I got super excited when I saw your username as my dealer is about 20 minutes from Ellicottville NY which is usually abbreviated Eville.I had same build date, got confirmation it was built and then nothing then dealership called and said it was on their lot. They were just as surprised as me, the Ford site was updated the following day that it was shipped and delivered
I did however end up getting one of the bad roofs, so maybe it wasn't supposed to ship yet which is why the surprises and bad roof.
Yeah, kind of a shame. But that’s always been the rule with early adopters of anything. You get it first, but there are often trade-offs, sometimes pretty hefty.
Yes, that isn't whats being reported here... but there have been some delivered how I would call... unacceptable.
Its a one piece top and the outside is sprayed black. Very basic design and easy to mold/spray. Ford set out to build something better and lighter. Proving to be hard to manufacture.Apples to oranges comparison, JL 2 door Hard top.
My Bronco is very similar. Good write up.Obviously the shitshow that is Webasto's production of Molded-in-Color hardtops for Bronco has caused issues throughout the last year, and now seeing dozens of Broncos parked outside of MAP with "Bad Roof" chalked on their windows isn't helping matters.
With 2 weeks under my belt on my 2021 Big Bend 4-door with MIC, I was asked to share photos and impressions of one of the "good" tops.
To start, it's important to understand that this isn't simply a single-piece molded roof. Each panel has 3 structural components: A thick, textured outer laminate piece, a thin, inner laminate piece, and a core of honeycomb to balance strength and weight.
The exterior of my roof is uniform in both color and texture. All edges are smooth and consistent. The "bad" units appear to suffer inconsistencies in color and texture of the exterior finish, with edges that are jagged and in some cases showing early signs of delamination. The interior is about what I expected from similar composite roof shells. It has an okay finish but is obviously not designed to look as polished as the exterior. There is some variance in color, and in broader flat sections of the roof the shape of the honeycomb structure is visible. I suspect that the inclusion of the free headliner was to cover these inconsistencies. Not necessarily quality issues, as that is the design of this type of roof, but to provide a more polished interior finish.
All my panels are square and straight, and the latches are aligned perfectly. Each panel latch gives you a reassuring "click" when you've reached the fully closed portion, and the ease of use in removing and replacing the 3 forward panels is superb. I have yet to remove the clamshell as we've had rain chances nearly every day for the last 2 weeks, but the 6 bolts necessary for removal are easily accessible and the process seems straightforward.
Congrats!
Those coolers are roto molded...
