Author Topic: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL  (Read 5254 times)

66andBlue

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Re: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL
« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2020, 23:09:42 »
I was going to put the bend in it.  However,  when I tested it without the bend it worked perfectly 🤣
I guess Yankee ingenuity works👍👍👍😜

The problem is that (most) Yankees have no language skills or the desire to learn one. The German fellow who came up with this tool was quite explicit in his description:"Der Knick bringt nur wenig Vorteile, daher ist er nicht notwendig" = the bent has little advantage and is therefore not necessary.
Along comes an ingenious yankee and thinks he reinvented the wheel, or the perhaps the can opener. 🙄  🤣 🤣

Not to mention the German tool is only good for one (right) side. The first photo shows the demonstration on the left side with the compartment open. The area in which it sits would not be accessible with the hatch closed.
So one straight tool? Or two bent tools that mirror each other?
My Hazet exhaust donut tool works well for this.
Sorry Tyler, even with the bent the tool works on both sides. But as the fellow wrote, the bent is not necessary, so your tool should work fine.
But as he also warned, if you haven't tried it on an open hatch where you can see the mechanism on both sides you will have to fiddle around for some time to open the hatch the first time you use the tool.
Alfred
1964 230SL manual 4-speed 568H signal red
1966 230SL automatic 334G light blue (sold)
1968 280SL automatic (now 904G midnight blue)

Tyler S

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Re: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2020, 23:31:25 »
you will have to fiddle around for some time to open the hatch the first time you use the tool.

So it would seem...Its not really about the tool at all.. but the German or Yankee manipulating it. 😉
1968 (67) 250sl. 4 speed manual. DB180 Silver
1955 220 Cabriolet A. White Grey
2019 E450 Wagon. Majestic Blue
1936 Ford PU Flathead V8. Creme on tan interior.
1989 Volkswagen T3 Westfailia Campmobile. Dove Grey (blue)

FGN59

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Re: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL
« Reply #27 on: March 08, 2020, 07:36:01 »
Well, it seems that Mr Fat Boy (pardon the familiarity, this forum does this to me) had it right, it’s all about old .ools (sadly, for which one of us wouldn’t want to be a bit .ounger?)  8)
François

1994 Toyota Land Cruiser SW HDJ80 4.2L diesel
sold:
1969 280SL US specs, 4-speed manual, beige-grey (726H), parchment leather
1962 Jaguar MK2 3.8L (4.2L XJ6 engine), black, tan leather interior
1968 Peugeot 204 roadster, white, black interior
1955 Massey Ferguson TEF20 diesel tractor 😁

mdsalemi

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Re: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL
« Reply #28 on: March 08, 2020, 11:18:27 »
The guy who did mine some years ago didn’t fiddle with anything. He was an experienced body guy who saw the problem grabbed some scrap, fashioned a tool, pulled the latch, and solved the problem. As it was shown to me the hook on it was absolutely necessary in my particular case. After he did this the tool was tossed in the trash; after all it was just a piece of old brake line. This did not present any problem to him; the real issue was ensuring it didn’t happen again.
Michael Salemi
Davidson, North Carolina (Charlotte Area) USA
1969 280SL (USA-Spec)
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
2023 Ford Maverick Lariat Hybrid "Area 51"
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rutger kohler

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Re: Jammed hatch cover on 1969 280SL
« Reply #29 on: March 09, 2020, 06:30:19 »
Hi, just like to thanks all those who responded to my problem. I made the tool as shown by our German friends, however I was trying to pull upwards, on the tool. it finally dawned on me that I should be pressing downwards, and hey presto the hatch cover released.
1969 280 SL Manual gear shift
1972 280SE 3.5 auto