Are you still planning on removing your softtop? I understand it's much easier to just remove the entire top with the frame and motors as opposed to removing and reinstalling the fabric only.

 

I'm needing to do this sooner than later as well. My current top (the original one) is about due and I just got my EZ on top from ebay with the glass top for the 2001 ap1 which is currently sitting in my garage.

I'm not looking forward to changing it as every write up seems to be quite extensive when it comes to time!!

 

Dude! You turbo'd your own car! The softtop will be cake.

I had mine done in one day. I think I started on a Saturday morning and was wrapped up in the early evening. The DIYs look daunting, but it's really not too bad when you get started. It might also be helpful to take photos of how the fabric folds into the frame corners and such, if the DIY thread photos are gone. I might have thrown out the prints out of the thread, now I regret that!

If the top you bought includes the nylon straps and such, then that cuts out a bit of homework for you already. I went to a fabric store to buy the straps, and I swear to god was the only male in the whole place. Then my only other suggestion would be to buy extra rivets too (do they supply those too?). And get the aluminum rivets, as they are more resistant to corrosion.

 

Hey wait, I checked out the DIYs in the Under the Hood forum, and both threads on the softtop swap are there, and I think the photos are all there too. I used both threads, as my top didn't come with instructions (second hand from an '08).

The first one:

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/448...a-robbins-top/

goes into removing the roll hoop covers and a bunch of the interior. I used that one for the detail photos.

The other link here:

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/996...ns-w-pictures/

is more concise, and the PDF is still live. I used this one to get the instructions for the nylon straps.

 

Haha, yeah, I did; however, I'm getting older and working on my car is becoming more of a chore...bad back, arthritis, hernia, dementia! The list goes on and on!


In any case, the top I got does not have anything really with it. No straps, no rivets and no instructions!

Would the modifry straps work okay or should I just go to fabricland and get some nylon ones?

 

2 years ago I got a quote to replace My soft top for like $4300 all in . I want to replace it but i can bring my self to drop that much money for some thing that could just rip again . The thing that kills me the most is if i see like a 1988 chrysler lebaron Convertible and it has a absolutely immaculate soft top .

 

Senior citizen S2k driver alert!!

The Modifry straps aren't for converting from plastic to glass. They're for 'correcting' an issue with the top not sitting properly in the lowered position. You will need those nylon straps for sure, as they wrap around a couple of the bars and pull them together when the top is in movement; otherwise those bars will interfere with the glass.

One of the DIYs also specifies a rather large diameter rivet that's not very common, and will require a special, larger riveting tool. I had to call around to find that specific size, but when I went to do the job, it wasn't the case - all the rivets I used were purchased at either Princess or Canadian Tire. I can't recall which sizes I used at the moment, but I would just buy a large assortment of them to be sure you have plenty available. You'll see when you remove the old top what sizes are required, they are nothing out of the ordinary.

The one thing I haven't done is wire up the rear defroster. I think the part for that is like $250 or something stupid, from HardTopGuy, and it's just a wiring harness. So far I think I felt I could have used the rear defroster one maybe two or three occasions, so that little project is on the backburner.