Thanks for the great write up and pics.

$800?! whew...

Here's an alternative for hoisted storage that will cost less:
Install whatever hoist you want, manual or electric (you can see the $75 electric one I used in another thread on this subject). But instead of using the web strap harness w/clips from Performance Products (and sold by many others) at $59.95, use the "support cradle and harness ass'y" from

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."

- michael