Curse, make threats...pray. Usually after repeated tries, it just works again. It's odd. If it just died, that would be one thing, but this is literally how it works: SOMETIMES.
Here's a question...I read in another thread here and the user was talking about what he did when the top was going down: neutral, hand brake on, clutch in, foot on brake....is this how you do it? I thought it was just hand brake on and in neutral...???
You are correct: all you need is H-Brake and neutral. Try www.ppbb.com as I recall reading about your problem and it's solutions there. Hope it helps and good luck.
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What's behind me does not matter.