Putting the hood down procedure!

[NiceCupOfTea]

OK, new hood fitted 2 weeks ago, put it down today for the first time today, great!

Put it back up, back window has marks on it where the roof lies on it and it has a few little creases in it. fk!

I unzipped the rear window as usual, was really careful...

Does everybody else have that line a 3rd of the way up the plastic? My old window was like that...

Do I really have to carry a towel and lay it over the plastic window every time?

[hornetrider]

Shouldn't have creases. Does it fold over normally?

My roof down procedure is a nightmare mate. Release central catch, push button to lower electric roof, and wait an agonising 12 seconds for it to drop.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Yeah, window drops flat and hood folds on top. Only issue is the brace bar which makes it difficult to get the window under. Any tips?

[hornetrider]

Well not really as it seems you're unzipping the window first which was how I did it. I seem to remember making sure it went under the cockpit brace before folding the roof down.

[Howard-]

Unclip hood, unzip window, run hand over window to make sure it's sitting flat, fold roof back. I sometimes get marks running the length of the window but that seems to just be where the roof lies on it. No damage or anything to mine!

[NiceCupOfTea]

hornetrider said:

Well not really as it seems you're unzipping the window first which was how I did it. I seem to remember making sure it went under the cockpit brace before folding the roof down.

That's what I'm doing although it's hard without bending the window a bit... that's what caused the creasing, but I think the marking is a seam on the roof sitting on the window.

[MX-5 Lazza]

When I had a Mk1 I used one of these pretty much from new:
http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.asp...
7 years and the plastic window was still pretty clean and with no major marks on it

p.s. to polish out light scratch marks I used a car polish (Auto Glym Super Resin Polish to be exact). It's abrasive enough without being too harsh

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Wednesday 30th June 20:52

[HereBeMonsters]

1. Slow down to 50 mph.
2. Release both catches.
3. Drop down two gears.
4. Let go of handle above rear view mirror as you floor it.
5. Watch amazed face of driver behind as you zoom off in your now topless car.

[CaptainSlow]

I've just noticed two small tears in my hood (MK1/0. It appears that a piece of the frame either side sticks out and wears the material, is this normal/avoidable?

[crispymorning]

Ruby has a matching fleece blanket which goes between window and hood. No line and costs around a fiver.

[NiceCupOfTea]

I like that Moss one, Lazza - poppers to keep it attached to the shelf! A bit steep for what it is though... I think I will use a towel for now and see how I go.

Any suggestions for getting it neatly under the cabin brace? I've been trying to do it at an angle from the passenger side, but it seems to end up with a sharpish bend as fold it enough to get it under. Is it better to do it straight on? Would I be better off just taking off the brace?

[Don Phil]

That moss one looks like more of a ballache than sliding a colour coded blanket thing that costs next to nowt (from yorkshire - this matters) on top of the window. cant even notice it when roof down, as the roof it on it, and if you need a blanket (forgot your tent??) then it suddenly becomes more useful!

[Mark-2]

MX-5 Lazza said:

When I had a Mk1 I used one of these pretty much from new:
http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.asp...
7 years and the plastic window was still pretty clean and with no major marks on it

I think my car has a OEM one of these! It's a sheet of fake-leather-vinyl stuff with Eunos printed on it in silver and the other side is a really soft, plush furry material.

Anyone else got one of these?

Edited by Mark-2 on Thursday 1st July 01:29

[MX-5 Lazza]

If you are in a hurry you just drop the top onto it. If you have a few moments it's easy to open it up and put the window in it properly. Most of the scratches come from the hood laying on the window, not from the carpet underneath so just laying it on a towel won't really do the full job.

[snotrag]

I'm putting my hands up here and saying - I just flip the catches and chuck it over, never bother unzipping the window.

I can fully understand why you might need to - but my window folds up with a nice large-radiused curve, nice and neat, no cracks or sharp folds, so I realylu sont think it matters. The back windows a bit cloudy but it polishes up ok with plast-X, and you can't see anything out the rear view mirror anyway other than the roll bar and the boot lid, so it doesnt really matter.

I also do it on the move too at urban road speeds.
For the ultimate quick get-away on a morning to work I chuck it over as I drive up the street for maximum grin factor.

[NiceCupOfTea]

MX-5 Lazza said:

If you are in a hurry you just drop the top onto it. If you have a few moments it's easy to open it up and put the window in it properly. Most of the scratches come from the hood laying on the window, not from the carpet underneath so just laying it on a towel won't really do the full job.

I meant laying the towel on the window after dropping the screen but before putting the hood down.

[MX-5 Lazza]

NiceCupOfTea said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

If you are in a hurry you just drop the top onto it. If you have a few moments it's easy to open it up and put the window in it properly. Most of the scratches come from the hood laying on the window, not from the carpet underneath so just laying it on a towel won't really do the full job.

I meant laying the towel on the window after dropping the screen but before putting the hood down.

In which case surely a window protector is no slower to use...

[Gizmo!]

> Flop down both sunvisors.
> Flip down both catches.
> Reach back with left hand and pull the top edge of the rear window forwards.
> Push front edge up and back.
> Grin

/glass rear window smugness

[Don Phil]

MX-5 Lazza said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

If you are in a hurry you just drop the top onto it. If you have a few moments it's easy to open it up and put the window in it properly. Most of the scratches come from the hood laying on the window, not from the carpet underneath so just laying it on a towel won't really do the full job.

I meant laying the towel on the window after dropping the screen but before putting the hood down.

In which case surely a window protector is no slower to use...

Towel/blanket on top of window, drop hood onto window, job done.
Window protector on top of window, drop hood onto window, job done.

Same idea, same result, still only takes 10 seconds to do, not exactly a ball ache as you've already had to unzip the window in the first place, getting the majority of the ball ache out of the way to start with!!

[J-Tuner]

I always undo the window and lay it flat on the bench under the strut brace then release the roof - never had a problem