I have never done fiberglass, but was wondering if you guys thought is possible/economical to copy a hardtop for a Mazda Miata...

They go for about $1,000 in the EBay world. I figure the answer will probably be, Just buy the used one, lot less trouble, but I also figure (in my head), "well, somebody, somewhere made them, so couldn't I do the same?"

Somebody school me...

Thanks.

Well first of all, anybody can make just about anything. Having said that, what you want can be a rather involved process. To get a "decent" looking top you would have to get a mold off an original removable hard top or you would have to do something like a "lost foam" process of laying up poly-foam over an open convertible, then shaping that foam until you got the overal size and look of that hard top.
Bottom line for me here would be the cost of materials, plus lots of artistic labor, still having to buy trim and mounting hardware, etc., etc. That $1000 doesn't sound so bad if you add all that stuff up.
Again, I'm not saying you can't do this but I think this is a lot to take on if you never done fiberglass work before.
Hey, have you tried doing a search on www.car-parts.com ? I ended up buying a replacement tonneau cover for my wife's Jag convertible for less than $200 in mint condition from one of their listings. Our local Jag dealer wanted $900 for them and they were still $500 on e-bay. It was a steal.

I would look for one like he said,,,You might be getting in over your head if you have never done this before.
I could do the work,,,But would rather buy one myself.

That's what I wanted to know... I appreciate the information. Intuitively, I agree with you guys.

I'll check on car parts and keep an eye out.

Think I'll stick to getting the painting, cutting, and buffing down first.

Thanks.

Theres a lot of hardware on the hard top, not just the fibreglass. Seals around the windows and windscreen, locking catches and so forth. Also, a BIG glass back window you'd have to source too.

Mate of mine just bought one second hand for A$1.2k and they are rare as!

Yes... wish they were more common!

Wow - I take on some pretty ambitious projects. But I would NOT try this one from scratch. I would however look at a "close" HT - maybe a Sunbeam Alpine or the like that you could mod. Take some measurements from a readily available HT and see if it could be modded to fit.
Windows will (most likely) NOT seal - ever. And to get them to seal both the convertible top and hard top would be an impossible dream. Even Corvettes had to re-adjust windows when changing-out tops.
But you get a BIG tip of the Tool-Time Hat for thinking / trying.
Keep us posted - good luck. 80GG

In a nutshell, I'm going with the experience of the vets here and not tackling the project. I've got a dented door and fender to fix and plenty of buffing to do to keep me busy for a while.

Couldn't resist asking, though... I think that if you could produce a quality, well-fitting top for these things and sell it for $600, you could make some good cash. Maybe down the road...

Thanks, though.