Hard top hoist for Spider factory hard top

[Robert Abatecola <robert@domain.elided>]

Hi everyone.

For a few months now I've been considering making a cable and pulley 
hoist assembly of some sort for my Spider's hard top.  It would be 
installed on the ceiling in the garage to allow me to remove and 
replace the hard top by myself.

I found some ready-made hoists in the Beverly Hills Motoring catalog 
but they're mostly for Mercedes and BMW autos (what a surprise). 
Does anyone make such a thing for Alfa Romeo Spiders?

The BHM hoists cost about $200 each (oh, and for a mere $500 extra 
you can get an electric motor upgrade).  I haven't priced parts, but 
I suspect I could build one for $40 or less (without the motor, of 
course).  I'm still inclined to give it a shot myself.

Has anyone here done this before?

  -Robert
   1985 GTV6
   1987 Spider Quadrifoglio

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