[Miata] Replacing rear window

[Sam Sharp]

I've had luck grinding the heads off of the rivets at the back with a
Dremel.  Then push them out the back one at a time and you can separate the
top from the rain rail without removing the rain rail from the car.  Much
less chance of cracking it this way.

Sam



On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 8:27 AM, <mark.ariagno at boehringer-ingelheim.com>
wrote:

>  Hey Alex, funny you ask.  I just did mine on my 1997.  Miata garage has a
> good article to follow although the beginning is a little confusing so I
> ignored that part.  Just take out the rear carpet by removing the plastic
> fasteners.  Then you will expose several bolts holding on some plates to
> some studs.   They are 10 mm.  You will see several rivets to drill out.
> Use a very sharp drill bit or in my case bits and variable speed drill.
> This is a real pain if they start to spin on you.  Hold with needle nose
> vice grip.  Once out you can separate the top from the rain rail.  The
> rain rail like every one says is real fragile.  I broke mine in a couple of
> spots.  If you do the same, just go to the hardware store and pick up drain
> plumbing tape and tape her up real good.  It is thick gooey tape with a
> paper backing. Sticks to anything.  Just tape the whole thing up nice and
> pretty.  You wont be putting rivets back in so tape over the holes.  Rivets
> are just for factory convenience.
>
> Now there are two more rivets or I would call them brads that hold the rear
> curtain containing window to the top.  Drill them out too.  They are a pain
> along with two rivets holding the top on each side of the car near the
> bottom of seat belt tower.  They are a pain too.  Two on each side.  Now the
> zipper holding window in has these little metal stops at the end of the
> zipper.  Bend the prongs out and use needle nose to remove.  Mark both sides
> of zipper with red nail polish.  You want to put the stop back in the same
> place.  Now run the zipper off the track.  I took the window to a very nice
> mom and pop upholstery shop. They put a new window on the inside of the
> curtain and double stitched it on.  They also stitched Velcro on that was
> coming loose.  Real pretty job for $70,00.   Put it back together in
> reverse, don't scratch your new window.  Now those two rivets that hold the
> top and curtain together can be replaced by using slammers which are two
> part rivets that are pushed together.  They really hold very well.  I
> ordered from Mcmaster Car.  The two rivets on both sides are real hard to
> replace, so I used small electrical zip ties to secure top in those
> locations.  Make sure your rain rail is taped up real well and the drain
> tube on each corner should be cleaned out while you are there.
>
> By the way if you screw up the zipper stop like I did, ask the upholstery
> shop for one when you pick up your rear curtain.  After I did mine, I
> noticed just a little flapping noise between the top and the curtain by the
> sides of the window.  There is suppose to be a little rubber pad there, mine
> is a little worn.  I wanted to add another piece of Velcro but have found no
> glue to attach to top and curtain.  Self adhesives one wont stick either.
> Took me four hours to take apart and three to put back together and
> roughly a six pack or so of beer, this might be a conservative estimate
> though.   If you have an original top it has like a little embossed or
> raised area with writing on the corner of window in Japanese.  That is the
> real deal..I would be surprised a 1992 would still have original.  If it
> was after market you could get a new curtain with window ready to go if the
> zippers would match.  Miata has proprietary zipper so if yours is Miata,
> no one makes one to match But if top is OK and curtain is OK, I would go
> with the upholstery route.  There also is Velcro that hold top to cross
> bar near back window, you can tighten the top up some by moving Velcrotowards the window.  Its wrapped right around cross bar.
>    Hope this helps some.
>
> Mark R. Ariagno
>
> Manager Plant Engineering
>
> mark.ariagno at boehringer-ingelheim.com
>
> ABoehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc
>
> 1411Oak Street, P.O. Box 338
>
> Elwood, KS  66024
>
> Telephone (913)380-3105
>
> Telefax (913)380-3117
>
> Cell:  (816)-390-0296
>
>
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