New Miata top, finally.

[aerog]

Last August I found a long tear in my '03 NB Miata. It just wore out at a high-stress point. The fabric around the window started to go too. When I bought it in 2003 I said "I can't wait to replace this top with one with a zip-out window!"

Original:

Removing...the black thing is the infamous "rain rail". It's a plastic gutter that collects water off the roof and sends it to two drains behind the door. They get old, they crack, they leak, it's a mess.

Four rivets drilled out and the weather stripping removed, a few more screws and it's off!

 

[aerog]

I installed the new one "upside down" with the frame outside the car. The frame is held in by six bolts and aligns on two pegs. The service manual shows an in-car and out-of-car installation. In-car is possible but I can't see how it can be done properly. Four rivets are buried and stretching the fabric to reach all eight rivets is nearly impossible.

See? Rivets. Pain in the...

Rivets, brackets, and weather stripping back in place - dropped the top back in the car and bolted it in.

Finally, the hardest part - remounting the back of the top on the 13 studs. Not as easy as it looks. This is where the pain starts!

...but then it's done! Drum-tight, perfect fit. Took three of us to get it closed. It already relaxed enough that the latches are easy to work. A few more days and it ought to be about right. This top has that zippered window like the MGB - except it's glass. Awesome.

FWIW this is a Robbins cloth top. Much better quality than OEM (I think). It's impressive. I'd get one for my MG any time!

 

[DrEntropy]

I've said it before... Robbins tops are, well, TOPS! :wink:

 

[aeronca65t]

Looks great! The removable rear window is nice, but a bit less needed in my climate.

Did you re-use your old glass window?

My black vinyl '00 top is still decent. It goes up and down a lot and the roll bar pinches it slightly (not a good thing). I'd say I'll get another 2 or 3 years out of it (at least). Never kept in a garage, but I don't have the brutal sun you do. I apply a high-end product designed to preserve the vinyl.

I have the same gunky drain area that you mentioned.
I'm always sucking it out with a shop vac.

One thing: my MGB top has a much smaller "blind spot" than the Miata.

 

[William]

Funny-I went in the opposite direction with the replacement top on my '96. The zipper on the original top broke years before the rest of the top needed replacing, so I ended up getting the Robbins "Streamline" top, with a permanent plastic rear window. Don't miss the unzipping window at all.

Sub benefit being that the Streamline top was way cheaper than the regular item.

-Wm.

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

Looks great! I apply a high-end product designed to preserve the vinyl.

Nial,
What product do you use? I want to make the top on my '01 last as long as possible.

 

[aerog]

Looks great! The removable rear window is nice, but a bit less needed in my climate.

Did you re-use your old glass window?

No - there's no way to do that. I'm pretty sure the glass is different anyway. I roughly measure it (for the tint) and I kept coming up with 1/4-1/2" difference. The defroster is different too. This one plugs into the glass, the other was soldered directly to the glass - which made tinting easier.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]My black vinyl '00 top is still decent. It goes up and down a lot and the roll bar pinches it slightly (not a good thing).[/QUOTE]

The big problem I have is my Miata is outside 24x7, which means it's constantly in a sun/night/sun cycle...and it's constantly wet. I'd guess 75% of the time the car is soaking wet in the morning from dew (and I mean soaking wet like it just rained). I'm sure that takes a lot of life out of the top.

Funny-I went in the opposite direction with the replacement top on my '96. The zipper on the original top broke years before the rest of the top needed replacing, so I ended up getting the Robbins "Streamline" top, with a permanent plastic rear window. Don't miss the unzipping window at all.

I simply have no tolerance for the sun here. Except in the middle of winter (or when we've got a heavy overcast and it's cool) I will not have the top down during the day. Having the open window makes <span style="font-style: italic">all the difference</span> for me.

I drove down to Daytona today with that rear window out. It was about 68 out. Normally I'd have the windows open and be comfy warm. Today I was borderline cold there was so much airflow (and that was with one window closed). I'm hoping it will keep me A/C-free a lot longer.

 

[aerog]

I've said it before... Robbins tops are, well, TOPS! :wink:

Yup! I hope I don't have to do it again anytime soon though. It'll be easier next time (I've learned some tricks), but still - I ache!

 

[aeronca65t]

Nial,
What product do you use? I want to make the top on my '01 last as long as possible.

I use 303

https://www.303products.com/