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wythac Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2004 Posts: 2791
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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ReVo,
If you have metalworking skills I don't see why you couldn't drop the pans. I think your primary challenge will be the controls, and your seating position relative to them:
A shorter shifter will keep you from looking like the Rat Fink cartoon when driving. An inch probably wouldn't dramatically change your orientation to the steering wheel. But you will have to consider how you will deal with the pedal set...it has a set relationship to the tunnel. You might get away with just shortening the brake and clutch pedals, but that will make them harder to push.
I've never done anything like that, but if I had, those would have been my fabrication concerns. |
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woodoctr Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2013 Posts: 254 Location: Ohio
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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Pan drops are pretty easy. They actually cast 4 inch fiberglass pan drops with the body on the later Sebring cars. Do a little figuring and you can make mini drop pan inserts for your seats. Headroom can be increased by dropping the back of the pan down more which gets your torso down for more headroom. That brings your leg/knees kind of "up" which will allow you to get closer to your pedals and shifter. When I built my Bradley I modified a short sport shifter which was made for a Karman Ghia by heating/bending it to curve to me and then combined that with a short throw shifter kit. |
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jspbtown Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 5156
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2017 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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You can do a pan drop, a body lift, or both. When I built my Bradley I did a 3" body lift. You obviously need to drop the suspension to make things look right but its pretty easy.
Floor pan drops are usually occur in the back and then they taper up in the front to keep the stock pedal assembly.
The shifter and ebrake can also be moved back about 6" relatively easily which makes driving that car so much easier. In my Avenger I moved them back and was able to cut down a stock shifter that looked great. |
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ReVo Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2017 Posts: 5 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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It seems like it isn't too big of an issue to drop the pans. like you guys said just lowering the back of the seat a bit should do the trick. I saw some guides on moving the shifter/ebrake handle back and that shouldn't be too difficult either. It still has the hurst shifter in it, too. It has 100k miles on it. How much more do you think the ol' girl has left in her before she will need a rebuild? It seems like he took good care of it with regular maintenance. |
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woodoctr Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2013 Posts: 254 Location: Ohio
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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It's a crap shoot at that mileage. Power pulleys always concern me as less air is getting over the engine. Just an opinion...another shortcoming with the design was Bradley's assumption that "enough" air was getting to the engine even though it wasn't hanging out like it would have in a dune buggy. Always thought that the original tin should have sealed out the engine bay like in the original beetle design. Then side scoops could have brought fresh air to the top of the engine for the fan.
So my point is.....you're getting enough decent car here, I'd spring for a rebuild on the motor and tranny...... |
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wythac Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2004 Posts: 2791
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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Newer is usually better, but:
Maybe getting it running down the road well enough to identify its shortcomings would be a good plan before tearing into it much. Since you know you'll be doing that eventually anyway, using a short trial run period to help you figure out what needs work, can't hurt. |
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Dougiebugs Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2003 Posts: 61
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Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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I hope you brought this car, you really can't loose you money at that price.+If possible drive it for a season, build a mild engine. and enjoy. I have 3 of them |
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Bugsy61 Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2011 Posts: 256 Location: Peoria, Illinois
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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I bought one for my son back in 2008, and he still has it. All the advice above reflects our experience exactly. Challenging for tall people, can run hot, strangers will turn your lights on and run the battery dead because the doors don't lock. Only two things left out. Expect the gull wing doors to break very soon. They are all dried out, and they're going to break, and there are no replacements to be had, anywhere. Good news is the gelcoat can be brought back to like new condition with seven coats of clear polyurathane and some careful sanding and buffing. And I mean, just like new! Add a turbocharged aircooled engine, and a freeway flyer trans, and you've got a wicked fast little car. |
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MNChief Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2017 Posts: 36 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Thoughts on a Bradley GT |
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I have been doing a Bradley project, and after the pans were dropped I had the fiberglass shop shoot the pans with a chopper gun for strength and sound proofing it really seemed to stiffen everything up (along with all my body mods, see Bradley Gt, redefining lines) I've never had overheating problems here in Minnesota, Michigan should be cool too
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