ND2 side skirt removal

[AMA-NorthYorks]

1. My model of MX-5 is: __30AE
2. I’m based near: __N Yorkshire Coast
3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __ND2 removal of side skirts.

Having followed the method to remove/replace the side skirt in the online workshop manual, plus having spent considerable time studying many YouTube videos and other online articles, I can find nothing about a small retainer which prevents the side skirt being slid backwards for removal.
I have removed the plastic clip accessible behind the rear section of the front wheel arch liner, the two upper clips at the rear where the skirt meets the rear wheel arch, and the deflector at the lower leading edge of the rear wheel arch, as per the workshop manual.
After this, it should be possible to slide the skirt rearwards and lift away. However, I was only able to slide the skirt a few millimetres before it stopped solidly.
On closer inspection on the underside of the side skirt, in the recess adjacent to the first ‘slider’ retaining clip, there is a small black plastic square block, which prevents the side skirt from being slid rearwards. This black plastic block has a white plastic clip set into it.
Having struggled for an hour or more, I cannot fathom how this plastic clip and block can be removed, so as to be able to slide the side skirt off its mounting clips.
Photos attached showing a view from under the right hand sill looking forward towards the front of the car, and a view of what can be seen of the other side of the black block and its white clip from inside the sill looking back from the front wheel arch.
Any help on how to extricate this extra retainer greatly appreciated.
I wondered if this was a more recent modification to the ND, as there seems to be numerous instances of side skirts being ripped off as a result of minor impacts with traffic cones or chunky road debris.

[AMA-NorthYorks]

Success, finally, with the removal of the side skirt mouldings on my ND2 (30AE).
There seems to be no readily available info (Workshop Manual, YT, Local dealership, etc.) on how to remove the security tab and retaining clip on the underside of the side skirt moulding, fitted to these models.
In addition to the 2016 ND Workshop Manual process for removing the side skirt moulding, my procedure to remove the white plastic retaining clip running through the black plastic side skirt security tab (without breaking anything) as follows:

1. Remove front wheel and rear section of wheel arch liner.
   1a. You may wish to apply two or three layers of adhesive tape onto the steel sill between the grey plastic grommet and the white plastic clip to avoid any potential paint chip
   

   

2. Position a long, flat-blade screwdriver with a sharp blade against the channel-shaped section of the white clip…
   

   

2a. …simultaneously pressing the release spring in the middle of the other end of the clip located on the underside of the sill moulding

3. Apply pressure to the screwdriver so that the sharp blade is biting into the channel section of the clip, then prise it towards the front of the car, levering against the tape-protected steel sill.
   When the spring part of the plastic clip on the underside of the sill has started to recede into the black plastic security tab, use a suitable blunt tool to push hard against the spring clip, helping the levering action to force the clip upwards and forwards.
   A strip of black adhesive foam will be noticed as the white retaining clip is removed, this is only there to keep the loose bits in place during fitting/refitting of the sill moulding.
4. The black plastic security tab can then be slid forwards and removed, allowing the whole side skirt moulding to be detached following the normal Workshop Manual instructions.

Images of security tab and its retaining clip, once removed from the car

Happy days!