Electric Hoist for Top

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beicholz

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Finally...Sto' Away is making an electric hoist for the T'Bird's heavy top. Although it's not listed on their website, they say they just started making them.

I had a Sto' Away for my Mercedes 560sl (which, at $65K in 1989, was not NEARLY as good as the new T-Bird at $45K in 2003 dollars!). The hoist was great. The arms slip effortlessly under the top, and the electric motor lifts it to the ceilng of your garage. One person can easily do it.

There will be cheaper models, but this one is the best I've found.

Installation is fairly straightforward for experienced handymen. Being the world's worst handyman, I had mine done by a professional.

Sto' Away's Website is at:
http://home.*************/~garbiso/menu.htm
 

This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

I have seen a hoist (for eg. in California Car Cover)that is manual for $220 and electric for $750. I was about to purchase one, but my concern is that, while it supports the middle and front of the top properly, it appears to support the back only in the middle. I am wondering if this could cause warping in an 84 lb. top if it is left hanging throughout the summer. Are there any engineers in our group? Is it best just to place the top in the holder that comes with the car?
Lyle
 
I just received and installed EZ TOP lift manual.Total cost 200 in shipping. Electric about 120 more. Hardest part was finding enclosed roof rafters, after that it was a breeze. Kinda looks like a kinky sex object
after all the belts hanging down etc.Have not put top on it yet. I am sure it will work and supports look good.
 
Made my own using a 2" steel pipe from the garage floor, through the roof trusses, aprox 10 FT.
A 6" by 6" 1/4" steel plate with a 'cup' for recieving the pipe was bolted to the floor and a 18" x18" 1/4" steel plate was installed between the rafters, with a hole cut through just the right diameter to fit the pipe through.
This allows the pipe to rotate.
A flange was welded to the pipe 36" from the floor and another 9ft from the floor.
The upper flange is for a 5 ft long 'arm' which holds a pulley.
The lower flange was fitted with a 12 volt cable winch.
Another pulley as fitted at the 'elbow' between the veritcal pipe and the horizontal pipe.

Threading the winch cable through the two pulleys provides a type of crane which can be rotated to allow some out of alignment for where the car is positioned below.

A 1/2" diameter pipe with a center steel U- shaped loop large enough to fit the winch 'hook' was made up, long enough to fit the width of the roof plus 8" on each side, this was covered with foam pipe insulation.
Another 1/2" pipe, the same length, was also covered with foam.

With the windows open,the pipe with the loop is lowered to contact the car roof, the foam covering contacts.
The second pipe is fitted through the open windows in the corner, of the back end of the roof.
The two pipes are held together with heavy industrial 'plastic tie wraps, looped around both pipes.
A 9FT 4" wide nylon sling is positioned under the rear edge of the roof and is attached to the upper pipe at the same location as the tie wrap and secured.

The electric winch is pluged into the car lighter or another convienient 12 volt source and is operated to lift the roof.

If the roof is a bit tipsy, use one hand to guide the roof and the other to operate the winch.
With the balance point just at the back corner of the window opening it should lift quite even.

I attach a 'safety' cable between the 'arm' and the 1/2" pipe to assure the winch will not let go accidently. then back the car away.
I can then easily lower the roof to the cart and swing it into place. This allows me to store the roof on the cart. With the safety cable in place I would think that it could be suspebded all the time as the weather seals are not subject to any crushing damage with this set up.

E-Mail me at tony.barrand@shell.ca for a sketch, and pictures. I will take some this weekend as I have had it in use for 6 months but never took pictures.
The winch and material cost less than $250
I used a 1.5Ton winch, a 2 ton would be just perfect also.

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notadailydriver
 
Thanks for your account. I read it and decided that you must be an engineer. Then I checked you out and confirmed that you were. So I contacted my daughter, who is also an engineer, to design me one also- I forgot that she is a chemical engineer and I don't think I can explain what she "created" for me.
Lyle
 
Leisha
Guess your hoist will work also. As I am not an engineer , I had to purchase mine and it stays suspended. Cost is about the same. Bet you had more fun. PS> I do not have a nine ft ceiling.
Dennis
 
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