Mazda-Menders

This is a very simple quick guide on how to refurb a MK 1 Eunos/Roadster/Mx5/Miata/Bongo centre arm rest ashtray, over the years the metal goes rusty from the use of the "fags" which also becomes very smelly and the plastic losses its colour and luster from the heat from the "ciggy's" And goes a dull off brown yellow'ish colour......

Remove the ashtray from the centre arm rest...






Empty the contents if any into a bin and turn it over to reveal the 4 x small phillips head screws underneath.....






Remove the screws and keep safe....










And now lift the metal ashtray base free from the plastic top half....




As you can now see it needs a good clean, rub down and re-paint.....




Now we need to separate the grill from the base that buts out the " ciggy butt"....




Turn the base over again and you will notice on either side a folded over metal tad that holds it in place, it is not welded....




Get a medium size flat driver and just bry them up and open....






And separate them apart....





And just put them to one side for a minute...

Now we turn our attention to the plastic top half......




Now this splits into 5 bits, the 2 x metal slider springs, the door, the top and the green illumination window , take it all apart leaving the slider springs to one side, now with your hand full of stinking plastic bits, grab the metal bass and butt stubber and go give them all a real good scrub in warm water and washing up liquid to remove the odder and nicotine, once all done and happy, let them dry off, we will come back to them when dry, so while they are drying we'll sort the slider springs ready for re-install....

Get the two springs , in most cases they have gone rusty, so it is a simple case of a quick rub down with a bit of grit paper...









And once clean a quick blast with a matt or satin black paint even silver, these will not be on show and is only done as a lite protection as we will be adding a lube also to them on rebuild...




Now onto our dry metal base and stubber out grill if now dry, same as the springs, if it is as rusty as this with a c8ck up blast of siller paint to "try " and hide rust, it will need a grit paper attack, i personally did the back also while i was at it , but that is personal choice, i also personally prefer a black satin rather than gloss i i personally feel it looks better, but again that is down to personal choice...







And all painted ready for rebuild...








Place the Ciggy stubber down onto something solid like hard board or plastic so it does not mark and place the base into place onto to re bend the side taps back down, make sure it is facing the correct way before folding back into place, we used a solid piece of plastic and and pliers to finish with a piece of cardboard on each side of the pliers teeth to minimize marking...








Now we can put all the plastic bits back together....

Grab the door and the two slider springs and refit the spring to the door and spray with a silicon spray and put it to one side.....












Now get the top and green illumination window and the top plastic frame, turn it over and drop the green window back in place...






Spray the sides where the doors slider springs will run with your silicon lube...






Now get the door and put it back into its place....






Now get the metal base and put lay it on top of the top plastic frame, there is a right and wrong way, look for the cut out in the metal base on the lip for the green illumination window....






Now get the 4 x small phillips head screws and screw them all back down tight again.....














And thats it , now onto the last bit of making the top as nice as the base from that faded plastic, and all you need is black boot polish....




Get a rag and just work it in, as many coats as it takes as in some cases it soaks it in....





Once you are happy , get a clean rag or polish brush and ....polish....and it will come up better than new....

















And that is it, all done and finished, easy thing to do and does make a difference to smell and look.
Any questions please feel free to ask.
M-m