Soft top supply and fit.

MX Mike · Postby **MX Mike** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:12 pm

Hi guys, I am new here and this is my first post. Just purchased an 1990 MX5 limited edition British racing green with tan interior and leather seats. The soft top has been replaced at some point with a black vinyl one which is in need of replacement. What I want to know is, I am guessing it would of had a tan soft top? Where can I get a new one (tan soft top) supplied and fitted in Victoria either Melb or in Wester Victoria as I live in Daylesford. Thanks in advance for your advise.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:20 pm

The BRG limited editions came with black tops, although tan is a nice and popular alternative when getting a replacement done.
I know these guys are quite popular, fairly certain my top was done there by the previous owner:
http://www.prestigetops.com.au/mazda/so ... ndows.html

Get a glass window top, it really is worth it.

Welcome!

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:30 pm

Get an original design plastic window top. It really is worth it!

The NB glass window is much smaller than the NA plastic one. NB tops can make your car feel like a little dark cave if you're used to the original plastic one and you can't unzip the back to let the air flow through when the top's up.

Robbins tops are among the best. With a bit of patience you can fit them yourself.
http://www.robbinsautotopco.com/mazda.php

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:37 pm

manga_blue wrote:Get an original design plastic window top. It really is worth it!

The NB glass window is much smaller than the NA plastic one. NB tops can make your car feel like a little dark cave if you're used to the original plastic one and you can't unzip the back to let the air flow through when the top's up.

I do get jealous of the zipper when it's hot, especially since I don't have AC, but you get used to the smaller window and it's always crystal clear.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:45 pm

Yes, there's that. The plastic window needs a bit of work to keep clear: fold it carefully every time you put it down (unzip it first and fold it with a towel if you're really obsessive) and give it a dose of 303 Protectant every 6 months.

edit: just found the Robbins top locally. http://softtopsonline.com.au/Mazda/1990 ... duct_id=66 Very tempting to sell my glass top and refit an original.

MX Mike · Postby **MX Mike** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:37 pm

Thanks for the advice and links guys, I am surprised that it came with a black soft top, but think I will go with the tan to match the interior, by the way mine does have the glass rear window

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:15 am

You may have to stick with glass then. Does anyone know for sure if the NA/plastic and NB/glass frames are different?

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 10:12 am

Fairly certain you can fit a glass top to a plastic frame, just need to add a couple of extra straps to collapse the top correctly. Pretty sure Revlimiter did a write up.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 10:50 am

Ideally i'd suggest seeing if any companies make a glass window top with the NA style zippers.

Best of both worlds.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:00 am

manga_blue wrote:Does anyone know for sure if the NA/plastic and NB/glass frames are different?

Minor differences, which can be worked around as mentioned.

aka_juffa · Postby **aka_juffa** » Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:48 am

hks_kansei wrote:Ideally i'd suggest seeing if any companies make a glass window top with the NA style zippers.

Best of both worlds.

I have heard of people gluing in glass windows when their plastic window needed replacing. From memory they encountered issues down the line as the zipper wasn't designed to cope with the extra weight of the glass.

With regards to fitting NB top to an NA......as previously mentioned it is a simple fix to rivet two straps to the frame. In saying that I have done the 'two strap' upgrade when I fitted a Robbins Cloth soft top, with glass window, and I have done a full NB fame/soft top swap.

My recommendation is to get a 2nd hand NB frame, a later one with the updated set plates that eliminate the 'soft top pinching' issue.

More info can be found here ==>> http://www.miata.net/garage/garagetops.html

And info on the set plates, which were the subject of a Mazda service bulletin ==>> http://miata.net/garage/tsb/s09_003_03.html

J

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:56 am

aka_juffa wrote:I have heard of people gluing in glass windows when their plastic window needed replacing. From memory they encountered issues down the line as the zipper wasn't designed to cope with the extra weight of the glass.

If I were doing that to an existing plastic window frame i'd probably just use a sheet of perspex in place of glass.
Less weight to stress the zipper, and wont break if it slips out of your hand when lowering the top.

Any company making a new glass top with zippers would presumably be using larger zippers to deal with the glass weight. (presumably)

pcmx5 · Postby **pcmx5** » Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:26 pm

hks_kansei wrote:Ideally i'd suggest seeing if any companies make a glass window top with the NA style zippers.

Best of both worlds.

Not often that I disagree with HKS but I had a glass windowed zippered window top on my first NA and didn't like it.You almost needed 3 hands to do it up as you had to lift the window up so the gap between it and the zip wasn't to big otherwise there was a real risk of straining the zip.Only reason i would use one would be if you didn't have A/C.

The two strap design is great for easily putting the top up when you stop.Most times I don't even fasten it when having a short coffee break.
Mine( tan cloth) has worn on the folds from rubbing when down but has lasted 10 years and is rarely up except when in the garage or in really bad weather.

Peter.