Realistic date for painted mod top?

[Lcubed]

Oh okay I wasn’t sure. The company I work for supplies weather sealing for the pop out windows and we have been shipping them to Webasto

doesn't Webasto also make a hard top for the Jeep Wrangler?

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[drew707]

A few months ago one insider saw a Webasto fiberglass mod top. Perhaps even with the contract being pulled Webasto is continuing development on their own in the hope they can convince Ford to give them another shot.

What quantity of weather seals are you shipping to Webasto, 10, 100, 1,000? That number will let us know if Webasto is back in play for the Modular hard top.

It’s been light for now. Originally we had already expected to be in full production, our initial purchase order was somewhere in the 15,000 range but has been delayed until the end of the year. Nothing we are aware of that said Webasto isn’t the producer still. But I could be wrong. From what I’ve been told they just repurposed a wing of their facility to make these tops.

doesn't Webasto also make a hard top for the Jeep Wrangler?

I believe so

 

[rmc523]

Isn’t Webasto the one making the mod top? I thought it was coming with Raptor but they had to push it back because they had to shift focus on MIC

There was talk that another company was making them after the MIC issues.

I posted about a week or so ago another person had sourced the MIC through parts for $8K. We know that painted parts don't come painted when ordered from the parts counter. An additional cost of painting is done when it arrives so you are probably correct with the $10K price.

I've been saying for some time, now, that those who chose the soft top to get their Bronco quicker will have to do the calculus when the MIC/MOD top is available from the parts counter whether to pay for the cost or trade in their Bronco and order one from the factory which will be much cheaper.

A few fortunate owners have arranged swaps of their top which works for both parties to get what they want.

Yeah, 10k is going to be a big chunk of change to throw out for a top.....we'll see what happens.

It's bittersweet with my order - getting it earlier (though that keeps getting pushed back), but losing out on the top I originally wanted.

 

[phocion]

I don't think Ford has said anything on record about a different supplier. That info came from multiple B6G sources, including the reliable Ross. But who knows what has changed in the many intervening months since we last heard about it.

I'm not assuming the modular top will magically solve all the problems either. They gotta prove it to us. I know there's a lot of pressure on Ford to get it right, but that was true about the updated MIC tops too, and the results were not spectacular. Nor do I think that all of the problems with the MIC top are solely the fault of Webasto.

At least this one shouldn't get snakey though.

 

[JohnnyBronco]

Oh weird, do you know what that small window was when there was a painted mod top available for order?

From when order banks opened (actually could build and price from 7/14/20) until around August or September when simply no longer available. Never was any indication that if I had the patience of Job that it would still be on my order although delivery would be in next decade. Lol

 

[JohnnyBronco]

I don't think Ford has said anything on record about a different supplier. That info came from multiple B6G sources, including the reliable Ross. But who knows what has changed in the many intervening months since we last heard about it.

I'm not assuming the modular top will magically solve all the problems either. They gotta prove it to us. I know there's a lot of pressure on Ford to get it right, but that was true about the updated MIC tops too, and the results were not spectacular. Nor do I think that all of the problems with the MIC top are solely the fault of Webasto.

At least this one shouldn't get snakey though.

I was under the impression that it was a different supplier all along, otherwise parts between the two would have been swappable.

 

[Southern Girl]

The 12th of never. My original order is 99 waiting on the MOD.

 

[North7]

I was under the impression that it was a different supplier all along, otherwise parts between the two would have been swappable.

Not necessarily true, the same manufacturer can produce two completely different designs with zero commonality or interchangeability between them.

 

[drew707]

I was under the impression that it was a different supplier all along, otherwise parts between the two would have been swappable.

I thought they’re exactly the same just the modular top has a different outer coating material. They look identical in pre-production photos

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

I feel if the MOD top was ready, it would have been on the Raptor. So, I don't think we will see it anytime soon (or ever).

Yep - thank you Webasto. Also no Heritage / white top anytime soon.

 

[Roll Sound]

A few months ago one insider saw a Webasto fiberglass mod top. Perhaps even with the contract being pulled Webasto is continuing development on their own in the hope they can convince Ford to give them another shot.

What quantity of weather seals are you shipping to Webasto, 10, 100, 1,000? That number will let us know if Webasto is back in play for the Modular hard top.

Well, they make tops for lots of vehicles so who knows? It's not a direct correlation.

 

[phocion]

I thought they’re exactly the same just the modular top has a different outer coating material. They look identical in pre-production photos

That's a possibility, although the rumor was that the construction was somewhat different. There are some differences in function (removable windows, for example). In terms of shape and fit they are likely going to be the same. Would I be surprised if they had the same corrugated core? Or many of the same problems? Not at all.

 

[ZackDanger]

The tops are at least different enough to have different outer finishing and different attachment mechanisms for the rear side windows.

The tops are at least similar enough for both be able to bolt up to the same vehicle.

Everything else is more or less speculation. There was a webasto employee on the forum early on that was sharing information about the construction materials, but someone else with related materials knowledge chimed in and said that the words they were using didn't completely make sense in context...

Also, I think I remember that it was a Ford rep who stated the MIC top would be the lighter of the two... but not sure if that was because of a fundamentally different construction or materials, or it was only because of the removable window mechanisms or paint adding weight.

And add to all this any engineering changes that have occurred since the original design....

 

[drew707]

We had one for modeling purposes and it really seemed like the same everything (mounting, handles, flip outs) but had a different external finish material (duh) and the windows came out. But even the windows appeared to be the same size and only changed to being a pop out style.

 

[shieldsy]

I think we see a mod top appearance in 2023....but most likely Q2\3.

My estimate is contingent on whether the factory build-out team decided to illegally deforest land again.

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