Anyone have a soft top by E-Z On Auto Tops? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

donbryce · #1 05-10-2008, 01:34 PM

I'm close to deciding on a new top for my 560SL. These guys have one for about $330.00 plus shipping, and it comes with the 2 rubber side seals and 2 tensioning cables. I'd really like to hear from a few folks who have installed one of their 107 tops, or have had it done, and can give me some opinions on the quality and fit of their product? http://www.ezonauto.com/catalog_select2.asp?make_id=31

Strife · #2 05-10-2008, 03:21 PM

Well, after putting a top on recently, I'd be a little suspicious of any top being called EZ-ON

A good sign is that they give you the cables. I did not get new cables and mine were bent to s#$%#$; I had a difficult time getting them reasonably straight - but they were still difficult to tension. BTW, I used almost exactly one pint of contact cement on this project. Hard to believe.

dugald · #3 05-10-2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donbryce

I'm close to deciding on a new top for my 560SL. These guys have one for about $330.00 plus shipping, and it comes with the 2 rubber side seals and 2 tensioning cables. I'd really like to hear from a few folks who have installed one of their 107 tops, or have had it done, and can give me some opinions on the quality and fit of their product? http://www.ezonauto.com/catalog_select2.asp?make_id=31

Do a search on www.benzworld.org, where there is a lot of info on various top suppliers.

sshankman · #4 05-12-2008, 03:45 AM

I also just installed a new soft top - used just short of a pint of contact cement also. I decided to try the gel contact cement instead of the liquid, and it turned out to be a good decision - much easier to apply to hard-to-reach areas without having it drip all over the place.

I took photos throughout the process and at some point, i will try to post them here with some sort of instruction on how I did it. Maybe that will help out others who want to do it. I haven't looked around to see if someone else has already done it, though, and if so, i guess there's no need to duplicate it.

After going thru the install process, I have to say it wasn't exceptionally difficult, just time-consuming. Maybe I saved around $400 by doing it myself, but in retrospect, I probably should have just sent it out. but at least now I know exactly how it all works and goes together.

good luck!

donbryce · #5 05-12-2008, 09:28 AM

PLEASE PLEASE do a thread with pictures for us! There is a guy from Australia that did a sketchy how-to with a few pics, but nothing very useful. The World Upholstery site has written instructions only. As far as I can tell, that's it on the internet. I'm going to do a thread with pictures, I hope to anyway.

Who did you buy your top from? I changed my mind this morning and ordered one from Prestige in the U.K., through EBay. There just wasn't enough clear information on what fabric EZ On was offering for the price quoted, as Laverda has documented on the Benzworld site, this is common practise with top suppliers/manufacturers to be vague about the fabric, using 'Original German' or some such term.

Frankly, I just got tired of looking and reading about tops, and concluded that $300.00 or so will get you a lower quality fabric, above $400.00 is a good bet that will get you a quality fabric, very likely heavier as original type Sonnenland or Mohair. Paying more than $500.00 doesn't buy much more than bragging rights IMO. All this with the caveat that the buyer will do the install, and the pattern cutting is done with sufficient precision.

kchemers · #6 05-14-2008, 09:43 PM

Just had a top put on my 87, labor was $440.00 and I bought the top from a place in North Hollywood, Ca. for $305.00 shipped, very happy with install and quality of top, had sample material from tops that were as much as $700 all the way down to the top I bought for $305.00, I think you need your head examined to spend $500-$700 for the material, ask for samples and compare

notillr · #7 05-15-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strife

Well, after putting a top on recently, I'd be a little suspicious of any top being called EZ-ON

A good sign is that they give you the cables. I did not get new cables and mine were bent to s#$%#$; I had a difficult time getting them reasonably straight - but they were still difficult to tension. BTW, I used almost exactly one pint of contact cement on this project. Hard to believe.

I have a slack passenger side cable (not broken). Can you explain where the locking washer, nut, and stud or bolt is? Do you have to tear apart and reglue to get to it? I felt around (and tore the covers off the tails of the cables) but never could feel the bolt. Thanks

Strife · #8 05-15-2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notillr

I have a slack passenger side cable (not broken). Can you explain where the locking washer, nut, and stud or bolt is? Do you have to tear apart and reglue to get to it? I felt around (and tore the covers off the tails of the cables) but never could feel the bolt. Thanks

Hopefully, the cable should be sticking out of the back of a pocket that runs in the inside of top of the along glass side window. The "eye loop" of the cable is under the screw at the front edge of the top just above the glass window. You kind of have to get in the back seat/ledge to see where the cable comes out. It is very close to the top itself along the frame, with the nut facing outwards. This is a 12 or 13mm nut with a washer underneath on the frame that holds the cable (my washers were not toothed, it was just washers). I took a vise-grip. lifted the top a little, pulled the cable with the vise-grip ,locked the cable with the nut (one of those ratcheting wrenches helps here), and a little trial and error with the help of assistant got them "not too loose, not too tight".

The end of the cable is SUPPOSED to fit into a little hole in the vertical metal piece along the trailing edge of the side glass window, and folded under the aluminum channel for the weatherstripping. Or, at least make sure it doesn't poke anyone's eye out.