The thing about this fix is that I can almost see how it seemed like a good idea at the time. This person’s ratty old ‘80s-era Mercedes-Benz SL must have had a big hole in the convertible top, so the owner thought ‘what keeps out rain?’ An umbrella! Problem solved! Well, not really.
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The resulting fix looks like something between an attempt to add an observatory dome to the back of a Benz and the aftermath of Mary Poppins’ uncontrolled fall from 1,500 feet up. The umbrella is sort of just stuck on the back there, like a wire-and-fabric tumor.
The inner skeletal structure of the umbrella is the real problem here. It’s a classic case of over-engineering. A simple section of tarp, cut to size and taped on, would have done the job better and easier.
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I don’t want to rag on this person too much—it’s not always easy keeping an old car going, and sometimes you have to improvise—but I’d implore them to try again with a cheap shower curtain. If they get a clear one, they can even retain the use of the rear window!
And, a shower curtain fix may be able to be folded down! This car is in San Diego, so it’s going to be nice enough for top-down driving soon.
The umbrella, though, that’s, uh, well, a nice try.
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(Thanks for the pics, Dave!)
Why did we put up with those awful plastic convertible top windows for so long?
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