Pininfarina Hardtop pulley system built

[dparnas]

Perhaps you followed the work I've done lately trying to finish restoring my Pininfarina Hardtop. Today my buddy & I built a pulley system to store it suspended above my car so that it can then be lowered down onto the car when I want to install it. Spent a bit of time coming up with some general concepts, then headed off to Home Depot for parts. Standing in the hardware aisle, we improvised, selecting the pieces we felt would work the best and stay affordable too. We picked out one piece that looks a little like a bike rack, originally to hold the rear of the top, but ultimately it ended up on the front instead, which just goes to show how important the planning turned out to be. When we had that piece on the rear, we had nylon straps running across the middle of the top, but when we raised it up I was concerned it was putting too much pressure on the side window seals. So, the improvisation began, we moved the arms to the front, took off the nylon strap and instead used the hooks that had been holding the nylon strap and put one at each corner in the rear. This solution turned out to provide excellent balance without putting too much stress on any part of the top that seemed at all delicate. Of course, time will tell. I am still a little nervous having it suspended directly above my car, so I'm heading back to Home Depot shortly to pick up some strong chain to use as a fail safe that I'll install between the hook in the rafter and the hook below the pulley, just in case the rope were to break. Then I'm heading to West Marine to pick up some kind of crank pulley to help raise and lower the top. It turns out the top is heavier than I thought and simply raising and lowering with a rope is more work than I thought.

[manoa matt]

Just orient the rope the other way and attach it to the garage door. When the door closes it picks the top off the car.

[spiderrey]

What a beautiful car!

[Nick]

What a beautiful car!

Yeah, I was more interested in the car than the really nifty pulley system haha.
AWESOME looking car, love the color combinations, very classic but sporty.

The pulley system is very clever too, looks like it'll save you a ton of time!

[knohbody]

Looks good, and like the previous posters said, awesome looking car. When I saw the post title, though, I was hoping you had built something like the retractable hardtop on the mazda Mx5, seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGkp7gix54

[Zippy]

Looks good, and like the previous posters said, awesome looking car. When I saw the post title, though, I was hoping you had built something like the retractable hardtop on the mazda Mx5, seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhGkp7gix54

That's sweet. Now maybe one of the clever guys on this forum that like to makes parts could come up with something similar.

[Newell33]

Just make sure your carribeener is rated to hold that kind of weight. Remember, a lot of those are just designed for key chains and other light weight work. I'd hate to see that thing snap and ruin that awesome car!

[dparnas]

Just make sure your carribeener is rated to hold that kind of weight. Remember, a lot of those are just designed for key chains and other light weight work. I'd hate to see that thing snap and ruin that awesome car!

Trust me, I made sure everything is rated for that weight, then put additional checks into place. I put a heavy chain on there so that even if the rope breaks or the carribeener breaks, the chain will support the weight. That being said, I'm still nervous having that hanging over the car when there are so many potential things that could happen.

[pattiann]

Hi - I also have a Pininfarina hardtop however it needs a restoration. I have most of the fittings except the attachment levers that hold the rear of the top to the 124 spyder body. Do you know where I can get any of those fittings? Incidentally, it doesn't look like a difficult task to design a motorized lift mechanism to make the Pininfarina top a retractable hardtop. Days of Glory

[mdrburchette]

Great looking car! I never realized how popular that yellow was, but I bet half the early model cars I see are that same color. I like your idea for the hardtop. Those things are heavy and can't be installed by one person, but your idea is awesome for installation and storage. I may have to do the same with mine.

[htchevyii]

Knowing Ron, he'll probabily build an electric motor driven laser guided system

[Nancy1340]

As a biker & camper I always carried a hank of parachute cord. It's rated for 2,000 lbs. IIRC.