ascMcLaren Enthusiasts

[detroits most wanted]

Glad to be amounst kindred. I just purchased 87 conv ASC and need all information I can get. first of all top will not let down, not sure if its motor or shortage..I dont know how to let it down manually. its a couple of cables in the back compartment in back seat, one releases tonneau, the other is broke, I dont know how to pop the top from the tonneu. thats one question.... second qust is the suspension the same as a regular fox, or are they slightly lower? I live in Atlanta Ga, and need to find out these thing or figure out a place to look at the top. please send any and all information.

[Sandy]

They are lowered about 1" maybe 1 & 1/2
The second cable (broken) is the manual release for the trunk lid.

Your PROBLEM is the motor is disconected or broken that releases the roof FROM the Tonneau. You need to contact Henry Huisman in Tampa and buy a re-built motor, then access the one in there now, which he will tell you how to do. The motor ain't cheap. If you are not too far from Tampa, I'd suggest asking Henry if you could drive over.

E-Mail him from his site.
http://www.ascmclaren.com
_________________
Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.

1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.

http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/

[detroits most wanted]

Thanks for the advise, but Atlanta is a bit far from Tampa, so I guess I need to find out how to access the compartment to change the motor, but lastly I need to know that since the motor is either broken or shorted out is there another way to release the top from the tonneua?

[svo413]

It's hard to tell exactly what your problem is. You do not need the pull down motor to make the top go up and down. It just holds the tonneau cover down. Open the trunk with electric trunk release or by one of the cables in the storage box. Remove the 3 screws which attach the plastic housing to the metal bracket. That will leave the motor loose. Next hit the switch next to the seat belt to release tonneau cover. The motor should fall free. Now your can put the top up and down by just lifting the rear of the tonneau cover. I believe there is another cable to release the tonneau cover but you should be able to reach the latch mechanism once you can lift the rear of the tonneau cover.
_________________
Kevin Gold card MCA Judge for Fox Body
85 ASC Vert #612205
88 ASC Vert #542 20,550 miles
84 SVO 24,000 miles, 84 GT Turbo Vert.
03 Mach I, 89 LX Vert, 74 Mustang II
14 CA Special, 69 Mustang coupe, 07 GT500
67 T-bird, 15 F150 Tuscany, 16 F250

[Sandy]

This is true, but it's not "fixed". He says the "other" cable wire is missing. That is the one that pops the trunk ! If his car was ordered with the remote entry, & the batteries are good, he can use his remote key fob to gain access, but if he doesn't have that & the cable is missing.....

Then he needs to disconect the battery, and then re-connect it & the trunk lid will pop open
_________________
Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.

1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.

http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/

[detroits most wanted]

its no problem getting the trunk open, I just open in through the release in the glove box, and I can pull the one cable and release the tonneau, its just releasing the top from the tonneua, no taking your advise, knowing that I'm not getting any reaction using the switch behind the drives seat I guess your saying that I can still hit it only after I unscrew these three screws attached to the motor? this will unlatch the top and I could let it up and down from there?

[svo413]

The latch for the tonneau cover is controlled by the release cable on the passenger side. The solenoid is controlled by the single black wire which drops into the trunk by the drivers side tonneau hinge mount. You have 2 choices. Put 12 vdc on the black wire and there is probably a connection in the trunk. The other option is to release it manually. The end of the manual cable has a spring on it and it can be reached from the drivers side by sticking your finger up behind the pull down motor. This would be on the side twards the front of the car and push the spring twards the passenger side. There is not a lot of tension on the spring. You may need a tool or something to push it far enough to release.
_________________
Kevin Gold card MCA Judge for Fox Body
85 ASC Vert #612205
88 ASC Vert #542 20,550 miles
84 SVO 24,000 miles, 84 GT Turbo Vert.
03 Mach I, 89 LX Vert, 74 Mustang II
14 CA Special, 69 Mustang coupe, 07 GT500
67 T-bird, 15 F150 Tuscany, 16 F250

[ProTouringASC]

This may be a bit dumb, but I found this out the hard way... You have to have the parking brake on to get the tonneau and top motor to operate.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
_________________
...it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

[Sandy]

That is correct !
_________________
Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.

1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.

http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/

[bryan]

That emergency brake saftey feature isn't on my 87'. I've never had any issues with the top, pull-down motor, cover release, etc., and I don't think it's been tampered with.

But I guess it could have been disabled by a previous owner. Anything is possible.

Sandy, what's your secret you refered to earlier in this thread about never having to replace the pull-down motor ever again? I've put my top up and down twice since then, and thought about it each time. The suspense is killing me.

My guess: You'll say don't put it up and down in the first place to help preserve things.
_________________
'87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398)

[bryan]

http://www.ascmclaren.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=2060
_________________
'87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398)

[Sandy]

You are putting the top up.
You have it up, now.
Now you are standing by the open driver's door.
You have allready GENTLY pushed the big fat
screw, one click, down into the hole on the tonneau
that it goes into.... and .... and you are about to push
downward on the black button on the driver side quarter panel,
behind the driver's bucket seat, and you are gonna push that black
button downward, to pull the big fat screw DOWN into the hole..

STOP

Reach around with your right hand & place you fingers UNDER the
bottom edge of the convertible fabric, just past the little
triangular plastic window, going toward the BIG section center
plastic window, under that thin vertical piece of roof fabric
that seperates the 2 windows. With right hand's fingers there,
begin to (left hand) push down the black button to make the big fat screw go down into the worm drive motor.
Okay, so far ? Good !!
Now, as soon as the top that is being pulled down, gets slightly snug
against the fingers of your right hand >>>STOP<<<
LET GO. Always leave enough room to roll a regular pencil or a cigarette under there.

What happends to these worm drive gears is that they stick, (or get stuck). When the operator has held that switch down to the bitter end of the pull down and then she gets jammed or stuck, you are screwed, MAJOR !

By NOT pulling it ALL THE WAY DOWN, "NICE & TIGHT" ~ when / if (and she will)..... get struck, then you can have the luxury or reversing the switch, the other way, which would like you were getting ready to put the top DOWN and then she will work again - immediately !

ALWAYS leave it a little bit not pulled down all the way, to give yourself the luxury of reversing it. Even if it does "freeze" if left" a 1/4 of an inch
to go, it will respond to you input to reverse itself, and theyby be freed.

Don't close your doors by the glass. Push closed by the actual door.
Don't SLAM the deck lid, close it with just the least amount of push to secure.
When closing the car's doors (you are inside) don't tend to squeeze the finger cups. Pull the door without squeezing the finger cups. Pull don't pull & squeeze).

Always pivot the handles under the sunvisors first to disengage the front of the roof. Open hand (Palm) the roof up to get the posts outta the post holes. One side, then the other. This takes the pressure off of the big fat screw, and makes it work better.....longer.
If putting UP the top, do the big fat screw first and then the striker pins into the windshied header, 2nd.

The "arms" that you turn (under the sunvisors) are POT METAL. VERY VERY VERY breakable. Open palm outside ON the roof and push the roof's pins down into the hole all the way, BEFORE rotating the "arms" to take as much tension off of them. YOU DON'T WANNA SNAP THESE PUPPIES OFF !
_________________
Sandy passed away in 2012. He will be forever missed.

1990 Final Car prior to the 12 Silver Anny Editions
1990 Silver Pearl Anny Edition
1986 Coupe Full Pkg #109 of 114.

http://public.fotki.com/ascmclaren/ascmclaren_capris/sandys_mclarens/

[bryan]

As usual, thanks, Sandy. Seems like sound advice.
_________________
'87 Guards Red ascMcLaren (#398)