Should I Remove The Softtop??
 

Too late, I already did. The old softtop had 8" holes by the seams and the rear window was starting to fall out. I bought a hardtop rather than replace the softtop. I was afraid if I bought a new softtop, some moron would come along and cut it. I've had the hardtop for about 5 months and I've only used the softtop maybe twice. It's pretty much useless with big holes in it anyway, so out it came.

It took about an hour to get it out with little sympathy for the softtops well being, and another hour to reinstall all the little plastic and carpets. I swear I can tell a difference in first gear. I'm sure it's all in my head but the car feals a bit quicker. I'd say I removed 40-50 pounds from the decklid. It looks cleaner too. And finally I don't have to listen to the soft top rattle, squeak, and annoy the hell out of me. I wish I had removed it sooner.

After removing softtop. The red wire goes to nitrous fuel pump, the other is a RCA cable to the trunk.
Attachment 215263

Oh yea, I gotta put my passenger seat back in there one day too
Attachment 215264

One more
Attachment 215265

Looks good. I've thought of doing the same thing. My soft top is still good though. So I keep it in just in case I need a top for whatever reason while I'm out driving.

I've considered yanking mine too, but sometimes I think its nice to have the soft-top in case it starts raining on a road trip, or if I have to stop for dinner or whatever. That's a toughy.

Nice. I'll do that too one of these days. I hate driving with the softtop up because I can't see shit when changing lanes on the highway, especially to the left.

welcome to the world of adding lightness. it's a slippery slope.

be careful or you might end up like this before you know it

http://www.miatamx5.com/machine_interior_4.jpg

http://www.miatamx5.com/machine_harness_4.jpg

HAHA, you drive around like that for real? I wouls at least cut out a rough dash from some thin plastic sheets and rivet it on or something.

I wish I had a hardtop, I would take off my soft top in a second.

nah, i flipped that car. the current gutted car has the dash in place less the glove box and airbag and HVAC and radio

I don't car how much my car becomes a race car along the way, I'll always have a stereo.

Damn I hope not. That's crazy.

+1

I have been dying to do this myself. The soft top noises are so annoying.

I have lived with my miata for this entire summer like that. No garage parking. Longest stretch hardtop was off was around 2 weeks. You can't go anywhere with the top off if it is threatening to rain, you can't do any long roadtrips without the hardtop on. Blah Blah Blah. You get the idea.

However. The rear parcel shelf looks awesome with no top. The added storage space is a bonus. And you save something like 50lbs.

Your choice. I have been living with it for 6+ months now, The softtop (with fixed back window) is going back in next season for sure.

I drove my car for quite a while (easily a month) with no top, and I did it during winter. I got caught in the rain twice, but neither time was too horrible. I love the extra storage space, especially when shuttling two people and luggage back and forth from school.

My hardtop hasn't been off in 10 months.

You guys are in the wrong forum:

Attachment 215262 trust me :D

I cant wait to get a hardtop.. I'll be taking my soft top out, bolting on the hardtop with the SM brackets, and never looking back.

OOPS, I didn't realize that my sig had the old Yahoo group in it. The lightweight forum is listed below:

Removing softtop: $0

Removing fuel cap: $0

Removing dash: $0

Posting a picture on the internet that shows your instrument cluster held on with duct tape: priceless

:bigtu:

LMK when, I need one.

Magna-NITROUS NITROUS NITROUS NOT NOS!!!
I may be putting my bottle there I don't know. I'm gonna test fit it with the bottle brackets I have to see if it will go there without blocking my vision too much. Rearward visability is half the reasone I wanted a hardtop over a softtop, so I'm not gonna loose that for nothing. My bottle takes up a rediculous amount of space in the truck.

Damnit this is a slippery slope. I have a flat spare and a jack with no handle, so it's just wasting space and adding weight too. I better just stop thininking about weight reduction or it's going to get the best of me.

I know what you mean, but I didn't buy the Miata to have a convertable. I actually LOVE the hard top. The only reason it comes off is when I clean the interior. IMO the car is a much better DD with the hardtop.

I love my hardtop too. If I didn't I would have fixed the softop a long time ago. The security and the looks kick ass. However, I am planning on some long roadtrips next year, and I will want the top down and that is impossible taking a hardtop with you.

I didn't buy my miata because it was a convertible either, but I must admit, It is a nice thing to have sometimes.

The way i slanted mine it was almost fully behind the seat and cut off no visibility. I had to widen the holes a little on my bracket to get the bolts to line up right though.

Post a pic. or send me a link or something Magna.

Ok i will get a good pic tomorrow i put the car up for the winter when i bought the pontiac and, there is no light in the garage i put it in. Try my cardomain i sent you a link when i first got it updated http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2257729/2 the last pages

i liked the convertible thing but as i got more and more into track driving i ended up bolting the hard top on and ditching the soft top altogether

I took mine out because it had never been used by the PO and smelt funny. It is in awesome condition though. :P

I Pod weighs less:gay:

I think its crazy to remove the soft top, the weight savings and extra "space" you gain is not worth it imho.

patsmx5-while you have the top out, its time for a roll bar...

My soft top has been gone for over a year now, BUT my car is not daily driven.

If I were driving my car daily, I would have left the soft top. I still regret not having it periodically when I it's a nice day and I want to drive the car into work. I hate having to make a choice between: 1. running a hardtop or 2. chancing getting soaked by an afternoon shower.

aftermath of a bottle explosion:

http://www.team3s.com/Images/pict532c.jpg

install bottle in passenger compartment at your own risk..

Aw come on now Kotomile, what's wrong with bolthing a bottle with 10 pounds of liquid oxidizer above my gastank?:ugh2:

Ok I might think about it before I do it.

hey Pat here are the pics from overhead
Attachment 215251
Attachment 215252
and from the side
Attachment 215253
to show you how high the bottle sits. Kotomile that is why there are blow down tubes and who wouldn't want to go down in a blaze of glory
Anywho i hope this helps you.
+ this is a ideal location to use the defroster circiut to trigger a bottle heater ;)

Thanks for the pics Richard, I'm gonna have a look at that and see if it looks like mine will fit there. My bottle is narrower and longer than yours, so I don' know. If I had saw that kit on Ebay before you told me you were bidding on it I would have bidded on it. You got a hell of a deal man. That kit was new too, cause all the threads on the Aluminum AN fittings were'nt scratched up.

Two of the big ones, and harry, I need them by tonight.

srsly? 2 pages about removing a fucking soft top?

..and NOS explosions. :bigtu:

http://www.pingelonline.com/images/R...om%20larry.jpg

If your gonna mount the bottle in the cabin you should really consider routing a vent tube to the outside.I have my bottle in the trunk and it has the vent tube venting to the outside.

It has been on my list of things to do. And pat that is why i waited till after i won to tell you about it. :D

Damn right or I would have bought that shit right out from under you! I paid 400 just for the hardware for my kit. You got the whole damn kit for 200. If I mounted it inside it would definately have a vent tube installed.

Yeah but the plumbing for your direct port has to be a pretty penny. Still I am glad you are here to help me stumble throught this.

God I want my hardtop already I hate the lack of visibility with the softop, especially since it's my DD also