A little inspection showed that beneath the carpet on the parcel shelf was an abundance of good ol’ fashioned, character building rust.
The Miata was designed to be a modern interpretation of a classic British sportscar. Well, shortly after purchase we found out that our little Rat was trying a little too hard to be a Brit. A little inspection showed that beneath the carpet on the parcel shelf was an abundance of good ol’ fashioned, character building rust. Fortunately, the rust was pretty much contained on the bolt off panels used to access the fuel tank and filler pipe. A quick trip to BSI for extra panels cost only $25, and with a little help from Rustbullet, and a bit of seam sealer the car was once again rust free. While we were at it, we decided to replace the worn out old top with a newer one provided when we purchased the car.
Since we had a complete top mechanism we didn’t have to mess with stretching new material over the frame, and the installation was a straightforward bolt-on affair. Removing the parcel shelf carpeting revealed the top mounting rails which are bolted to the body. After cleaning out all the misc. leaves, dirt, and other funky stuff that had collected there over the years, we decided it would be a good idea to give the rails themselves a sanding and painting as the corrosion had taken a foothold. Unfastening the top mounting bolts near the safety belt mounting points, and the rear bolts left the top free to be taken off, and the new one was installed. It fits nicely, and now as an added bonus, the driver can actually see out the rear window.
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