Armadillo Designs Aluminum Hardtop

[TheLawnDart]

Finally got around to installing the XM antenna/ GPS on the top! Write up on how to do it is below.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/sirius-xm-armadillo-install.107397/

Next up is the RotoPax and Tractions board MOLLE mounts. Already have some good progress on those!

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[SierraBronco]

Just finished a 500 mile trip with the new top. Thought I’d share a couple observations

Before leaving I adjusted the latches for the removable section a turn each to snug things down a tad. And…it caused some whistling on the interstate. Goddangit. Fiddled with them more to try fixing it and couldn’t eliminate the whistle, so I’ll probably just back them all off and start fresh. Gave it a wash and the water seemed to drain perfectly right over the middle of the driver door when you open it. Refreshing! No big deal though. Should’ve dried it off anyway. So really-no complaints

 

[TheLawnDart]

First attempt at mounting the RotoPax boards and 4 gallon tank. Still have a bit of tweaking to do but it fits!

 

[SierraBronco]

Molle panels came in handy when we bumped it off a rock on The Drop. We didn’t get the panels to strap stuff to the outside of the top, we got them as they look better aaaaaaaand are likely much cheaper to replace than the gullwings. A little bit of added protection.

The locks did freeze on us when we washed it at the end of the day. Might need to look into locking actuators to lock/unlock them with the doors.

Also as best I could tell there doesn’t seem to be any noticeable flexing of the top when two-wheeling.

 

[Splint3r]

Might need to look into locking actuators to lock/unlock them with the doors.

@SierraBronco, love living vicariously through your reports. Sounds like an opportunity for a great factory option... How would you execute on that idea?

 

[Ninjak]

Well I did some wheeling this weekend......Nothing as cool as @SierraBronco, but our own little S.FL flavor. Those guys have rocks, we have mud

The top was a hit. Doing some climbs and hitting those roots did not bother it at all. Now, I will see how she cleans up.

 

[SierraBronco]

@SierraBronco, love living vicariously through your reports. Sounds like an opportunity for a great factory option... How would you execute on that idea?

Actuators aren’t anything special-they just move back and forth. Mounting and packaging will take a little consideration but as a concept I’m thinking it would just be as simple as drilling a hole in the gullwing for the actuator rod. Gotta figure out where to put everything though

 

[Pseudoko]

@SierraBronco, love living vicariously through your reports. Sounds like an opportunity for a great factory option... How would you execute on that idea?

hate squeezes like that get some UHMH cut to size to attach to your Molle panels next time haha jk. Itching to get my top soon.

 

[SierraBronco]

hate squeezes like that get some UHMH cut to size to attach to your Molle panels next time haha jk. Itching to get my top soon.

Now we’re talkin

 

[Chritaka]

I’ve had 2 more emails with an update of still in “Welding and Blending” since my last update, so not much progress. I sent an email to Fabian on Tuesday and got his reply yesterday :

“Hey Chris,

Doing our best to keep things moving along with our minimal staff. You should be moving to powdercoat in the next few weeks. I will check with the team on where we are with production and will have your order updated soon.

Thank you,
Fabian”

Still no update from Fabian or status change emails. I reached out to Fabian again… I’ve been patient, but we’re a couple months past the max delivery estimate he gave me in July.

Meanwhile I’m getting notices that Turn has stock ready to ship…

 

[Pseudoko]

Still no update from Fabian or status change emails. I reached out to Fabian again… I’ve been patient, but we’re a couple months past the max delivery estimate he gave me in July.

Meanwhile I’m getting notices that Turn has stock ready to ship…

wont get any update until they get all the tops back from powder coat. My guess from the IG picture is that there was about 20+ tops being powder coated . Even tho the update I got on 12/23 it was off to PC, they probably didn’t start until the new years. So a little over 2 weeks for that process so far. With all the parts and pieces I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes about a month to get through powder coating then there’s qc/assembly … and finally crate and ship . Hang in there

 

[BroncoBill44]

Still no update from Fabian or status change emails. I reached out to Fabian again… I’ve been patient, but we’re a couple months past the max delivery estimate he gave me in July.

Meanwhile I’m getting notices that Turn has stock ready to ship…

Hang in there. You wont be disappointed. I waited over a year as I pre ordered during their design phase. Nothing beats it.

 

[Splint3r]

Hang in there

and

Hang in there. You wont be disappointed... Nothing beats it.

These are kind, appropriate, and supportive sentiments. You folks have certainly "put in the time" and will/have receive(d) the reward. I still want one, too. The installs we have seen look great. Thank you to those who have shared.

However, we can not overlook the deeper point: that lead times are still not realistic and promises are being broken =

• inefficiencies are still present in the system
• processes refinement is lagging
• bespoke product
• high risk investment

Despite the flurry of deliveries, there are still people being disappointed by commitments not being met, without accountability or recourse. The fact that Armadillo remains a cash at order investment with all the risk on the customer continues to raise the specter of the people at the end of the line being left without a product. If they would change this to a model with a small deposit representing more balanced risk for both parties, all would benefit and a clearer message would be sent about owner intent.

 

[Ninjak]

I would also agree to hang in there gang, but then again, I have my top. Full disclosure: It took 1 year 3 months and 8 days to receive my top. I was one of the early early people who signed up during development. My original email from them, while discussing this top said if I ordered by "date" I could have it by Christmas. That was in October of that year.

Armadillo is a small company trying to grow. The same people doing the tops are the same ones trying to go to events and market them. As they get more tops out, they will receive that, (lol for free) and more movement towards more people perhaps wanting their tops. This will increase revenue and allow them to hire more people to help get things moving along quickly.

One bottleneck in the system is the powder people. It would seem they send it out to a company for that, which they have no control over just how things are sorted there. Also, you have QC. So how many times has something not met the QC standard? Looking at threads on B6G there are other much larger companies pushing tops out and the QC has not been up to snuff. Threads of people complaining about things coming apart and the top failing is not good for business as well. So you have this quandary: deliver a quality product that is slow to the consumer, or quick to deliver a non-quality product that will need to be addressed later. Which would you prefer?

The Armadillo top is one hell of a product.. It delivered on all the points that were made about it. It came very well packaged, installed without major issues, and as of today, has not failed in any way. Yes, my top is still new, but I have put it through the wringer as best as I can here is S. FL. It has been through several washes, hand, and machine. Several rain storms, (this is S. FL) and no leaks, no problems. It's been on trails, it has been on obstacles, on the roads, and no issues.

So I guess it does come down to a personal decision. Do you want to wait on a top that so far, has not had any reported issues once delivered, but is taking longer than promised for delivery, or do you buy a top that gets delivered on time, or close to it, but has failures a month or so in that need to be addressed and in some cases, are not.

In the end, it will always be your decision and yours alone.

 

[Splint3r]

Lunch time thoughts: Setting aside the emotional appeals and conjecture for now, the facts are best confirmed by the TEXAS FABRICATION COMPANY home page where the parent/partner company, states:

Everything You Need Under One Roof​

We have all the tools, equipment and experience needed to cut, bend, weld, powder coat [Emphasis added], 3D print and more all under one roof.​

We offer a full suite of services & continually invest in a wide variety of the latest, most powerful equipment to grow our partners ideas into successful companies. Warehouse or outsourced manufacturer fulfillment, even on demand order fulfillment. [Emphasis added]​

The above was cited back in post number 395 by @mcinfantry. It is well established that the fulfillment company is in control of all the processes; including the 2-3 week QC and packaging.

It appears that Armadillo already has everything they need to grow: a brand identity, web presence, product to sell, order system, book of business, fulfilment system, and a path forward to start producing a product versus individually commissioned pieces.

Team Armadillo has previously modified their terms in response to the comments here. Perhaps they will do so now in a more meaningful way that indicates they are invested in the business and their customers by sharing the risk more equally, or at all.

The Armadillo Tops are by all appearances functional, attractive and desirable, if not unavailable due to extended delivery times. However, if you can stomach the time, the personal decision is more properly stated in terms of value: Do you have 6-8 months and $8,500.00 to risk?

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