How many people have a power button to pop the touno cover?

Or do you have to use the 2 pull cords behind the back seats?


on another board someone pointed out to me his was power.

 

Both. The manual releases are for emergency use in case the tonneau hatch release fails to function.

Lon

 

Mmm, Did all verts have the electric pop? This is a 91 RS.
I know in my 92Z the button in the middle of the power windows is for the Hatch relese...

In the 91 vert that button is missing... Would that be the touno or trunk?

 

the power release for the tonneau cover is in the back seat by the release handle for the top.

 

This is the lever you pointed at right?

This is not electric on mine. All it does is pulls a cable to release the latch in the top by the rear window.

 

I just noticed you have a pontiac.. You are the 2nd Person to say you have a power button.

 

The electric tonneau release for convertibles (note the spelling, "i" not "a") moved to the position Patrick shows in 1992. Previously the switch was located between the window switches, where the hatch release switch is located on coupes. The new switch location makes a lot more sense. It eliminated the "duck in to pop the switch" step.

Lon

 

i still find it unbelieveable that the dealer charges $95 for the cable release though. and especially for how cheaply built that handle is. i mean, what engineer in their right mind would put a long thin rod on the edge of a 1" square handle, then have the rod braced internally but not the connection to the handle?

mine snapped last year, so i backfilled it with epoxy and put a screw through it going into the rod. just thought i'd pass that along to other conv owners, or maybe someone that might help "rebuild" them better than stock for other people....

i'll take pictures when i get time if this description is too confusing

 

if i'm not mistaken, the power release was standard on 91-92 trans ams, if not all firebirds.

 

Makes sence having the tonneau switch between the windows I guess, but that means no power trunk release.

Mmm time to make a remote switch so when I pop the top the tonno pops to.. should be easy with a little wire and a wot nitrous switch....

Thanks

 

question for you though. i've never had time to properly diagnose this problem, but the electric switch will not throw when the headlights or fog lights are on. is this normal, some kind of 'safety' feature, or just something screwed up? (the guy who owned this before me was a total slob, so i wouldn't be surprised)

 

im making billet alum handles..... will have pics soon. if intrested, email me at MrDude_1@excite.com

 

Something is screwed up. There are safety features to the tonneau release to prevent it from being deployed while driving. If the ignition is on the tonneau won't release unless the shift selector is in P or N (auto tranny) or the parking brake applied (manual tranny).

Lon

 

I have a power release switch!

 

then maybe something's just wired wrong in mine. i can pop it in any gear without the e-brake on, but not with the lights on.

 

over the weekend, i went and traced down why my power releases didnt work. turns out the power wire was shorted to ground under the carpet.


i wired up a new circuit for it (fuse, relay switch) and setup the switch(push button actually) next to the handle you pull to release the top.... its the best vert specific mod ive done so far..


now to lower the top, you roll down the windows, undo the latches, step out of the car, reach in, pull handle,lift rear of roof, push button, cover pops up, lower and fold the top, and click the cover down...


sounds like alot when you read it, but its soo much better then having to reach in and hit the switch in the center, and its worlds better then pulling the little cords.


anyhoo, just thought id pass the idea along.... move the release button to the cover itself... :lala:


oh, and im going to put a trunk release switch were the orignal cover release switch was...

 

Travis,

better yet why not do like Im in the process of. when you Pull the lever to pop the top why not just have that hit a micro switch like a nitrous WOT one and pop the solinoids for the tono also.

 

because i dont need to pull the handle to just lift the cover then... :lala:

if i truly wanted to be slick, i would shave the whole handle off, put one button there and have a 'noid pop the top off, have the top be spring loaded to lift up, and have the cover lift up under the top...

then its only one button...

but really, im happy with it like it is...



:lala:

 

you could still push the switch with your hand nonetheless...

but i don't see how that's any slicker than the '92 factory way, because you still have to reach out and pull the top up before you lift the cover.

 

i dont know the 92 factory way.

matter of fact, if what im assuming is correct, i modded my 91 to work the 92 factory way.


all i did was move the power top release button from the center of the console, to the edge of the top by the handle.

that means that once i step out of the car to pull the handle and release the top, i dont have to duck back into the car to release the cover...


matter of fact, it started to rain at a redlight today and i put the top up in what had to be under 5 secs....... much qucker then the factory 91 way..:lala: