Replacing my soft top - advice for me & wiki

[jameshoward]

I intend to replace my soft top over Christmas. I will buy a sonnenland fabric in dark blue to match that listed on the data card. I am yet to decide on a supplier, so if anyone has any recommendations IN GERMANY/UK I'd be grateful. My existing one has many holes where the frame seems to have nipped it. The existing top also has a gap at the rear on both sides due to Corner Curling Soft top Syndrome. The frame needs realignment, it seems.

I have looked at the entry in the Wiki. It's a bit light less the advice (from Joe, unsurprisingly) at the bottom, which seems clear. I aim to do a blow by blow account for the Wiki with lots of pictures that I will take to ensure the thing goes back together again. I also need to recondition the frame to remove surface rust.

Can anyone offer any additional advice on doing this job?

Additionally:

 - Any tried and tested methods for removing the frame?

 - Should I look at power coating the frame? (Anyone done it? I was thinking about painting it)

 - In addition to all the rubber seals and the wires, are there any other parts that I might need?

 - Anything else??

Since I have all Christmas to do this, I am hoping I can get it right. I would, however, greatly appreciate any observations/tips before hand in order to reduce stress levels during the Festive Season.

I hope to be able to post the Wiki article in the NY.

Many thanks,

James

[paulr]

Hi James

I replaced my dark blue top with one from GAHH in the USA this year. It was $900 I think and is really great.

I use two thin plastic covers from an A4 binder which I have folded ( creased ) in the middle so that they sit on the wings and these prevent the sides ripping when I fold the top down (open). They then sit in with it when stowed. I have covered it with RAGTOPP waterproofer too, but only because I had some left from my old top being very old. I did have some frame realignment too and now it closes at the back just by dropping it closed. Very happy.

I had the frame wire wooled to clean up the old brown glue from a previous installation and replaced the webbing tape with new but thinner quality than the original.

It might be my imagination but it might be windy er (SP?) than the last one but who cares, it looks wonderful.

One tip. Clean the rubber stoppers that are behind your ears when you sit in the seat. They WILL be dirty and WILL mark the inside of your nice new roof.

Good luck.

paulr
lovely 1970 280 SL

[Benz Dr.]

I wouldn't paint the top frame. It looks better cleaned up and plated.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[ja17]

Hello James

There was a live professional installation of a soft top at the Blacklick Tech Session this year. Dick Mentzer recorded a lot of it on video. Others may have also documented it Nic?



Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[hauser]

If your soft top is working properly and fits well this will save you quite a bit of work.  Before removing the top you need to mark the area in which the rear is bolted.  I suggest using masking tape on the floor of the top's compartment so that you can mark the exact area it is bolted down to.  The reinstallation will go much smoother then.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Chad]

Dan:  When you say it would look better cleaned and plated (the frame), what do you mean as far as plating goes?

1967 230SL

[Peter van Es]

quote:Originally posted by jameshoward

I have looked at the entry in the Wiki. It's a bit light less the advice (from Joe, unsurprisingly) at the bottom, which seems clear. I aim to do a blow by blow account for the Wiki with lots of pictures that I will take to ensure the thing goes back together again.

Excellent, James, that would be great.

What's in the Technical Manual at the moment is only the stuff that Cees Klumper salvaged from the old Yahoo forums, and I organised and put in there as a place holder. That, on it's own, took many weeks of work.

After that we made it available for people to start contributing, but at this time, only about 5 or 6 full members from this board are actively contributing. They are doing a great effort, and making some progress, albeit slowly.

What I typically recommend is:
 

• do a search of this forum for search terms. As you collate information, save it. Discard the typical forum noise, and try and get to a technical structure with the definitive truth.
• Upload that info into the Wiki, and fold the old Yahoo content into it. Add pictures, remove fluff.
• Use the info to do a job... as you are planning. Take lots -- I mean LOTS -- of pictures and correct as you go along. Then add your experiences and photographs, and then we have the correct, tried and tested, definitive statement on something.

Please read these editing hints, tips and instructions.

Naj, Bob (2 x), Klaus have done major efforts, others are starting to help. It would be great if you took ownership of the Soft Top section!

Peter

Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual. Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280SL.

[jameshoward]

Peter,

Roger that. That's why I sent you the off line email.

What I need is people to send me information about how to remove the top, prepared the job, etc. I know people out there have done this, but whilst there's some good advice on this thread, I know there's more out there than this just from reading all the searched items.

The video footage mentioned by Joe would be a serious boost to the project. Joe mentioned Bill and Nic - anyone have a point of contact for either than I could use?

JH

[Dick M]

Hi James
Ray Hays and I also shot tape of the Blacklick soft top installation.  It will be edited next.... sometime in Dec.

Dick M
1970 280SL

[Naj ✝︎]

James,
This may be useful:

http://www.vcnet.com/worlduph/mbtopinstall.htm

naj

68 280SL