MIC TOP

That's a good question. I don't know if it was a material constraint or a design decision.

Maybe a materials scientist can chime in ? :unsure:

but, I’m guessing it has to do with the manufacturing process as the bumpers and fender flares are also gray.

Rgwinn

Maybe a materials scientist can chime in ? :unsure:

but, I’m guessing it has to do with the manufacturing process as the bumpers and fender flares are also gray.

The flexible fender flares I saw were black but the top is most likely not black because of being such a large area with direct exposure to the sun . Gray pigments can withstand the UV and heat far better than black on an injection molded part with that much exposure to the sun . You would have lots more expansion/contraction and fading with a non-painted black top .


The grill and Mic top are carbonized gray :

I wish the grill on my OBX was going to be grey instead of gloss black now

Of course it could be black. Ford chose not to. It was a design decision. And it looks great.

SC Doberman

I wish the grill on my OBX was going to be grey instead of gloss black now

I’ll trade you my BL grill for your painted OBX grill!

Brongo

I’ll trade you my BL grill for your painted OBX grill!

BL grille is painted! It's just carbonized gray instead of black.

Buckin'

BL grille is painted! It's just carbonized gray instead of black.

Ahh shit. Do any of them come with a MIC grill?
Edit: BD does. :cautious:

Rydfree

The flexible fender flares I saw were black but the top is most likely not black because of being such a large area with direct exposure to the sun . Gray pigments can withstand the UV and heat far better than black on an injection molded part with that much exposure to the sun . You would have lots more expansion/contraction and fading with a non-painted black top .


The grill and Mic top are carbonized gray :

View attachment 10804

That’s a fair point, however my Wrangler JLU has a black top, and it’s 3yrs old with no fade. It does get extremely hot in the Texas sun so I don’t mind a lighter color for my Bronco.

I have an 05 sport trac .
Bought new. Never garage kept.
285,000 miles
Bumpers and rocker covers and painted running boards have all dulled.
The factory tonneau is still jet black and looks new.
Just saying...
It’s a marketing decision.

I am pretty sure the materials used to produce the MIC hartop and the fender flares are virtually the same as on the Jeep. The big problem with the MIC Jeep hard top and fenders was the fading to gray from UV exposure. Jeepers are searching for anything (including using coconut oil) to bring back the black. Maybe Ford is circumventing a pain point many Jeepers complain about?

Soupcook

I am pretty sure the materials used to produce the MIC hartop and the fender flares are virtually the same as on the Jeep. The big problem with the MIC Jeep hard top and fenders was the fading to gray from UV exposure. Jeepers are searching for anything (including using coconut oil) to bring back the black. Maybe Ford is circumventing a pain point many Jeepers complain about?

Yes that’s it, it’s preemptive graying.

Ordered the black basesquatch. Not happy about the carbonized gray roof. Anybody have paint recommendations for the roof?

See these fenders, they are grey. See the top, it’s grey too.

The UV protection is going to be better at the Grey color, resisting fading, looking better in the long run. Painted black tops aren’t available yet. So MIC top it is, and if you zoom on in, I bet you can see the white scratches in this top.

Soupcook

I am pretty sure the materials used to produce the MIC hartop and the fender flares are virtually the same as on the Jeep. The big problem with the MIC Jeep hard top and fenders was the fading to gray from UV exposure. Jeepers are searching for anything (including using coconut oil) to bring back the black. Maybe Ford is circumventing a pain point many Jeepers complain about?

They're similar. Both Bronco and Jeep hard tops are made from SMC. Broncos tops are gray with the MIC (plastic?) layer on the outside and Jeep tops are white and painted black (thus, not MIC) on the exterior.

Jakob1972

Yes that’s it, it’s preemptive graying.

I have been preemptively greying for about20 years! :ROFLMAO: :cry:

Padams7

See these fenders, they are grey. See the top, it’s grey too.

The UV protection is going to be better at the Grey color, resisting fading, looking better in the long run. Painted black tops aren’t available yet. So MIC top it is, and if you zoom on in, I bet you can see the white scratches in this top.

If the grille and fender flares matched, I’d have less of a problem with it. But it seems that if I ordered Shadow Black for the body, the fenders and grille will be black as well. Don’t mind dropping the roof off at the paint shop to get it looking right. Gray roof on a black body seems weird.

DaBronCo33

If the grille and fender flares matched, I’d have less of a problem with it. But it seems that if I ordered Shadow Black for the body, the fenders and grille will be black as well. Don’t mind dropping the roof off at the paint shop to get it looking right. Gray roof on a black body seems weird.

Good luck on getting a MIC top painted. It'll be hours and hours of bodywork to smooth it out for a good a paint job

I think the MIC is more black now than the earlier pre-production models. (I don't remember where I found this photo of an OBX.)