I’m guessing the AA are with you by now. Some of their vans have winches so suggest scraping / sweep away gravel so AA van is on solid ground and slowly winch back up.
Strongly advise not to try and jack up - the centre of balance is now at an angle and not a flat lift, the jack will roll or topple over!
Good luck.
It is not going to be that hard to get that back on flat ground, any damage as already been done.
M-m
Once you’ve got it firmly anchored somehow… what are your chances of easing out the slabs of the top step to reduce the height of the ‘pinch point’ on the chassis rails etc.and to allow some clearance… bit of a top step re-build job afterwards but could be better than some of the more dramatic possible consequences.
Steve
RESOLVED.
A great AA man ‘Adam’ has saved the day and the car. No damage (few scrapes on the chassis - we think).
Now off to work - but will update everyone with pics later …
WOW what a twenty-four hours.
Thank you everyone -
A couple off scaffolding poles or similar with a length of rope tied through the real wheel spokes should give a suitable lifting point on each side.
Local rugby club would probably love a task like this. A gallon of ale should see you sorted.
Great news. Sighs of relief all round. Guess your son will be getting a tin of underseal and a brush for Christmas!
When in Austria this year, we saw a fraulein beach a new Mini on a low wall. Front wheels an inch off the ground so it wasn’t going anywhere. She gets out crying “Mein Gott! Mein Gott!”. There were a few bystanders, so I said “Drucken” and a load of us pushed it off the wall. Seemed OK, probably a few scrapes on the front subframe.
Awesome, glad you got it recovered!
For future reference, 5 will not be nearly enough to lift a MX5.
Six of us lifted (just) a teacher’s car when we were 16, but it was a Triumph Toledo, so a bit lighter than an MX-5.
You would not of needed to lift her just given her some help to get back up with some extra hands and a lite body at the wheel to apply a bit of gas.
M-m
So what happened, how did the AA man get it back up the steps?
How our Mx5 got back up the steps.
A story about Adam, the AA man. 9:00 am Saturday morning.
Before Adam arrived we had been informed, the night before, by the AA telephone operator that the service is only responsible for providing cover and rescue for electrical / mechanical breakdowns not for accidents. I assumed Adam would therefore only be able to give us some advice and would then be on his way.
We live in a small village. We are newbies (four years) and once a label has been applied, I felt we would always be known as the folk with the red car parked on their steps. So in an attempt to laugh it off, we displayed a sign by the car saying “Don’t Even Ask”. At least the milk and post man would have a chuckle as they spread the news.
Adam arrived in his van, looked at the sign, smiled, then rubbed his hands and said he loved a challenge, murmuring, “I think I can help”.
Thirty minutes later, without a scratch to the car, the Mx5 was back on the drive. Their was only one slight hiccup. My son who originally drove the car halfway down the steps, was asked as the lightest person to sit in the car while it was being winched in case the winch wire broke. When the car was first back on the drive, Adam released the winch wire and my son took the handbrake off without using the foot brake. For a moment, and for about two feet, the car rolled back towards the steps! We all froze in disbelief. Luckily he applied the brake, and then we all laughed in relief.
Thank you again Adam.
Step one: roll winch wire from AA van to the front of the car
Step two: attach winch wire to webbing wrapped around the front wheels, AA van takes the strain so the car cannot move any further down the steps
Step three: use a trolley jack to raise the rear of the car and chassis above the steps
Step four: place ramps and old wood and anything under the wheels to make a ‘road’, so the AA van can winch the car up the steps.
Pehaps you should bookmark this explanation just in case your car rolls down some steps … you never know, I didn’t and it happened to me.
Thanks for all the ideas - as you can see they were put to good use.
How old is your son? Sounds like he needs to go back to a push bike! I wouldn’t let him near the car again, especially after nearly putting it back on the steps!
Glad it ended OK
Let us know when you son takes to the road and we’ll all remember to keep well clear
Glad the AA were of use on this occasion ! Pleased that the '5 has not suffered too much more than the indignity.
Any plans for a pool?
In my former life, if a car was parked on a fire hydrant at a fire location we would lift the back end of any car to swing it clear, admittedly there was a size minimum for recruits in those days.
Some one told them to dip their headlights…