Update on my plastic window replacement
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Bethesda
Update on my plastic window replacement
I have looked around and cannot find any decent quote from any shop. Mechanics tell me to goto an upholstrey shop and the latter quote me exorbitant prices. Most say that the entire top needs to be replaced. The best quote ive got on that is $900 inluding parts and labor. He said that he can source a top for $400 and labor is $500. I was like yeah right.
I dont even need entire top replaced, true there is the infamous wear hole on one side, but I think I can patch it up pretty well.
Ive decided to go the DIY route, and am not very worried. Initially what scared me was that in the past when I did interior work I often had trouble getting the panels to sit as well as they used to. But ive actually noticed that the fittings that the s2k has are years ahead (as they should be) of my decade old mazda/ford.
So Ive bought a window ($170) and a vast assortment of little pushpins and hooks and all that stuff that im likely to break. Also I got a lot of OEM rivets and stuff. Im gonna use this opportunity to put some sort of safety bolts on the seats, as well as install some speakers or somthing.
Ill keep you guys updated.
I dont even need entire top replaced, true there is the infamous wear hole on one side, but I think I can patch it up pretty well.
Ive decided to go the DIY route, and am not very worried. Initially what scared me was that in the past when I did interior work I often had trouble getting the panels to sit as well as they used to. But ive actually noticed that the fittings that the s2k has are years ahead (as they should be) of my decade old mazda/ford.
So Ive bought a window ($170) and a vast assortment of little pushpins and hooks and all that stuff that im likely to break. Also I got a lot of OEM rivets and stuff. Im gonna use this opportunity to put some sort of safety bolts on the seats, as well as install some speakers or somthing.
Ill keep you guys updated.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Texas City
There are several folks on the S2ki forums that have done this. Search around, I'm sure there's plenty of info on the subject and I have no doubt that the people who've done this will be more than happy to offer help with the matter.
Good luck & Drive Safe,
Steve R.
Good luck & Drive Safe,
Steve R.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 400
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From: Bethesda
Ok so now i am finished.
The process is actually quite simple and I would reccomend looking at both the TSB and the glass top conversion instructions. The latter helps by describing how the trim panels are fastened.
The differences in my install from the TSB were the following.
I did not remove either the roll bars or their trim pieces. However the part of its trim (rear half) covers the lip of rear side tray pieces, and therefore needs to be loosened (front and rea halfs) to get some room to work with.
The above mentioned rear side tray pieces are also pretty hard to fit back in perfectly, or maybe im some sort of an idiot or somthing but it took me like an hour.
Make sure that when you put new rivets in through the window/top/rainrail you have them facing the correct direction, the crushed end needs to face the rear of the car when its in its normal position. I learned the hard way, and had to remove many of my own rivets.
BTW rivets are a pain in the a$$ to remove. I couldnt find a tool to do it, and if you drill them like the tsb says you have to be really carefull or else you will melt the rainrail. I was able to do it with a prybar,needle nose plyers, dremel cutting bit only if really necessary and used for less than a second at a time.
The rest of the trim panels especially the door and sill peices are very easy not only to remove but also snap back into place
It took me 7+ hours. But i had to undo the whole set of rivets once.
Apart from that all you need is a 12mm and a 14mm for the seats, a phillips screwdriver, the tools for the rivets including the ones mentioned above,
The process is actually quite simple and I would reccomend looking at both the TSB and the glass top conversion instructions. The latter helps by describing how the trim panels are fastened.
The differences in my install from the TSB were the following.
I did not remove either the roll bars or their trim pieces. However the part of its trim (rear half) covers the lip of rear side tray pieces, and therefore needs to be loosened (front and rea halfs) to get some room to work with.
The above mentioned rear side tray pieces are also pretty hard to fit back in perfectly, or maybe im some sort of an idiot or somthing but it took me like an hour.
Make sure that when you put new rivets in through the window/top/rainrail you have them facing the correct direction, the crushed end needs to face the rear of the car when its in its normal position. I learned the hard way, and had to remove many of my own rivets.
BTW rivets are a pain in the a$$ to remove. I couldnt find a tool to do it, and if you drill them like the tsb says you have to be really carefull or else you will melt the rainrail. I was able to do it with a prybar,needle nose plyers, dremel cutting bit only if really necessary and used for less than a second at a time.
The rest of the trim panels especially the door and sill peices are very easy not only to remove but also snap back into place
It took me 7+ hours. But i had to undo the whole set of rivets once.
Apart from that all you need is a 12mm and a 14mm for the seats, a phillips screwdriver, the tools for the rivets including the ones mentioned above,
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