Soft-top lid handle

[batman]

The chrome handle that releases the lid for soft-top on my 68 280 RHD points upwards - please see pic.

Is this correct?

I have seen these handles pointing the other way, i.e. the end of the handle points towards the carpet.

The PO installed rear speakers back in the 1980's. With the plastic cover on the speaker a downwards pointing handle may be blocked by the speaker cover and so maybe the handle position was moved.

Is it difficult to re-position the handle?

Thanks for any feedback

mark

[Jonny B]

The handle should point down. It appears the previous owner positioned it that way to be clear of the speaker.

It is not a big deal to move around. If you open the top case, you will see how the end of the handle is positioned. There are two nuts holding this in place. If you take those off, you should be able to reposition the handle.

Just be sure that the nuts are tightened down, if they come loose, it is a bit of a job to get the top case opened up (there is info on the site on how to do that).

[batman]

Thanks Jonny. I will try to reposition today.

[batman]

Very easy - remove 1 nut & 2 washers (see arrow in photo); handle pulls out.
Reinstalled lid release handle pointing down & I shaved edge of speaker cover so that it can be pulled freely and now I can instal a wind deflector at the rear.

[Jonny B]

 

[georgem]

Hey Mark,

Just to throw a small spanner in the works - ours also points upwards too - could it be a southern hemisphere thing

[batman]

Hi George -

but no side speaker directly below the handle?

[mdsalemi]

I speak from some unfortunate experience...

BE CAREFUL when working on this area to ensure that the piece mounted on the shaft, that holds the wires to release the soft top cover, is not compromised. Mine fell off, and it was a bear to get the soft top cover opened to repair it. What we found is simply that a nut had fallen off, and then the bracket mounting on the shaft. We used a little "LocTite" in the repair to prevent it from happening again.

[georgem]

No speaker but when I think about it, with an upward facing handle, to release we have to reach in and push the end of the lever away, whereas  if the handle faces down it is probably easier to pull it towards you. Either way I am inclined to leave it therefore removing any chance of stuffing something up.

[batman]

Exactly George - much easier to pull handle towards you.

It's a very straight forward change - not a lot can go wrong but I note Mike's point.

The other issue i had was the difficultly of installing the wind deflector properly with the handle pointing upwards.