So, this is how my first attempt at replacing the soft top on my Miata went. To say, badly. Everything went well until it was time to take the actual top off. I missed a bracket on each side, and so that little plastic bit around the bottom part of the top broke in one spot. Is that gonna be a problem? The next fun part came as I was drilling out the pop rivets. Some, upon being drilled still wouldn't come apart. Then, my Ryobi bit broke, clean in half. So I made lemonade with the matter, and ran to the store to purchase some new bits, the contact cement I needed, a rivet gun, and a tarp (looks like it might rain).
Also, when I was trying to remove the screws that hold on the two straps to the bows, I stripped the hell out of them. I tried several different bits, and nothing worked. So I also purchased a screw extractor. I drilled the new hole, tapped it in, and then it broke in half as well. So I guess I'll have to drill the whole screw out, how does that work?
I've learned a few lessons here.
Have all the tools and bits ready before you start
Allot proper time for working
*Expect the unexpected
So, I'll pick this up tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will go better.
I just bought one that should be here next week. I'm not looking forward to it, after having watched Edd China on Wheeler Dealer struggle with one.
I did mine in 6 hours having never done a top in my life. Another tip, take the frame out with the top attached and do everything upside down on the floor. It will really help putting it back on. I had to lay down and push the frame with my leg and pull top with my hands to get it to stretch across the frame. Over a year now and the only place it lets a drop or two in is around the 20yr old weather stripping.
What top did you buy? I put in a Robbins vinyl zip window with the rain rail attached. If your new one has it attached, don't worry about the one you cracked.
Next time I'm just buying a hard top though.
It rained yesterday, so no progress was made.
I got a top from TopsOnline.Com. Vinyl, glass window with defroster.
You mind me asking what you paid for it? I picked mine up from Hydro-e-lectric. They have an E-bay page, and they advertise in Hemmings, mostly for muscle cars. But they're about 40 minutes up the road from me. I bought the black vinyl top, with zippered glass window for $299.
My miata needed a new top when I picked it up and that was quite a pain to install. I think I took two days to get it done and one of the tension lines was a bit troublesome. It was all worth it in the end because I took my time and the damn thing never leaked!
