Hard top stuck

[Gilly]

The car presently has the hard top installed, or the cloth top???

[JimFreeh]

You can also buy a pair of curved handles on ebay that clear the sunvisors.

I bought a set, and can leave them in place for the convertible top. Must easier than digging around for the handles when I need them.

Jim

[sgaar]

I recently had the same problem getting my hardtop off and it turned out that I pushed the handle too far back. The hook that catches the pin on the hardtop comes up as you push the handle back. As it comes up it moves to the side to release the pin but push it too far the hook springs back and catches the pin again. It you hear a loud click sound from the back while moving the handle back you have gone too far.

[Gilly]

The big handle makes the hook go up and down. The small handle makes it move to the side to disengage the hook from the pin.
Gilly

[sgaar]

Originally Posted by Gilly

The big handle makes the hook go up and down. The small handle makes it move to the side to disengage the hook from the pin.
Gilly

Hmm, if that is the case it might seem like I potentially have a problem with my release. The little handle on my car doesn't do much and it feels like there is no resistance when moving it.....damn, sounds like another thing I have to look at....

[Gilly]

Get the hardtop off and leave the soft top down, and raise the tonneau cover. Put the hook in the up position (the up/down is handled by the bar type linkages). With the hook up, the small lever should make the hook move aside by using the small bowden cable. Often the bowden cable becomes unattached just inside where the handle is.
I have seen the latch act as you mentioned, unsure how this happens exactly, some flukey thing, but yeah I have seen where you raise the hook and it does this weird snap to the side. The small handle pulls the hook to the side, as long as you hold the small handle in position, not just a short snap.
Gilly