Installing aftermarket defroster on hardtop
 

So it seems that top down season is over in NY, the temps have started dipping into the 60's and I think its time to get the top on the car.

One major problem, my top does not have a defroster and it drives me nuts. The worst is when you stop and if there is no draft into the car it immediately fogs up.

I am thinking picking up an aftermarket defroster from http://www.frostfighter.com.
Its obviously not as slick as a factory defroster because its going to require running leads the entire length of the top to the pig tail behind the driver.

Has anyone here ever installed one? know anyone who installed one? or could provide me with a better solution short of ordering new glass from mazda with the defroster built in.

what color is your top....if you're up for a drive, i'd trade you straight up if it's in good shape and a decent color for my defrosted HT (black)

My top is a BRG.

Let me know if interested. I was planning to get this one painted to match my car, so it doesnt matter what color top I get im still gonna have it resprayed to match.

Ehh, nevermind then, you could probably find someone willing to trade just to get that extra pound or two out of their HT between the headliner and defrost, try spec miata forums, CL, etc.

this thread reminds me in stupid and forgot to pull the circuitry out of my old miata.

Yea youre pretty stupid, the switches, pigtails and relays alone are like 150 bucks.

Complete rape, but hey what can you do.

Good idea, but I doubt anyone will want to trade non defrost for defrost just based on color or weight.

sell you mine for $100, LOL..LMK and I'll go start pulling it out.

:cry:

Does that include the glass?

Cause if it does, send me your paypal address.

I was talking about the wiring/switches/relays/etc... no glass, kinda need that for myself...

Swap glass :)

too much $$$ .. especially with an 8 hour drive or so between us.

lol, ill mail it to you.

The biggest problem with swapping glass is extracting it from the top and not shattering it. Thats why whenever tops are resprayed, the glass is never removed.

Oh yeah, shipping that apiece of glass should go off just perfectly huh? If it doesn't break coming out of the top then my money says neither piece makes it out of our state w/o shattering in the shipping companies hands.

I don't think it'd be too hard to find someone who wants to trade for a defrost top if you hit up the spec forums and m.net. Especially being that it's BRG.

BRG isnt that special. Yea its a rare color, but I have seen more tops in my color for sale then in any other color.

Im banned at M.net. I guess spec forums I could try.
I have a appointment tomorrow to find out how much to get my top color matched to my car.

sell the BRG top for $1000-1100, find another for 600-700 :) CL is your friend.

Doubtful, especially in the tri-state area.

I really lucked out finding the top as it is. I doubt ill find another here.

I also got it for 850, and it was mint. Till I scratched it getting it down from the loft in my garage.

Meanwhile theres one in Texas, on ebay, for a buy it now of 880, in white with defrost. If i was there I would rock a white top on my green car easily.

What all is needed from a defrost car to put it in a non-defrost car? i started taking mine apart and I've gotten lost at both ends in the wiring harness... Looks like three wires on the back half (where the HT plugs in) and the switch's (in the dash) wiring gets lost into the wiring loom under the dash right away, is all that's neede the pigtails and switch or do i need to take every bit or wiring out of the car that's between the two?

Is it really that hard to extract the glass from the hardtop?

The one on my car is in need of new seals, and i was going to pull the glass when i paint the car, paint the ht, then reinsert the glass with new seals.

Guess ill just have to be ultra careful. :bang:

I'd pay someone to do it, that way if it breaks, it's their fault and they gotta replace it...that glass is $$$ from Mazda.