MX5 Hood not closing

[RZ1]

I took the hard top of the MX5 today so it can be sold, having a slight problem though.
The soft top does not seem to close all the way, I have tried pushing it but I have about a ½ inch gap between the latches and the windscreen. The soft top seems to have shrunk over the winter months whilst the hard top was on.
Tried with the windows open and also with the rear screen unzipped, but no luck.
Any recommendations on how I can get the hood to close?
Also just to ad it was working fine in October, since then the hard top has been on.

[snotrag]

Just needs stretching, they all do that.

You could loosen the latches off a little too - flip the covers open, and loosen the hexagonal bar and that will give you a bit of play - you'll have to tighten then back up again once it stretches.

You need to lift it up and leave it in the sun, stretched out for a while. Then man up and just pull it tight.

[manox]

leave it open in the sun for a while (if we ever get some), failing that a hairdryer on low heat (you must own one, you have an mx5! we all have them kept in the boot with the scissors etc).

[McSam]

manox said:

a hairdryer (you must own one, you have an mx5! we all have them kept in the boot with the scissors etc).

[GravelBen]

manox said:

leave it open in the sun for a while (if we ever get some), failing that a hairdryer on low heat (you must own one, you have an mx5! we all have them kept in the boot with the scissors etc).

They're better with the hairdrier bolted to the engine.

[JQ]

I tend to close it as much as I can then leave it running for 30 mins with the heaters on full blast - seems to work when taking the hardtop off for trackdays in the winter.

[redgriff500]

Hot water or a fan heater required

[Chiswickboy]

The Crack Fox said:

It's just the cold, mine did the same. Run with full heater on, warm it thoroughly, it will relax and stretch

Sounds like a good idea. Bit cheaper than all those pills I keep getting emails about!

[RZ1]

Cheers Chaps

All sorted, in the end left it running in the garage with the heater on, 20 minutes later and it closed perfectly!