Convertible Top Help

Ok, here's what has gone on so far. We just bought this car not too long ago. It appears to be an all stock 87 GT convertible. When we brought it home, the top was in working order although the top is tattered. We replaced the gauge cluster as a PO installed some cheap @$$ white overlays which weren't correct. We ended up replacing the headlight switch and connector at that time as the wiring to the switch was all individually plugged in. Now, where the problems lie are the dash lights only work when the interior lights are turned on with the dimmer and the top no longer goes down. At this time, I am only working with the top as I am trying to take the driver's rear interior panel out to be able to fix the window which is stuck down. The top motor sounds like it is working to raise the top, but not to lower it. So far, I have tried swapping the relays and pulled the switch from the dash pod. Swapping the relays did not change anything, the motor reacted the same with either relay in either place. I have looked at the wiring diagram and am a little stumped right now. With the key on, I am getting about 8-10 volts on a purple/red wire at all times and 8-10 volt on a solid purple wire only when the switch is activated to raise the top. I haven't tried swapping the relays back yet to verify if I indeed have a bad relay or if I have something else going on. Another question I have is there are 2 wires within the connector at the switch, but the switch has 3 blades? Am I missing a wire somewhere? The diagram doesn't show a 3rd wire, but it has me questioning WTH this blade is? Anyway, I hope this explains what I am running into well enough. Any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated as I absolutely hate wiring although it is a necessary evil. Now back to the car and see if I can figure anything out. Thanks for any input!!

Hot-wired the top to retract, so the motor is good. The top started to raise when I tried with the switch, so no problems raising, only lowering.

Now, another question for anyone, the driver rear window will not go up, but will go down with the switch. The motor tries to raise, but will not move. I don't see anything mechanically wrong in there. Has anyone run into this? I haven't torn anything out as far as the window mechanism yet. I'm hoping as I get a little deeper that I find something simple.....

Thanks for the links, but I've already found them through the search. What I am at a loss about is why there are three male connectors in the switch, why I have power going into the one side of the switch at all times when the key is on, and if anyone has had any kind of non-electrical issue with the back windows. I still don't see anything mechanically that jumps out as to why it seems to hang up when trying to go up, but it has to be mechanical somewhere. Just curious if there were any common problems to pay specific attention to. The power mechanism for the top in the 84 vert that we had didn't work either, but we were able to operate it manually. We aren't so lucky with the 87.

After playing with the window, there was indeed nothing mechanically wrong with it, but it was pretty sticky when the window was almost all the way down. I ended up spraying some WD down there and working it up and down by hand to free it up. The window motor seems to be on it's last leg though. It is fine going down (gravity works ya know....) but coming up it struggles. The window will come up easy enough with a little manual help, but the motor doesn't seem to have the power any more. I guess I should mention that it hits a spot on the way down that the window seems to basically just drop a little bit. I guess it's time for a new window motor. Time to hit up the Pull a Part sometime soon. We have a shopping list building. Also, time to do a little research again to see which motors are interchangeable with the rears.....

We got the new window motors today and installed the driver side. After lubing the regulator bushings and installation of the new motor, the window works as it should! Now on to the passenger side, then figure out what the deal is with the top!

Thanks! There are 3 spade connections on the switch, but only 2 wires running to it IIRC. It's been a few weeks since I had it apart now, but remember there only being 2 wires and 3 terminals. We have a new top waiting to be installed and have the old top mostly ripped off. We now have a concrete crew here prepping for a garage pad and driveway install and the vert is in the carport attached to the house. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be leaving the carport for a couple more weeks, but when it does, I'm really thinking of having someone install the top instead of us trying to tackle it at home. Normally I would throw caution to the wind and just dive into it but I want it to fit properly so I figure it may be best leaving it to the professionals. If we get some free time, maybe I'll get the dash pod torn off again and see if I can find an extra wire and get the top motor working properly again. I suspect something happened when I had the pod off replacing the gauges. For now, to raise it, the switch works fine, but I "hot-wire" the motor to drop it.

Yeah, the wife and I had planned on installing the top together, but I definitely don't have the correct staples and also don't know how the front is attached exactly yet. Between that and having a thousand other projects going at once (having a garage built, pouring a new driveway, remodeling a basement kitchen into a bar area, have to put my II back together and working on the convertible besides running the kids to their stuff....), I just feel like it would be better off going to a pro. I know neither of us want it to look like a shoddy job, and with so much going on I am starting to question everything! Besides, it's going to have to go to a body shop since she wants to take it to Myrtle Beach Mustang Week and there is no way I'll be able to get it back together and presentable before then with so much going on.

Ok, had/have a little time to work on the car today. I've been out with it for a little bit, taken the top switch from the pod and found a grey wire that was disconnected. Walla!! Top works as it should now! Still plugging away at removing the top and will have to investigate the dash lights, but making slow progress!!

The top is removed and started working on the dash light issue. Another thread has been started concerning that. We'll see about the top another day....

Ordered new weatherstripping for the top as well as a new dimmer switch for the dash lights. Will continue after we receive them and get back at it....