Soft Top Hanger

[bpossel]

Last Summer I purchased a new soft top.  The only problem with a new top is that you hate to damage it by shoving it into the storage compartment...  With the old top, I didnt mind damaging it any further by craming it down in the tight compartment.

To keep the soft top nice during the winter months, when I have the hard top installed, I removed the soft top and hung it up in place of the hard top.  I purchased a couple pieces of "angle iron" from Lowes and bolted the one piece to the rear of the frame.  The front piece is simply loose, holding the front of the frame up.  Both angle iron pieces are covered with some pipe insullation blankets from Lowes also.  All is hung by some chain.

With the soft top removed I was also able to further clean the lower main frame pieces and also the areas of the soft top compartment that cant be reached when the soft top is in place...

Thought I would pass this along to the group...  overall pretty easy to remove the top.

Bob

Download Attachment: softtop.jpg
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bpossel
Memphis, TN.
1971 280SL
1997 E320

[Ben]

Thanks Bob...........this was my next question ..........jeeeeeeeez this group just gets better.............folk are evn answering questions I havent asked yet !

I going down right now to do the same !!

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[Jonny B]

Bob,

Super job! Did you make any kind of marks etc. to make it easier to align the top when you put it back in?

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[J. Huber]

Interesting. I am still working on hanging my Hard-top, let alone the soft one ... Santa Claus brought my car a Fritzi-Hooker (manual)hoist for Christmas.

I notice Bob that you hang the top backwards. I am thinking of doing same. Will be starting installation very soon. I have not decided if I will leave top up there or let it down and lean it. What do you others do? Front or Back? Up or Down? Am I correct to assume, the hoist will allow the top to be lowered all the way to floor? Thanks. And if this should be a separate thread, just lemmee know.

James
63 230SL

[n/a]

James,

I did mine exactly the same way as Bob, not for particular reason but out of necessity. I do not have enough room in the front of the garage with the garage door, etc.  It is a lot easier to back the car into the garage and have the hoist there. My hard top has been hanging up there since and it is real nice to have it out of the way. I did add some safety ropes around it to make sure it does not drop down accidentally. The hoist would lower the top all the way to the floor if you want to. Even with the handy hoist, I have not put the hardtop back on the car this Winter. This past weekend was real nice in cruising with the top down. Let me know if you need any help with the installation.

Louis 70 280sl Red Auto

[J. Huber]

Thanks Louis. I will be asking for help -- I'm sure of it -- because if it says "assembly required" I'm doomed!

I would like to keep my top up and out of the way, but was thinking I would maneuver the car for hoisting so the top would be off to the side. I will sleep better that way.

James
63 230SL