billybunters - from a bmw z4 to a mx5 se

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:30 pm

help required with this one thanks.

I fitted the soft top back on the car late today. all went well till I tried to clip and lock the roof into position. couldn't close it at all :roll:

above the rear window is a cross member for the frame with a 60 cm strap attached either end by 2 screws or 4 in total. at the end of this strap was a single hole

I decided to attach both to a protruding bolt from either side rain rail. no doubt this has caused the jam but when I removed the top I didn't see these 2 straps so really had no idea where they came from or what direct.

any thoughts appreciated and photo of the frame where the strap is attached either side. if you happen to have a photo roughly of the attachment area that would be very helpful

thanks

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:55 pm

billybunter wrote:colour coded the door handles today ....RED. I had plans on black but went for the safer option.

after that fitted the additional molding to the bottom of the rear bar and back on the car

I feel the lower 'splitter' on the rear bar needs to coloured the same as it was from the factory.

Being all red like that is a bit to much and it lacks definition.
The bottom/middle section with the bumps is black, I think yours would look much better the same.

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:40 am

at the moment it's too much trouble for me to mix black paint just to do the rear section. I plan to come back and spray it when I am onto a much bigger paint run when I do an experimental wheel paint job.

I am at a point now where I can't waste much more time on this car and neglect my main priority - setting up my birds for the breeding season which starts soon or has already started. I've done nothing in that direction :roll:

as I've been caught up with this painting

so it will go black but I just don't know when

Gladiator · Postby **Gladiator** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 9:25 am

That strap appears to go inside the rain rail, right at the corner.

Great job mate. I'm following with interest as I've just started stripping mine for the same project.

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billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:41 am

thanks for the photo -all good now. it appears I had the strap in the right place BUT I some-how fitted the windscreen surround rubber in the wrong position :lol:

in doing so I was applying too much tension to the strap and no give to lock it in :roll:

all sorted out today so back on track

ive been lucky with this spray job as all has run pretty smoothly.....not so the first time on the white job. I think my best friend on the job has been the top quality water trap I used for the re-spray.

I can honestly say during the prime, base and clear coats not one single droplet of water spurted out the gun and hit the job. years back it happened quite often and was a very annoying time.

plus each and every day I used the compressor I ran a 15 second burst of air into the tank and cut the power. then undid the tap underneath the unit and removed the plug. this blew out any water which had settled in the tank overnight and the toilet roll filter did the rest :wink:

Gladiator · Postby **Gladiator** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:48 am

My compressor has an "Auto-Drain" (also known as a small rust hole in the bottom of the tank.

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billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:32 pm

cleaned up the rear parcel shelf carpet then the fitting. followed it on with the brown davis roll bar

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:33 pm

console and seats back in....starting to look like a sports car again :wink:

and door rubbers cleaned and back on the car

Daffy · Postby **Daffy** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:23 am

Starting to look really good billy :beer:

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:19 am

I'm getting excited now

Cus · Postby **Cus** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:43 am

You don't mess around, do you? It seems like just last week you posted saying "I think I'll paint it", and now it's almost done!

Looking good!

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:21 pm

front SE lip back on. boot nice and clean and back together

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:26 pm

both right side wheels of for a spray under the arches plus the left door trim re-sprayed that was my day :lol:

Daffy · Postby **Daffy** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:32 pm

Whats your thoughts of putting the badges back on? When I had the bonnet on mine resprayed I left the mazda badge off, it reminded me too much of a koala nose :lol:

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:10 pm

well I still have my badges from 6 years back when I removed them to go with white. not sure yet if I will place them back or not. later when it is polished I will see.

tomorrow I plan to re-dye the complete soft top roof and see how that goes. :lol: