Help! Emergency! Hood trapped

[dasadrew]

Only got an hour or so before I have to set off, and it looks like one of those dastardly hood catches has released itself. What's the tried and tested way to get the hood out of the well and erected? HELP!!

[dasadrew]

Emergency over - for the time being. Wasn't those catches - something else seemed to have got trapped and, all of a sudden, it all came free. Looks like it might have been a fabric fold getting caught up somewhere.

[alan_thomas]

I don’t know if you do the same but I always unzip the rear window and it lays down straight in the well. The hood folds easier and if it is difficult to pull out (mine is!) it pulls out easier.
Alan

[ChrisD]

When it happened to me I removed the rear cubby panel and re-engaged the hood catch.

Regards

Chris

[mjheathcote]

Don't screw in the rear seat backrest, so you can simply remove and have access in future.

[DJT]

This happened to me last week on the IoW. This was the most that I had used my soft top in years. I cannot unzip my rear window as the zip pull broke off years ago, but it doesn't seem to mind being folded when the hood is stowed. The whole assembly, single layer hood, Vybak rear window, and frame seem to be original i.e. nearly 48 years old. I really must get around to getting a new hood, as it has now split above the driver's side window and I had to visit Screwfix in Newport, IoW to buy some black duct tape.....

Anyway, I digress. I resolved the problem by lowering the hood nearly all the way back into the well and then grabbing the flap of hood around the rear window, just above the cant rail and pulling it up as I raised the hood again. It worked fine, and I made sure the catches were engaged properly each time I stowed it each morning.

[dasadrew]

Thanks to all for the tips!

@ DJT: yep, that seemed to have been my problem. I took out the rear seat back (not bolted in, thankfully) and I guess that allowed the rear rail to flex just the 2 or 3mm necessary to allow the very stiff hood material to glide past. I live in constant fear of the zip giving way, and lubricate it regularly. I attached a miniature RBF tag to the zip pull which allows me some flexibility in pulling the zip at the correct angle. Oh well, we'll see. It's the German Stag Club annual meet at the weekend which is about 500km away, so hoping it'll all be "alright on the night" !

[RobinLegin]

Management deals with the window zip as I am told I am too rough with it. She spent a number of years working in a primary school where children frequently came up to her because they had jammed their coat zipper. Your call Drew has reminded me that I need to apply some graphite to the zip before it jams up. The car will shortly be sporting the hard top just in case we get some dry and salt free roads this winter.

[022Dave]

This happened to me last week on the IoW. This was the most that I had used my soft top in years. I cannot unzip my rear window as the zip pull broke off years ago, but it doesn't seem to mind being folded when the hood is stowed. The whole assembly, single layer hood, Vybak rear window, and frame seem to be original i.e. nearly 48 years old. I really must get around to getting a new hood, as it has now split above the driver's side window and I had to visit Screwfix in Newport, IoW to buy some black duct tape.....

Anyway, I digress. I resolved the problem by lowering the hood nearly all the way back into the well and then grabbing the flap of hood around the rear window, just above the cant rail and pulling it up as I raised the hood again. It worked fine, and I made sure the catches were engaged properly each time I stowed it each morning.

Happened to me years ago, and I did a 'temporary' fix with a cable tie, which worked a treat, and lasted many years until I had a new hood fitted. Sounds like your time has come!

Other Dave

[mole42]

The car will shortly be sporting the hard top just in case we get some dry and salt free roads this winter.

Mine is already wearing the hard top, never mind what weather or salt status Mabel and I will be driving this winter. After all, what else are cars for?

[022Dave]

For what it's worth, here's how I modified my rear seat to get quick access to the hood well without having to remove the normal securing bolts from inside the boot. I threaded some bar, added a pointy end, heated it to cherry red, then bent it in a vice, to form a sort of hook, then secured it to the seat back bracket. The hooks then slot into the existing mounting holes, but the advantage is that it doesn't drop forward under heavy braking in the way that using magnets would.

Dave


IMG_0377.HEIC IMG_0376.HEIC

[jbuckl]

In a parallel universe… 2003 slk central locking stopped working.
new pump is over £800. Used was £179
obtained a used item via eBay on Monday, arrived & fitted today fixed.
similar story different era.