Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/29/09 9:27 a.m.

This is the first year where I'm met with the combination of a soft top, roll bar and hard top. As I get ready to install the hard top for the Winter, I'm concerned abut ruining the plastic rear window while its folded up for the season. Before the roll bar, I used one of hose window protectors when the top was down. That's no longer an option.

On my last car, I solved this by removing the soft top all together.

Any suggestions for caring for the window?

Sultan
Sultan New Reader
11/29/09 11:17 a.m.

I took a foam tube cut it to length and wrapped it in a clean towel so the plastic wouldn't stick to the window. The foam tube keeps the window from creating a line in the plastic. The foam tube was what my kids call a noodle from the pool but I’m sure a pipe insulator would work as well.

CLH
CLH GRM+ Memberand New Reader
11/29/09 12:12 p.m.
Sultan wrote: I took a foam tube cut it to length and wrapped it in a clean towel so the plastic wouldn't stick to the window. The foam tube keeps the window from creating a line in the plastic. The foam tube was what my kids call a noodle from the pool but I’m sure a pipe insulator would work as well.

+1

I used to do this in my '97 that had a rollbar installed and it worked great. The one time I decided to be lazy and not use it was on a cold day when I was autocrossing...I threw the top back and sure enough it was cold enough to crack the plastic window all the way across .

Since the top will be down for the whole season, you may want to tuck a towel around the inside part of the fold as well.

kcbhiw
kcbhiw Reader
11/29/09 11:14 p.m.
Sultan wrote: I took a foam tube cut it to length and wrapped it in a clean towel so the plastic wouldn't stick to the window. The foam tube keeps the window from creating a line in the plastic. The foam tube was what my kids call a noodle from the pool but I’m sure a pipe insulator would work as well.

I'll hand off another +1 to this. Works quite well.

car39
car39 Reader
11/30/09 8:07 a.m.

One of the Miata suppliers sells a cushion for this. I've used it on the 3 Miata's I've had, it keeps the window from folding.

Keith
Keith GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/30/09 12:22 p.m.

I just used to stick a rolled up towel in there. Easier to store than a pool noodle and more useful overall. I'm not sure it ever made a difference.

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/30/09 1:24 p.m.

Any suggestions for protecting the inside?

jrw1621
jrw1621 Dork
11/30/09 2:00 p.m.

Towel wrapped on both sides

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