Zippering a 2004 top

I doubt anyone has ever tried. You could find an NA (1990-97) owner who wants to trade top and frame with you. If you want to keep a glass window, perhaps an aftermarket NA top will fit your frame.

I'm sure that a good top shop can do this! The big issue will be the weight of the glass window. It's gonna need a very heavy duty zipper!

A good shop can do anything but finding a good shop that is willing to do it for a reasonable amount of cash is an entirely different matter. Keep in mind you can probably recover a good bit of the cost of a zippable glass window top by selling the top you have. I'm relatively comfortable buying something when I understand the reason for the sale, that helps allot.

Chris

My, quite big, BSP glass window used the OEM half of the zipper in my 1996 top, and I had no problems for five years zipping it up and down on average, say, twice a day. It was fine when I replaced the top with a 1999+ no zip one.

A zip-down window might not be a bad idea in the desert, though. I had overheating problems running the AC on Route 66, and additional natural air circulation would have been welcome.

Leon

As to desert driving, I've done a lot and never really had overheating problems. That said, removing the front license plate dropped the gauge from running at about 3/4 when going uphill to hovering only a little over the center mark as is usual. This was all with it 110 plus through the southwest.

JJ

I don't believe it!!!!! I've been having trouble with my MX5 doing just what you describe - temp going up to 3/4 when pushing it in hot weather - since I bought it (a year and a half ago). I've exchanged the thermostat and the the radiator, and while especially putting in the new rad seemed to make some difference, it hasn't solved it properly. And now you're saying that the culprit is the license plate in front of the front air intake!!! Stands to reason, really. That's where my plate is as well; I won't be able to remove it completely (in the UK we have to have license plates front and back), but I'll see if I can move it and if that makes a difference. I'll check miata.net for pictures/suggestions of alternative fixing of the front license plate.

I could have saved myself a bit of money if I'd known that earlier.... Ah well. You live & learn.

Eric

I thought that the usual position for a UK plate was above the mouth.

It is, but mine's a Japanese import.

Eric

We're supposed to have the front plate in California as well. "Sorry officer, it just fell off a few miles back. I'll be sure to replace it right away sir!" ;-)

I had an argument with someone over the front license plate removal being a "scientfically ridiculous" overheating solution. They just would not believe me when I told them that I'd already done it and it worked. Go figure.

Jon

In what sense did it work? In short, what changed?

Leon