The Support Cradle for the 1955 - 1957 Ford Thunderbird hardtop employs a lightweight aerospace 6061 T6 "drawn" (this is a shaping process which retains structural integrity) one inch aluminum tube with each end having a mandrel bend of a 4" radius. This tubing is used inside another high-density foam tube with a half-inch wall thickness. Special triangular pieces are on this aluminum tube to avoid the delicate weather stripping. The assembly constitutes a very lightweight, sturdy and upholstery-friendly design that supports the hardtop securely, avoiding paint and weather stripping. The hardtop is balanced with a connected harness of nylon seat belt webbing sewn with heavy-duty polyester thread to the required length. The early Thunderbird hardtop can be safely suspended indefinitely. All hoist systems include your choice of lifting devices: the 7:1 manual pulley, the brake winch or the motor winch and all necessary installation hardware.