Soft top mechanism

[viper]

Hi All

I have just successfully imported an absolutely sold (if a little scruffy) 71 280 manual from CA here to the UK.

I love this car as a manual and have been enjoying its first day on the road today until I decided to look at the soft top.

Now I have looked at this very good thread       (http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=16989.0)     But it doesn't help me.

I have somehow managed to get the hood stuck half way up/down.

The rear of the roof has extended itself within the storage compartment whilst the rest of the top is up so wedging it well and truly under the hinges.

I'm in no doubt that you've heard of this before and even I seem to remember doing this once before years ago when I owned another 113.

Question is how do I get myself out of this problem? The rear of the hood will not retract to clear the hinge and the top will not fold down.

Manys in antisipation

[al_lieffring]

You will need a helper standing on the other side of the car. There is spring loaded a chrome lever in the hinge mechanism, I never could figure out it's function, but if the rear bow is not securely snapped closed when folding the top this lever will catch on the top frame and the top will neither open or close. So hold the frame half way up/down and reach inside and hold this lever away from the frame someone standing on the other side will need to do the same, and fold the top closed.  Snap the rear bow fully against the frame and hold it there as you pull the top out of the compartment.

[stickandrudderman]

They can be a real bugger and require some lateral thinking to get them up again. Once you've got it out you need to have the mechanism repaired to stop it happening again. There are two types of folding mechanism, and the most common cause of this failure is wear to a cam and the hinge. I've had plenty where I've had to weld  and re-profile the cam. When it's in good order the rear section of the frame should fold up and nestle with a click against the still erected remainder of the frame. Once this is done you can then fold the whole frame back and into the storage area. Like wise when you retrieve the frame the rear section should come up with the main section and require a positive effort to unlatch it from the main section. Fold it down after the bow has been lowered into place.

[Neil Thompson]

I've had Vipers problem and Al's quick fix works but can skin your knuckles. I today removed the complete soft to by the 4 13mm bolts and studied it on the floor as such. I found loose screws and some of the shouldered/threaded frame screws replaced by nuts and bolts!, I've replaced and swapped these as best I can and also bent a few parts which looked out of line back into line!.

Stick, do you have a photo of the cam area you mention as I can't picture it?

Neil 

[viper]

Thanks Guys....a great help.

But Al....you don't happen to have a picture of the chrome lever do you??

I have looked and looked at the mechanism feeling sure there must be a release but to no avail

Picture would be most helpful

thx

[al_lieffring]

My 230sl has a different top frame than the one I was speaking of. a different version was fitted to 70 and 71 280sl's