I finally got a hard top.. after searching for months...

I had to go pick it up from the local yellow freight, we took my car and a suzuki grand vitara... when the guy came out with the huge box we realized that there was no way it would fit in the suzuki... so we just unwrapped it and slapped it on my miata. and drove off...


I have a question though, how do the frankestien bolts work? do the rear latches just slide on? the rear latches dont seem to be very snug and it seems like they should be closer down then they are.. I will run outside and take a crappy pic with my phone so you can see.

 

The top should slide forward, engaging the frankenstein bolts, then latch on front and sides.

 

so there is no way to make them tighter?
it is kinda hard to tell but they stick up about a quarter inch...

I dont want it to fly off while I am driving... I did after all spend the turbo money on this... (long story short the girlfriend made note of the really bad condtition of the soft top, and that winter would soon be here. stupid logic )

 

Can't see the picture that well, but the rear weatherstripping should be compressed.

 

Do you have the side latches secured? Not being smart as some people forget that they need these with a HT.

 

the weather stripping on the back of the top or on the latches??

ya the side latches are secured... they were a pain to get on so i am sure they are pretty tight

 

you need to put the top down just in front of the franenstien bolts. Then you push the top forward onto them. They should both sit flush to the body, you'll feel it when they pop into place.

 

crap I knew they were on wrong...
what about the bolts inside the rear latches.. they dont screw into anything? they are just sitting inside??

 

does this help?

http://www.geocities.com/boughtamiata/sidelatch.htm

 

This may help as well:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...n&key=MIAE1001

BUT!!!! DUN DUH DA! Spec miatas shops usually sell these for cheap. Like a .02 hooker! Or they are on ebay a bunch.

 

no, sorry I meant the frankenstien latches.. they each have two bolts in them that just "float" is that how they are supposed to be?

 

and I actually got an extra set of those if anyone wants them...

 

Basically, they just kinda snap in. Nothing to latch or clamp.

 

yeah, just be careful you actually pull the bolts into the latches on the frankenstein setup. I thoguht i had mine right the last time i put it back on and it rattled like crazy until i took a closer look and found that the driver's side wasn't actually attached... oops ;-)

 

cool thanks guys... I will go check it out when I get a break

 

I messed with it and it still doesnt seem like it is on right... when the frankenstein feel like they are on the front of it is too far forward and it wont latch down... is there a way to adjust the franki clips?

 

You have placed the two pads attached to the top over the bolts when the top is slightly to the rear and then held the pads down while sliding the top forward?

 

ya I did that... it feels like it is on, it doesnt rattle or make any noise, but the rear latches seem to be higher up than they should be, and the four other clips went on with little to no resistance.. which makes me think it isnt really being held on tightly.

 

The latches are adjustable to some extent. Remember that you are not pulling against a soft top that needs to be stretched.

 

from what I can see there are little plates on the inside of the rear latches, that are held in place by the "floating bolts" you can push the plates towards the front of the car to make it hold the frankinstien bolt tighter and the latch then moves to where it looks like it should be, problem with having it tight like this is that the bolts wont go back into the holes?? should I just leave it how it is and forget about it?? I am worried it is going to flip off while I am driving

thats true I didnt think about that, makes sense...