I know that there are posts here and on Utube on how the top is installed, finding leaks, etc. I've read many of those.
What I'm trying to figure out and I'll be the first to posit that I may be overthinking this. What is the orientation of the rivets? Meaning, in tracking down a leak(s), I took the rain rail out to find the pesky leaks. Come to find out, the shop who installed the top for the previous owner did not rivet any part of the rail or the top. So, I have no guide. Does the head of the rivet face the front of the car? There is a bulbous part that results when fixing the rivet in place. Does that face the trunk when the front, top and back of the rain rail are sandwiched together?
Also found many of the plastic fittings/clips missing and the best part was the paper towel in the little drain bucket that has the drain hose! Unbelievable.

Finally, I've seen the small (8 inches long or so) little rubber molding pieces on line in some of the videos and descriptions, but I have not seen where they go or get reattached. Both of mine were also laying in the little drain buckets. Anyone know where they get attached?

One poster mentioned that he does not let a shop do this type of work due to the lack of skill or attention paid to the details. I'm inclined to agree.

 

OK, going to answer my own question. I've been researching further and went down some rabbit holes. I did find one post about leaks in the trunks that talked about using a 3M tape to seal up the rivet holes, not using rivets. Apparently it worked.
Then I found information that stated you should use new rivets when assembling the top and rain rail sandwich. All very confusing. Also read something about using speed rivets. Interesting concept!!
Finally, to answer my original question about the orientation of the rivet, I found this: https://www.s2000.club/OM/RearPlasti...eplacement.pdf This tells me that crush end of rivet faces the back of the car.
Still don't know about those little rubber pieces but I think they glue to the sides by the quarter panel of the rail that goes around the rear of the car. Still don't know purpose.

 

I wish I had a solution or link for this issue but this emphasizes the vital importance of a skilled installation by someone with intimate knowledge of the S2000, not a general convertible roof shop. Recommend you find one and let him fix (reinstall) your roof.

All S2000 roofs will need replacement some day, we're driving 20+ year cars. Consensus here indicates the Robbins cloth roof is an excellent choice. That's the easy part. Finding a local installer is the hard part. Four (five, six?) years ago I drove 250 miles (4.5 hours) round trip to have my roof installed by an expert who specializes in S2000 roofs. He had all the tools and materials laid out on a couple of 6' tables. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

-- Chuck

 

Well, I would respectfully disagree. The reason for that opinion is on several levels. I do not know the skill of the top shop used by the PO, but from the work done and the missing fasteners, a paper towel stuffed into the drain bucket on the right side and the plastic pins I had to replace makes this a disheartening experience...looking at the work. I am not familiar with any specialists that focus on tops, I'm sure they are out there. Issue will always be attention to detail which is always an issue. I prefer to do the work myself for those reasons.

Thank you Harbor Freight for selling a box of those plastic fasteners that had the right size in the kit. Of interest is that some of the installations I read and used stated there were one each side on the rain rail facing up but there are actually two on each side. I had empty holes in the rain rail indicating missing parts.

Another interesting aspect are those small long rubber pieces found in the drain buckets. I've included a picture where someone is holding them near the front corners of the car. Thats where I found them as well. I saw the old double sided tape, removed it and replaced that tape. Had to take a guess as to orientation and location of those little pieces. Hopefully I got it right, but haven't received any answers as to where they go.

Picture grabbed from one of the installations showing the small molding piece

You can see where i mounted that little piece, the giveaway being the lighter colored, gray. double sided tape. The brushes also indicate orientation.

Tape I used

Tape part number

Tape in place covering the holes on outside, inside, inside and outside of the rainrail

tool used to poke through the tape to mount the studs. Need this as you can't push the studs through that tape

I did not go with rivets. Although recommended in several threads. I'll go with HarryD's review of his installation where he used some very expensive 3M sealing tape. He bought for $18 and change if I recall and it is now $1600 and change on Amazon. I think that's a mistake, but on other sites the tape is closing on $100 plus. That tape is 1mm and the tape I used is 2mm. Much cheaper. Very sticky and the adhesive actually seems to flow in this weather.
So, no rivets. Also going with the reviews on Miata.net where those Miata brethren mentioned that the rivets are used at the factory to make installation easier. Makes sense. I'll be testing for leaks tomorrow.
Oh yeah, none of the rivets holes were used by the shop. None sealed up so leaks abounded. Yeah, I know that a rivet isn't waterproof either. I like this 3M tape to seal this kind of stuff. You do have to poke holes through the tape to mount the rain rail to the studs, but the glue seems to flow around the hole and stud from what I'm seeing. This stuff is sticky!

 

I just posted about those 8" rubber strips as I found mine hanging down from the place where you re-installed them. Which way did you mount them, rubber flap tilted toward the outdide or the inside? Small lip toward the outside or inside?