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Ford Retractable Cloth Roof Patent Might Be For The Bronco


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How about a convertible roof mechanism that runs over the top of the main roof beams but is concealed by rear side panels

That would give the appearance of a roll back cloth roof but one driven by a clever mechanism that rolls it backwards like a retracting convertible roof.

Edited by jpd80
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17 minutes ago, silvrsvt said:

The only problem I have with this is longevity of it before it leaks and how warm it would be in Northern climates in the dead of winter-when I get mine, I'd lean towards glass vs a soft top.

 

How is it any different than a mustang convertible?

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23 minutes ago, akirby said:

 

How is it any different than a mustang convertible?

The Mustang top wraps around the windows-this appears go in between what would be rain gutter rails on the roof, think the GMC Envoy XUV but with a soft roof material instead. 

you'd have a huge area for a seam failure.

 

  Related image

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When I look at this, I don’t see this as a soft top roof like the Jeep has. It’s not something you’d leave on all the time and expect it to protect you from the rain. I see this more as a sun shade for when you have the top off. If it rains, you put the top back on. I could be wrong though.

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9 minutes ago, Gnostic said:

All those struts, door frames, etc. will create a ton of wind noise when the top is down.   That  is a total negative.

Doors are supposed to be removable-and I'm also assuming that Wrangler with its top down isn't exactly quiet either. 

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I have a different outlook on these types of roof systems, working on them. These things are customer service nightmares. If you live in sunny California or somewhere that’s mostly dry, fine. But any adverse conditions, will affect these things in a negative way.  

Customers don’t Understand the limits these things have. Under the right situation it will leak. Open air roofs have come a long way, but that jeep picture, is nothing more than a truck soft tonneau cover pulled over a hole in the roof. 

I hope Ford will at least put drainage systems in the floor to let any leakage from trough escape floor pan. 

 

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1 hour ago, fordtech1 said:

I have a different outlook on these types of roof systems, working on them. These things are customer service nightmares. If you live in sunny California or somewhere that’s mostly dry, fine. But any adverse conditions, will affect these things in a negative way.  

Customers don’t Understand the limits these things have. Under the right situation it will leak. Open air roofs have come a long way, but that jeep picture, is nothing more than a truck soft tonneau cover pulled over a hole in the roof. 

I hope Ford will at least put drainage systems in the floor to let any leakage from trough escape floor pan. 

 

To say nothing of UV damage, dust, dirt etc.   As you suggest-plan for the leak because ultimately it will. Nothing like a true compression seal.  

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As long as it rusts as fast as they did in 1969 who cares.....being april 1 i cannot fathom for an instance why anybody would want the pos top design on a bronc anyhow..removeable hardtop or removable cloth top...if ford is dumb enuff to try an reinvent a cloth  top well they deserve a vw alliance....seriously this cannot be this complicated...hard top or soft top like we had....done

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13 hours ago, snooter said:

As long as it rusts as fast as they did in 1969 who cares.....being april 1 i cannot fathom for an instance why anybody would want the pos top design on a bronc anyhow..removeable hardtop or removable cloth top...if ford is dumb enuff to try an reinvent a cloth  top well they deserve a vw alliance....seriously this cannot be this complicated...hard top or soft top like we had....done

Why are you even a Ford fan?

Just about everything you post is negative.

It'll be an option at most, with a hard/soft top standard I'm sure.

Edited by rmc523
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On 4/1/2019 at 9:20 AM, silvrsvt said:

...and I'm also assuming that Wrangler with its top down isn't exactly quiet either. 

It is absolutely horrible, at least the one I rode in a few years ago.  I was in the back, and my head was numb from the noise and buffeting when we got to our destination 40 minutes later.

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I wonder , as far as the roofs go, if the soft retractable, is an option for when the Hard Panels are removed, so you literally have the choice of two....like adding either a hard or soft retractable tonneau cover to a pickup?....I would say thats a coup.

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13 minutes ago, Deanh said:

I wonder , as far as the roofs go, if the soft retractable, is an option for when the Hard Panels are removed, so you literally have the choice of two....like adding either a hard or soft retractable tonneau cover to a pickup?....I would say thats a coup.

That was the impression I got too - which is neat if true.

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