I remembered something. That extra piece of material that was shaped like a window is a courtesy from the manufacturer. In case your top gets torn or cracked you can cut pieces of that off and use it to make patches. Use vinyl glue, Permatex brand, if the top is vinyl or leather glue if the top is made of canvas.

@Funbgs2

2 жыл бұрын

I thought that was so you can lay the top down and use those to protect the window from getting scratched.

Don’t take your frame off, leave it on the car. These tops takes me 2 hours from start to finish to change (mind you I do this professionally) start at the back, and work your way forward. It will take 2 or 3 guys to close the first time then it will stretch and be fine after a week in the sun

@lolsmol

2 жыл бұрын

Would you recommend leaving the top out on a sunny day meanwhile working on removing the old top?

I've replaced that same top twice. The first time I took off the frame, the second time, I replaced it with the frame still on the car. I found it easier with the frame still on the car, because it stays fixed, and it's easier to stretch and fit. plus, I'm not kneeling on the ground. I've always purchased the rain rail. I loved your tip about using a fork to remove the plastic carpet plugs!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

No problem I found the fork trick on the forums.

@guthec

7 жыл бұрын

Hi Mike, Is it really possible to make it with the frame on car ? :) It will be really helpful also for me, becouse I have to replace my roof...

@BriceTooNice

6 жыл бұрын

what steps would i have to change if i leave it on the car. my top is coming tomorrow. not looking forward to it.

@BriceTooNice

6 жыл бұрын

also did you have to put rivets back on it?

@baratacus

5 жыл бұрын

You Cant Skate some things you need for doing it on the car, 90degree angle Philips screw driver to get the brakets on the bottom of the frame. Second thing. Correct diameter drill bit and long length to reach all of the rivets. Third thing, washer-less rivets so that you don't have to hold in the back side. Other than that the install is fairly similar

just bought a new soft top and rain rail as my first real project to fix on my car can’t wait to fix this! thank you for the video

You're a Saint bro. Really. I know taking the extra time to film was a pain but those considering this job really appreciate you going above and beyond. Easy to follow and to the point. I'd encourage others to video and snap pix as you remove the top just to have a means of reference. Outstanding job. Wish I had you when my top's time comes! Blessings friend.

just wanted to say thank you! we used this video to replace our 1999 miatas top. :D got a white acme vinyl one (we had to go get a riveter though) and its been a year and doing great!

Thanks for sharing man. Every Miata owner needs to know how to do this!

@OMGWTFLOLSMH

2 жыл бұрын

Nope. People with PRHTs don't need to know.

superbly excellent video thank you for your patience your humbleness kindness honesty best video of watched in 8 years thank you God bless

Man that's one hell of a process I bought a NA miata and the owner gave me the same exact top as you but I swear I think I'd rather just hunt of a hard top rather than go threw this

@fatninja987

4 жыл бұрын

Snoopys MX5 bro I have been hunting for one for 2 years and haven’t found one for less than $900, and that’s one that’s missing all the latches, had no glass, 10 layers of different colors of paint, and cracks in the fiberglass all over. Good luck my friend

@poncho828

4 жыл бұрын

@@fatninja987 they usually sell for 1000-1500 where I live, i bought one in really good condition for 1200

@fatninja987

4 жыл бұрын

poncho828 I only ever see one pop up a few times a year and they are always beat to hell

@robersniper

3 жыл бұрын

Just bought a new top for 240 euros... If i spend 900 its gonna be for a mint hardtop lol

Having recently done an NA top on a flip car I was looking to see if I was missing any shortcuts for the next one. Good job! For an extra $50 you can buy same top with a pre-attached rain rail that costs 95.00 on its own. Only tip I have to offer is remember to buy a #3 phillips bit before getting started....

your one of the best car youtubers ever, quality is great keep up the good ass work

Collecting my new softtop on Fridayz so thanks very much for doing this video! Coll be using it as a guide!

love those wheels dude. just put poly bushings all around and the thing is on rails

What did you do about putting the rivets back in the top did you just not use them ???

Dude you are the best, i changed my soft top with your help and i wanted to thank you for that ;)

Your miata videos are awesome! Found this channel about a week ago and the content is very helpful. Keep it up!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

+Gtsixx Gts thanks for the support. I'm glad it's helping you.

unbelievably helpful thank you!

Hi buddy. thanks for your video. Your video saved my money for a rain rail and wires with rivet on each side. Best video for this job so far I've seen.

How different would it be to replace the soft top on my 2006 miata?? the soft top costs 395 on ebay, is that more difficult or would it be similiar to do, thanks for the video...people are quoting me $1500!!!! here in m orthern california just to install new top!

Awesome video brotha! Super Helpful!!!

Thank you for the video. Getting ready to replace mine. What rims are those on the Miata? Thanks

How has this top held up years down the road?

I’ve had the worst time trying to get the top onto the frame - wish you had shown the rest of the process 😭💔

@thatcherwalls389

Жыл бұрын

how did you do it? i had trouble getting it to align to that front bar

What are the wheels you have? Also what size are the wheels and tires? Thx

Very interesting video, nice job. - I wonder if you have had trouble keeping the rain out after the replacement and if you did how your dealt with it. Thanks; Jack

Thank you! This is going to be my new project. From the looks of things, I will have my work cut out for me! Also, the tip at the end of the video is especially helpful!

really appreciate your videos... great job!

@CARSONBOARD

5 жыл бұрын

No problem. I happy the video helped

Hey man! Thanks for the videos! They help bigtime. KT

Great video and much respect 4 tackling this ima have to do the same 4 my mustang sn95 nooooooo

Thank you! I spent all my savings on a monster miata so I'm relying on cheap fixes like this. Keep it up!

Thankyou for the time and effort. You did a great job. I think I have the confidence to do this now, maybe lol :)

Will this work on my geo Metro

Great video thanks for doing videos like this 👍

is that a nc? what yr? I'm asking because I have a 2007 with 17 inch rims and I like your setup- are those 15's?

saving this for later, i know i will have to do this sometime. btw those rear bars (which dont do much honestly) came standard on the M edition NAs. I have one on my 94 M.

looks dope, thanks for sharing!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

No problem thanks for the support

Dam, I got stuck at the cable part on my miata. I didn't know what to do lol. This video helped me so much tho, props to you man 🙏

Hey, thanks for making this video, I'm going to replace my soft top in a month and tour video is going to help me out. Keep up the good work!

@caden7577

7 жыл бұрын

Get a robbins top thats what I got for mine, more expensive but its not going to break in a month

@mikeyjay1970

7 жыл бұрын

Yup, have it already with the rain rail. I figure for the price the instructions could have been better, it looks like a bad photocopy

@caden7577

7 жыл бұрын

Mike Wilson yeah it's hard to know with soft tops what you will get, regardless it will look great as long as it's cared for, cheaper it is the more careful you need to be

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

+Mike Wilson yeah no problem. I'm glad it's helping you. If you want to ask questions follows us on IG and send me a DM and I can help you if you run in to any problems

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

I've own my soft top for 3 months now with no problems.

you could also use a claw hammer (standard hammer) to remove the carpet pins

Thanks for the post! I will follow your advice to make my installation!

Thanks for sharing this. I asked for a Quote at my Mazda Dealer John Hine in San Diego, and was quotes $6,750 USD to replace the softtop. My jaw dropped. Thanks to your video it's clear this can be a DIY thing. Thank you very much for sharing.

@user-rx9mq7he1y

5 жыл бұрын

$6,750 to change a soft top?!?!? Not worth it. Would rather just buy another car. Although miatas are quite fun to drive

@wildoneofzuma

2 жыл бұрын

I am in San Diego also. The upholstery shop I contacted quoted $1800. I knew I could get it for less. My car before this was a Mercury Capri XR2 (It's named -Mercury it has a Ford body and parts, and a Mazda engine ) and a new top installed was less that $300

Thanks so much man!

did u have to drill out rivets and install new one on the frame rail?

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

herrera2525 I drilled them out and never installed new rivets

This is my dream car, I hope I'll be able to afford a used third gen in the future.

does the window fog bag in winter?

great vid man i just bought the same soft top and came in today im going to try installing it tomorrow. so did u find out what was the extra black cover looking piece is for

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

herrera2525 not really but I would tape it to the soft top on the outside to cover the clear plastic when installing because I scratched mine

Good video thanks for the teaching bleesing .!!!

sorry this might be late and you might not see this comment but i want a new top for my miata but i was wondering with the plastic window if you need to unzip the window each time you take the top down or if you can just undo the top ones and pull it back with no unzipping

@keiferdaniels3816

6 жыл бұрын

Cameron Hall You can just flip the top back with the window in... just make sure the window folds flat so it doesn't eventually get a fold in it.

@cameronhall6623

6 жыл бұрын

Keifer Daniels do you have the same exact top ?

Nice video. Thanks for the insight.

Only good Miata top install on KZread, we had the same top as you, man it was a pain.

Videos such as this one are always a great competency check reminding me of the song The Gambler....For this install I’m running.

what kind of wheels are those?

I did the same top on my same car. I think I paid $169.00 on eBay plus a new rain rail. It was a frustrating experience, so I'm glad it's over! I have a video on my channel. Nothing makes the car look nicer, tho.

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

Damn I wish I saw your video before I did mine good tips. I thought I watched every Miata soft top replacement video. Nice GTR is it yours?

@OhYeahAboutThat

7 жыл бұрын

CARS ONBOARD yeah, I think it's been a few months since I did the top. Yup, the GTR is mine. I have a weird collection of vehicles! Lol

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

Have you done any videos on your GTR?

@Alurtoll

7 жыл бұрын

doesnt matter how much money you have a miata is still a miata ;)

Hey I think the bar you put on is from a na miata a 1.8 came with that chassis stiffening bar

sick channel man !

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Raffy

When you're putting stuff back together, you have to put new rivets in to get the rain rail on the new top, right? Do you remember what size rivets you used? We're getting some nice weather this weekend and I may try to tackle it on Sunday!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

We didn't use rivets

@100percentJeff

7 жыл бұрын

CARS ONBOARD did the install today, took two of us about 4 hours total maybe? we didnt rivet the rain rail back on either. totally didnt seem necessary. your video helped a lot, thanks man!

Can someone explain how to get the little soft top flaps that wrap around the brace on? Mine just flaps in the wind.

@CARSONBOARD

2 жыл бұрын

It goes tucked in the metal bar.

hey man i have a issue after installing the new top where my driver side windows is interfering with the edge of the top when fully rolled up, i cant open or close the door unless i roll down the window a bit. any solutions to that?

@CARSONBOARD

2 жыл бұрын

Try adjusting the 2 tension latch’s at the top of the window.

@herryrico5741

2 жыл бұрын

@@CARSONBOARDi loosened the tensioner as much as i can sadly it still interferes with the window, there is just too much materials on the edge

nice video!! I like the Honda bike you have in the background! Is that an S90?

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

+xtitox805 yeah I s90 1967 I think

That harness bar came stock In my 96 Miata!

Did you ha e to rivet ?

I want the bike in the background 👍

Rain rails do crack. But the Gorrilla tape will hold. I just went ahead and got a top made by Robbins with a factory installed Rain Rail. It cam out PERFECT.

what tool did you use to install the rivot after you removed them?

@lisahyden1534

6 жыл бұрын

There is a tool that you can buy at a hardware store that will install new rivets. They should sell new rivets also (take one of the old ones with you to be sure you get the right length/diameter of rivet).

I need to replace my soft top, thinking of doing what you did, but i still prefer the mk2 soft top which is leather... it should fit on the mk1 like a glove, no?

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

Wow really leather I've never seen that

@melody3741

7 жыл бұрын

Jacques Borg its not actually leather its fake vinyl leather. i would go with the canvas one but the vinyl is cheaper.

Hows your top holding up after so many years?

You did a great job bro. Like factory fitment. Tight and balanced. I professional told me that he could never have done his first ones on a Miata without his boss training him. But you took a low cost top and did a tight and very fine fit.

It sounded like you said it took about 1.5 hours to take the top off. Was it just another 1.5 to reinstall everything? Do you have an idea of total project time? I think I bought the same top you have a few months ago and have been waiting for warm weather to install it (i live in CT). It looks like you had to fish the tension cables through with copper wire or tubing. I've read other tops come with strings to help this process. Just wanted to confirm that this top does NOT come with the helpful strings. Video was super helpful man, more than the picture walk-throughs and stuff. I'm excited to try this install in another month or so!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

+100percentJeff The most frustrating part was the string. My advise is to have a extra pair of hands. My cousin help just to take it off not the installation part that made it really hard. We me filming took me 4 or 5 hours. If I didn't film maybe a 3 or 4 hour job.

I feel like i’m doing something wrong. I’m immediately having fitment problems. The front bar on the top doesn’t align and not much else aligns. I don’t know where to start and honestly a little overwhelmed. What should I do?

@CARSONBOARD

Жыл бұрын

I’m sorry it’s been so long put it back together the why it came off. Reverse engineer it.

@thatcherwalls389

Жыл бұрын

do you have any follow up videos on how to install it?

How does it open? You did not show if it works as it should.

Is it possible to put a hard top on a factory soft top with no modifications?

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

+Uriah Siner yes

@dfnyc

7 жыл бұрын

Usually you need to add two extra latches that go on each side behind the seats for a hardtop. The hardtop needs four latches instead of only two for the soft top.

Holyshit this guy made such a Great vid

you explained how to do this the best online thanks for uploading!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

I watched all the videos on youtube and I tried to produce a video with more info than those videos. I'm happy you think it's more informative than the other videos

I have rust on my Miata rocker panels/ rear fender. Can you make a video on how to replace it? Thanks

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

This sounds like a job for B IS FOR BIULD go check out his channel good stuff like this you ask. My miata is from CA so I don't have rust problems so no future plans on replacing the rocker panels. Thanks for the support.

@dizzycyclist

7 жыл бұрын

you lucky lucky person. No rust =heaven.

that little piece inside is so the plastic window doesnt get scratched. Some miatas owners have one for the zipper windows when they put the top down.

How did the soft top perform? Is there any leak?

@CARSONBOARD

4 жыл бұрын

It leaked all soft top leak. I LOVED IT

I just took the whole soft top assembly out and bought a hardtop for $750 and sold the whole soft top for $150. I love the hardtop!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

$750 for a miata hard top is a super good deal. Where did you buy it? please don't say CA I'll be jealous lol

@pushhrodd01

7 жыл бұрын

Sadly I bought it across Cali all the way in North Carolina where I live haha. I found it on craigslist some dude has a miata specialty shop and had a wrecked miata with a hardtop and he just wanted to get rid of it. You just have to be lucky sometimes. I spent about a year constantly looking online for one that was a decent price.

going to do this on a capri

Can you do my Miata bro? I'm also in So Cal

$195? What kind of quality and rear window?

Dayum, how do you keep track of what bolts and screws go where

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

From what I remember there was one 1 set of screws and 1 set of nut and 2 sets of bolts. Just put them in zip lock bags right on the bag what the bolts are for.

What steering wheel is that? i have been looking for one and that looks nice!

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

The PilotMaster Nardi Classic

@thepilotmaster777

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks! btw the vid helped lots!

I need to do this

Does anyone have a unzippered plastic window and wanna put the top down without breaking the window?

great bid man, best guide I've seen, going to do my own mk2 10ae in next couple of weeks

@brokentougers8252

3 жыл бұрын

I am about to purchase one that needs new top ... Was that exactly as shown on video so I will be able to do it myself or will I have problem ?

I did this 25 yrs ago, pre-KZread. I don't remember having to remove the soft top frame from the car when we did it. Next time, use a long piece of stiff wire (coat hanger?) and pull the cable through with it. Never push the cable through. One wrong move and you can puncture your top. Next Miata I buy will be an NC with the retractable hardtop.

You know auto parts stores sell all those little plastic fasteners that break when you pull them off. They are used throughout your car. They have hundreds of styles and purposes sold in bags. Also small such tiny parts you would think are impossible to find.

Guys just try to avoid buying the eBay tops. do your self a favor and invest $100 more on the good brand. I just bought 2 month ago Miata top from eBay store -"Diamond mall" (you can find them on the internet with two more names - "D.D accessories" and "AutoBerry.com"). The product arrived with defects and just because I opened the box more than 30 days after I bought it (Didn't have time to do it), the seller don't want to give me the money back or exchange it. So now I have a bad quality top, the rain will get in to my car in the next storm and I spent almost $200 for the top and $350 for Professional installer. looks like I will never see this money again.

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

That sucks!

@robschannel5930

7 жыл бұрын

Why would you buy something you weren't going to open for more than 30 days? Almost any company out there has some sort of time policy on returns or exchanges. You have to be realistic.

@Spec187OnA

6 жыл бұрын

You should have definitely checked it within in the return policy time but in saying that any decent company should be willing to work with you on that.

That is the same top I just got that I'm going to replace on my car

New rivets or no

you fixed the hood ??

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

Good catch this video in August 2016 and filmed the last part 1 week ago so yeah I picked up a hood and headlight cover from somebody and brought it back to life video coming out soon

@seansmile

7 жыл бұрын

Swweeeet man that looks way better yeah I try to pay attention to detail

Those wheels and tires look badass ! But they stick out and probably rub and throw stuff everywhere

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

300zxdriver I running new shocks with Tein S-tech springs the car had minimal rubbing issues

@melody3741

7 жыл бұрын

300zxdriver whats their specs?

@melody3741

7 жыл бұрын

300zxdriver never mind hahaha i saw the video on it in "related"

The back of a hammer also works to remove the pins

Thank you for sharing this with us much appreciated it

Still don't know how to salvage the rain rail without a rivet gun

i like how you broke the plastic cover at 8 min by riping it off

Is a Miata a good staring car:P

@nathanfrase9687

6 жыл бұрын

scumbag supreme Probably too late on replying but hell yea brother

@alium9438

5 жыл бұрын

One of the best man. Like a go kart on steroids. Just bought a NA from 1990. Amazing. Most fun iv ever had for 2k

@ramirobarajas6383

5 жыл бұрын

oh yeah

Who fixed it for you? ;))

You can also use the back of a hammer

probably just gonna save the extra money and get a hardtop. no matter how painful it is to drop $1500 on a top

@CARSONBOARD

7 жыл бұрын

I've seen some on the facebook Parts for sale groups going for 1,000-1,200 all daylong