Just Bought This 99 Boxster

[Bruce999]

New to my 99 Boxster.

Replaced the MAS, air filter and fuel pressure regulator this morning, and found the dreaded broken plastic ball joint on the right convertible top side mechanism.

What is the soft material that clips to the rear? Is it just supposed to lay like this?

[infocusf8]

I checked mine yesterday and it looks the same on my '99 so either both ours are messed up or they are both right.

[1schoir]

New to my 99 Boxster.

Replaced the MAS, air filter and fuel pressure regulator this morning, and found the dreaded broken plastic ball joint on the right convertible top side mechanism.

What is the soft material that clips to the rear? Is it just supposed to lay like this?

Bruce & Infocus:

No, it's not correct that way.

Its function is to catch water that gets past the perimeter along which the front edge of the clamshell presses against the rear main bow of the convertible top and then direct the water to the foam drain trays.

That sheet of vinyl material is supposed to be attached to the underside of the rear main bow and the two tension ropes are supposed to be routed through little straps that are sewn into the sides of the vinyl apron before they (the tension ropes) get pressed onto their respective steel balls.

Here is a photo of the area:

You can see the little strap near the bottom of the tension rope.

The rear edge of the vinyl material is supposed to be attached to the rear wall of the convertible top well by means of the metal bar at the end of the material being slipped under the two clips that are on that rear wall at the left and right edges.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited June 28, 2010 by 1schoir

[infocusf8]

Not sure what's going on but I stopped my top in the maintenance position yesterday and the cloth was connected properly to the top yet in the position I checked the other day the cloth looked like the first pic. It must raise up and down with the top.

[Bruce999]

Again, thanks Maurice.

Yes, it did not look right to me, but I couldn;t figure out what the function of that sheet of vinyl was. I'll look at it more closely next time. Right now, I'm not too worried, it's 110 F and 5% releative humidity here in the desert with no rain in sight!

Edited June 24, 2010 by Bruce999

[1schoir]

Not sure what's going on but I stopped my top in the maintenance position yesterday and the cloth was connected properly to the top yet in the position I checked the other day the cloth looked like the first pic. It must raise up and down with the top.

The forward edge of the vinyl apron (the part that is attached to the underside of the rear main bow) does go up and down with movement of the rear main bow. The rear edge (the part that is attached to the metal bar that is tucked under the two clips on the rear wall of the convertible top well) is stationary and stays clipped into the two clips.

Regards, Maurice.