can the top be installed easily?

 

I think what he is saying is that the hardtops get painted with the cars. I believe that the hardtops are labeled like VIN 30000-40000. Just an example. So, if yours was in that VIN range, the paint should match perfectly. Might be wrong, but thats what I thought.

Ryan

 

They don't get painted with the cars now, just using the same process at the same factory. Some match perfectly, some don't.

The initial installation of the top is a bit of a job. If you have pulled auto interiors out before, it is not too bad. It takes two people to lift on and off the top to get it adjusted. I did it in 2 hours (including the extra time to coax the wife out to help with the lifting). The instructions were on the www.handaccessories site, but since they aren't selling tops for the moment, they don't have them up. You can go to your local Honda dealer and have them print them out or PM hardtopguy.

After the initial installation, it takes 5 minutes to put the top on or take if off if you have a helper to lift.

 

Nope, not even close.

The tops we rereleased in Mid year 01 (Model year, not calendar). When they released the first S2000, they did not have the design of the hardtop done. So during the design process of the top, they found that they needed to make some changes to the car to support the top. That is where the VIN come in. They made the change a VIN XXX. So you needed kit A for less the XXX and Kit B for more then XXX. Then the 02s hit. Again, they needed another kit for the 02s. But this one needed less parts.

That is the basics. There is more details, but Honda again changed what was needed and what was included. Mainly because more hardtops are sold with the newer cars not the older one.

 

I checked my hardtop yesterday and I did not notice any VIN plate on it. I have a MY00 and I bought the hardtop in late 2001, I believe. It was installed by hardtopguy in Cleveland. It would have been nice to have that VIN plate on the hardtop.