Hi there. Me again, Ms Newbie. Okay, I have tried and tried and even had 2 guys last night to help me take off the hard top. We followed the directions in the manual and it is still not letting loose on the back hook. I had the levers as shown in the manual. Does someone have a diagram of what the lock looks like from the inside of the car on the back hook. I can not see it and I do not know what I need to look for or how to approach taking it off. Do I push, pull, or get a coat hanger (a suggestion) and what do I do with the coat hanger? Help! I want to drive my convertible but I can not seem to make it a convertible.

Thank you very much for any help!

I cut some thin sheets, about 12" x 2" x 1/4" to put between the body and top and make the pin visible (so people don't have to hold the top up while you are working with the pin). Don't bang the top around and dent/scratch everything. Replacing/repainting is expensive!

The following is the last resort, and you should not do this until you've tried using an awl to disengage the part hooking into the notch in the pin, visible after doing the above:

Take a small vise-grip around the pin, and turn it to the right to a maximum of 30 degrees. This will cause the latch to slip out of the notch of the pin (you should be able to help it along with an awl). After removing the top, put the notch back where it was.

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

use for your sheets? Can I do this myself? I appreciate the help. What causes the back to not want to unhook? Is this normal? I will try your suggestion. Again, thank you!

Sorry, I used plywood. No, this is not "normal"; you need the latch cable (which is under the soft top cover, that connects the handle to the latch) adjusted and/or replaced.

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

Also, read this thread:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=117594

__________________
86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

Ms Newbie -

I am sure you did this, but I thought I would ask to save you some trouble as there is some ambiguity in your post.

You did push the small lever down as far as it will go? That's what releases the pin.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe