Installing a Soft Top

[Greg]

Has anyone done it? Its the top itself with a glass window, not the frame.
I'd rather have someone here thats done it before instead of messing it up...

[Greg]

no one? damn

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

As in installing the top onto the frame? I think it might actually be a bit of a pain in the *** if I recall correctly.

[Greg]

Thats what I was thinking..... :(

[metalman]

I have done a few. Its tedious, but not that overwhelmingly difficult.
Be prepared to set a day aside for a first timer. Adding a glass window to an NA means
some extra steps adding straps on the frame etc.

[RotorNutFD3S]

(So the hint here is go to Kurt's house and have him help you. :) )

[Greg]

Thats kinda what I was thinking too ;)

[MeFryRice]

Did you ever get around to doing this? I have to do mine as well and was just curious how hard it's going to be.

[ben91]

PITA, I did one. Will never do another. I'd rather do a clutch or something else.

[RotorNutFD3S]

lol That's why I'm helping you look for a top that's already on the frame Steve. Takes a lot of work and misery out of the job.

[metalman]

Nahhh...top isnt that bad.
We could have a tech day sometime and do one. The benefactor could provide
the food and beverages. :lol:

[RotorNutFD3S]

Well seeing as Greg, Steve, and my buddy Sean all need tops, we'd have a lot of food and drinks! :lol:

[MeFryRice]

I don't mind providing food/drinks, just as long as my top is on before the night is over.

[Grantri]

I've done a few on old Brit stuff, would love to watch/help do one on a Miata as our 92 will need one before too long...

[RotorNutFD3S]

I'd be watching to, my top is ok for now, but it's good knowledge to have down the road!

[metalman]

I don't mind providing food/drinks, just as long as my top is on before the night is over.


In reality its 2-3 hour job...however, its less stressful to take time and let everyone pitch in. One factor here is the the quality of the top to be installed. Some fit better then others. If I was buying a new top I'd go ahead and get a rain rail too. The old ones are brittle and a pain in the ***. They make them that are quite flexible nowdays...in aftermarket.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Kurt, what brand tend to be the one's to look for with new soft tops?

[Oblio]

I've done a couple of tops and willing to pitch in for a beer or two

[metalman]

Kurt, what brand tend to be the one's to look for with new soft tops?


To me, all of them have pros and cons. If you ask on miata.net you can find someone that will slam nearly any brand...sort of like tires.

I would approach it this way...first, decide what you want to spend.
Decide if you want cloth or vinyl, and glass window or plastic window, zip or no zip...and then go from there.

I have had good results with many, including Cabrioworld, Robbins, AA Best, and others. It depends on the type. I think probably the nicest cloth top I have owned was one Hector put on my white car...it was an imported german cloth top...and expensive!! It held up extemely well too. But, for the $$ I'd probably go with something else.

For a vinyl zippered plastic window top I like a Robbins with zipper around the 'glass', which is different then OEM style.

[Oblio]

Kurt, what brand tend to be the one's to look for with new soft tops?

get a robbins top if your going to keep the car. It's well worth the extra 100 150 bucks. if you have an na with a plastic window upgrade to a glass one. There will be a step when you have to put straps on one of the frame rails but worth the effort to get a window that you can see through. AND BY ALL MEANS GET A RAIN RAIL ATTACHED!!!!!! there are other tricks, I learned from someone that had done quite a few. Oh last thing there are some metal cables that run in the top I'd replace them with new ones that moss or mmmiata sells.

[Greg]

I'm still waiting for mine to come in. It that it is made to order and to allow 7-10 to manufacture, then it will be shipped. Its been about 2-3 weeks now....

[metalman]

AND BY ALL MEANS GET A RAIN RAIL ATTACHED!!!!!! there are other tricks, I learned from someone that had done quite a few. Oh last thing there are some metal cables that run in the top I'd replace them with new ones that moss or mmmiata sells.


Yes, replace the cables, always a good idea.

As for rain rail attachment...I would skip it. Just buy the new rail.
Here's why...most rain rail issues come about from disturbing the ATTACHED rail. IMHO there is no need to attach it to the top. I believe that was done originally to aid in production line steps.
By installing the rail unattached you leave it much easier to remove or swap the top assy in the future. I will never attach one again. My .02[hr]

I'm still waiting for mine to come in. It that it is made to order and to allow 7-10 to manufacture, then it will be shipped. Its been about 2-3 weeks now....


What brand?? Type??

[MeFryRice]

So how about the eBay tops?

[metalman]

So how about the eBay tops?


Some ebay tops are known brands, some are cheap crap.
You'll have to be more specific. :)

[Oblio]

there is someone selling a robbins top on miata.net

[MeFryRice]

I saw that one Oblio. I'm just torn in weather to invest in a soft-top when I know I'm more interested in a hard-top.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Hard tops are for pussies. Top down all the way banana

[Greg]

I saw that one Oblio. I'm just torn in weather to invest in a soft-top when I know I'm more interested in a hard-top.

Thats my thinking as well. I got a cheap soft top because I know I'll be getting a hardtop in the near future.

[MeFryRice]

what brand did you go with?

[metalman]

The cheapest top (that will likely last the least amount of time) is likely the no name ebay type, or EZ-On, plastic window top with NO zipper. You can find them at around $175ish. Considering you can buy a decent cloth top with glass window for about $400 I dont consider those tops to save much $$.

[RotorNutFD3S]

Hard tops are for pussies.


You are what you eat... :lol:
And I enjoy my hardtop!

[MeFryRice]

I eat....ugh.....I won't comment on this one. :D

....Anyways, I'm getting a hardtop and that's that. :P

[Oblio]

the other thing to consider is the better tops instal waaaay better in less time so think of saving your sanity for 100 150 and it will be a better top to boot

[Greg]

I got it from ebay, but I'm not sure what the name is. I can't remember. It was like $400 shipped.
Just the black vinyl top with the zippered glass window

[Doppelgänger]

I thought we were having a tech-day at MazMart?

[MeFryRice]

I didn't hear anything of a tech day at MazMart??

[metalman]

Yeah...Ben said he would install soft tops for everyone! :lol::lol:




j/k......

[Doppelgänger]

Where was that thread about us having a meet?

[MeFryRice]

Yeah...Ben said he would install soft tops for everyone! :lol::lol:




j/k......


Well in that case....banana

[RotorNutFD3S]

It was that thread where everyone was talking about having a tech day at someone's house, and then Ben said we could have one at MazMart as well because they have a lift and all. Then it went into bringing a grill and cooking out too. And then the thread probably drifted like they all do. :)

[RotorNutFD3S]

Here Mike, do a search, geez. :lol:
http://www.mx5atlanta.com/forum/mx5atlanta-install-day-location-suggestions-t-347.html

[Doppelgänger]

guess I skimmed over it.

[Oblio]

what about tech day at my place and we can all do mold abatement!!!!

[RotorNutFD3S]

:jawdrop: I'll pass on that...

[MeFryRice]

I'm with Eric, it doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun. :rolleyes:

[RotorNutFD3S]

Anything that has to do with mold and I'm gone... Hire someone for that crap! :)

[MeFryRice]

A friend's family actually had to move out of their house for a good couple months cause it was so infested with mold. :jawdrop:

[RotorNutFD3S]

Just like the Peachtree City PD. :lol:

[MeFryRice]

Yeah but I wish there's was a leaking gas line instead. :whistle:

[RotorNutFD3S]

Haha! So do I!!!

[Greg]

They tried to deliver the top today but I was in the shower :(
It says they'll come again on Monday.... I work on Monday... :(

[MeFryRice]

I hate when that crap happens except FedEx is the only company that can't seem to find my house and the nearest pick-up center is McDonough. :(

[RotorNutFD3S]

I hate that crap too. I always try to remember to tell the seller to not send it signature required.

Steve, no it's not. The nearest pickup center for FedEx is at Hartsfield. It's a pain in the *** to find, but it's there. I go pick up stuff for my dad all the time.

[Greg]

ok, I have the top on.... But.

I think I pulled everything too tight because it won't fold down..... I had it pull it all really tight because the back window was sagging at first. It looks perfect when its up, but just won't fold down past the rollbar

[metalman]

In this cold weather it may take a while. Usually new tops need to stay in the up latched position for a while in the hot sun to get properly stretched. A week isnt unusual.
Is your top a zipper or no zipper window? There could be other issues there.
I assume you added the straps to your frame that support the back glass? Those have to be installed at the proper location and width too.

[Greg]

Oh ok.
It is a zippered back glass window, but there aren't any straps.... It doesn't sag though.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m157/GPJamesMVT/069jpg.jpg

[RotorNutFD3S]

My g/f's OEM glass top has the same problem. In order to close it, unlatch the top and open it to where it's almost at the highest point, as you're getting there, push on the top of the glass from the outside with your free hand. It should cause everything to fold down into place.

[Greg]

I have to unzip the glass first so it will clear the rollbar

[metalman]

It is a zippered back glass window, but there aren't any straps.... It doesn't sag though.



Hmm no straps?? Thats a little unorthodox on an NA frame.

[RotorNutFD3S]

Ah, missed the zippered part, sorry. You got a weird top.

[luckyxiii]

from what I understand, EZ-on canvas and glass tops are actually made by robbins...or that's what the guy I paid to install it told me. Either way, it looks great and it was the best investment I've made for the car in quite a while!

[MoD_Scotty]

How about just removing a soft top? I never use mine, and I want it gone! I figure if I remove it at tech day, I could just set it back there (unbolted) for the trip back to Augusta. That way I can throw it in my attic, instead of having to throw it away (it's kinda ate up).

[RotorNutFD3S]

It's actually not too hard to do. The longest part of the job is taking out the trim panels and pulling up the carpet to get to all the bolts. After that, it's just unbolting the sucker and removing it. Definitely can be a tech day item.

[matredd]

I had a top that I ordered off of ebay that would never close. It was a glass window with no zipper. I let it stretch and bake in the sun for a couple months and it still wouldn't go down all the way. After calling their tech support it they sent me an NB top (this was for my NA) which worked fine.

[simontibbett]

Just taking the soft top off is as easy as checking your oil.

[MoD_Scotty]

SWEET. Then it's definitely getting done. I just need to remember to bring the torx bit to remove my side striker plates (so we can get the trim panels off).

[Nicklandovich]

I picked up a vinyl 1 piece top off a seller on ebay from Florida. I should have it by the weekend. It does have the back glass so I'll let everyone know how the install and quality is.

[Nicklandovich]

Got the top on, it looks great so far. As far as removal and replacing the top, its fairly straight forward but getting the new top and frame back on the car was a huge pain seeing as the large section of the rain gutter didnt want to sit back on the bolts. It ended up being an endurance event to see who could contort long enough to get the stupid automotive tapered nuts to go on the bolts.