Armadillo Designs Aluminum Hardtop

[Pseudoko]

Anybody in the Sacramento, CA area or within 100 miles had an Armadillo top installed by a shop? I'm trying to find a shop that has experience with this top. Mine went into laser cutting today.

nope sorry I’m in SoCal but I did a Texas road trip to have the armadillo crew do the install

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[87 BAJA]

Ordered 3/3/25 showed up yesterday now to get painted gloss black!! TEAM SLANT BACK!!!

 

[rayofsi]

week 20, just got the email that my hardtop is in powdercoat now.

 

[Pseudoko]

week 20, just got the email that my hardtop is in powdercoat now.

almost there… powdercoat then assembly/qc then crating/prep for ship.

 

[CMillBronco]

Anybody get and install a 2 dr yet?

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

Anybody get and install a 2 dr yet?

I did about 6-7 weeks ago.

 

[CMillBronco]

I did about 6-7 weeks ago.

What's your opinion worth it?

 

[DUSTYcazOREGON]

What's your opinion worth it?

I am anal about my vehicles and will probably keep this Bronco until I croak. I am retired and $ is not an issue. This top is built!!! Great design and quality construction. It will last, the MIC....I had no confidence in it lasting long term and that is what caused me to switch. I guess my answer is YES, it's worth it. Some of that cost is going into the crate and shipping. If you live close enough, they can install it a lot less than shiping costs.
If I was younger, with more limited funds, I probably could not have bought the Armadillo top.

 

[Chritaka]

Gonna take a few months to rig for upcoming Moab trip, but here's some early preview pics of my Armadillo-Gobi Badsquatch. I'm SO stoked for this Armadillo Designs - Gobi Racks collaboration. Rack has maximum mount points going all the way to end of vehicle, so I can rear mount a small footprint rooftop tent and enjoy the Armadillo badass full open roof. Drives me insane that other after market tops only open in front seat. Ford one opens in back, but that roof panel is not designed to store efficiently in the vehicle. I also love the Gobi light bar, ladders, sunroof inserts, etc, really compliments the hard top well.

My Armadillo installation story was legendary. Since it's more than a one man job, like a genius, I hired some unknowns to install the top (neighbor's recommendation). MId-install, the shop called insisting the top was defective and I needed to send it back to Texas ($900 shipping). By some act of God, Fabian from Armadillo in Texas was in Northern California and he interrupted his family trip to came by the shop. Despite clear instructions in install video at 1 minute mark, these knuckle heads had installed top without removing the side panels. Really, they ignored much of the video. The shop guy was a total dick, but Fabian was chill, redid the install correctly, and didn't ask for a penny. Fabian you're a super hero!

My impression of this top so far is that it is well designed and durable. The roof latches seal really well and coming from soft top, I can finally enjoy the LUX Bose stereo that cost me bank. I noticed sometimes rear window weather strip can be a little crooked at right edge when you close tail gate. But if you stand on other side of tailgate, close rear window holding right side while closing tail gate, it's all lines up perfectly. Easy peasy. I am having major FOMO re: rear window Molle panels, so despite visibility concerns, gonna get it for more mount points and security, plus it looks so Mad Max in the best way. Props to @Ninjak for the pics and rear view mirror camera idea for rear window Molle panel visibility! I'd like to put rear view mirror camera outside tho, curious if anyone in the group has done this with Armadillo top?

While Armadillo did an excellent design making sure roof panels fit perfectly in rear cargo storage, I went a different way. I'm often parking in the city and I have the roof open 90% unless it's raining. For security, I have the Ford Cargo Area Enclosure made my Tuffy, but it narrows rear storage affecting roof panel storage. Thankfully, roof panels fit PERFECTLY on top of Cargo enclosure and secure nicely via lid's 4x tie downs. In photos it's ratchet strapped, but I will be getting cable locks. This does mean I cannot get the pocketed interior side Molle panels from Armadillo, as roof panels on cargo lid would be in the way. I orders some flat Molle panels I found on DV8 Off Road.

Finally, some tips for open air obsessed types like me. DEFINITELY get the roof panel bags if you ever have to take roof panels off and on solo, the bags make it SO easy. Just place the bag on the roof while you stand on your seats (in my socks) and even with Gobi rack sunroof panel, I can do it easily alone. Also, I park in a garage with other vehicles so the top has to be closed otherwise soot will get all over interior. Currently, I use a car cover as I like to leave roof panels off. I'm working on a soft cover made of fabric with elastic so I can quickly cover the rooftop opening. It's also a nice way to shade the interior when you park outside. I'm also thinking if the fabric is the same color as the hard top, the cover could be mistaken for the roof to deter theft, as long as it's not windy.

Really this is just a preview with hard top and racks in place, got lots more to do but thought I'd share the build. SO grateful for this group, for Fabian and Armadillo, plus Paul at Gobi for making this dream come true.

Mangelo

PS I'll be at Overland Adventure with my rig Sept 14th in case any of you are going:

OVERLAND ADVENTURE - SONOMA
Sept 13-14th 2025

Overland Vehicles
4X4 Trucks & SUVs
Camper Vans
Roof-Top Tents
Pop-Up & Slide-In Sleepers
Tear-Drop Trailers
Solar Power Systems
Recovery Gear & Winches
Off-Road Tech

https://caoverlandadv.com/sonoma/
(203) 939–9901

Sonoma County Event Center
1350 Bennett Valley Rd | Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Looks great! I love how the Gobi looks with the ‘Dillo. How much does that Gobi add to the height of the top? I want to add a full or half rack, but with my lift +37’s I only have 6” max before I can’t fit in the garage!

I keep waiting for the Trailrax adapter mounts to be available, but no updates… I think I can make it work… just barely!

 

[Pseudoko]

Looks great! I love how the Gobi looks with the ‘Dillo. How much does that Gobi add to the height of the top? I want to add a full or half rack, but with my lift +37’s I only have 6” max before I can’t fit in the garage!

I keep waiting for the Trailrax adapter mounts to be available, but no updates… I think I can make it work… just barely!

fabian told me they’re waiting on trailrax. So hopefully that’s sooner than later. For me it’s more so just to mount an awning but tbh it’s not really necessary so the longer trailrax takes to release it, the less interested I become.

 

[Chritaka]

fabian told me they’re waiting on trailrax. So hopefully that’s sooner than later. For me it’s more so just to mount an awning but tbh it’s not really necessary so the longer trailrax takes to release it, the less interested I become.

Yeah, he told me the same. I also talked to TrailRax CS and they said they were waiting on Armadillo…

 

[Pseudoko]

Yeah, he told me the same. I also talked to TrailRax CS and they said they were waiting on Armadillo…

lol so I was told trailrax needs measurements… my guess is maybe they want a top from armadillo. If Trailrax was in south Utah I’d volunteer a weekend to drive up there for them to take there measurements if they give me a roof rack for my time, gas money and hotel expenses I’d incur. But it looks like they’re near Provo.

 

[mangelo]

Anybody in the Sacramento, CA area or within 100 miles had an Armadillo top installed by a shop? I'm trying to find a shop that has experience with this top. Mine went into laser cutting today.

@EasternSierra Maybe you can find someone for install if u go to OVERLAND ADVENTURE in SONOMA this weekend?

https://caoverlandadv.com/sonoma/

I'll be there this Sunday with my BadSqautch Armadillo Designs GOBI Racks rig

 

[mangelo]

Looks great! I love how the Gobi looks with the ‘Dillo. How much does that Gobi add to the height of the top? I want to add a full or half rack, but with my lift +37’s I only have 6” max before I can’t fit in the garage!

I keep waiting for the Trailrax adapter mounts to be available, but no updates… I think I can make it work… just barely!

@Chritaka thank you. Gobi racks are independent of top, they mount to vehicle for more stability. Height adds to base vehicle for a total of about 6’ 8 1/2” on my BadSqautch, really due to the light bar.

Finally took some better pictures (see attached), spent all weekend getting it dirty, LOVE this armadillo top!

 

[EasternSierra]

@EasternSierra Maybe you can find someone for install if u go to OVERLAND ADVENTURE in SONOMA this weekend?

https://caoverlandadv.com/sonoma/

Thanks, but I don't think I can make it.

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