Dropping the top works just fine, on the way back up, it goes a 1/4 the way up and seems to bog. If someone outside the car gives it some gentle coaxing (and I mean gentle, not being sarcastic) it will go on up as it should. What ails with my 1975 and what can I do about it?
Make sure all the joints are lubed, make sure the cable is attached along the route at all proper locations. Could be you electric motor going.
If the top moves freely with no binding, continued symptoms is consistent with a system that needs to purged of air and new fluid added.
All the power tops that I have worked on use an electric motor to turn a hydraulic pump. They leak hydraulic fluid and air infiltrates. When this happens gravity assists the top going down and opposes it going up. Thus, the symptoms the OP describes are typical.
THERE IS NO FLUID- it is run by electric motor and drive cables and gears. http://site.convertibleparts.com/ScissorTopDocs.pdf
I have never worked on the scissor style tops. So, the scissor top cars do not use hydraulic cylinders to assist in raising and lowering the tops?
Nope. All electric with cables, gears, etc. Not a drop of fluid of any kind to be found, except maybe some light lube on the joints.