California Top: Another question.

[J_E]

I noticed the other day that one of the bows (bars that goes across the top) is broken on one side. It looks like there is a plastic piece on each side of the top with a 'peg' on it and a metal bar that goes on the pegs on either side. The missing bow would not bother me except for the wind noise and I now think that that area is one of the sources of my water leaks since the top does not sit flush on the rail there.

On mine, one of those plastic pegs is broken. It looks like #3 on this diagram: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...97&hg=54&fg=05
RealOEM only calls for one of part 3 so I do not think that that is the right one. If I thought that I could take it apart, maybe I could get it to fit/work.

I have been thinking about taking a drill and making a small pilot hole to try to repair it with some epoxy and a small screw. Has anyone had any luck with a similar repair? If that doesn't work, I guess I will decide if I am looking for a good used one, or if I will bite the bullet and get a new one.

Thanks in advance.

[J_E]

OK, I think I found the part I need.

I believe that it is part #14 on this diagram: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...98&hg=54&fg=05

Now I just have to call around to see if I can get it locally and order it if I can not.

Are there any good guides for taking this top apart? I don't remember seeing any in any of the search results.

*Edit* Turns out that it is a special order part that would be coming from Germany.

[BRADESTAR]

That seems like a pain in the butt. These 15 year old cali tops seem scary.

Mine works well so far but I'm scared to death to constantly open and close the sucker. A whole new apparatis at $600 seems reasonable. This is what I've heard people talking about on here. I've never called the dealership to see if that was the deal pickle. Maybe that price is just the motor...

At any rate, on this post, pictures would help.

[J_E]

Yes, I've been more than a little remiss with the pictures. I will have to work on that, especially in a couple weeks when it is time to pull it apart to try and fix it.

So I ordered the parts today. More truthfully, my brother works at a BMW dealership and HE ordered the parts for me for a little more savings. For the first round I just went with part 14 from my previous post and a new gasket. The gasket was readily available here in the US with 30 or so in the country. The other part is special order from Germany with a 1-2 week wait.

I was looking at the RealOEM drawing some more, and I am not sure that a replacement is just $600 I think that that is just the canvas top and bows and such. There is another drawing, where I found the part that I needed, and it lists the track/rail at about $4300. I think that if I fail or otherwise F-up this repair, a Lexan piece will be sourced to replace the whole top.

[J_E]

I decided to post some pics to this thread. I forgot to grab my keys when I went to take the photos so I couldn't get photos of the broken part.

Basically all these will show is that the top isn't laying down like it should. They will also show how much the car needs to be washed.





You can see where the bow is missing in this one: