Replacing a Soft top

[Pete JB]

Hi Guys,

I've managed to get a cheap soft top has anybody encountered a good 'how to' guide on replacing the top myself?

Pete

[leamyj]

Do you mean reasonably priced or poor quality when you say "cheap" ?

Should be lots of assistance in terms of advice etc as a lot of guys here have done this job in the past...Cloggy??? think you were the last one....no??

John

[Pete JB]

Reasonably priced, I found a MK2 with a almost new top, as far as I can tell it's in perfect condition, the car was hit from behind & written off, I've got the roof & all seals etc for £150 the only problem is I need to remove it myself & fit it to my car.

[Decay]

Pete, have you the frame as well from the donor car? If so, it's a very straightforward job, just unbolt the old frame/roof from your car and the new one will drop straight in.

Basically remove the 3 rails (13 nuts in total) from below the rear window/sides of the roof - this will allow you to pull the roof/rain rail off the studs across the back of the interior, remove the seat belt tower trim behind the seats which will expose 3 bolts on each side which hold the frame onto the car (there's also a press fit plastic stud right in the corners which holds the rain rail, can be awkward to get at) and then the whole lot should lift out. Drop new roof in, reassemble etc and you're done!

If you don't have the frame, it's a bit more complicated but not hugely so.

Dave

[Pete JB]

Yip the new roof is on the frame

[Decay]

Then you're laughing - and that's a good price too. Check the 2 side rails on the donor car, at some stage on the Mk2 they were modified with a raised, curved section to help reduce wear on the hood as it folds - if it has them and you can take them, do that too.

I have a Mk2.5 mohair on my car I got from your neighbours (Traynor's) a few years ago, total swap time (remove roof from donor, remove roof from mine, install new roof) was about 90 mins (that said, I have done a lot of tops).

[Pete JB]

That's exactly where I'm getting mine from, thankfully I have a contact in the shop, thus the price.

[Decay]

I got lucky - just happened to be there when they had one in, had to remove it from the car myself. Paid £300 which included a style bar/wind deflector and a tonneau cover - it's amazing what tonneaus fetch on eBay

[Steve]

on the frame? nice one! Should take no more than an hour!

Heres something I found v.handy when doing softtops, the 13 bolts can be tedious to ratchet on + off.. stick your socket onto one of those bit adaptors that come with socket/screwdriver sets and use your drill to take em off/put them back on (just get the threads started when refitting). It'll save alot of ratcheting in an awkward position.

Steve

[Fergus]

I'm gonna do Seans' mohair soon.
I think his bird has just crashed his car though....skidded on some ice and was lucky to walk away unhurt

[leamyj]

Sh*t, glad to hear She's ok. Poor Sean, he must feel jinxed with the 5

John

[fabfiveferg]

I'm gonna do Seans' mohair soon.
I think his bird has just crashed his car though....skidded on some ice and was lucky to walk away unhurt

Ah crap. That's sh#te. Thank God she's ok.

Some crappy driving conditions of late

[Stig]

Sorry to hear that.
She has a lucky escape and to be honest, any one is once you escape with your life. As bloke I'm familiar with, Colin Angus lost his life in his MX5 in Northern Ireland the other night.
He was an agent for many celebs in the north and the Uk - may he rest in peace. Very Sad.
http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/200 ... naumhidey/

[mrges]

leamyj wrote: Poor Sean, he must feel jinxed with the 5

Seems that way....as stated by others, if you can walk away then its OK.

Ollie, I was up in Belfast yesterday and heard the news article you refer to (he wasn't named at the in the article). The Craigantlet hills are a nice drive, but a lot of folk have been caught out there - it used to be my drive to and from work, and the road would often be icy (or have snow) when you wouldn't expect it. I once got stuck in my MX5 during a fall of snow (2001 I think). Had to dig out the front, turn it and drive back down again.


mrges