Convertible top, auto to manual
03-28-2013, 02:53 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Cambria, California
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Convertible top, auto to manual
I have a 1987 Carrera cabriolet, which is an absolutely wonderful (near-perfect) car, even at 190K miles. However, as I live in coastal California, I put the top up and down fairly often, and even though I've never had problems with the automatic operation, I worry about the future.
I've seen lots of references on the 993 forum to converting the mechanism from auto to manual. Can someone point me to a discussion or directions on how to do this on my model? Or if not, here are a few questions I have:
1. Can I disconnect the raising/lowering motors (and perhaps the sensors) and operate the raising/lowering manually, separate from latching?
2. Can I leave the latching automatic while having raising/lowering manual?
3. This seems to be a common mod (or "undoing") on 993s, but I didn't see anything on the 87-89 era Carreras. Has anyone done this?
Brian Glusovich
Cambria, CA
1987 Carrera Cabriolet
1958 Mercedes Benz 220S
1971 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3
1963 Jaguar E-type
I've seen lots of references on the 993 forum to converting the mechanism from auto to manual. Can someone point me to a discussion or directions on how to do this on my model? Or if not, here are a few questions I have:
1. Can I disconnect the raising/lowering motors (and perhaps the sensors) and operate the raising/lowering manually, separate from latching?
2. Can I leave the latching automatic while having raising/lowering manual?
3. This seems to be a common mod (or "undoing") on 993s, but I didn't see anything on the 87-89 era Carreras. Has anyone done this?
Brian Glusovich
Cambria, CA
1987 Carrera Cabriolet
1958 Mercedes Benz 220S
1971 Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3
1963 Jaguar E-type
04-30-2013, 03:27 PM
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I have an '87 Carrera Cab white/maroon with 154K that is my daily driver. I like your proactive attitude - I converted mine to a manual by default.
About 8 years ago, I was raising the top automatically and the cable on the left hand side became stripped (Its a round metal cable that has been stamped square at each end to connect into the drive motor and transmission). Not realizing the top was only moving on one side, I continued to depress the switch until eventually the torque on the B-pillar on the left side snapped it clean in two. It sounded like a shotgun had just gone off.
In addition to the damaged cable and B-pillar, I broke the left side transmission, bent several pieces of metal on the top and bent the bronze bolt on the right hand side that supports one of the levers.
Potential cost of a convertible top mechanism gone bad:
Top (front) locking motors: $250 min each
Transmission Units: $450-$550 each
Rear (drive motors): $250 each
Cables between rear drive motor and transmission: $225-$250 each
If you want to convert to a manual, simply remove the trim piece where your rear speakers sit and then remove the arm that bolts to the center of the transmission on each side. Be sure nothing binds when you've removed the pieces. From a top up position, rocking the switch will release the front locking motors. You can then pull the top back manually. From a top down position, do the reverse.
About 8 years ago, I was raising the top automatically and the cable on the left hand side became stripped (Its a round metal cable that has been stamped square at each end to connect into the drive motor and transmission). Not realizing the top was only moving on one side, I continued to depress the switch until eventually the torque on the B-pillar on the left side snapped it clean in two. It sounded like a shotgun had just gone off.
In addition to the damaged cable and B-pillar, I broke the left side transmission, bent several pieces of metal on the top and bent the bronze bolt on the right hand side that supports one of the levers.
Potential cost of a convertible top mechanism gone bad:
Top (front) locking motors: $250 min each
Transmission Units: $450-$550 each
Rear (drive motors): $250 each
Cables between rear drive motor and transmission: $225-$250 each
If you want to convert to a manual, simply remove the trim piece where your rear speakers sit and then remove the arm that bolts to the center of the transmission on each side. Be sure nothing binds when you've removed the pieces. From a top up position, rocking the switch will release the front locking motors. You can then pull the top back manually. From a top down position, do the reverse.
