Good day all!!

Here is a little history on my 08 ragtop S manual trans... I got this for the grand total of $2200 with transmission issues... It started and ran great... No clutch pedal and it made a loud whine when running at idle... I started it in first and got it going... I shifted it without the pedal by matching the next gear to the correct speed... So it worked... It was solid, for the most part... and included a colony of ants... UGH!

I got it home and pulled the trans... Melted throw-out bearing...

New clutch and solid flywheel combo that saved two pounds...

Pass rear window regulator was wound up around the spool... I pulled it apart, straightened the bends in the wire rope and wound it up again... It broke the blue wheel, so I fab'd one quickly out of aluminium... Not my best work, but it is hidden...

Headlights were hazed over... A little rubbing compound and time on them got them better... I need to do the 2000 grit sandpaper then repeat the rubbing compound...

My top worked when I got it... The radio did not... Nothing from the radio at all... The PO had installed a blue Parrot thing and popped the fuse to the back of the radio and main amp fuse... The radio comes on, but no sound so I suspect I have the common amp failure... So, back to the top... It worked until I replaced the radio fuses... Now I have no communication from the amp, nor the CVM (top module) when I hook up the car to the laptop... Swapping in a spare CVM did nothing... Thoughts on this one?!

So, the ants have moved from the engine bay to the driver side rear area... I think I flushed them out this past washing... The interior was completely neglected and filthy... I'm still doing detail cleaning!

There is a mod I want to do, but unsure if it is possible due to wiring differences... I was to put the information gauge cluster in the middle dash location and the dual gauges over the steering column... Can I do that if I pull the wiring and such from the donor car? I found a car that had it, but it had the nav screen and I don't really want nav... Oh, it was also a 2002... I need one from a 9/04 and newer, according to REALOEM.COM.....

Well.... This is a lot to start out with... I should break this post up, but I already have it done, so we'll see how it goes... I did do a search for my issue, but most problems concerned the cables...

Thanks!!!!!

Cheers all!!!





Original set-up... Swapped out for the Valeo kit...





Broken valve cover... Repaired in stead of replaced by the PO... I had to straighten out the spark plug tubes too...



Before...



After!! Not completely perfect yet...




I put this back together to get the dimensions... I need to make a better set-up... The one I have in there working is just not to my liking...



That top left most pivot is where the blue wheel should be... I pulled that pin and put a bolt with the fab'd gear on it...

 

Good day all!!

I was limited on pictures... Here are more...

Cheers!!



Before washing...













Nice and clean...



New TO bearing and all clean!



I wish I could do something about this!!!!! It should be illegal to put these on cars without signed permission from the owner!!! This paint is ruined...



New pulley in place.... Covered up now....

 

Little late, but good work so far from your pics How's it coming now? did you work out any of the radio and CVM issues?