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[Stampede.Offroad]

A little bit more from one of the insider sources on what kind of removable tops a Bronco could have:

The way it was explained, one roof would be nonremovable, one totally removable, and one, the area above the front two seats would be stationery, and the rear removable. I may have it confused a little on that third option, my dog got bored and he wanted his share of the attention.​

Those three options make sense to me. A fully removable top would be reminiscent of EBs with a top off, the partial top would be reminiscent of both the EB pickup and the many years of FSBs with their stubby trucklike open back. I'm a little surprised and pleased to hear there might actually be a fixed structural top option as well -- more practical for harsh or unpredictable climates.

It also makes the various tailgate options with a window up or retractable more likely, as the mechanism would most likely need to be one the different versions could share.

I know there are a lot of people who prize the top removability highly, would these options be suitable, or were you expecting soft tops, or something jeepish?

The source, IIRC, is a someone involved with aerodynamic / NVH 'wind tunnel' testing, so it seems plausible they'd have seen the different versions, perhaps multiple times.

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[frinesi2]

Interesting. I wonder how "non-removeable" it would be since, in the interest of cost, forms would want all three vehicles to share as many components and common mounting points as possible.

Also, it could be possible that, if this guy is involved in aero testing, he saw an extra riggid, fixed top that would be used as a control to compare the others to.

 

[Carolina Jim]

Great job on digging up some details. Sounds to me like:

> Behind the B pillar or roll-bar, the roof comes off. I wonder if side panels/windows come off as well - or might they be fixed?
> Forward of the B pillar the roof is either totally fixed, or perhaps more likely there's a "T-Top" with removable panels?

 

[Stampede.Offroad]

Great job on digging up some details. Sounds to me like:

> Behind the B pillar or roll-bar, the roof comes off. I wonder if side panels/windows come off as well - or might they be fixed?
> Forward of the B pillar the roof is either totally fixed, or perhaps more likely there's a "T-Top" with removable panels?

Are you thinking the description applies just to the roof panels, and not sides, for perhaps structural/rollover purposes? A bit like the one-touch sunrider on the Wrangler, but with panels?

I think a lot of people who desire toplessness would be disappointed with that.

eta: It would make the non-removable version a lot more feasible, as the roof panel would just crimp in the way many sheet metal panels roofs do now.

 

[Carolina Jim]

Are you thinking the description applies

You of all people know Ford isn't planning to match Wrangler feature-for-feature.

Front seaters will definitely be able to look up & see sky. My non-design-engineer mind is trying to visualize the rear. Wouldn't a lot depend on the window above the tailgate? Unless it recedes into the tailgate - which seems unlikely on a 'swing gate' - it must either be a part of the removable top, or remain fixed. Too much wind resistance to remain fixed if there's no rear top or side panels.

Either way, I think...to use your word...Bronco will certainly have a lot to 'disappoint' most everyone. Inevitable after 2 years of "mentally picture the vehicle of your dreams".

 

[Paint]

What about T-tops tho?

 

[BroncoBoy22]

Sounds good to me I’m not a fan of soft tops

 

[Nickp]

Bronco will certainly have a lot to 'disappoint' most everyone. Inevitable after 2 years of "mentally picture the vehicle of your dreams".

I disagree. I think Bronco will blow everybody away, and be even better than we're hoping for. Anybody who is stuck on the solid front axle and a V8 option will be disappointed, but if you can get past that I think we will all be very satisfied. (I'm also not totally convinced that the top-trim Bronco won't have a solid front axle option. My buddy said that the hard-core off-road variant is being created by a team-within-a-team and there is zero visibility to their work unless you are specifically on their project. I know for a fact CrispyKC doesn't know what they're up to and I doubt even Teocali does.)

Ford hasn't had all this secrecy, built all this hype, had these small leaks here and there about how awesome the Bronco is just to put out some crappy 4runner clone. We don't know exactly the capabilities or what it is going to look like, but based on everything I've read between the lines about the Bronco is going to be fantastic.

 

[Carolina Jim]

the hard-core off-road variant

Nick...this isn't my cup of tea...but aside from sfa/37s, what do you think would be different about it?

 

[Nickp]

Nick...this isn't my cup of tea...but aside from sfa/37s, what do you think would be different about it?

Well I assume it would be similar to the Wrangler Rubicon, so 4:1 transfer case, front and rear locking differentials, detachable sway bar, different suspension tuning, different differential gearing, etc. Of course, Ford will throw their own features on there that we may not even know about or have thought of as well. Or it’s possible that it could get none of that who really knows. Locking diffs are a given and I feel like we heard disconnecting sway bars from another source, different gearing options is kind of a given as well. (4.88’s would be cool!)

I’d also be curious about the 7-speed manual. I’ve hypothesized before that “1st” gear would almost be like an even further low-range option, something you wouldn’t use in daily driving. But who knows.

 

[Jalisurr]

This sounds good to me. While it is far from a deal-breaker, I'll be pleased if there is a completely fixed option - cutting out the possibility of leaks and rattles for a feature I have no intention of using would be nice.

 

[aplm7]

This sounds good to me. While it is far from a deal-breaker, I'll be pleased if there is a completely fixed option - cutting out the possibility of leaks and rattles for a feature I have no intention of using would be nice.

Agree I don't really care about taking top off it

 

[EvlNvrDys]

First off I gotta call click bait on the title. I came in here thinking I was gonna see some topless ladies! That's just wrong.

But to add my 2 cents in, I prefer a Bronco the way they have always been. A fully removable top. And I'm fine with driver and front passenger covered. But don't go giving me some stupid removable panel, let me struggle like I used too with a nice fiberglass top!

 

[Nickp]

First off I gotta call click bait on the title. I came in here thinking I was gonna see some topless ladies! That's just wrong.

But to add my 2 cents in, I prefer a Bronco the way they have always been. A fully removable top. And I'm fine with driver and front passenger covered. But don't go giving me some stupid removable panel, let me struggle like I used too with a nice fiberglass top!

I want my Bronco top made with asbestos!!!!

 

[frinesi2]

If the top doesn't come off then it had damn better have a V8 or the wife won't let me buy it.

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