- My model of MX-5 is: __NB
- I’m based near: __Glasgow
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Soft top fitting
Now that the drier weather is coming in (hopefully) I’m thinking of fitting a new soft top myself - been needing a new one for a couple of years but it’s getting pretty worn out now.
How difficult is it ???
I’ve watched more than a few YouTube videos on it and to be honest it doesn’t look too difficult, but I’m keen to hear opinions on how difficult people think it is. I’ve never done this before and I am one of those folks that will try and persevere to the end - seen it saying it takes between 2 & 8 hrs depending on how things go and how “sorted” you are at doing it. I’d take the frame off to do it, seems the easier option to be honest.
Nowhere near that, I can find that does it and I don’t fancy the trip to Stockport (Soft top Shop) or Castle Douglas (Autolink).
Autolink have vinyls at £350
Sof Top shop anywhere between about £450 - £650, depending on what hood you choose. (includes fitting)
Buying one -
MX5 Parts £404 vinyl. £602 mohair (those are the easter sale prices)
MX5 City £410 vinyl, £550 mohair
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If like me you are reasonably comfortable doing a plugs and filters service, you should not find changing the soft top too difficult. I was lucky in so much as the replacement canvass hood I found was already mounted on a frame so I did not have to remove my old vinyl top from it’s frame and put the new top on. This undoubtedly saved me a good deal of time.
I would recommend you make sure you have all the tools you need before you start, the only thing I was missing was a drill to drill out the rivets which held the drain/membrane to my original frame, which was not supplied with the second hand canvas item I bought.
Using the recomended tightening pattern and torque on the bolts I have not had any issue with not riveting the drain membrane into place on the replacement frame.
I took my time since my basic slill set and experience is low, it took me a short winters day to take the old one out and the same again to put the new one in, the advatage of working in winter is the ambient temperature was low so I never got too hot and sweaty, there is a lot of unpleasant bending and stretching required if you are working alone.
I would recommend taking the passenger seat out to make the job a little easier, the drivers seat might have to come out in some circumstances but it was not something I needed to do. Can be done alone which is what I did but would be much easier if you have a patient friend to help.
It took several days to stretch the replacement canvass roof so that it fitted snuggly and was waterproof. Lucky I have a garage so there was never any danger of leaving it out in the rain.
Good luck and fire away if you have any more questions 
Cheers Art,
I will get a soft top in the next month or two, so should hopefully have some dry days when my next holiday is. I’ll be doing it on my own, can’t be as much bending and awkward angles to get into as there were cutting out and installing a new back box - going to be doing more of that today - a wee hole in the downpipe needs sorting and will also touch up some undersealing. Car up on stands and a thick piece of cardboard on the ground. Doing the soft top will be so much easier, I’m sure. 
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Good luck fixing the exhaust, a skill level well beyond me, as you say roof should be a piece of cake after that
The backbox was a right pain - without a neighbour lending me a grinder to cut the welded bolt off I’d still be under it with a junior hacksaw just now!
Think I might replace the center pipe over the summer as well as the flange was rotted away a good bit - means taking off the center pipe, cutting it below the cat, and sleeving over the replacement - not a difficult job at all. The hole in the down [ipe I’ll put an exhaust bandage over with some gun gum then on top of that a section cut from the old backbox, jubilee clip it on and some gun gum to seal it up.
My backbox “journey” Sportex Exhausts (backbox) - #17 by Mike-McD
Someone recommended Infinity exhausts in Dodington just off the M4 after they had their Horsebox and then their 280SL done, the 280SL sounded great so I had my Mk4 Golf done their cat back all stainless no baffles in the back box, even my folks liked the sound of it. When Madges started falling apart I went for the same again, I particularly like the fact that it looks absolutely standard and does not trouble noise scruitineers at trackdays, hillclimbs and sprints
