well if you suck and get one spot incredible hot then of course it'll bubble, if you are going to use a grinder I would recommend moving around. Start at one spot, work at it, then move to the next spot. Which should allow time for cooling in between.

 

I used a thin cut off wheel, and it did not get hot enough to damage any paint. Regular grinder wheels make the metal red hot.

 

I decided to keep my factory window for now, and come up with a way for it to go up and down.

I started out with the middle window tract. The window is attached to a slider that has two rollers on it. This prevents the window from flopping from side to side with only one tract.

This is what it looks like with all the cables removed.



This is what it looks like after I modified it to reduce wieght.



After I installed it to the car in the window down position.



The wiper in the inner door panel along with the rubber seal in the front window tract will hold the window in position. I plan to put a mini clamp or pin in the drilled tract to prevent it from slamming down when I hit a bump in the road.



Finally, a pic with the window up and door closed. I still have to do some additional trimming. You can still see a portion of the cut inner door at the rear of the upper door panel. I still have a few other minor adjustments to make. Once I get all the bugs worked out, I will start on the driver door and have them painted.

 

Another gutted door member checking in.

 

i like your solution Troy!

 

Note that the bars inside the doors do more than protect you at a side impact. If one look at the Miata crash test videos on Youtube it is easy to see how the complete car flexes and folds right under the seats at a head on impact. The door bars helps stopping the car from folding up. If you add a cage with good side impact protection the bars naturally become redundant, but in all other cases I would suggest to keep them. I have kept them on my car, despite having the FM-door bars installed. The door bars do strengthen the chassi well, but at a head on impact, I think they are placed too low to do the same function as the stock bars in the doors. Sorry to be a party-pooper, just my opinion.

 

You are not crashing the party in any way. I would have to agree with you about a bolt in roll bar and door bars.

NHRA rules (I am drag racing) says that I have to have a door bar that passes between my shoulder and elbow if there is a single door bar attached to the main hoop and the floor at the foot well. That is much higher than the aftermarket bolt in door bars. That also triangulates the frame somewhat.

If I do not do a full cage, my plan is to purchase or build a roll bar and weld the door bars in the proper location.

 

miata2fast can you post more instruction on how you mounted your window?

 

It is very simple.

Remove the rear window track. You need to keep the front track, but you can cut the bottom portion. It bolts to the door frame, and is part of the triangle window. Cut it right where you cut the panel out of the door. It will still have enough meat to support the window in the down position, and will fully support it in the up position. Some people leave the entire front track in place. It will stiffin the door a bit. I do not like the way it looks.

The carrier on the middle track (the part that has the rollers on it) is what holds the window in place. It allows the window to travel in the stock location, and keeps it from flopping around. Simply remove all of the cables and pulleys from the track and carrier assembly. The door will now slide up and down. Compare the pics above of the modified track with your middle track assembly. You will see all the cables and pulleys that need to come off.

If the rubbers and seals are in pretty good shape on the door, the window will hold in place fairly well. You may need to put a clamp on the track if you are having problems with it sliding down in bumps.

Hope that helps.

 

One more tip.

When you go to reassemble, place the glass in the door, and let it lean against the outer door skin.

Next install the middle track assembly. This will include the track and carrier. Be sure to have the carrier in the down position. Bolt the track in place, Two studs and nuts on the top, and two at the bottom of the door.

Next bolt the glass to the carrier while it is down. There are three screws.

Your done.

 

One more question if the door seals are in good condition the glass will stay up? and if i want to put it down i just push the window down?

 

/\ That is correct.

 

Just a little update.

I finally decided to remove the door bar and upper bracing on my driver door since I am committing to a roll cage.

I think the door bar is too heavy for my scale, but I put the upper brace on the scale for kicks and giggles.



My spot weld remover bit was worn out, so I used the grinder to get the last few spots off.

 

The door bar weighs in the 5-6 lb range, depending on where you currently it. I used a grinder, and left 2-3 inches on each side. That got me 5# 1.9 oz. I bet I left another 6 oz in.

 

I was looking at a NB spec miata, and the door bars are a simple round tubing. They look much lighter than the NA's bars.

Apparently in the SCCA spec miata class, you are not allowed to remove the door bars.

 

They are. Emilio posted about the NB door bars. I can't remember his exact numbers, but they are in the 1 lb range.