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#1
06-19-2007, 07:56 PM
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Hardtop rack question
Hey everybody!
I decided to make a hardtop rack, (holder, cart, thingy) myself. Here's what I welded up (discarded shopping carts are so freakin' useful) but I have a question. I'm picking up my 450SL tomorrow and I need a measurement on the hardtop. See pic. Thanks in advance. wally 
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#2
06-19-2007, 08:13 PM
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Nice work.....you may want to consider a lift however
Instead of a cart, I built a lift in my garage using a $75 winch and simple parts from Home Depot. The advantage of a winch is that the top is suspended from the ceiling not taking floor space. Since I am short, I don't bang my head on it. Raising and lowering is greatly simplified as is storage. The key is to lift from the inside of the hardtop. If interested I'll post a picture of the harness.
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#3
06-19-2007, 08:28 PM
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I measured mine and got 17 1/4 inches, sighting across as accurately as I could, to the bottom of the chrome molding. If I allow for the latchpin, I get about 18 3/8.
As for that lift-from-the-inside system, I'd be interested. Currently, I use a system I saw on one of the commercial hoist sites; it uses Yakima gutter-mount towers, a Yakima bar, and a clamparound fitting to a pulley--clamps on easily and hasn't damaged anything. Still, always interested in an alternative.
__________________
Craig Bethune '97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition '04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's) '06 Lexus ES330 '89 560SL (sold) SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes. (Kudos to whoever said it first)
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#4
06-19-2007, 08:40 PM
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Thanks for the measurements, (i figured it to be about 19"-20") the rack should work out perfect. I like the lift idea but my garage ceiling is too low and it would get in the way. You should post your lift though just so we could check it out, sounds clever.
Thanks again, can't wait until tomorrow! wally
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#5
06-19-2007, 08:56 PM
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please post a pix of the harness
Would really like to see your handly work. Do you "really" feel safe hanging this heavy top from your garage rafters ? Do you "hang it over your car ? Thanks Dave
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#6
06-20-2007, 09:46 AM
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Hardtop
Here's a photo of the rack that I use for my SL500. It's made by Stow-Away and is made from machine grade aluminum. Had it for 6 years. Works fantastic. http://home.earthlink.net/~garbiso/menu.htm Good luck...
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#7
06-20-2007, 11:33 AM
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Hey, Wallster, nice job on the rack! And nice ride in the corner of the picture. I have a '98, 95th Anniversary Road King myself. Best of the Harley rides.
__________________
roadkingmike@aol.com Coast Aero Support Services, LLC '92 MB 500 SL '01 BMW 525i Sport '98 Harley Davidson RoadKing '74 BMW 3.0 CSi - Gone to a good home
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#8
06-20-2007, 01:08 PM
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Thanks Mike. That's my '00 RK that's being picked up next Wednesday. I bought her last fall, did some work to her and then sold her last week.
I'll pick up something in the fall/winter to work on again. Last year I sold a '91 FXR and a '73 Triumph T140. Maybe I'll keep one next time. I like to rebuild/repair bikes. Here are some of the others. wally
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#9
06-20-2007, 11:44 PM
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Home-made hardtop hoist and harness
The home-made harness for the hardtop is not pretty.
But its is secure and it has survived several summers holding the hardtop. I carry the load with turnbuckles once the hardtop is up. Photos say more than I can.
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#10
06-22-2007, 12:01 PM
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Nice job on the hardtop rack...just keep an eye on it, in case some homeless guy carts off with it!
__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle 2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car 2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver 2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car
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#12
06-24-2007, 09:19 PM
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Final pics of the rack with the top on it. Works good.
pic1 pic2 pic3 ...and a couple pics of the car. I'm not a big fan of the factory wheels, they should be shinier since the car is trimmed in chrome and stainless. Maybe over the winter i'll make a wheel change (have them chrome plated?). The car runs good. Starts hard when hot. I'm replacing the fuel accumulator this week, that should hopefully take care of that. So far so good though, my wife really loves the car. pic1 pic2 pic3 wally 1980 450SL Last edited by wallster; 06-25-2007 at 10:26 AM.
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#13
06-25-2007, 09:37 PM
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Haven't taken recent pix of my own hoist, but you'll get the idea if you scroll down this page to the 107:
http://64.225.94.154/ShopSite/page61.html
__________________
Craig Bethune '97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition '04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's) '06 Lexus ES330 '89 560SL (sold) SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes. (Kudos to whoever said it first)
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