I'm talking about the piece behind each front wheel, which has a small mesh insert.

A body shop recently painted one for my dad, and in order to remove the mesh insert it appears that they broke the three small mounting tabs. At least that's what my dad is saying......a good friend tells me that the tabs are actually melted on the backside and they have to be broken in order to seperate the mesh insert from the vent in order to properly paint it.

Does anyone know for sure what the deal is? I'll probably just call Ray tomorrow, but thought I'd post this up tonight in search of some info.

 

It is true. If you don't want the mesh painted you do need to break the tabs, take it out and replace it after the rest of vent is painted.

I've had a few FDs painted, the shop used a really good 2-part epoxy to glue them back in. You couldn't tell anything was up once the vent was reinstalled. The key is to use a quality adhesive.

 

Thanks Jeff......my old man swears up and down that there was some kind of metal tabs on the back and that the shop was negligent in what they did. This was a brand new part, perhaps it's different than what came from the factory?

 

One of the few benefits to having 1/2 an RX7 body in your house:


It looks like the mesh is glued to the vents.

 

The mesh is originally "heat staked" to the rest of the vent. Mazda probably painted the outer part of the vent and then they melt the plastic posts to hold on the mesh. Since the two parts come from Mazda assembled (repair part vs. production line) the shop had 2 choices, paint the mesh or break it off and reattach it. Taping it off would not really work. I went through this with my CYM, I bought new vents also, IIRC @ $125/ea...

There ARE screws and plastic clips that are shown above that hold the vent to the fender, I was not referring to those. I am talking about the black plastic being held to the painted part of the vent.

 

you can use a soldering gun to melt the nipple while applying pressure to the mesh to remove them. on installation you just put it back in place and remelt the top of the nipple flat again.

-J

 

An oldie but a goodie, some real rotary luminaries posting in this here thread

 

^ You must be board. You are bumping a thread from when I was still in high school, for seemingly no reason.

 

Evidently they didn't teach you much Engrish in HS

 

so trew!

 

bored... Don't talk to Goodfella like that, he lead combat missions in Iraq


Edit:
LMFAO I forgot about your avatar Garret.

 

All you guyz are just hattin', stop making fun of meeee. I never said I gradjuated.


Here is a pic of Goodfella leading a mission into fallujah.

 

Do not pick on my buddy Rich else ? We ex-military guys watch each others back.

Back in 92 while washing my R1, the left vent mesh popped out.
So I also popped out the right side. It was worth it to remove the 2 ounces of dead weight. And I never looked back.

 

^Now the mice can move in and start a new rat's nest