any of you guys with the replica HT's concerned about it cracking / flexing ?

When i had my S2000 and had the OEM HT fitted ,i can hear the roof flexing sometimes when going up my driveway on an angle .

 

Hate to agree with Rev, but Hardtopguy has had a tarnished reputation recently. Very slow to deliver and even to respond to emails. Chris Barry ended up filing a Paypal dispute over some stuff he ordered.

I'd check up what the latest is on Hardtopguy. He used to be a great seller and may have just had a bad patch.

 

Well nope he is still going through a rough patch it seems from all the threads that are still active.

Being an international order it'd be even less likely that he can fill it.

It's a shame because he has good prices on everything.

 

Not really as placement/adjustment of the "shims" under the front latches, takes all the stress off this area and distributes across the width of the windshield, so to speak. OEM and Mugen come with the shims I believe, replica's don't but can be easily fabricated.

 

I don't have any shims or whatever with my OEM.

Here's the thing: If you're hearing creaking/flexing when you go up a curb or whatever that is your chassis flexing and the hardtop responding to it. Ideally you want enough torsional stiffness in the car that this wouldn't be an issue and the S is known to be particularly stiff. Second to that, you'd want the hardtop to flex with the car.

I can only comment first hand on the OEM hardtop. It hasn't cracked yet. Then again I haven't noticed any creaking/flexing on uneven ground. I have however noticed a wheel leaving the ground on occasions.

 

When time permits have a look under the front latches between the latch and the underside of the HT, you may not have them but they apparently are used in adjustments, come with the Mugen kit and logically prevent metal to aluminium/CF/FG contact. BUT THIS ONLY WHAT I'VE READ..... LOL

I think I've read that they are with the OEM as well, can't recall exactly.

 

Ahhh yes. I actually have a set of these from the last HTG group buy I did but have not got around to installing them.

IIRC they are harder material strikers for the hardtop and soft top and became standard issue on MY2002 models onwards. If I am right you could try a wrecker. But as I alluded to, they are not completely necessary.

 

Ahh ok. I bought my HT second hand and it seemed to fit so I have never looked into it.

I know when we put my hardtop on Fireball's car for Superlap last year we had an issue because one of the front latches had a loose screw. I must get around to replacing the strikers and checking the latches sometime.

 

correct, my OEM Hardtop has shims. i have 6 in total, 3 on each side.
has it mad a difference? yes it has, the latches become tighter when u lock them in place.
squeaking noise? i still have it because my seals are in need of a regrease.. sighh

 

Don't be distracted by my Malaysia comment. I was referring to Adrenalin buying a secondhand HT from a guy in Malaysia and the Malaysian contact stuffing up the shipping. Sounded like an absolute nightmare.