Roadsters/Volantes - Special tool to hold the tonneau open?

[Heff31]

I need to remove some interior trim to get to the centre console on my roadster and in the workshop manual it says you have to prop open the tonneau cover with a special tool. I assume using a a bit of wood would do the same job as buying the actual tool which is £230?
What have other people used for the job?
Shirley it cant hurt with a bit of pole?

[DB9VolanteDriver]

Heff31 said:

I need to remove some interior trim to get to the centre console on my roadster and in the workshop manual it says you have to prop open the tonneau cover with a special tool. I assume using a a bit of wood would do the same job as buying the actual tool which is £230?
What have other people used for the job?
Shirley it cant hurt with a bit of pole?

A pair of vise grip pliers with its jaws wrapped in cloth works equally well.

[xstaticx]

If you are only removing the trim from the cubby hole forwards, to the ski slope, there’s no need to touch the tonneau cover. I have had it all out a few times, without needing to touch the roof. It’s obviously easier to access with the roof down though.

[Heff31]

xstaticx said:

If you are only removing the trim from the cubby hole forwards, to the ski slope, there’s no need to touch the tonneau cover. I have had it all out a few times, without needing to touch the roof. It’s obviously easier to access with the roof down though.

Mines a roadster and I have tried but I can’t get the arm rest to move back enough to get it out. I looked in the workshop manual and they say you have to remove a lot of the trim behind the seat part of which involves dropping the roof to take out some trim.

[Wheelhub]

I removed my armrest on my roadster just by taking out its bolts, then wriggling and it lifted clear, didn’t touch any rear panels.