ADV Advanced Fiberglass Concepts Hardtop -- Cross Section Look at Material & Construction

[Brave Man]

Couple comments:

1.) Regarding the comments about the mod top having removable windows, that’s incorrect. They are not. All we know is the 2-door has a gunner’s hatch.

2.) In the OP’s photos in his first post, is the “competitor” top hollow??

according to this video they do have removable windows, at least that’s what I am expecting in my ordered Heritage.

https://thebronconation.com/bronco-modular-hard-top-design/

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[Dadsquatch]

according to this video they do have removable windows, at least that’s what I am expecting in my ordered Heritage.

https://thebronconation.com/bronco-modular-hard-top-design/

Thanks. That video is helpful, but that’s a video from the original mod top that is no longer offered. The only mod top you can get now is the white heritage one, which I don’t believe anyone has confirmed has the removable windows. I could be wrong, but nothing I’ve read confirming that on the heritage (only mod top currently available).

 

[Brave Man]

Thanks. That video is helpful, but that’s a video from the original mod top that is no longer offered. The only mod top you can get now is the white heritage one, which I don’t believe anyone has confirmed has the removable windows. I could be wrong, but nothing I’ve read confirming that on the heritage (only mod top).

According to the order guide they are still there, I will have to dig it out, but someone posted it when it came out and the removable windows were still there.

 

[Dadsquatch]

According to the order guide they are still there, I will have to dig it out, but someone posted it when it came out and the removable windows were still there.

Thanks for confirming! Very cool.

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

I wish AFC would offer a 2-door version.

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My guess, my OEM will develop issues (eventually) and I will go straight to this one, not even mess around with a factory replacement.

 

[Doobie]

I’m so tired of waiting for my hardtop. Please ADV fiberglass, get this completed! (June 2022 paid in full order)

 

[ik_fk]

I was on the same side of town where Advanced Fiberglass Concepts is located and decided to stop in to see their aftermarket hardtop in person. I was greeted by John and he was more than happy to show the hardtop that was installed on his Bronco and share some additional insights. I was impressed to see the attention to detail and quality that is going into this aftermarket hardtop. John was able to show me cutouts of the AFC top versus, OEM and a competitor's and it was clear to see that this hard top is all quality.

I have decided to move forward with my hardtop purchase after seeing it in person and learning a lot more about the construction. John at Advanced is passionate and detailed about what they're doing and I'm happy to support this local business.

I'm posting a few photos so you can see the difference between the hardtop options that are out there.

who is the competitor

 

[boomboomthump]

Well, outside of a couple “influencers” getting an ADV top, nobody here has. Hard to gauge the soft top to MIC ratio. But definitely more soft top folks seem to be going the ADV route. I think more MIC top users will go that route if/when their current top has issues.

If my factory top ever has an issue (it's been completely flawless for over a year), I wouldn't take an ADV top for free.

Besides the slant back (do not like it) the major drawback for me is the fact that the second row and cargo area are one piece. Congrats on turning this into a Jeep and eliminating one of the coolest features that set the Bronco apart.

If I cant do this, I don't want it.

 

[Naxster]

who is the competitor

Edit: I'm not bashing the ADV hardtop. I think it's a very good hardtop. I just don't like them being dodgy and not forthcoming about their comparisons.

They won't tell you. They are kind of shady about dogging on others, and I don't like it.

The last video I watched where they compared their Hardtop to the OEM one, they began the video saying "We're not going to talk negatively about the MIC, just going to point out the differences" then they went on to talk very negatively and bash the MIC as much as they could.

This example here makes me believe 2 possible scenarios.

A. This is a top they made to look like the Anderson, but with obviously poor construction and doesn't even have all the infil/core material. In which case they legally can NOT tell you it's Andersons Top, because it isn't. (not to mention, why would Anderson give a piece to ADV? ADV isn't going to spend 7k buying a competitors top, and none of the very few people with an Anderson top is going to give ADV a piece to cut apart)

B. This is some super cheap piece of garbage hard top that they did buy and cut open, but they want you to believe it's an Anderson top, so they purposely won't tell you who's it is.


@ADV Fiberglass please prove me wrong. We'd all love to know. But if you continue to be dodgy, that answers our question as well.

If I'm right, quit with the stupid tactics and just focus on your own product, don't worry so much about trying to make others look bad, it just makes you look petty and less trustworthy. Like a stupid paper towel infomercial.

 

[604Bronco]

If my factory top ever has an issue (it's been completely flawless for over a year), I wouldn't take an ADV top for free.

Besides the slant back (do not like it) the major drawback for me is the fact that the second row and cargo area are one piece. Congrats on turning this into a Jeep and eliminating one of the coolest features that set the Bronco apart.

If I cant do this, I don't want it.

Well I think a ton of people disagree on your comment about the slant back looking ugly, but that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

As for the modularity - I know for myself I would rather be able to pop off the front row only as I would use this most of the time. It also cuts down on points of entry for water potentially leaking in. In the event I want the full open air experience, I can remove the rear clam shell/second row all together. It doesn't turn it into a Jeep... It still doesn't have the bar across it. And as an added bonus, I don't need to store it assembled, as the top easily disassembles to store it flat.

 

[604Bronco]

They won't tell you. They are kind of shady about dogging on others, and I don't like it.

The last video I watched where they compared their Hardtop to the OEM one, they began the video saying "We're not going to talk negatively about the MIC, just going to point out the differences" then they went on to talk very negatively and bash the MIC as much as they could.

This example here makes me believe 2 possible scenarios.

A. This is a top they made to look like the Anderson, but with obviously poor construction and doesn't even have all the infil/core material. In which case they legally can NOT tell you it's Andersons Top, because it isn't. (not to mention, why would Anderson give a piece to ADV? ADV isn't going to spend 7k buying a competitors top, and none of the very few people with an Anderson top is going to give ADV a piece to cut apart)

B. This is some super cheap piece of garbage hard top that they did buy and cut open, but they want you to believe it's an Anderson top, so they purposely won't tell you who's it is.


@ADV Fiberglass please prove me wrong. We'd all love to know. But if you continue to be dodgy, that answers our question as well.

If I'm right, quit with the stupid tactics and just focus on your own product, don't worry so much about trying to make others look bad, it just makes you look petty and less trustworthy. Like a stupid paper towel infomercial.

I wouldn't put it past a company to spend $7k on R&D by buying their main competitors top to cut it up and see what it's made of so they can improve design. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, but it wouldn't be out of the question.

You don't think vehicle manufacturing companies don't buy competitors cars to rip them apart?

 

[Ride Em Bronco]

who is the competitor

We are not allowed to say (but I did notice that the names of the two companies share 4 of the same letters starting with the ***** one)

 

[Naxster]

I wouldn't put it past a company to spend $7k on R&D by buying their main competitors top to cut it up and see what it's made of so they can improve design. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't, but it wouldn't be out of the question.

You don't think vehicle manufacturing companies don't buy competitors cars to rip them apart?

That's true, they very well could have, but I doubt it since they've expressed many times that they are a small company without tons of resources.

Not to mention they released/announced their hard top before Anderson, so their design process had to be mostly done before Andersons even was announced. Not too much to learn from Anderson at that point.

In which case, 7k is a lot of money to spend on a competitors product just for a display demo.

And all of that is assuming they would even be able to get a hold of one by now, which very few have.

In all of this, I'm not saying they make a bad product. I'm absolutely positive it's a far better product than the OEM MIC. I just don't like their sales tactics.

 

[Brave Man]

Thanks for confirming! Very cool.

I found the post that had the link

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/heritage-edition-bronco-club.64445/post-1775677

from the 2023 Heritage Owners' Manual:

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...A&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

 

[Dadsquatch]

P

I found the post that had the link

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/heritage-edition-bronco-club.64445/post-1775677

from the 2023 Heritage Owners' Manual:

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...A&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&buildtype=web

Thanks! OK, now I’m kind of jealous of this top, but would prefer one in the original pitched gloss black instead of gloss white.

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