If the previous owner spent great deal to change the engine bay, inside of the car, and such to white, I wouldn't change to another color. Also, by sound of it, you want to take on this project yourself. With my limited experience in auto paint, I say its pain in the *** to do it right... which means, you would have to remove all the molding (windshield and back window would need to be re-set) etc. Good luck on your task. But good to know its OEM white. Thats pretty rare, hence I recommend keeping that color...

 

You don't necessarily have to re-set glass, but those moldings around them have to come off. So would the front and rear bumper covers.

 

I was really debating between black and white already, and since my car was orginally white after hours of research lol... I decided I would love to have it back to OEM color. Plus that there arnt many white ones out there and on top of that it is a pretty damn color when its clean.. Ill just do a lot of pearl in it and make the baby shine!!

 

Well, you don't if you don't want to. But many experts I have talked to recommend re setting the glass because when old molding is removed it will loosen the adhesive holding the glass. Just adding more adhesive on top of the old one is not as strong as original/single adhesive. I care little more about the safety factor than saving $50-100 to reset the window. But we all short cut to save few pennies here and there.. me included. But when something does go wrong, it might cost more and we might regret not spending that few dollars.

 

I can agree with that. I am removing all the glass even the doors just to be safe. I do not want to take any real shortcuts on my body work or paint. if it takes me months to do so be it, im in no big rush at all with my car.. i plan on puttin it in the shop in late october early november and it will stay there till late april so as you can see i will have plenty of time to paint do body work, interrior mods, drop my new motor in, do suspension exe... like i said if anyone is in the midwest and wants to help or just mess with a FD feel free to get ahold of me, im always here to learn or teach or just BS with...

 

Different points of view then. The glass sits on the seal. Properly removed, the mouldings shouldn't affect that. And in removing the glass, your destroying that original seal that presumably doesn't leak. Plus, there is the risk of breakage that isn't covered by insurance and it's harder to mask. And the glass in these cars is not a significant structural element. I'm not seeing the safety factor being an issue. If your spending 6k or more in a paint job maybe. But he's a DIYer and there is a point of diminishing returns.

 

I agree that windshield is not a form of structural element of the car. But as you know, it weighs quite a bit. With constant hard stops, the adhesive will go thru some stress and possibly the glass might pop off... if its damaged in anyway.

 

OK guys I wanted to be 100% my car was white before I make up my mind ya know.. SO I called my local Mazda dealer and I told them what I was doing and they were happy to help me out.. and were like wow didnt know there were any FD's where I live lol... anyways my car was brilliant black according to the VIN number from mazda, where the PT tag came from I dont know im currious if it wasnt made by the previous owner to make it seem more orginal but my car was black... Therefore my car in umm 2-3 months will be getting repainted to its orginal color. I believe I will not add any stripes or anything to the mix, just brilliant black all the was with a new OEM 99 spec rear spoiler and that will be that... Thanks for all your help guys!! plus after i pulled up the carpet a lil the white fades to black so that there proves it also... im kinda happy bout it too cause I love black FD's...

 

I would say stick with white.