Many thanks to Don for sticking around waaaaay past expectations and helping with the top installation, and Mike put in a good number of hours helping Don when I was busy playing clean-up crew.

You both will be happy to learn that after another four hours of work I was able to get the last pieces back together. Most of the defroster wiring is already installed (just have to put the relay in the fuse box), but I need to see an '02+ so I can get an idea of where the wiring should go near the window itself... it's not long enough to go down that sleeve and still connect to the window

And as a side note to anyone looking for help... look elsewhere Just kidding... wait, no, I'm serious. I'll act as a consultant swilling beer and telling you what to do, but that was a major pain in the A$$ I have no desire to repeat.

Couldn't have done it without those guys! I owe Don some serious beers for sticking around as late as he did, and Mike probably lost count of how many beers I owe him.

 

if you want you can come take a look at the wiring on mine. my car is currently out of commission due to slave cylinder jacked-upness

 

Dan, I'll bring down my 03' on Thursday and you can check it out.

 

side note hows the cluster coming ^_*

 

 

Currently working on the instructions for the Animated Taillights, as well as code for a speedometer corrector (known as a "Yellow Box" to some).

 

So you got a new top... I ordered mine last week and I got the glass with the defroster.. I need to know how difficult it will be to hook up the defroster

 

Did you order the wiring for the defroster? It doesn't come with the top, in case you didn't know...

The wiring is quite simple, actually. A relay is inserted in to a fuse box under the hood, the little piece behind the cupholder that normally holds my cellphone and loose change is replaced by two switch openings (one holds the defroster switch, the other has a cap placed over it), and you connect a new wire harness in the back.

Unless you have a pre-5xxx VIN, the wire harness for the switch is already in the center console, and the connector for the rear harness is behind the trunk vent panel behind the seat. The hole for the rear harness to pass through is an easy pop-out cover.

The only thing I'm currently stuck on is how to get the wire attached to the window itself without it just hanging there. The new top comes with a "sleeve" stitched into it next to the connection points, but the wire isn't long enough to go through the sleeve (starting at the top or bottom) and still connect to the window. I'll work on it again this weekend and see what I come up with.

 

I do have the pre5xxx vin. I thought the switch went into teh spot that is next to the steering column. I have one there that is used for nothing. I really don't want to give that area up behind the cup holder

 

You'll need an extra wire harness, then. I believe I've seen a switch for that spot, so I'll take another look for it. I wasn't too excited about losing my loose change holder, but it was a small price to pay, IMO, for a working defroster. At the moment, that spot to the right of the steering column is holding my alarm LED.