I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on:
Just having a good old nosey around the car and there are a few minor rust bubbles on the wings that look like stone chips (nothing too serious and I’m getting a body shop to look at these). The only area of concern (rust/rot) is where the tabs where the side skirts fit into at the rear, I’ve had a good poke around and everything else appears solid - is there an easy fix for this or is it a new section of cill. I’ve pinched the below pick from the removal of the side skirts and its the tab that I have circled in red. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks
Have you checked inside the wheel arch alongside the circled tab, underneath the fabric liner. Unfortunately if the tab is in a bad way, there is likely to be more surprises further inside towards the sill. I hope I’m wrong but you should check
Just had a quick look and whilst there is a bit of rust it is solid underneath with no perforations - from my old school days it’s “not that bad” but you chaps are the masters on the mx5 so I will run with what your advice is - thanks for taking the time to look
Have you removed the arch liner or is that how it is? It looks like over spray in the wing, has it previously had paint do you know? See below the extent these rust if not caught before it ends with the inner wing rotting out at the base, take a look under the sill too.
All stripped out and the damage is not to bad so I’m going to get it repaired before I underseal everything - I’ve managed to source all new clips including the large ones on the bottom of the cills but I can’t for the life of me find the ones that the self tapper goes into through the rear liner at the bottom of the rear liner (it’s like a smaller version of the big ones that go in the bottom).
One on the left in the pictures - if anyone can point me in the right direction as all the places I’ve tried aren’t throwing up any results - there would appear to only be two required and I’ve pictured them against the large ones from the bottom of the cill. -cheers
The mazda part number for the plastic insert is C100-51-SJ3A
mazda dealer or mx5 parts can get them for you. They were £3.01 each last year from mx5 parts on special order.
The 5mm thread self tapper with washer that fits in them is mazda part number 907340512B. From mx5parts last year £1.18 each
The inserts have no “thread” in them as new and just trying to screw the new self tappers in was enough to spin them. I gave up and tapped the inserts 5mm 0.8 pitch metric and used stainless bolts and penny washers to replace the self tappers. With anti seize they should save problems in future.
