PSA: Consider Hardtop Brackets/Locks!
 

Hi All,
Just want to take the "opportunity" to suggest that if you have a hardtop, you may want to consider brackets or a lock for it. Wish I'd known that was a thing. Not going to shill for any vendors in particular, but there are apparently options at a variety of price points.
Woke up to a missing hard top, smashed window, and thoroughly drenched (water damaged?) Miata this morning. If you happen to have an enemy in Portland, OR that mentions they stole a white hard top last night please drop me a line.

Have a cozy, dry winter enjoying your rear visibility,
Mike

Ouch. I'll keep an eye out on craigslist.

Mine is garaged or at work most of the time. I still need to get some locks for it though.

Yea there was a theft ring for miata tops around the DC area. Definitely invested in some TopLoc's. They rattle like hell so I also had to electric tape them quiet.

Sorry to hear about the mishap? Did you have no soft top? (i removed mine)

Appreciate your condolences.
Soft top is installed (and now up), but the beneficiaries of the transaction forgot to deploy it. Funny actually - I've read a couple of old posts on m.net of hardtop thieves putting the softtop up after removing the hardtop! Maybe that's the distinguishing factor between Miata owners that really want a hardtop and guys just in it for the money.

What's your plan of action? Are you in the market for a new hardtop?

Keeping an eye out for white or "freshly painted" top on Craigslist? It makes me almost want to do something unique to mine to make it distinguishable beyond paint.

the difference is professional thieves and junkies.

when I lived in WA, some thieves would elegantly jimmy your door, remove your stereo without breaking anything and take any valuables laying around, close your car back up and lock the door behind them.

junkies just smash, grab, and destroy everything in the process.. and usually take everything not bolted to the car regardless of value (insurance papers, parking hang tags..)

This is why I have been so insistent on having a garage when looking for a new place for the gf and I. I don't have a hard top yet, but at this point I've done enough things to the car that it isn't hard to tell there are some valuables on it. It needs to sleep inside.

This thread makes me want to get locking hood latches.

This thread makes me want to own a Doberman that uses my car as a dog house.

I don't want poop in my car

Just get an ocelot.

That blows and is a good reminder I need to acquire a hardtop security solution.

Ugh I fucking hate thieves. Did your insurance cover the top and/or the water damage?

Edit: Thanks for reminding me I need to upgrade to comprehensive coverage for the yada.

RevLimiter just brought these security kits back out after I harassed him about them. I've yet to install mine, but they should be a solid complement to any bracket.

Hardtop Security Hardware | revlimiter.net Store

Thanks for the link Corey.

And yeah, I have little security nut things. They're a lot harder to get around than the popular security torx solution. I've considered getting a special run of Key Rex bolts made, but the price is pretty high for 1000 of them and keys.

I like being able to get the hardtop on/off a little quicker and like your solution here; The Hardtop Security Project ? part 2 ? revlimiter.net

Nothings perfect but hopefully slowing them down a bit will make them think twice.

Really sorry to hear about your misfortune, I too know the exact pain. Same scenario as well, window smashed, top stolen, raining.

Thieves know what these things are worth and with them being so easy to steal, you need to be careful. I think everyone should invest of some sort of security for them.

With my new top I etched my VIN number into the glass along with locks. Getting the VIN etched is cheap and just a little added security if you do nothing else.

Man, that sucks, Hopefully insurance covers you - I made sure to give a call to my insurance company before getting the top, they did ensure me they would cover it. Now I have Brackets, and lots of security.... a thief would be dumb to go after my property now.. They will end up shot or caught. 1 Down so far !

I can see how those would be hard to get off if the square nut is too thin to get a wrench on, but how do you get them on?

Read the link bruh. There is even a picture

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1449254945

^ thank you sir.

The square nuts are honestly better suited for the side brackets. They tend to be square more often than the top ones. If your top bracket isn't parallel to the nut, you have to do a bit of bending with a bench vise or something to get them on the same plane so that the nut can snug down flat.

I would have taken side bracket pix, but my own security measures on my hardtop involve JB weld and brackets that don't easily come off...

You use the beatrush latches right? What do you use up front.

Update: Looks like insurance is going to cover this, hurray!

You are lucky your deductible is below the cost of the HT. I know several years ago Hustler had his HT stolen, and it was not worth going through insurance.

I was going to say, a years premium on a low deductible policy would be more than my car is worth.

Is it possibly going under homeowners or something?

Homeowners is way more. I bet its going under comprehensive. My deductible is like 250-500. New hardtop is not cheap.

Huh

I guess I can get comp on my car, $250 deductible for $100 more a year. For some reason I thought it'd be crazy expensive.

Comp claims dont increase your premiums either.

You literally have to be retarded not to have comp coverage ;) (if you know about it)

I assumed my salvage title shit were uninsurable. Might still be, no point carrying it if they won't buy me new stuff at cost.

Miata live inside though, and I'm near the most antisocial guy you'll find. Unless it gets stolen from walmart, I'd be alright.

I'm gonna call though, for sure.

Comp coverage story:

I was driving home from in my pickup. Got out to check why the engine was running hot. Radiator was full of mud. Cleaned it out. Closed my hood. But my hood didnt latch. I was driving along and the hood flew open and dented the cab and hood. Insurance paid 2300 to have it fixed.

I lost my softtop at 50mph once, thinking it were latched. I'm thinking this is why the windshield header seems high in the middle. Don't think it's designed to open that fast...

Low deductible comp seems cheap though, should be required with hardtop for sure.

I am hopeing that my hard top is ugly enough it isn't worth stealing at the moment (chips, peeling bad repaint job and chips and scratches in the glass would require new paint and glass to wash). At some point I will get some locks though.

Comprehensive on mine added $15 every six months for a $250 deductable. Not worth not having.

Insurance is a Progressive comprehensive plan. They were generous both in their estimation of the car's value and the cost of a hardtop. The check (after deductible) ended up being 80% of what I paid for the car (with 70k, JRSC, Konis, and rollbars). Also, perhaps at my request, they did not total the car.
The only other thing I could hope for would be to have Braineack sell my hardtop back to me for $500...