Hard top on or off ?

[MikeSimon]

I used to drive my car in the winter when I lived in Germany and there was no salt on the roads. But not with the hardtop on! On a sunny winter day, soft top down, with the packed snow crunching under the wheels and a warm coat and hat on - great experience.
In the US (MI and OH), I store the car for 7 bad weather months with the hardtop on. Never drive it like this. From May through October it is convertible time.

[zak]

In the summer months here in NJ, say May - October,  I drive my 250 SL with the top down and keep it down. I put on a car cover over the top down car when it's  in the garage over night.
Other times of year I install the hard top and love it too. That greenhouse visibility is fantastic. The 4 point lockdown on the hard top adds rigidity to the chassis making the car feel and drive rock solid.
I very very seldom use the soft top at all.

Does anyone have a cover that just fits over the top down open cockpit? I forget what they are called. A tourneau cover Lot's of British cars had them back in the day. They would snap in place to protect the interior at door top level.

I recall seeing a fellow driving an MGA in the rain with this type of cover and his head was sticking up thru the cover. Pretty funny looking. He couldn't see the gauges or pedals or stick shift or steering wheel but he was buzzing along.

jz 

[Bonnyboy]

My car is just for fun, so the hardtop is put away and hasn't been on the car in 8 yrs.  The soft top on the other hand has been up 8 times in that 8 yrs either with passengers who get a little chilly or if caught in a big rain.   my interior isn't pristine so if it is raining when I set off I usually put the soft top on when parked and drop it again to leave unless its a torrential downpour and dry it as best as I can back at home in my heated garage.   

Its all about what you want out of your car.   I know a guy who hasn't taken his hardtop off in the 8 yrs I have known him and he said its the only way his wife will ride in the car and he likes his wife so the top stays on. 

I must admit that I don't like to drive when there is salt on the roads as it trashes the wheel wells and rockers so for winter driving there better be a good reason (like a Porsche sponsored event or a BMW event) - I am usually not the only top down as the MGB guys are good for top down in all weather. 

In the winter I wear a lambskin hat with a buckle under the chin and gloves and a blanket over my lap and the rides are usually to an event on the highway.   Its dorky as all get up but I am warm.

[zak]

For me it's full top down all summer. However come fall I put on the hardtop. I enjoy the visibility with that great greenhouse. With the pagoda roof on the car looks great. But what I really enjoy is how tight the hard top makes the car feel with less flex and scuttle shake. Those 4 lock down points really lock it in place.

Who was the fellow - Eugene Borringer (?) who drove a 230 SL to victory in those long distance rallys back in the day ? I wonder if his hardtop was more firmly held in place?

jz 

[neelyrc]

Who was the fellow - Eugene Borringer (?) who drove a 230 SL to victory in those long distance rallys back in the day ? I wonder if his hardtop was more firmly held in place?

The Eugen Bohringer rally car that won the Spa - Sofia - Liege 1963 run was a highly modified pre-production 230sl with a fixed hard top. Attached are a couple of shots of the car at our 2016 Euro Event in Merano, Italy. 

[114015]

Ralph,
The Boehringer car's hardtop (000014's hardtop) is detachable
as on every other ordinary Pagoda as well.
It's not fixed by welding or so ....

 

Best,
Achim

[teahead]

Maybe it was a "California" type w/no softtop?  And no backseat either???

[Benz Dr.]

I saw a 250SL that was vintage raced and he ran with a hard top that was bolted on to his roll cage. He could remove the hard top to work inside the car by removing 4 screws. It was a very stripped out car with no inner door parts or real dash. 2'' exhaust straight pipe front to back so it had a real rumble. I've driven my car without any exhaust and just the header pipes - that was really loud!!

I could get away with all kinds of noise infractions living out here in the sticks - I don't any more but I could if I wanted to.   

[neelyrc]

Ralph,
The Boehringer car's hardtop (000014's hardtop) is detachable
as on every other ordinary Pagoda as well.
It's not fixed by welding or so ....

 

Best,
Achim

Achim, I stand corrected! 

I recently read an article about the Spa - Sofia - Liege Rally indicating that the roof of #39 was “rigidly” attached to the body (whatever that means!).

[114015]

Maybe it was a "California" type w/no softtop?  And no backseat either???

Correct Rob (Teahead).

The factory original Boehringer Pagoda was just an ordinary pre-production 230 SL, serial no. 000014; built/finished in May 1963 to be exact.
The car was built and "delivered".... uhem, MB-company-internally delivered in 568 red with an ordinary softtop. The hardtop is missing there on the datacard.
It was then added during the extensive preparation of the car for the planned August rallye (Spa-Sofia-Liege)
which was all done by Erich Waxenberger.

The softtop of 000014 is still present.
And yes, Rob, you are absolutely right here as well.
230 SLs were NEVER available as "Californias"; i.e. withouth softtop compartment.
Only 250ies and 280ies could be ordered as "Californias" (option code 41/7 or 417 on the datacard).

And you are also right with this... at a certain time in its lifetime (but no longer today), the Boehringer car also had a jump seat.
Most likely AFTER its race career ended in 1965 ...
 

Cheers,

Achim
(coffeehead)

[114015]

I recently read an article about the Spa - Sofia - Liege Rally indicating that the roof of #39 was “rigidly” attached to the body (whatever that means!).

Yes, Ralph.
You are correct here.
I read those comments too somewhere - but I forgot where that was...
Well, at least this piece of info is not correct here for this car anymore. But maybe it was for the other Boehringer car, the second Pagoda, the 1964 car (licence number S-TT 473).

Best,
Achim

[Shvegel]

It has taken hold in the Porsche world where few original engines survived.  1972 was the worst.  They moved the oil fill to the outside of the car and gas station attendants filled the oiling system with gasoline.

[lowpad]

I feel like my 230SL offers the best of both worlds, an effective and easy-to-use soft top for the summer and a vault-like hardtop for the winter (I live in the Northeast and drive my car all year round, weather permitting).  Honestly, I think the car looks great in any one of those configurations.  As an aside, my father drove a 1966 Corvette convertible that he would fit with the hardtop for winter use.  Putting that top on was a complete PITA compared to the Pagoda, whose simple and effective mounting system is a tribute to its creators.

[Sam SL]

I enjoy the car as a coupe and I think it is prettiest with

a. hardtop on.
b. soft top up.
c. soft top down.

Hardtop has not been off for years. 

[Dudlow]

My take on this for what it's worth......

I use my car in the UK twelve months of the year.

The top is on from around October until May, then taken off. The most noticeable thing immediately after removal is how more agile the car feels. They are heavy tops.

I do prefer the look with either the top on, or the hood down. Soft top up is not the best profile.

[VincentR]

Hello All,

Always keep the hardtop on !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdO1T2i7a3c

Best regards.
Vincent R
280 SL 1970 (Silver / Marroon Tex)
Besançon - France

[uptheorg]

Owning these cars is very much an exercise in style and, for sure it always looks good in any one of the three configurations. Having said that, isn't the name of this forum PAGODA? I keep the top on as much as possible -- in the heat of the summer, I will take it off only because I enjoy top-down driving when I can.

[teahead]

looks good w/the hardtop on.  Took it out a few weeks ago.

[john.mancini]

Moved to sunny SW Florida about 10 years ago. No more snow, salt or sand on the roads. No more pot holes. No more bad MA drivers, although the retired FL drivers have been known to rear end a car or two . (They often confuse the gas pedal for the brake pedal. Totally understandable). My 69 280SL, hard top on. Looks great and leaves me with more room in my garage. My 65 230SL left the factory as a soft top only car, so that is either soft top up or down. What a life!

[Merc_Girl]

Though shalt always go topless, unless there be a hail storm, as that hurts your eyes!

If you look carefully in the small print, it’s after 12th commandment.

Living in Scotland is not an excuse, you knew the risks when you purchased a convertible

🤣

[66andBlue]

Though shalt always go topless, ...
🤣

.. especially in Southern California where Santa knows the correct way to bring joy.
Merry Christmas to everyone!

[Merc_Girl]

.. especially in Southern California where Santa knows the correct way to bring joy.
Merry Christmas to everyone!

Love the picture!!

Merry crimbo one and all 😁

[JN]

I keep my hard top off until winter storage, I never put a soft top up because I do not have one.

JN