(sorry about the double posting - I didn't see this thread here before)

Just as an FYI for US SL owners looking for an inexpensive
way to add an electric hoist to your garage to handle the SL
hardtop, here's what I've come up with...

[IMG]http://assets.************************/assets/product/100584/100584_200_1.jpg[/IMG]
if the pics don't show, windows users right-click on
pic and select 'show picture'
[img]http://assets.************************/assets/product/103963/103963_200_2.jpg[/img]
shown above with manual hoist


shown above in my garage

880 Lb capacity electric hoist from Harbor Freight
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44006)
ITEM 44006-7VGA $74.99

And...

Adjustable Hoist Sling from ************************ - $59.95
(http://www.************************/ProductPage.aspx?ProductName=Adjustable+Strap+Harness&productid=100584&producttype=20)

Most electric hoist set-ups cost between $500 and $750.
This setip will cost only $134.94 + a couple of hardware
items to mount the hoist.

The hoist itself will handle 440 lbs on a straight single line pull -
more than enough for the R129 hardtop which weighs in at only
85 lbs. (107s & earlier do weigh more... but certainly nowhere
near 400 Lbs!).

The hoist plugs in to 110v power and has a wired remote - so all
you have to do is unlatch the hardtop, attach the sling straps,
and push a button to raise the top off your SL... drive the SL out
from under it, push the down button and lower the top to your
hard top storage cart.

Hope this info is useful to others...

- michael
'98 SL500

addendum:

If you want to STORE your hartop (up and out of the way) in it's hoisted position, instead of the strap harness (noted above at $59.95) consider getting the "cradle and harness assembly" from http://removabletops.com/.

They don't advertise it on the web site but you can email them and they will sell their cradle harness for $125. It's a nice cradle - nothing to screw up the weather seal - it "cradles" the hardtop on the outside edges:



From thier web site:
"The IMC hoist harnesses utilize lightweight aerospace 6061 T6 "drawn" aluminum tubing (not the breakable "extruded" tube) inside another two inch O.D. high-density foam tube with a half-inch wall thickness. This assembly constitutes a very lightweight and very strong upholstery-friendly Support Cradle that holds a hardtop securely from beneath - avoiding paint and weather stripping - and balances it with a connected harness fabricated from seat belt webbing."