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Removing Softtop assembly etc from '01

Guys, After reading up on the hard top info (and since we now have two Miatas) I'm considering converting the '01 permanently to a hard top.

I was thinking of:

  1. Having custom permanent brackets built to replace the front latch assembly. It just seems flakey sometimes.
  2. Removing the complete soft top assembly. Lose as much of that weight as possible.

Yes, this may seem like sacrilege to some of you, however it's going to become the wife's car and she's not a big fan of being 'topless' in public. ha-ha

Did I mention to you guys that I got one of the new Power Top '07s? It's a Grand Touring in Copper Mica Red with the tan leather interior. We paid too much, but I had a case of the Gotta-have-it's. :-)

I'm looking for a how to on removing the soft top assembly.

Thanks, Karl N.

Reply to
Karl North
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There's not much to it. There are 12 nuts and 6 bolts holding the top on, the 12 fastening nuts in the back thread onto bolts that are attached to the car body while the six securing bolts are near the rear folding point of the top on each side, a few inches underneath where the top meets the car body. This is the same for M1 and M2 miatas.

You have to take the parcel shelf carpet out to access the 12 in the rear, those 12 are holding down 3 metal pieces that secure the fabric and rain rail in the back to the attached bolts. The metal pieces come off completely.

Getting to the bolts on each side requires removing the plastic interior panels, which I found easy to do.

Once those six bolts have been removed and the top fabric with rain rail has been pulled free from the 12 attached bolts in the rear, the entire top just lifts out. Having two people at this point helps.

I'll gladly remove it for you if I get to keep it. ;-)

Pat

Reply to
pws

Congrats on the new car, BTW. You are the first one here that I recall buying one with the new top.

I think that I would be operating the top mechanism more than the car for a while. :-)

Pat

Reply to
pws

Pat, We played with it for about a day. Then the wife pointed out that we were "putting wear and tear on my new baby's moving parts" and that ended that.

hahahah

-KN

Reply to
Karl North

Pat, How much does this whole assembly weigh once out of the car?

-KN

Reply to
Karl North

Around 45 pounds, maybe 50. I actually have one sitting on the floor in the bedroom, (ha!), but I don't have my heavy-weight scale handy and the M2 top probably weighs a pound or two more than mine because of the glass window.

Assuming that the top is in good condition, it is highly desired by M1 miata owners because it just bolts right on, and unlike putting a glass-top window on a M1 top frame, the M2 top frame has the springs that make it fold up so easily.

I actually can't use it because of my rollbar, but it does work with many rollbars and obviously there is no problem with the window fitting if you don't have a rollbar at all.

Pat

Reply to
pws

Ha! You can probably tell that I don't have one of those, the power top or the wife. What wife would allow her husband to keep a convertible top and frame next to the guest bed for that day the current one needs replacement down the road? ;-)

Pat

Reply to
pws

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