Use of the removable hardtop

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Last year I removed and stored my hardtop onto the stand from April to the end of September.

This year (so far anyway) I have not yet removed my hardtop. Now I don't drive my car far at the moment except here and then for a short trip to the store to pick up a few items or once in a while a trip to the lake that amounts to a approximate 100 KM round trip.

I do plan to remove the hardtop sometime next month for the rest of the summer when temperatures are not as hot. Taking a trip to the lake today it got me thinking what you fellows out there are doing as far as removing the hardtop of your car. I somehow like the car with the Pagoda style hardtop even without air condition driving with the windows open it provides enough of a draft to be comfortable.

A) Do you remove it in early spring and reinstall it in late fall.
B) Do you remove and reinstall it based upon weather conditions (provided you have the extra pair of hands around to give you a hand).
C) or do you something like I do leave it on and only remove it in the last two months of summer.

It be interesting to know how you all feel about this subject.

[49er]

 After I started driving my car again, I put the HT on in November and took it off in April. Last Year it came off in April and it is still on the stand. Last winter was exceptionally dry and sunny so we had a few topdown drives with the heater full on:-)

John

[hauser]

I've had my car for 12 years and have only used the hardtop two times and only for one day each time.  I have a soft top if I need a roof.

[wjsvb ✝︎]

My HT hadn't been off the car since 1989; I bought it last August and finally, a few weeks ago, corralled my son-in-law and took it off.  Thoroughly enjoyed it for several days then stuck it back on.  I always had convertibles in my (dimly remembered) youth, so it's not a really big deal to ride around covered up.  Might be different if my soft top didn't have a hole in it.  BTW, in said youth, I could remove the dern thing by myself: loosen it, perch on the seats, (sacrilege), lift 'er up and sidle out.  Not today.  Jon

[Bonnyboy]

I know its probably a a sin but I have only driven my car twice with a hard top on and only once with a soft top up.  The hardtop is affixed to my wall and I only use the soft top to keep the rain out when I park it.  My car is for fun only so if it rains I pretend I am having fun. 

[Cees Klumper]

The last two or three years the hardtop has not been on the car. As Hauser notes, if I need a roof I put the softtop yp. My Volvo C70 convertible 'daily driver' does not even have a hardtop, and it's never parked in a garage either, so that car has been 'softtop or no top' since we bought it 9 years ago.
But it gets me thinking: those who never take the hardtop off should probably trade with california coupe owners!
If necessary i can still remove or install the hardtop by myself, but I prefer to use a winch ...

[Garry]

I only put the hard top on now when I have to take the car to a repair facility or paint shop, and that has been twice in the past two years. It (the HT) is currently in the paint shop getting a color change from 334 Light Blue to 350  Mid Blue as per the data card.

 Otherwise it sits on its stand and as far as I am concerned, being one who has accidently dropped the hardtop off a hoist onto my earlier Pagoda, the less I have it near the car the better

[Larry & Norma]

Never use the hard top.

[GGR]

The hard top significantly reduces road noise. So on a long distance highway trip, it makes sense to have it on.

[Flyair]

Same here. Since I bought the car in 2009, I never used the HT although it looks so good with the HT on. AT the end of the day, we owe the singular looks of the car to it...

[scoot]

Discovered that I don't really like convertibles.   The hardtop won't be coming off the car again.

[49er]

Discovered that I don't really like convertibles.   The hardtop won't be coming off the car again.

When I lived in the LA area and during the early 70's I used to take the top off nearly every weekend but put it back on during the week when I used the car to drive to work. The weekend drives were usually along PCH, Palo Verdes, Santa Barbara, down to Dana Point, etc and were what you would call "leisurely scenic" drives. Driving on the Freeways with the top down was no fun, even back in those days. We have lived away from LA now for the past 14 years and have visited a few times. Traffic is horrendous and most of those scenic drive locations are parking lots on the weekend. Not a real great place for a topdown drive for sure, especially in a classic Mercedes.

John

[scoot]

If I had a garage hoist for the removal and storage of the hardtop, it would make a difference.  Just the pain-in-the-ass of removing it and storing it without that makes it something one doesn't want to do often.   If I did have a hoist, I would probably never use the convertible top unless caught in a storm as what's the point of having a convertible top that is up.  And it is a minor pain-in-the-ass to raise and lower...

[Rodolfo]

seems there are persons who put the hardtop on it by theirselfs without a hoist.

I am a pretty tall and strong person. But I would not try to do this on my own. Or is there a trick?

Rudy

[scoot]

seems there are persons who put the hardtop on it by theirselfs without a hoist.
I am a pretty tall and strong person. But I would not try to do this on my own. Or is there a trick?

Absolutely not.  It is heavy (100 pounds) and huge.  Two people can carry it awkwardly, and then you have to lift it over the trunk with one person on each side and set it on top of where it mounts.  This is not a one person job unless you have a hoist.  The damage that you could inflict to the body of the car and the paint would make this something to never try.  Try it with two people first and you will see what I mean.

[dpreston Virginia]

Absolutely not.  It is heavy (100 pounds) and huge.  Two people can carry it awkwardly, and then you have to lift it over the trunk with one person on each side and set it on top of where it mounts.  This is not a one person job unless you have a hoist.  The damage that you could inflict to the body of the car and the paint would make this something to never try.  Try it with two people first and you will see what I mean.

Lay down a moving blanket on the trunk to prevent a accidental slip!

I like having the top but, will leave it suspended in the top of my basement. No plans to put on.

[Rothko]

When I picked up my car in January it had the hardtop on it.  I immediately took it off and have no intention of putting it back on unless I sell it (God forbid!).

Soft top is only in case I get caught in the rain - which did happen once...

[nirmal]

I have not used my hard top since I bought the car about 9 years back. It was lying at the garage, rusted  and in poor condition. I had it restored and kept it in storage as I do not plan to use it. Too heavy and cumbersome.

Nirmal
1969 white 280sl

[Lou F]

When my farther-in-law kept the hardtop on almost all of the time because of storage issues.  Since I took over, I have had work on the car evry winter.  So the roof goes back on in November.  I attend 1 car show with the hardtop present in May and then take it off for the summer.  For more details see my post on "Do you have hardtop anxiety?" for some laughs.
http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=19242.0

[relbhcb]

The quandary that I have is that whilst driving topless is by far the most enjoyable, the shape of the HT is, for me, the defining aspect of the Pagoda car, and quite frankly without it the car is nothing like as beautiful ...

[Cees Klumper]

seems there are persons who put the hardtop on it by theirselfs without a hoist.

I am a pretty tall and strong person. But I would not try to do this on my own. Or is there a trick?

Rudy

The one time I did this I did it as follows: the hard top was one the car and I wanted it off. I positioned myself inside the car, centered. Lifted the top with both hands above my head, then proceeded to lift higher, standing upright. Then taking small sideways steps out of the car. I don't remember how I then was able to put the top down somehow and on what; this must be about 14 years ago.

[Sableco]

In this part of the world (Kuwait) my car goes to sleep with the HT on from beginning of June till the end of September or early October. with summer temperatures in the months of July and August going to around 50 Deg C ( 120+ deg. F) there is no chance at all to drive the top down.
but in the fall to early spring months the weather here is amazing with temp. ranging from mid to upper teens to about 30.
I can not get enough of open top driving. and that is why I have three convertibles. 250SL, 560Sl and the third one is a drop head Saab Aero. even though I enjoy my SLs so much specially the 250, but sometimes the power top of the Saab is quite convenient with modern technology gadgets in the car.
having said that of course the Pagoda gets the max. attention when driving.   

Basem

[enochbell]

When I got the car some 15 years ago the hard top was on.  I took it off and it has never been back on, it sits in the garage taking up valuable space and, generally, making no good account of itself!

g