Soft and hard top restoration

Hardtop after dismantling from the car is completely disassembled.

As all components are removed damaged glued insulation layer shall be scraped off before roof is going for further cleaning operations.

Hardtop on this car is made from thin sheet steel so paint from large soft surface is also removed manually leaving just strongest areas and corrosion spots for sandblasting. Next step of hardtop preparation for repair is completed - after sandblasting it goes to priming to prevent further corrosion.

 Hardtop is made from thin steel sheet so we shall replace corroded areas one by one, to ensure shape of roof is retained. Self fabricated part is welded into place ensuring surface geometry is retained before next section is cut out.

Current segments of the coupe roof are prepared for restoration. As two surrounding parts are fixed into place last corner is cut out.As welding is finished tin coating is applied to reach necessary surface quality of the cabriolet roof around the rear view window opening.

By separate consignment we have received used soft top frame for restoration. At the moment seemed that it was in sound condition, but we should first attach it to the body to talk in details about possible costs for mating it to our restoration object, as each of existing used soft tops has been already by Mercedes factory tailored to suit particular vehicle at the manufacturing process.

Soft top frame was disassembled for aluminium components cleaning and rotten wooden parts, as well as frayed rubber parts replacing.

Arrived ordered soft top wooden parts. Now we had to tailor these parts to suit our soft top frame - each soft top had been individually tailored by Mercedes Benz factory to suit particular body.

Each soft top structure is specifically tailored for the particular car, so we had to install and adjust received used soft top structure. Specific aluminium spacers were calculated and produced for affixing of the given soft top onto the body. As soft top was fixed into place new wooden bows were precisely adjusted to fit with existing metal parts of the soft top frame.

Soft top frame was again disassembled and manually cleaned before all roof components were fixed into place. All components were gathered together and checked before soft top assembling.

Hard top was removed for further assembly. First new headliner on restored headliner spreaders was glued in. Door to roof frames with sealing rubber were attached, front and rear seals were glued in. Rear window glass which seemed quite good at the car disassembly stage now, comparing to the condition of other car component, appeared heavily scratched. Glass was sent to polishing before installation.  

Soft top wooden parts and frame crossbeams according to the original technology were covered by textile canvas. Roof to doors seal frames were adjusted to the door glasses and fixed onto the soft top frame. Soft top was installed onto prepared frame. Door trimming panels were attached to the doors.