Robbins No-Zip Glass Window Top Installed

I picked a long Labor Day weekend to finally install the new Robbins top I bought weeks ago. I figure if everyone else takes 6 to 8 hours to install a top, I'll take 10-12. Considering the rain we've had around here for the past 3 months, I spent Saturday cleaning out half of the garage so I could fit a Miata in there when (not if) the rain started. Sunday I ripped the 13 year old top off the '90 and began the install. Much cursing and fussing later and after recruiting my neighbor to help push the center rain rail retainer in so I could start the middle nut I completed the project on Labor Day. Appropriate.

That damn B pillar retainer screw was a bitch. Next time I take the entire top off just to remove and install the retainer. Seats were removed during the rain rail installation and that helped a good bit for access. And speaking of the B pillar retainer, with the car being a '90 I needed to buy the upgrade, part numbers NA01-R1-271 and NA01-R1-272. I can't believe Trussville charges $27.50 each for that cheezy little bit of metal. If Ford profits looks good this quarter it's because I installed a new top in September.

While the top was off I discovered the passenger side drain was clogged, accounting for the wet deck I discovered a few weeks ago in a downpour. And in the driver side drain basin I found the missing plastic piece from the frame stop. Mazda noted in this technical service bulletin that it might be found there:

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This is a nice top. Great fit - no sags, no wrinkles and what a fine clear window. The outstanding results are here:
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Ken Lyons '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red with a new hat Inside the Beltway [Remove the first two digits to reply]

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Ken Lyons
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Ken,

Car looks good, top looks outstanding! I'll bet your 13 yr old top had a wonderfully carmel color tint to it eh?

Congratts on the diy job!

Chris

92BB&T
Reply to
Chris D'Agnolo

Chris D'Agnolo wrote

Strange brown fuzzy stuff on the inside from the day we bought it 3 years ago.

Thanks Chris. It feels good to have done it. It's a bit like giving birth - I'll only attempt another top replacement after the pain of this one has faded into the background.

-- Ken Lyons (a father of 3) '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red Inside the Beltway [Remove the first two digits to reply]

Reply to
Ken Lyons

Looks great! Aren't you glad you did it yourself? I know I feel a great sense of satisfaction each time I look through my glass rear window (which too installed as part of a Robbins vinyl top kit.) The rain-rail was a pain, as were those B-Pillar screws. I was able to do my whole job in 4.5 hours, start to end. Not bad for my first try. No leaks, no sags, no bulges... I did do a lot of reading on the internet prior to starting that project though...

Great job!

DanO

Reply to
DanO

DanO wrote

I'm impressed.

Thanks. Wife thinks so too (it's her car). Major rain here the past few days has put it to the test.

-- Ken Lyons '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red Inside the Beltway [Remove the first two digits to reply]

Reply to
Ken Lyons

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