Hard top opinions please

  1. My model of MX-5 is: mk 2.5
  2. I’m based near: Southend on sea__
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: hardtop colour__

Hi, I have a Crystal Blue MK2.5 for which I have purchased a hardtop which needs painting, the question is this, should I paint it black (there’s a song in there somewhere) which I fancy doing and what type of black ie solid gloss or a metallic gloss all opinions gratefully received. Dave

Brilliant black. I might be biased.

Having a neutral black will make the top easier to sell on when you want to

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Plus 1
No brainer.

Thanks guys, just for clarity brilliant black is non metallic ?
Also do you think the blue black contrast is a good idea ?. Dave

Its going to look like you have a second hand hardtop and haven’t painted it.

Original early cars could be had with a textured finish black hardtop. A white hardtop works with some dark colours. Silver also works with some colours. Personally I think crystal blue and black will look awful

Or keep it the original factory finish, and wrap it whatever spangly colour you want. Peel off when you are done with it.

In many cases, paint on a repainted top doesn’t adhere properly. You ruin the original finish prepping the surface, and devalue the top.

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Thanks saz that’s food for thought, I thought I recall seeing some MX-5’s with contrasting black roofs? MK3 PRHT’s maybe ? Red / black I seem to recall. The hard top is a darkish purple and although the colour looked all wrong the contrast effect was I thought ok, your opinions are causing me to think again which is exactly what I want so again thanks :+1: Dave

I actually had our Crystal Blue HT repainted as it was cruddy.
Got it dirt cheap due to condition.
It turned out 100% on the button as new…but then…that was FozSports who did it…top notch artisans. Only thing if I wanted to really nit pick was the paint masking on a couple of inches along the window…they avoided removing the glass.
But…I thought after posting…a good wrap is a great solution as well.

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I suppose it’s that I don’t really like the hard top but see it as a good idea for the winter added to the fact that I don’t have a garage so I was thinking well the soft top is black why not the hard top, saz makes some good points as well and I need these opinions to come to a conclusion. I have no clue as to what wrapping is how it’s done what finishes costs etc. Keep the views coming guys many thanks :+1:.

The big winter benefit we have found over…now 14 winters…with ours is the HT diverts crud away from the drain channels, adds a bit of warmth, and if wired, is a fast demister.
It’s SWMBOs car, so unfortunately it’s been on solid for years now.
Don’t go there…

You can do anything with a wrap…if it’s done Pro. Just peels off after heating with a drier in theory but I’ve heard of some cases if left too long…it can lift poor paint.

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I won’t even ask :wink::joy:

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Good… :zipper_mouth_face:

Brilliant black is non metallic.

Hhmmm the picture you just uploaded has made me really think again it looks great much more so than I imagined, I’m definitely warming to it now, I recon I’m a couple of hundred cups of tea off of decision time, that upload picture has really helped thank you. Still love to know but definitely not asking :relieved::smile::laughing::joy::crazy_face::zipper_mouth_face:

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I thought you’d weaken a bit.
As for SWMBO…a gentleman never tells… :innocent:

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And you are a true to gentleman…and know what’s good for you :laughing:learnt that lesson myself lol

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Thanks, black or blue what do you think?

I was referring to 1989-90 Eunos Roadsters, the hardtop could be had body colour, or black, without the demister function.

If you don’t have a garage, how will you store the hardtop? I hear of people ruining a top because they left it against a wall in the spare bedroom, and then it warps. And of acquaintances buying a hardtop for the same reason as you, and then no removing it for 5 years, because it was too much hassle to remove. A painted top is going to chip, flake, everytime you take it off in the street, move it around your house, drop down the stairs etc.

Wrapping is just a sticky vinyl finish, that looks paint-like. With a wrap, you can also go for a carbon-fibre look. There are plenty of DIY videos. Professional job is probably the same as repainting.

For 20 years I made do with a driveway and a Halfords hood cover. Now I have a garage, and it leaks like a sieve, and made the boot go mouldy. Garages aren’t all they are cracked up to be, and the MX5 hood is weathertight.

I have a workshop with the hard top in it along with loads of other stuff but it’s not wide enough to fit a car, it is standing on end against a wall all properly padded and I have a cover for it now but your comments about warpage have rung an alarm bell !! Thank you I shall have to give the storage more thought, after seeing scottishfivers upload I’m warming to colour matching it but need to give it some more thought :+1: thanks saz

I would suggest that only applies to those who don’t do proper prep, are trying to do it themselves or are using cheap paintshops. A professional will do all the proper prep to ensure a quality respray. Car bodies are repaired and resprayed all the time with no adverse effects on the finish or to the value of the vehicle. Unless of course you’re only referring to the textured finish which I have never seen despite attending multiple rallies etc. Rarer than hen’s teeth it would seem. Pretty sure none of the Mk2.5s had textured hard tops so wouldn’t be an issue.

Two thoughts - firstly, there appears to be a Crystal Blue hardtop for sale on page 80 of this month’s HTST magazine. I would think about buying that (or a different one in the correct colour) and sell the one you already have. I did the same - sold the green top I had and bought a blue one to match my blue car.

Second thought - as per saz’s post, the tops are vey heavy and bulky making them a pain to fit, remove and store. I fitted the top on one of my two cars and it was on for six months as it’s such a pain to fit and remove. If I didn’t want one for added safety when sprinting I’d not bother.

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