How to Change the Top on a Miata

The Mazda Miata is a compact convertible with a removable top.

The Mazda Miata is a popular, compact and sporty convertible that has been around for more than 20 years. It holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for being the best-selling two-seater convertible. The Miata has a removable top with the back window encased in it. The top will need to be removed when it is damaged to replace it with a new one and when installing an aftermarket top to make the Miata more appealing.

Things You'll Need

• Fender covers/blankets
• Masking tape
• Phillips screwdriver
• Slotted screwdriver
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Rivet gun
• Metric socket wrench
• Pliers

Instructions

1. 

   Protect the body of the Miata as you install a new top.

   Place fender covers or blankets around the Miata's body to avoid any damage when removing the top.

2. Tape some protection (such as paper or plastic) on both sides of the back window of the new top.

3. Remove the plastic clips and both screws from the back deck of the Miata's top, located near the back window, with a Phillips screwdriver. This is necessary to remove the carpeting from the inside of the Miata and to reveal the 10 mm nuts that connect the back of the top to the Miata.

4. Lower the top to access and remove the two plastic clips at the rain rail. Remove the 10mm nuts using a metric socket wrench, which releases the three metal bars they hold down. The rain rail is a fragile plastic piece located at the back edge of the Miata's top.

5. Unhook the top edge of the Miata's top and pull it down halfway.

6. Remove both screws located at the sides of the set plate (a metal strip located in between the top's fabric and the top's frame), using a slotted screwdriver to pull off the rubber molding. Pull off the molding at the top center of the set plate and unclip the molding from the end of the set plate, revealing the weather strip mounts. Remove the mounts with a Phillips screwdriver.

7. Remove both rivets located at each side of the top fabric, using a rivet gun, to loosen the cable that surrounds the fabric. Remove the rivets that attach the fabric to the frame. Remove the spring and the screw found at the end of the cable with a slotted screwdriver, to fully remove the cable.

8. Maneuver a flat blade screwdriver between the top black metal pieces of the frame, known as the bows, and pull the fabric off the Velcro of the bow closest to the back window to remove the fabric from the frame. To remove the rain rail from the top, remove the 12 rivets, with a rivet gun, and remove the 13 bolts that attach the rain rail to the top using a metric socket wrench.

9. Attach the rain rail to the new top by screwing in the rivets and bolts that were removed. Line up the rain rail holes with the marked fabric holes.

10. Place the new top fabric onto the frame and assemble the cable. Attach the cable to the frame using the string found on both sides of the new top. Reassemble the set plate and the weather stripping and attach the top's back to the Miata from the inside of the vehicle.

11. Attach the new fabric to the top bows and place the fabric's end in the slot at the rear. Tighten and crimp it with pliers. Wrap the pliers with tape or material to prevent the pliers from slicing the fabric.

References

• Miata Top Install
• AutoTrader: The Mazda Miata Celebrates Two Decades of Two-Seater Fun