[A&L's300SL]

The winter weather has started the design and construction of the hard top hoist for the garage in the new house.

It's based on a modified idea I got from the version of the one found on this site here.
HardTop Hoist, Inc. - The E-Z Top hardtop hoist for Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, Honda, Ford, Jaguar, Chevrolet, Allante hardtop
But with the design slightly modified as the twisting action of the top when raised worries me a little. I also want to have a docking cradle for the hardtop to get locked into when left raised so there is no chance of it falling.

The lifting will require using an electric hoist with a modified winch from GMC for $85. It will also require modifying to run of 240v through a 12volt
battery charger.
GMC — Global Machinery Company

As construction goes along I'll post some pics if you guys want.

 

[A&L's300SL]

Well the hardtop hoist is finally up and it works a treat. :thumbsup:

The docking cradle points still have to be mounted on the timber bolted to the truss cords. It has a temporary safety backup of a ring spanner on the winch handle shaft stopping any chance of accidentally going down onto the SL's roof.

The black box under the charger has a relay switch and circuit board designed to reverse the polarity of the one way remote system on the winch. The remote control that came with the winch has been junked and a new one has been constructed which now has an raise and lower button. It also has a key switch so any little fingers cannot cause anything to be lowered giving it a little extra security. The battery charger does the job converting 240V to 12V for the GMV winch which has also had it's ratchet system removed for the lowering process.

The cradle will have the brackets on the side pads shortened as the height was made to be adjustable, but this isn't required now that the optimum setting has been found. The longer bolts that stop the lifting points from swinging down will me replaced by a pin with a ball bearing on a spring. Unlike the versions requiring straps under the hardtop, this method using the wool pads on the plastic liner inside the roof, puts no load at all on the side window rubbers. The two other wool pads simply prevent movement of the hardtop when its held in the cradle. The black rod with the hook on the end around the cable moves the lifting point to the front so the cradle balances flat without the hardtop. With the hardtop on you simply remove the cable from the hook and the lifting point is moved further back to compensate for the rear weight bias, still remaining level. I will store the unit with the wool pads covered in plastic bags to prevent grit and therefore scratches. As the only pulleys we could find were of the light weight sailing type we turned up the ones we have out of 80mm steel rod on a lathe and fitted bearings.

If anyone is interested I'll get some of the measurements and design drawn up so it can be replicated.

Cheers

 

[Digmenow]

Absolutely stunning!

You even put caps on the ends of the box tubing. Befitting a Mercedes with its 'overengineering', it looks as if it would lift the entire car.

Good onya, mate!

 

[miked56]

If anyone is interested I'll get some of the measurements and design drawn up so it can be replicated.
Cheers

Please that would be a great help. What was your final cost? I can do the AU$ to US$ conversion

 

[ScottinSoCal]

The winter weather has started the design and construction of the hard top hoist for the garage in the new house.

Excellent job, and very creative use of materials.

I keep thinking I could cobble together something like this, or even buy one of the hand-winch type, but my house is made with engineered I beams. I don't know that they'd support screws/bolts and hold the thing up. And I don't want to risk having my second floor come down to visit my first floor if it turns out they can't.

 

[miked56]

my house is made with engineered I beams

Scott, you need to get 2x4 material. I'd go with 8' or 10' lengths to spread the load. Place one on each side of the web, vertical portion of the I beam, with the 2" side resting on the top of the bottom flange of the beam, and bolt/screw them together through the web. This will provide you the stiffener to allow you to bolt the assembly to the ceiling.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

This will provide you the stiffener to allow you to bolt the assembly to the ceiling.

I've thought about that, but that would mean I'd have to rip the sheetrock out of the garage ceiling and then hire someone to come in and fix it. I'm the guy who can't do mudding and taping, remember?

Unfinished garages Simply Aren't Done in my neighborhood (hold your nose up as you say this and sniff disdainfully afterward) - and the CC&Rs explicitly forbid me from leaving open rafters. I'm not sure that having a hoist I'd use twice a year would be worth the resulting $1000+ in bills that would result.

 

[miked56]

I'm the guy who can't do mudding and taping, remember?

Well I guess you're somewhat SOL in the hoist then. However, reading through your posts you seem to be more than willing to learn on the car:bowdown: .
This could be the perfect excuse to start learning a new trade and soon you could build your next dream home single handedly. On the other hand -- thinking about holding a 4x8 sheet of drywall over my head while trying to nail it up does sound like a job to let others do. Heck carrying it in is a big enough pain (figuratively and literally).

 

[ScottinSoCal]

This could be the perfect excuse to start learning a new trade and soon you could build your next dream home single handedly.

Oh, I can build a house - I've done it. 5 levels, 6 bedrooms, 3 baths. My parents are still living in it. Pouring cement foundations & slabs, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, even hanging sheetrock, all no problem. I just can't do mudding and taping. It turns out looking like $h!t hit the wall and stuck.

I also found out I can't do body or paint work when I tried to fix a scratch on the hood of the car I had then. The more I fixed, the worse it looked. I finally wound up paying someone $500 to sand down and repaint the whole hood - my "fix" also got a little bigger each time I tried.

 

[Digmenow]

Scott, when I finally get around to building my 'pole barn' garage, I doubt it will be strong enough to stand the weight of the hoist and hard top. I have been considering something along the lines of an engine hoist, only taller, to lift the top. It could then be wheeled about the garage (space permitting) and set down into the cradle.

Of course, it would be custom made with parts from Home Depot or such. Could even be made from wood. I need to think on it some more....unless you do it first.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

I have been considering something along the lines of an engine hoist, only taller, to lift the top. It could then be wheeled about the garage (space permitting) and set down into the cradle.

Of course, it would be custom made with parts from Home Depot or such. Could even be made from wood. I need to think on it some more....unless you do it first.

Stable and mobile is a lot harder than stable and stationary. I don't think you'd want to use wood, probably something welded up out of steel channel.

I so need to learn how to weld. I see these things that could be done quick & easy if I could weld....

 

[spots350sl]

my neighbor quit his job as a stock trader to become a "blacksmith" (don't ask). He taught me how to weld stuff, its really fun! I just need my own welder....

 

[ScottinSoCal]

my neighbor quit his job as a stock trader to become a "blacksmith" (don't ask).

If I ever get to the point I can afford it, I'm quitting what I do and opening a cabinet shop. I get your neighbor.

 

[dugald]

my neighbor quit his job as a stock trader to become a "blacksmith" (don't ask). He taught me how to weld stuff, its really fun! I just need my own welder....

Danger is you turn an enjoyable hobby into an ill-paying job.

 

[A&L's300SL]

Please that would be a great help. What was your final cost? I can do the AU$ to US$ conversion

All up about AUS$400

The electric winch was the single most expensive purchase at $85 with the steel square tubing and hi tensile countersunk bolts and nuts adding up.

Its really over engineered as it will lift over 140kg. That capacity isn't necessary as the hardtop weighs about 40kg and the cradle is about 30kg.

Being based only on what I've seen on the internet I just decided to go a little over safe with the structural side.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Most of it was manufactured elsewhere as I have only just moved into my house a month ago and my MIG welder, angle grinders, cutoff saw and pedestal drill are still at my father in laws place. Thats why most of the important fittings are adjustable and not welded into place. This has also added a lot of weight and cost.

I'm considering a MKII model with trip switches to control the maximum lifting height and a winch, power supply and control system integrated into one neat box. The cable would then go through the plaster onto pulleys in the ceiling, over to the lifting point and down to the SL. The cradle itself would be made out of TIG welded alloy square tubing with fixed sizing reducing dead weight.

 

[miked56]

I'm considering a MKII model with trip switches to control the maximum lifting height and a winch, power supply and control system integrated into one neat box. The cable would then go through the plaster onto pulleys in the ceiling, over to the lifting point and down to the SL. The cradle itself would be made out of TIG welded alloy square tubing with fixed sizing reducing dead weight.

Were you able to do up plans of either the MKI or MKII version you would like to share??

 

[nobby]

Danger is you turn an enjoyable hobby into an ill-paying job.

I would love to be a full time layabout and a part time tradesman.
Is drinking a trade?

 

[nobby]

I would love to be a full time layabout and a part time tradesman.
Is drinking a trade?

I am starting to recognize a common thread to my posts.
Serenity now.

 

[mwalsh]

Scott, when I finally get around to building my 'pole barn' garage, I doubt it will be strong enough to stand the weight of the hoist and hard top. I have been considering something along the lines of an engine hoist, only taller, to lift the top. It could then be wheeled about the garage (space permitting) and set down into the cradle.

I just used my engine hoist to lift ours off. I had some difficulty getting the legs under the car. I was going to try without any on it at first, but it quickly became obvious that it was going to tip as soon as I got any weight on the end of the arm. So I jacked the back of the car up and went under with just one leg on. It was a bit tippy if the wheels got to be facing the wrong way, but manageable so long as I was careful. I added the second leg for further stability and maneuverability as soon as the top was clear of the car.

I suppose I might have been able to get the second leg under the wheel, had I gone higher with the jacks. But I was also concerned about getting enough clearance between the top and the body. Perhaps next time.

 

[abiby]

I would love to be a full time layabout and a part time tradesman.
Is drinking a trade?

An older thread which I hadn't previously read, but it seems that some things haven't changed.