hard top upgrade next year, what should I expect?
 

Hello I'm new here

on April 2015 I will finally finish paying off my 01' S2000, I've always planned to upgrade to hard top , and unfortunately the soft top is in extremely poor condition.

So my question is when shopping what items will I need with the top, is glass vs fiber glass just a preference, does it matter in terms of fitting , which top (replica, OEM, after market) would be less of a hassle, and finally, labor whether I need to remove the soft top for installation.

Any help is appreciated, I've got a few months to prepare.

I've got a bit of experience on this so here's my take:
It is strongly a case of "you get what you pay for".

if you are fine with windnoise and rattling, and the top moving around on you, cheap hardware works to keep the top on and sometimes keep water out.
if you want it to feel like OEM, you're going to have to get OEM front and rear latches, or replica OEM latches, a really good rear window seal, OEM door seals and modify the hardtop to make them work, a good underside seal.

For replica mugen top:

you'll need:
A - Hardtop, carbon fiber, FRP whatever.
B - rear window and rear window seal, I recommend if you can somehow find a seamless one, like the mugen authentic seal I'd say go with that. I have one with a break in it, and it looks kinda stupid unless it's perfectly lined up, even then you can see it when you're close.
C - front hardtop latches, not really "needed", probably bottom of list for things needing it to work.
D - rear latches, you can get OEM latches, OEM replicas from forbidden, or just normal crappy mounting brackets which just bolt the roof in. I have those and they are a PITA x10.
E - if you can find someone to install the rear window I recommend that because I dicked mine up pretty good.

In the end, I say just go OEM unless you care about weight/aero for tracking it. This is just me, but I've spent pretty close to what an OEM top costs, and I don't even have it on my car because the rear brackets suck. once you get some decent mounting hardware on it they're fine, but until then, like I said, you get what you pay for.

Like I said I'm new, where would I obtain the OEM components for the top? I've seen a site where I can buy mugen replica top but the parts don't say OEM.

Also thanks for your assistance

that's where I can't really help you alot.
maybe someone can chime in here?



this is the second best thing I could find, but I'd recommend searching majestic honda for each of the parts you need. It's probably cheaper to do it that way too. (don't take my word for it though)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-00-08-...607b88&vxp=mtr

I have it listed on my watch list then .

So I see the price for OEM is just under $2,000.00 and some of the hard tops on eBay are quoted with free install kits. Why is the price so drastic ? From free with purchase , to $2,000 OEM ? Some of the hard tops(replica) are cheaper than the installation parts.

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I have it listed on my watch list then .

So I see the price for OEM is just under $2,000.00 and some of the hard tops on eBay are quoted with free install kits. Why is the price so drastic ? From free with purchase , to $2,000 OEM ? Some of the hard tops(replica) are cheaper than the installation parts.
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Those free kits are probably aftermarket. aftermarket is usually around 400$. can you link me to the sellers offering the free hardware? maybe I can get a better understanding of it.

Here's one.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...245341&alt=web

regardless of what brand you go with, try, and get a glass back window. plexi isnt a good day to day solution.

I'm late to this party but I see that no one told you you will NOT need to remove your soft top. The hardtop is made to go over the folded down soft top.
Some guys remove their softtop to be hard core hardtop. It saves weight they say.
I like having the option of being able to go somewhere and know if there's a sudden weather change or I don't feel secure about where I parked I can instantly put up the softtop.

^ I agree

I removed my soft top on my first S and it become a hardtop 90% of the time, Before I was topdown 90% its just a pain to remove when your trying to rush