A blast from my past!

[Dave Grubb]

While in college I worked for the Ford dealer in town who took an almost paternal liking of me which was most appreciated. Not only did he tolerate my crazy schedule he supported me in that. He also provided "drivers" like shown here.

The down side of this classy ride was living with the wee elf that lived somewhere in an unknown nook. The car relied on electric power for most everything. The top retracted into the trunk, which in turn required the trunk to open and close with the hinge side to the rear. That required the lid to "disconnect" from the front hinges that were required to open the trunk from the rear. That connection was made with powered acme screws that engaged and disengaged the front hinges. A similar arrangement applied to the rear latch and hinge assembly.

Simple enough you say---except for that damn wee elf----he could, at will, develop an attitude and lock up tight We soon learned never to put anything perishable in the trunk when we went to the grocery because we never knew when we might again be allowed entry

At other times the wee elf would take on his own projects---at will. One night at about 60 mph he put the top down----my wife and I were hanging on the top fighting with the little bugger while I managed to stop the car and let him have his way with us

There are lead weights (big) hanging under the front fenders---apparently as vibration dampers

It was, if nothing else, an eye catcher in the midst of Indiana corn country----few knew it was a free ride from my boss, we were as poor as church mice After a couple of months sparing with that elf I moved on to something else

I note with interest that they do not show any pictures of the top in transition

[Truckman]

I worked with, and later for, one of the few people in the country willing to repair and adjust those systems correctly...Last time I saw Tom Teske, he had customers actually shipping their Continentals and Thunderbirds to him from as far away as England just because he had the reputation of doing it correctly, and knowing where to source the parts...Tom moved his shop from River Oaks in Houston out nearer Katy where he lives, but the last time I heard from him his shop was flooded in the huge rain Houston experienced from one of the hurricanes...He hasn't responded to any of my messages since......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

That is too bad---for I am sure the one shown here has its own elf which will need taming

I just remembered another little "endearing" quality which I think was on this car.

When the top was up and the windows closed there was a weather strip (flashing) that fit over the top edge of the window. When you operated the door latch (as long as it worked to plan) the window would drop down about 2" and the flashing which was hinged on the top side would fold out and up. Upon closing, the plan was to do the opposite----but all of that was dependent on the mood of the elf at the moment

[Truckman]

I remember working on a few of those window flappers myself, Dave...My old '55 Chevy BelAir 2dr hardtop had a similar rain keeper outer, but I didn't need to lower the window for it......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

Somewhere in my past I had another similar arrangement but there was no power involved--it was all mechanical. When the window was up and you opened the door it flipped the flashing up and on closing flipped it back down.

[Blue74]

It's in Phoenix, you want Philbo to run over and get it for you?