The S2000

[Shadowden]

So, now that the roll bar is in, its time to move on to the next steps.

1.) Repair hail damage (next week)
2.) Hard Dog CBAR to replace factory bulkhead. This maintains factory seat belts and moves the reels under the center console and clears the way for the shoulder harnesses. It does make mounting plastics behind the seat even more interesting.
3.) Purchase some interior plastics
4.) Learn to drive
4a.) Oil Cooler and catch can
4b.) bigger radiator
4c.) new tires for the SSR wheels (looking at Federal 595 rsr-r )
4d.) relocate rear bumper tab
5.) Mugen style double layer CF top (still up in the air on this as I like putting the top down)
6.) urge designs header and cutback exhaust with a highly efficient cat in between
7.) Aero

Edited: not sure which replica top to go with. Mugen style though. Also, given the damage to the soft top, might be the best time to roll the money to a hardtop. So like it or not, that may be the future. I know I could put another soft top on, but realistically a hard tip is a better choice given the end goal and used soft tops with glass windows can be had if I decide to go back.

[Saul_Good]

1) This is like washing your car. When you clean it, it rains, or in your case hails.
4c) These tires are so cheap, might was well go with the RSRR arrrrrh

[Shadowden]

I was told by a fast driver that used to run the CO tracks a lot before moving to CA that I should learn to drive on street tires. Not sure I would consider the RSR-R a street tire. Then again, that same guy said race seat and harness...Haha.

[speedjunkie]

Don't you hate it when good, fast, knowledgeable people move away? UGH!

[Saul_Good]

It is a street tire! 200tw. Far from a slick/r-comp.

[Shadowden]

Advertised as a 140tw. Not a street tire.

[Saul_Good]

140tw is a street tire. The RSRR which is a newer model is 200tw. 100tw is an R-comp, anything below that is slicks territory.

[Shadowden]

Stopped by the pdr place today and took a look. They are waiting for a supplement to replace the entire top. The original quote from insurance was to replace only the rear portion of canvas and window. The trim guy they took it to said that was crazy. I will likely invest the money into a hardtop. Read some bad reviews of the forbidden usa tops so thinking I'd do a replica Mugen top from Rockstar garage.

Picked up the essential plastics I need to finish the car interior a little more. Final piece of the interior/rollbar puzzle will be the bulkhead bar from bethania garage/hard dog.

[Shadowden]

Saw on my insurance policy web site that they did approve the supplement and paid the PDR place. Not sure how I feel about that considering they make a big deal of me being the only one able to authorize repairs.

In any event, I am hoping to talk to the PDR place today and possibly order a hardtop from rockstar garage.

I'm a little torn between the Mugen style top and the amuse style top. I think both would actually increase field of view out the back compared to the soft top. The Amuse would give a little more vision out the rear side. I still tend to like the styling of the mugen top better.

Any opinions?
Mugen-style
http://rockstargarage.net/rockstar-garage/rsgmugen-hardtoppremium-version/g-75242.aspx

Amuse-style
http://rockstargarage.net/rockstar-garage/rsgamuse-hardtoppremium-version/rsgamsfullcfp/i-1972093.aspx

Given the $550.00 price savings of the Mugen for comparable build quality (premium double CF), I can't imagine going with the Amuse-style unless people thought it was clearly superior. And then I would need to get the "standard" FRP/CF version. It has been a while, but i was told the OE style hardtops are significantly heavier than the Mugen top because of the amount of window. If that is consistent, then the Mugen top would also be lighter than the Amuse.

[RX-7 Chris]

I like the Mugen better although It does look like it has a bigger blind spot.

[Huzer]

I like the profile, and the character line, on the Mugen top. That would be my preference.

[Shadowden]

The tops are made to order. Planning to place the order for the premium full carbon fiber top tomorrow afternoon. Should schedule a top install day. Would think it would be far more simple than roll bar install day, but I am not going to assume the soft top removal will be painless.

[RX-7 Chris]

I wouldn't think it would be very hard.

[Dwduc]

Another vote for the Mugen style, I can't imagine it be as intensive as the rollbar.

[Shadowden]

i thought the steering wheel would be easy...

I agree though. Going to order the hard mounts for the front and the race brackets for the side, so it will be a little more involved to install remove everytime, but it will be more secure and less potential for creaking/making noise.