Bought a 300E ! help!

[cmcdonnell]

So I finally bought another Benz, a 1988 300E w/89k alleged miles. This is my first MB since my 73 280C that I laid to rest about four years ago. I have been up late every night for a week reading the posts here and on that other forum.
The first thing I need to do is to get the sunroof to close completely. I can pull it shut but can't get it to rise up into the closed position. The motor only works in the midrange of operation; everythingthing else is hand assisted. It stops moving forward about 8 inches from the front of the hole and then I can hear the cable moving around and the a rat-tat-tat-tat noise. I am thinking that if I could release the cable at the motor it would free up the frame so I could at least get it closed. Good thing the car came with a nice cover. It has been raining all day.
More to come: thermostat housing leaking, power seat-steering column woes, idle not perfect, etc. Thanks for any help.