I fitted a detachable hardtop to my NC1 last November and now it’s spring and time to remove it. Trouble is it won’t come off. I’ve undone the three fixing points (front and two side latches) plus the rear window cable so all I should be doing now is gently easing it backwards and off - Nope! I don’t want to get overly aggressive with it lest I break something, but it seems to be stuck in place. Any suggestions?
A crowbar
Never heard of this before, maybe a bit more brute force, a helper to pull and lift both sides.
It’s pretty difficult, I always used to have to fight with mine. I found pushing down on the silver locking thingys on under the rear window whilst pushing the hardtop back did the trick. I usually had an extra pair of hands though for extra force.
There’s just me and the Mrs struggling with it at the moment.
There seems to be something still located in the side latches preventing it from sliding backwards. Typical this, I’ve left it until now to remove the hardtop and we go away on holiday in it tomorrow. In my defence didn’t expect a pantomime I thought it would be simple.
Has the NC got rear Frankenstein bolts? If so, you need someone both sides to press the hardtop fittings down, while pulling the top back, as if it’s the same as mine, then the Frankenstein bolt fitting needs pressure on top to release them - it’s a tight fitting. - And it should be. Equal pressure - and pull, on both sides will do it. The hardtop fittings (chrome bits sticking out the back) has a keyhole opening with the wide hole nearer the top, so you need to slide the top back till the clearance hole is on the Frankenstein bolt, which allows you to lift the hardtop up and away.
If it has no bolt, then I pass.
I don’t know if it’s the same issue with yours, but when we took ours off for the first time after winter, the side latch catches which we had released had not actually cleared the latches. We had to pop them clear with a screwdriver and then we were good to go. Also found a sharp tap with the heel of the hand helped to dislodge our roof. It was almost as if it had slightly sealed itself in position.
Hope you get it off with no damage to self or roof!!
Right fella’s it’s off!
I had to get rather more physical with it than I was comfortable with, but if that’s what it takes…
Thanks for your helpful comments. Using a combination of all the above broke it free in the end. Now if the sun shines in Wales tomorrow at least we’ll be able to see it.