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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / November 2004fixing slashed miata convertible top
per an earlier post, the repair of a convertible top slashed by a radio thief -- using elmer's stix-all adhesive, commonly available (like at walgreen's for about $6.00 a tube) -- passed its first serious storm test by holding-up very well. if this stuff works, and it seems to, it saves about $1,200, the cost of replacing the top. we know because we replaced the top the last time it happened. the adhesive has been successfully "holding" a patch of vinyl convertible-top material obtained from a auto upholstery/top shop. most glues seem to wilt under heat from the sun or give-way in other ways. this stuff, which goes on gloppy and dries that way, has held up under both heat and rain. we're still looking for a reasonably-priced hard top but these seem not to exist. and in fact, we now may not need one. cheers, art mcginn, '91, san francisco > it seems to, it saves > about $1,200, the cost of replacing the top. we know because we replaced the > top the last time it happened. Were the doors locked? If so, why?  SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html yup, and shouldn't have been. but our local slasher slashes regardless, according to other victims among the at least half-dozen neighborhood miatas that gotta park in the street (garages at a premium here among late-19th century residences). art > > it seems to, it saves > > about $1,200, the cost of replacing the top. we know because we replaced the > > top the last time it happened. > > Were the doors locked? If so, why? > yup, and shouldn't have been. but our local slasher slashes regardless, >according to other victims among the at least half-dozen neighborhood miatas [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >. > per an earlier post, the repair of a convertible top slashed by a radio >thief -- using elmer's stix-all adhesive, commonly available (like at [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >reasonably-priced hard top but these seem not to exist. and in fact, we now >may not need one. cheers, art mcginn, '91, san francisco It never rains in San Francisco does it ? Why do you need a top ? . :) SignatureCol Col's law. Thinly sliced cabbage.. ironically, s.f. isn't much of a convertible town (cool and foggy much of the time) but on a perfect day, it's to die for with the top down. the general region, however, especially along the ocean and most other gorgeous areas, is very much convertible and motorcycle country. art > > per an earlier post, the repair of a convertible top slashed by a radio > >thief -- using elmer's stix-all adhesive, commonly available (like at [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > It never rains in San Francisco does it ? Why do you need a top ? . :) i forgot to mention windy, like all the time. a lot of back yards in some areas are virtually useless due to perpetual and even chilly wind. irish coffee helps. art > ironically, s.f. isn't much of a convertible town (cool and foggy much of > the time) but on a perfect day, it's to die for with the top down. the [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > > > It never rains in San Francisco does it ? Why do you need a top ? . :) I'm here in SF as well. But as to fixing the slash, here's what I learned watching a guy in a top shop. 1. Clean the inner surface as much as possible. 2. Get a piece of matching top material and cut to overlap the slash at least two inches in each direction. 3. Spray the the area inside of the top that will be accepting the repair piece with industrial strength contact cement--not sure what they use but call up a top shop. Spray the shiney side of the repair piece. Wait till it sets up. 4. Apply the piece to the slashed area--shiney side or whatever up. Pull the edges as close to gether as possible. If you've let things tack up correctly, this should be difficult, but not impossible. 5. Use clear silicone to fill in the slash on top after the whole thing dries. This has held for two years on my top and it's not all that ugly (especially when the top is down!) If the slash is small enough, just the clear silicone will do fine but you'll need to figure out a way to support the edges. I've also seen tops stiched and siliconed. City rules: Never lock the car. Never leave anything in the car though now days I leave few cents there so some drug user who opens the door doesn't get pissed and well, piss on things. But only when I leave the windows open. Leave the windows down when you know it won't be foggy, moist or raining (okay, that's not a lot of the time in SF--depending on your neighborhood.) If you have a mechanical trunk release, detach the cable. You'll have to remove the center console to do this. I can do it in less than 2 minutes now thanks to a propensity for locking my keys in the trunk. With the mechanical release detached you can leave stuff in the trunk with a fair amount of safety. > i forgot to mention windy, like all the time. a lot of back yards in some >areas are virtually useless due to perpetual and even chilly wind. irish [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >> > >> > It never rains in San Francisco does it ? Why do you need a top ? . :) > If you have a mechanical trunk release, detach the cable. You'll have > to remove the center console to do this. It's far easier to disconnect it at the trunk latch. More secure, too. But the best way is to modify the lock cylinder so 1/4 turn to the left will disable the cable temporarily. Instructions here: http://www.miata.net/garage/techtrunk.html SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html >> If you have a mechanical trunk release, detach the cable. You'll have >> to remove the center console to do this. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >will disable the cable temporarily. Instructions here: >http://www.miata.net/garage/techtrunk.html I *think* he wrote: >I can do it in less than 2 >minutes now thanks to a propensity for locking my keys in the trunk. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > I *think* he wrote: > > >I can do it in less than 2 > >minutes now thanks to a propensity for locking my keys in the trunk. What's yer point, Leon? If he does the lock mod, he can disable the cable in less than two seconds. SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html >> I *think* he wrote: >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >What's yer point, Leon? If he does the lock mod, he can disable the >cable in less than two seconds. I think it is easier to get into a locked trunk containing your keys if you have disconnected the console side of the cable. Then you can just take the center console off. If you do it enough times, you will become quite proficient at doing so. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > I think it is easier to get into a locked trunk containing your > keys if you have disconnected the console side of the cable. I think it is easier to get into a locked trunk containing your keys if you have a spare key in your wallet. SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html >> I think it is easier to get into a locked trunk containing your >> keys if you have disconnected the console side of the cable. > >I think it is easier to get into a locked trunk containing your keys if >you have a spare key in your wallet. How easy do you feel it is to get into a locked truck containing both your keys and your spare key? It is quite easy for people to repeat mistakes in sequence. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > How easy do you feel it is to get into a locked truck containing > both your keys and your spare key? Not as easy as using the spare key when the trunk contains all the tools you'd need to remove the console. Which is much more likely than locking one's wallet in the trunk. OK, this is getting silly--no more Duvels for Leon tonight. He might lock himself in the trunk. SignatureLanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA '94C the alignment page: http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html >> How easy do you feel it is to get into a locked truck containing >> both your keys and your spare key? [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >OK, this is getting silly--no more Duvels for Leon tonight. He might >lock himself in the trunk. Actually, I was explaining a post to you that you had trouble comprehending, but anyway. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
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