hardtop weight?

[RetroGeorge]

I bought a manual hoist 10 years ago. I believe I found the source on TBN. Works well. Very easy to use. As others have said, it is all about getting the pins lined up. With a hoist you can do it without having to find a friend or relative help you.

I concur. The hoist is the way to go.

My two neighbors are ladies, so I am on my own. Time is my biggest complaint. It still takes me over 30-45 minutes to either install or remove the top. I wanted the electric hoist, until I found out that it mounted to the ceiling and not the wall. I had a horrible experience with lag bolts 40 years ago, in my first house, and have avoided them ever since. That said, there is probably a way to install the electric hoist onto the wall, but I didn't look into it.

Winters here in the Dallas area have been getting milder each year, so I will probably not install the hardtop this year. (I probably just jinxed all of Texas for this winter.)

Good luck with whichever winch you choose.

[HKS]

One source says "about 85 lbs" (Thunderbird by Ray Miller). I took my '55 off once by myself when I was much younger and almost killed my self avoiding dropping it on the car (never did that again). As with our current retros, it isn't so much the weight as it is the awkward size and shape. HKS, you must have been much stronger than I to do it regularly (or more daring).

I only did it twice. There was no ragtop with the Tbird.
HKS

[428PI]

I don't know how much it weighs but my wife complains when we install or remove it. It's staying in the basement this year so I don't have to listen to her complain. It's nasty outside and I stayed home from work. Might not get the bird out for another week or two.

[SunnyDayz]

Most definitely get a hoist. I did about 8 years ago. It's pretty much effortless now. No good mounting the motor on the wall though. You want to be next to the car so one hand can guide the top while the other hand presses the control button.