Adjustment soft-top frame

[Peter]

Dear Gents,

I am the process of adjusting the Soft-top frame.
I have first, as advised on this forum, fit the hart-top which is now going on and of smoothly and the windows fit perfectly.

I have adjusted the soft-top frame to the windows. The upperpart of the windows is closing very nicely, but on both sides the back part of the window is far off, between 7 to 12 mm  (0.27559″ to 0.4724″ inch). It is not possible to move the frame more forward as there is no space anymore. 

In picture 1 I moved the chrome strip forward, showing the gap. Picture 2 shows there is no space to move the frame more forward.

What is the solution:
1. Is there a trick?

2. I could move the chrome strip (with the window rubber) and the strip on which the chrome strip is mounted forward (picture 3). There is however not enough frame metal, so I should weld  a metal strip on the frame and drill now screw holes etc. Risk is that the KHM fabric soft top will not fit anymore.

Thanks for suggestion, kind regards, Peter

[mbzse]

.../...What is the solution:
1. Is there a trick?
2. I could move the chrome strip (with the window rubber) and the strip on which the chrome strip is mounted forward .../...

One can speculate why you have this problem (gap at the rubber seal)
Maybe some basic misalignment of the metal parts in your soft top frame structure.

Anyway, you solve this by putting strips of material (such as soft top fabric or rubber or even plastic) between the metal strip that holds the rubber window seal and the metal strip on the frame B pillar. Use suitable thickness, so that your rubber seals are snug onto the door glass.
I.e between these two:..." the chrome strip (with the window rubber) and the strip on which the chrome strip is mounted..."

[Peter]

The gab is very big, between 7 and 12 mm.

Strange is that before the restauration the soft-top was fitting well and no changes have been made to the frame or mounting location/position in the soft-top storage space

[waltklatt]

Peter,
How are the door gaps?  All even?
You said restoration work?  Invloved sheet metal welding?
Walter

[Pawel66]

I am sorry, this can be completely silly, I do not remember now how it looks without fabric, but...
Are you sure yu have not made a mistake of, e.g. turning the bar 90 degrees (not sure from the picture), or, e.g. mixed the left and right or up or down?

I am no kidding and mean no sarcasm. I just looked at the top picture and thought what if you turned the bar in which the seal is squeezed 90 degree to the left? I am probably wrong, but this gap has not just appeared there.

[66andBlue]

Peter,
first things first.
1. Is this a frame for the 280SL or the 230SL?
2. Remove the rubber seal and take a photo of the channel from a similar viewpoint as the one in the photo below.
3. Is the seal channel oriented in the same direction as the one in the photo?

From your top picture it is not obvious how the channel is attached to the frame as Pawel aleady mentioned.

[Peter]

I am now travveling, I will check on mondaine.

[Peter]

Interesting Artificial Intelligence on my mobile phone, good English is, while sending, scrambles by the Dutch word checker.   

Alfred
1.   It’s a 280SL 1969 USA version.
2.   See attached
3.   Yes it is.

The doors are even, no welding on both sides, but also before restauration the gab on both sides was already a bit too large. Could come from previous welding, but the Hard Top fits well.

This morning I redid the adjustment, it improved by 1 – 2 mm, but still on the left side a gap of 9 mm.

[Peter]

rotate pics.

[66andBlue]

It appears that your channel piece is at the correct position. Compare how it covers the screws in the frame part (red arrows).
You will also make the gap a bit smaller when you install the fabric (second photo).
I believe your major problem is that you haven't installed the fabric yet which will change the geometry of the folding top a bit.

However, I am also wondering whether you installed the window lift stops correctly when you adjusted the window to the hard top. That is, with the hard top on, the door completely closed and the window cranked up from the inside, can the window still go up further when you open the door?
You should adjust the soft top only to the fully cranked up window.

[Peter]

Very good point!
The fabric will also decrease the gab, I measured the new fabric and this will decrease the gab between 3 and 5 mm.

With this information the gab is decreasing and the problem starts to be manageable. 
With the suggestion of Hans, putting some material between the metal strip that holds the rubber window seal and the metal strip on the frame B pillar the remainder gab can be can be eliminated.

Concerning the window, it is adjusted to the hard-top and when the hard-top is taken off the window cannot go further up. The soft-top is also nicely aligned with the window horizontally. On the other hand, there is hardly any possibility to go further up with the window, the mechanism will not allow it.

With the received information, suggestions and ideas I think the issues is solved. Thanks