I've noticed my 2001 AP1 windshield frame finish is starting to crack and peel. Does anyone have any idea how to repair this? It looks like it could be some sort of vinyl applied over the metal. I've seen S2000s with this area painted, but this is not paint.

I think I likely need to go to a body shop, but before I do I thought I'd ask if anyone has any experience with this.

 

Its a vinyl plastic covering, and underneath its paint. You can peal it all off if you want, and it'll be body colored under.

Some years came without the black plastic, so they were factory body colored. But all years are painted, just some are covered.

Honda sells just the black vinyl, so you always just replace it if you prefer it black.

 

Do you know what part number it is?

 

Center piece
FILM, FR. WIND EXTERIOR (UPPER)
72425-S2A-013
Right Side
FILM, R. FR. PILLAR EXTERIOR
72427-S2A-013
Left Side
FILM, L. FR. PILLAR EXTERIOR
72467-S2A-013

Each piece is approx $100 CDN

 

Looks better without it IMO. A heatgun can help. A number of threads on it. Last few years Honda stopped putting it on.

Here it is without it on my 2009.

 

Thanks to all for your helpful replies! I never knew there was matching paint under there! (Duh me given all the posts I've now found.)

I think I may follow what I read in other posts about removing the film to see if I like the look or not. In the pictures I've seen, it looks great with the top off (nice look, cosmomiller!) but to me not as good with the top up. But no harm no foul in trying since the film has to come off anyway to be reapplied.

 

Logical approach.

 

Here yah go, top up:

 

That looks way better with it off!

 

Here's the rundown of which cars had the windshield tape. NOTE: Berlina Black (BB) cars *never* had windshield tape.

U.S. & Canada: MY00-MY07, MY08-MY09 CR [about 57,000 cars]
EUR/UK/RoW: MY00-MY01 [about 7,000 cars]
Japan: "MY00-MY01" (chassis codes GH-AP1-100 & LA-AP1-110) [about 10,000 cars]
Total: about 74,000 cars, or just under two-thirds of the total worldwide production of around 114,000.

Fun fact: For '08-'09, the 430 non-Berlina CRs were the only S2000s worldwide that still had the tape.