The time has come to replace the soft top on my NB. I have Keith's book, which has a chapter on the process. Seeking additional thoughts, advice, insight, etc. This will be my first attempt at ever doing this, so I expect it to be fairly painful. 
The time has come to replace the soft top on my NB. I have Keith's book, which has a chapter on the process. Seeking additional thoughts, advice, insight, etc. This will be my first attempt at ever doing this, so I expect it to be fairly painful.
It's time consuming, really difficult, and your car will flood if you don't install the rain rails properly. This is one of those jobs that's worth the money to farm out to an expert.
calteg wrote: It's time consuming, really difficult, and your car will flood if you don't install the rain rails properly. This is one of those jobs that's worth the money to farm out to an expert.
Researched it myself. ^^^^^This was ultimately my conclusion as well.
kazoospec wrote:calteg wrote: It's time consuming, really difficult, and your car will flood if you don't install the rain rails properly. This is one of those jobs that's worth the money to farm out to an expert.Researched it myself. ^^^^^This was ultimately my conclusion as well.
Seriously? Unless there has been some form of exponential complexity added since the NA, it is a simple enough job. Does it take a while and benefit from a helper? Yeah. But none of it is hard. The rain-rail comes pre-installed on the top so that is a non-issue. Give yourself a full day the first time, half a day the second time.
Personal motivator for me: Probart Mazda wants $2600 ( plus 13% tax) for a new top installed. Robbins Tops wants like $350 for their DIY top. Any day I can keep over $2000 in my pocket is a good day.
If the NB uses them, order new tension cables for the sides just cause.
In reply to NOHOME:
Think I paid about $300 to have mine installed. I counted it money well spent. $2000+ is highway robbery.
I should have added that the car has a roll bar installed too. Which I imagine is going to make the job even less fun. 
In reply to dyintorace:
Roll bars make everyrhing less fun. Except rolling.
Ah, it's not that big a deal. Pulling the top isn't that much harder with the roll bar in place. Most of the work is done off the car anyhow.
The book covers it pretty well. It's one of those jobs surrounded by scary stories that's really not that difficult. I would recommend a top with a pre-installed rain rail, as the existing one is probably cracked at this point anyhow.
On the plus side, the top is already pulled. And the Robbins top I bought has the rain rail pre-installed.
In reply to dyintorace:
Sounds like the perfect start to a "how to" thread. Maybe I'll do my next one. 
The Robbins instructions I had weren't that great. Make sure you fish the. Cable through before riveting it.
I did the one on my rollabar-equipped NA by myself. Wasn't too bad. Try to do the work on a warm day if you bought a vinyl top; they're more flexible.
I did it on an NA Miata during the winter. Took the mechanism off and worked on it in my basement. Took my time and worked methodically for a couple hours. Looked good and didn't leak. No biggie...much easier than putting think Hartz Sonnendeck fabric on a 356, without standardized parts and all....punching holes and installing snaps, trimming fabric. Miata is a work of modern industrial art by comparison.
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