Wire Blocking Hardtop Removal

[718Miata]

Hi folks. I just bought a one owner 2003 bird and am trying to removed the hardtop. When I try pulling the top up, a wire remains stuck or connected. I’ve attached photos. Any advice?

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[TXBluebird]

I can’t tell from the pictures where on the roof this is located. There aren’t normally any wires connected to the top. The window defroster connects through the pin under the porthole on the right (passenger) side. If the receiving connector got broken (and they do) someone may have Jerry-rigged it. Otherwise I’d guess some after market addition?

 

[718Miata]

I can’t tell from the pictures where on the roof this is located. There aren’t normally any wires connected to the top. The window defroster connects through the pin under the porthole on the right (passenger) side. If the receiving connector got broken (and they do) someone may have Jerry-rigged it. Otherwise I’d guess some after market addition?

It wound up being the defroster wire from the hardtop. It likely got stuck when the dealer put the top back on. I managed to get the top off without issue. It’s now at Russell and Smith Ford getting serviced and checked out.

 

[fdf3280]

I agree with TXBluebird, there are no exposed wires, so this looks like a work around the previous owner did for whatever reason. I'd go back and ask that person what that wire is before disconnecting it.

 

[718Miata]

I just went outside and took photos. Thoughts?

 

[TXBluebird]

I have my hardtop on the car so I don’t have it for reference but this looks like normal wiring to to the passenger side locking pin for the rear window defroster. The wiring in the top is not usually a problem, although it might have gotten snagged on something at some point.

More often, the receiving clips on the body get damaged, For comparison, posts 14 and 15 of this thread have pictures of intact receiving clips: http://www.fordthunderbirdforum.com...derbird-chat/1014371-long-forgoten-about-part

 

[718Miata]

It looks pretty normal to me. I think the defroster wire got snagged. The soft top is really in outstanding, barely used condition, so I don’t think she tinkered around with the wiring on the hardtop.

 

[Bubblehog]

Hi folks. I just bought a one owner 2003 bird and am trying to removed the hardtop. When I try pulling the top up, a wire remains stuck or connected. I’ve attached photos. Any advice?[/QUOTE

The wire on the top looks OK- probably just got snagged.