hardtop lift mechanism plan

Bill,
I have a hardtop hoist I bought years ago that I used to use a lot. I no longer use the manual hoist, I use an electric winch but I still use the straps that came with it for attaching to the hardtop. I'm not comfortable leaving it hanging on the straps like I used to. I have a frame on wheels I made that supports the top like the car does for storage. Good luck, Don H.

[William G.]

Re: hardtop lift mechanism plan

I totally understand about feeling uncomfortable with the top hanging on straps. I made a pulley system in the garage at my previous house, using 1/4" nylon rope. Just to add some insurance, I had a straps around the top and over the ceiling joist. The top hung there for 19 years, unused! I don't drive the car in the rain, or in the case of where I used to live, in the SNOW! Now that I live in Florida, I would like to take the hard top off and drive the car as the convertible it is! The hardtop does need a complete restoration and I am giving serious consideration to converting it to a black vinyl unit. The car is a 67 with original AC and I know the hardtop would be better when running the AC, but I like the wind in what little hair I have left!
As I said in my thread post, I don't have the floor space to have a stand up, roll around rack. Wish I did, as I could easily build one of those. If I can convince my wife to let me bring my industrial sewing machine into the house, I would have room where it now sits. She was pretty adamant when we moved in, the machine was staying in the garage!

Bill

[Frank D.]

Re: hardtop lift mechanism plan

Straps worked fine on my 61 hardtop, my 02 retro TBird came with a hardtop hoist which is really nice and no damage to weatherstripping. The foam covered bar uncliips at both ends.. When I installed it I thought it would have worked well for a Corvette top, C1 or C2.