» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | | | | | | 08-03-2015, 04:19 AM | #1 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | California Roof Wind Deflector Retrofit Hey guys, I got a spare Cali top with a wind deflector recently - I want to take the wind deflector out and put it on my car. From what I recall, you could manually crank the top open with a hex wrench on the motor (between those two screws that open the motor up). This motor seems to have a threaded hole instead of a hex, or it's been stripped out completely. Anyone how to slide the roof open another way? I guess I could connect it to power... When I do get it open, is removing the wind deflector a simple job? I'm hoping it doesn't involve too much custom work... Thanks, Matt __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 08-03-2015, 07:03 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 179 | There are two types of motors, one is threaded and the other hex as I recall. You may be better to connect it to a battery and switch and operate it with the motor working. We have done this with a top that was out of the car before. You may also consider replacing the entire cartridge or at least confirm the mounting points for the deflector exist on your current assembly. Good luck Steve __________________ 98 318ti MSport M52, 88 M3, 97 M3/4 | | | 02-09-2016, 03:32 AM | #3 | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Dodging potholes in SoCal Posts: 454 | Resurrecting this thread...it's been a while since I've had time to do any work on the car, so recently I decided to verify that my parts roof had the deflector. Indeed it does have the deflector, however my car doesn't have any mounting points for it. I needed to open the extra roof up to see how it mounted, and now that I know, I think this will be too custom of a job for me to undertake. Will most likely sell this extra roof. __________________ '96 318ti California Edition- Montreal blue '68 1600-2-Caribe blue | | | 02-09-2016, 04:21 AM | #4 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Wichita Falls,Texas Posts: 106 | How much ? I'm in Wichita Falls Lino | | | 02-09-2016, 06:06 AM | #5 | Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 179 | The one we found at the wrecking yard and sold, we shipped using Greyhound and it cost us about $100 to ship and we spent about $100 on wood to build a sturdy shipping box. We dropped at a depot and the buyer picked up at the closest depot to them. __________________ 98 318ti MSport M52, 88 M3, 97 M3/4 | | | 02-09-2016, 06:18 AM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Wichita Falls,Texas Posts: 106 | For the right price, I would drive the 2 hours to Dallas to pick up. Lino | | | 02-09-2016, 06:52 AM | #7 | Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Littletown Posts: 18 | did you sell your extra california top? | | | 02-10-2016, 06:58 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | Hey Matt, For what it's worth, I had a top shipped to me in a Flatscreen TV box. The top fit perfectly and the original packaging that held the screen held the top nicely. I need to rebuild the last two tops I got, so it's always cool to have spare parts. Has anyone refitted a deflector on their 96 Cali top to help Matt out? My current top is broken, but seems to work just fine. Do you have a motor to sell? Cheers! __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! Last edited by BlackBMWs; 02-10-2016 at 07:00 AM. | | | 02-13-2016, 01:22 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Wichita Falls,Texas Posts: 106 | I bought the top. Anyone looking for a good working motor? Lino Last edited by Toolmaker; 02-13-2016 at 10:10 PM. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |