i have seen our cars mostly with rain gutters sewn in the top seem
but also saw a few with out them

mine has them but they are cracked where top folds for the sunroof opening

was wondering if ones i saw with out had them removed or were bought the way?
i would like to remove mine to improve the look
has anyone attempted this and if so hw did it work out

or if you don't have them does it cause issues in the rain?

thanks

 

Sewn into all original tops. You can remove but will get rain dripping in everytime you open the door in the wet. For driving it makes no odds. It would be a huge job to replace them and require an industrial sewing machine to get through the layers. New fabric tops are restrictively expensive but second had from scrapped cars is an alternative. It is possible to replace only the rag top without the frame, guide in the R57 section I wrote up, same process.

 

thanks for the reply

do u know of a way to remove the damaged run guard with out hurting the top?

 

Sorry, no I don't have any advice and would hesitate to give any in case it went horribly wrong! Whatever you do it will have to be very sharp and could end in disaster if it slips into the hood... not sure if a dremel thing may work?

 

a couple of comments

1. I've owned a few ragtop over the years .... a RABBIT 'vert in the 80's for 6 years or so (very expensive top to replace btw) ... a 95 Miata I had for 12 years .... and a 66 Mustang ragtop.

2. None of these had 'rain gutters' .... Getting some drips was just part of the ragtop community !

3. Have a 15 R-59 ..... when in for maintenance service rep noted that the 'drip rails' were cracked and in places broken off. "We can fix this under warranty." I discussed and specifically said I do NOT want a new top, but if you can replace just the rail, or remove it, OK. I was ASSURED they would fix the rails .... only the rails.

4. Come back to pick up car and it has a new top .... which fits like crap . . .

5. After much discussion they replace the top AGAIN ... btw, don't put the top down for the next month (in the early spring which is just about the BEST time for top down where we live)

6. I would have just cut the broken pieces off CAREFULLY with a new EXACTO but NOOOOOOO ... the dealer offered to fix this with NO complaint by me to trigger the work (another post recently mentioned that dealers are PROSCRIBED from mentioning warranty repairs the owner has not complained about ..... guess I busted that one!)

 

I have them on my R52 and its not cracked, on my second top, and treated the top once or twice a year and no cracks, i keep it inside all the time as much as possible. Just be careful if you do cut the rubber and not seam.

 

thanks what i am contemplating is getting some type of blade that i can set the depth on so not as likely cut wrong thing
may even hunt down a mini t wrecking yard with bad top and go practice

or leave it, but looks unsightly to me

 

+1 ^^ cleaning and treating your top ...

... only take a few minutes and makes your top last so much longer.

Motor On!