I’ve just spent the afternoon and early evening fitting my new Prestige vinyl soft top.
It’s all gone together pretty much as it should, but I’ve come across a bit of a snag and I don’t wish to damage my new roof!
The front and the sides went on as they should, window rubbers back in place and seats removed to be able to do the rear rain strip in relative comfort. I got the rain strip in place with the hood and then the metal rain strip holder was added and held loosely with the nuts just started to allow some wiggle room and for it to be square. I then tried to close the roof and the hooks are between 1 and 1.5cm away from the latches. I’ve slackened off the adjustment in the latches and I’ve managed to get it closed, but the pressure pops it open again. I probably need to re-adjust the latches to hold the latches closed. Although I’ve got it closed, with quite some force, the back section is not massively taught around the rain strip area.
Are these vinyl roofs designed to be tight, and do they give at all? Can I accelerate the give in the vinyl; with heat, hot towel, hair dryer, etc.
It just seems too close for it to be the wrong size, and it can’t be the new tension cables as the roof shut ok prior to the rear rain strip going in.
If the catches at the windscreen are popping open it is probably because they are worn. I have sometimes needed to fit a small strip of thin aluminium between the back of the main catch and the little square catch release. If you do that until the new hood settles you may be able to dispense with the “spacers” later.
There is also a small plastic locator on the roof catch (“hood catch stopper”) that can be cracked, and cause the catches to not engage properly. Only a few pounds from MX5parts.
It does seem to vary by hood; a couple of hoods I have fitted went on no issues furst time. The last one I needed forum help (extra muscle) to get it closed.
Thanks to Mazda Mender, his video was very informative, although I didn’t pull straight off the engine lifting ring as I had a handy strut brace that I could pull from dead central.
The roof is now all set in place, tight and locked down, and the interior, apart from the seats is all back together., chrome hoops and the wind deflector unit (I think that’s what it is???) all bolted in place. I applied a little touch of Vaseline to the threads of the rear rain strip, just to stop corrosion of the threads as I noticed that a few nuts were a bit firm in going back on the threads.
She passed her MOT yesterday, after a little welding, a front road spring and a number plate bulb.
Seats cleaned, treated and fitted later today, and then she’s all ready for the road on Monday.
Again thank you all for the help and suggestions received.
Your more than welcome Chris, there is a full start to finish walk through guide being built but it is only 90% finished so not live yet which also would of given even more options to closing and many other things, the vid was sat handy to lock in quick for you buddy.
