I’ve been looking for a decent hardtop like forever. The few I’ve seen have been damaged for about the same cash. Finally found a nice one on CL but it’s the wrong color. How hard is it to paint these for someone who’s never painted before or what would a body shop charge me to paint it. He’s asking 1k which is fine so long as there’s nothing wrong with it. Anything that I need to watch out for??
If it's not cracked and has all four latches you're good. As for painting, I dunno but I'll be watching because mine doesn't match my car either.
If you use Facebook join the Ohio Miata Owners group and you may find other tops for sale, or you may be able to trade with someone. Most of the people I know have mismatched tops but the multiway trades never seem to materialize. I keep trying though.
Semigloss black top and windshield frame. Easy button.
In reply to DeadSkunk :
I check on FB, Offerup, Letgo, CL, Copart and that JY parts look up site ( car-parts or something). They are rare around here unless there’s damage. Fb Miata club has them at times but usually far and away
I found a black one on CL and had it painted Montego Blue for 300.00 ( North Mississippi)
This one is blue and I have red and black cars but I can’t be picky.
I just hope my email response is seen. I don’t have much luck with CL email ads but we’ll see .
It seems that the easiest way to obtain a hardtop is to buy a car with a hardtop and then sell the car sans hardtop.
The difficult part, aside from having the free cash first to acquire the car, is the inclination to keep the car, because why have one Miata when you could have two? And then you're looking for another hardtop.
I think every Miata hardtop has been painted. My red one was white, my white one was black, my blue one was...I forget.
They're easy enough to shoot. Just one big panel. Don't rattle can it unless you never want to sell it again, you'll halve the resale value.
Contact made. 
whew! Not sold yet!
Just bought mine and it needs some minor work so I'll be painting it and repairing some fiberglass soon. I'm thinking gunmetal gray including the windshield surround on my white car.
In reply to Stampie :
Want to make a thin and flimsy fiberglass copy of it fir me? Challenge car needs a roof....
Seller says there is no damage. Pics show it is hung with overhead pulley and strap.
Im a little concerned about strapping it down in the pickup. The Frontier doesn’t have tie downs on the bed floor. Am I crazy to take the Miata and put it on the car?
In reply to rustybugkiller :
Nope. Makes perfect sense actually.
On the car is the best possible way to carry it.
I picked up one of mine in a pickup truck. It wasn't too difficult, I think I just put something under the front so it wouldn't fall over. They're actually pretty stable.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
I have no clue how they go on. Is it as easy as dropping the soft top, latching the front and rear and done?
As long as you have Frankenstein bolts on the back, then yes. It's super easy. Side latches are recommended but not 100% required (they interfere with my seats, so I've been driving around without them for months with no I'll effects).
In reply to rustybugkiller :
Yeah. That's how we picked up ours yesterday. We didn't cut the panels for the side latches until today. Basically you put it in place, slide it forward on the Frankenstein bolts and then latch it just like you do the softtop. The side latches requires you cutting out the side panels right in front of the cross bar .
In reply to Dusterbd13 :
I thought you were going to make me an aluminum one? Trying to think about how it could be done but maybe this summer when we're nearby I can let you borrow it.
In reply to rustybugkiller :
Basically you're correct
Drop the top and have seller help line up the rear slotted brackets to the place where they slide over the Franken-stein bolts. Slide the hardtop forward and latch the front brackets just as if you're putting up the soft top. Enjoy!
So do the side latches typically come with the hardtop? I would assume they are required for track use?
The latches should be on the hardtop, but if your car doesn't have the corresponding receiver mounted by the shoulder belt towers you should get a pair and install them. The use of four latches will stiffen the car up noticeably compared to just the front two.
If you don't already have the side receivers the installation point is marked on the back of the B-pillar covers. I'll check in my pile of Miata stuff and see if I have any extras.
Best place to get the side striker plates is off the car that already has the hardtop :)
Keith Tanner said:Best place to get the side striker plates is off the car that already has the hardtop :)
True, but only if the seller doesn't mind the two rectangular holes showing.
Then you trade side panels. All solvable problems 
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