WARNING TO ALL DIY'S - Soft Top Cover Spring

[Witt]

.........I screwed up, inadvertantly mind you and I want to pass this on so you woun't do the same:

As I mentioned in a different post I am in the process of stripping my Pagoda to get it ready for the paint-shop.
Today I took off the Hard Top and removed the soft top cover in order to strip it of the uphulstery, glue and assorted gunk..... Wanting to reinstall my Hard Top while working on the cover, I noticed that one of the hinges, the spring loaded one, was sticking out like a sore thumb preventing me from refitting the H/T. When I pushed down on it, the trunk opened. ( I had removed the lock earlier) Now this is the way it's suposed to work: The mechanism prevents both from being opened at the same time so they woun/t collide with each other........are you still with me?

In order to take the tension of the spring loaded hinge  of the S/T cover, I unhooked the spring. BIG MISTAKE!!!!! The curved middle part of said spring popped up against the carbody and put a nice dent in to it from the inside......

Since the car is going to the body shop anyway, I am not to worried, but DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU.....!     

CHEERS !
WITT !

[dtuttle123]

This is the point where you put down your screwdriver, grab a beer, and say "I've done enough damage for one day"...even if it's 10am in the morning!

[forrestjordan]

In the construction business there is a saying that goes: "Measure twice, cut once."  I wish there was something like that for fooling around with these old cars.  It might help us all!!! :'(

[johnd]

As I tell my good - and wealthier - friend after a day spent beating on his Ferrari, Kirkham Cobra replica, Ghibli and 3 Vettes . . .  . "We made a lot of progress today, some of it even forward . . . ."

JohnD

[abe280SL]

My experience with DIY is 80% of the time I do more good than harm. 10% is a wash...local mechanic could have save me the time for the same money.  10% I do more, and I say more harm than good and wish I would have had someone else do the work...none the less  its still a valuable  learning experience.
abe

[Witt]

Thank you all for the moral and otherwise support.....on a happier note: After cosulting with the body shop, I took the entire passenger door apart ( on their advise, so they won't have to do it ) and no misshappes......yet....tomorrow it's the driver side turn, but I will keep that beer at the ready Doug, just in case.

Seems like that " let's just do a simple paint job for now, is turning into a full fletched restoration......well in for a Penny, in for a Pound......or is it Pfennig und Mark ?   

CHEERS !
WITT !

[johnd]

Here is another warning item I ran across tonight.  Unless I was just too tired to get it right, the  280E-brake lever bolt is reverse threaded . ..  ie righty loosy , , , would be easy to not move it, then use a longer bar, then, big problem.

[glenn]

Re: Left hand threads.   Pontoons and fintails, also?   Old Chryslers on the rims?

[hauser]

You should have used vise grips when installing or removing the the soft top spring.

[Andres G]

This is the point where you put down your screwdriver, grab a beer, and say "I've done enough damage for one day"...even if it's 10am in the morning!

Funny how things work... things like these should actually happen AFTER you start drinking beers (at 10 am) 

Andres G

[Witt]

You should have used vise grips when installing or removing the the soft top spring.

......I did, but I just unhooked the spring from the soft top cover hinge to make it fold back so I can reinstall the hard top and left it attached at the trunk hinge. So the spring did not relex and the tension had to go somewhere......now I know where..!

CHEERS !
WITT !

PS: Re-installing was even more "fun".......

[Witt]

Just dropped off all the alu-skinned parts at the bodyshop and it was pointed out to me that the top of the trunk lid had some dents in it, most likely from the owner pushing down on it when closing the lid......now who would do a stupid thing like that ? There is such a nice chrome handle just for that purpose....!   

CHEERS !
WITT !