Roof Question

[Lord Tolly]

With the imminent arrival of my f a question arises.

When lowering the roof does the rear window need to be removed and how

And where is. It ment to be stored when it's out

[ColinP]

The owners handbook says you are supposed to unzip it prior to opening and it just lowers onto the rear behind the drivers head.
It stays attached to the frame at the bottom so it's not actually removed from the car.

After speaking to a few members who have had their cars for years, they say they don't bother unzipping, just lower the roof making sure the screen does not crease and away you go!

As long as you don't do it this way in the cold then there should be no issue, so I am told!

I'm a scaredy cat and unzip each time

[Plezier]

What type of window has it got?

The plastic or glass?


I believe each is different in the way it's handled.

I this warmer weather the plastic flexible window can but left zipped in place I believe. Mine seems to fold down nicely with it so anyway.

[Lord Tolly]

As far as I'm aware it's a plastic one

[purplebargeken]

Yep, it's plastic. I am too paranoid to leave mine unzipped but that's just me.

[crussell]

If its plastic and in good condition I would unzip it every time. I could be wrong but thinking about it, lowering it down over time and it folding back on itself would surely create minor '/stretch marks' or some sort of surface damage, dimming it?? Just throwing it out there.

I unzip mine now as its dead easy but on my old F the zip was a pain in the ..... So I never used to

[cath's mg]

Defiantly no need to unzip.
The only time to unzip it is if your going to leave the soft top down for any length of time, like over winter if you fit a hard top.
If you want to put the top down when its cold warm the inside of the car up first, so the screen isn't too brittle, I made that mistake and it cracked like spun sugar

As long as you take a little care when lowering the soft top you shouldn't have any problems

[Geoff.F]

No need to unzip but be careful not to have any kinks in the fold or wrap it around a piece of water pipe insulation foam.
Geoff F.

[nigelandjo]

Always unzip a plastic window, otherwise it is likely to crack, particularly in cold weather. Doesn't take many seconds to unzip it and release the velcro down the sides and then lower it onto the parcel shelf before lowering the roof.

[stuart]

When folding back the roof, just make sure the rear screen doesn't fold but goes back in a smooth curve- Geoff's idea of using a former to avoid any sharp folds is a good one. I think it's overkill to unzip the rear window every time- in cold weather or for long periods of roof down then yes, but in the summer part of the good thing with these cars is the roof goes up and down in a flash, it's a bit of a pain to unzip the screen every time.

[Geoff.F]

How long would the zip last if you undid it every time you put the hood down ??
Geoff F.

[talkingcars]

Even in winter I didn't unzip, just made sure that I folded slowly with no crease in the screen - the zip was a pain to do up, one had to undo the rear clips on the hood!

I resolved the problem with a BAS hood and glass screen.

[cath's mg]

I resolved the problem with a BAS hood and glass screen.

Me too now

[Rob Bell]

I have never unzipped the rear window except for long-term storage when the hard top goes on. Ironically, the last autumn I did this, the plastic screen cracked!!! Have a replacement screen to fit - so I may be popping over to see Gary to remove the roof, clean, replace screen and reproof!

[cath's mg]

I have never unzipped the rear window except for long-term storage when the hard top goes on. Ironically, the last autumn I did this, the plastic screen cracked!!! Have a replacement screen to fit - so I may be popping over to see Gary to remove the roof, clean, replace screen and reproof!

Got new Rivet gun and black Rivets

[Rob Bell]

Black long-reach rivets? Wow - I need some of them!!!

[cath's mg]

Black long-reach rivets? Wow - I need some of them!!!

Long & Short reach standard head and Long & Short reach large head

Cath thinks I have a serious problem getting excited by Rivets..................................may be she has a point

[Rob Bell]

[cath's mg]

Might have to seek Ken's professional services

[Lord Tolly]

Well I'm even more confused now what yo do lol