EFFECT

The window comes with the rubber seal on it. The seal has a groove in it One side of the groove fits on the outside of the hardtop the other on the inside. You need to take a nylon rope (included) put it in the groove, have someone hold the window in place then pull on the rope to get the seal on the inside of the hardtop. Its hard to explain, but it makes sense when you look at the pics in the instructions.

It took about 45 min of working with the seal to get it in, its a tight fit but it should be. Its not really hard just a pain to do, but you'll live

Oh yea make sure to put some slicone or something in the window seal or it will leak, I found that out the hardway

Pixsurguy

Damn!! I got my car on Jan. 30, '01 and immediately ordered the OEM hardtop. That early in the game there were no reduced prices, so I paid $3,000, plus about $240 for the install. I have to say that the dealer treated the car SO lovingly - even washed and hand-waxed the entire car for me. My salesman was more excited than I was. :-) He is a real car nut (like me) and REALLY was high on the car well after the sale. He's called me several times asking about it and wanting the pros and cons. He finally got one for himself and has modded the hell out of it.

I've been very happy with my top. Never leaks a bit and looks great. It is aluminum and weighs about 40 pounds, w/ larger glass window than the plastic window in the soft top of the '01 model. Much better visibility with it than the soft top. The defroster switch (push on/push off) they installed matches the car perfectly and is located just behind the cup holder on the console. Of course, unlike the Mugen, my top came already painted to match my car.

Not a big deal at all to take off or replace, as long as you have another person to help.

WARNING: Take them seriously when they say not to try to install/remove the top by yourself. While it is not that heavy, it is very cumbersome. I ignored them and did try to remove it by myself in the Spring of '01. It slipped, I overbalenced, and it dented/scratched the trunk lid. :-(

In terms of storage, I put up a couple of hooks on the studs in the back wall of my garage and it hangs vertically there w/ no problem. Covered it w/ a plastic tarp.
Got my son to help me with the on/off the car and wall process. Not tough at all.

If I had it to do over again, I doubt that I'd get the Mugen, even tho I assume that their CF top is much lighter. I really like the defroster and real glass in my OEM version, as opposed to Mugen's Lexan and no defroster.

Jaded41

Yes, I think the OEM top is the better buy, but I'm all about the looks of the top and I just can't even compare the two. I absolutely love the Mugen top. I like having the mods that you don't see everyday. There are a couple of other silverstone S2K's in my area with OEM hardtops, so this will allow me to differentiate from them. It might be a bigger pain, but I think it's worth it.

GeorgeP

Since the only reason I would get a hardtop is for winter use I can't imagine not having a defroster. You might as well just paint over the window. Any change Mugan will put a real window with a defroster any time soon?

Jaded41

There's no defroster on the softtop window so I don't see how it's any different. I just want the hardtop look and I like the security aspect. I don't really drive the S2K in the winter months all that much to where I would really need a defroster so its no big deal.

I do agree that for as much as it costs it ought to at least come with a glass window as opposed to a lexan one and it should have a defroster, but oh well.

Seems like you can never get exactly what you want.

Prolene

Regarding the Lexan window of the Mugen hardtop, it seems that all seriously prepared track/race cars have lexan windows/windshields. Didn't that German silver S2000 racecar with two rear spoilers have the Mugen hardtop?

sfphinkterMC

hey effect; got a question about mugen ht install.

do u need extra adhesive to attatch moldings or was everything
needed include in kit?


in instructions, it shows part#6 and 7 are two strips that seem to attatch to front under lip of hardtop. are these rubber, ? foam? i can't seem to find them. or do they attatch to windshied header?

what's the trickiest part of install? it looks like u need another person to help install window, otherwise a one person job, not counting carefully placing top on car.

thanks for any tips.

dr tone

sfphinkterMC

hey, i think i got it.....its these clear strips that i thought was #38,
which is the window rope.
thanks......pics of your car are hot.....aren't u selling it?

S2K2GO!!!

I highly recommend the Honda hardtop. It is FIRST CABIN all the way. Insulated liner, low wind noise. If you put the fitted reflective sunscreen Honda sells in and park it in the full sun with the hardtop on, it is cool inside when you return. I got mine about a week ago from Trevor at Handa for $2290, but paid for it on the last day of a $500 Honda rebate and he was able to pass this on. No shipping as I picked it up in Sacramento. Installed it myself with little difficulty, but I am an experienced mechanic. You can find photos and a discussion the installation in the photo gallery. Look for my post of about July 1 or 2.

EFFECT

Whoop's just read this, yep its the bluish clear strips, not sure what they do but I put em on

Yep the car is for sale, Im gonna miss it