Please help with identification

[TeeSquare2000]

I hope that I can get help identifying what chassis my Bradley GT uses. I just bought it last week. The title stated the make as 1979 Bradley GT. It was assembled in 1995. I don't think it is a type 1 Beetle.

There are no mounts just behind the engine on the transaxle. I see the place where there should be holes for the mounts but there are no holes.

These disk brakes seem like original equipment. I want to replace the calipers but don't know what to order.

The front beam does not look like a type 1. Type 3 maybe?

The engine has dual carbs.

There is a weird engine mount that has two pegs supporting it on both sides of the pulley.

Steering linkage.

I looked for stamped chassis numbers but could not find any. I did a VIN search on multiple platforms but nothing comes up. If anyone can help be identify the Model and year, I would appreciate that.

The mechanicals are a bit of a mess and needs some love.

And, this is my first post on this forum so forgive any mistakes I make.

Thanks for the help!

[GjMan]

That's a modified type 3 pan with a type 1 engine. Should be a VIN beginning with either 31 or 36 stamped on top of the rear end of the tunnel.

Oh, and welcome aboard. We'll help you figure this out.

As to the front brakes, measure between centers on the caliper mounting bolts. If it's about 55mm, you have 66 to early 71. If about 75mm, you have late 71 to 73 brakes

[Bobnotch]

Yup, what he said. The rear is also an IRS set, hence the funky engine hanger.
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[GjMan]

Somebody went to a lot of trouble to use a type 3 pan, as, I understand, the Bradley was designed to use a type 1 pan. I see a lot fabrication.

Don't know about the laws in WI, but in most states there needs to be a VIN somewhere on the car that matches the one on the title. Could be the state gave the car a new VIN when it was registered and removed the pan's original VW number? And somehow the new VIN tag was lost over the years? Give us the first 3 numbers of the VIN on the title and we can figure out what you have.

What is certain is that the pan is 69-73, since it has the later rear suspension. Or 68 if it originally came with an automatic transmission.

If your car has the late brake calipers they will be very expensive to replace. Early ones are a easier to find and cheaper. Try rebuilding first. If you don't think you can handle the job, there's a guy here who can rebuild them for you at a very reasonable price.

[TeeSquare2000]

Thanks for all of the info. The VIN starts with DPS95A5VE... There is a sticker on the windshield stating that Ohio BMV has applied the VIN to the car so I assume that the VIN was issued by the state and not the VW manufacturer. It was issued in 1995 so that must be why it starts with DPS95...

Here is a pic of the caliper. Not sure where to measure at. I'll try to free up the piston and maybe try rebuilding the caliper.

Also, on the engine block, it is stamped K070739. If I look this up, I believe that it is a 1500 DP 54HP. This was a type 3 converted to type 1-ish.

I would like to "re-imagine" the motor/transaxle mounting. The current support is not ideal. It allows the motor to pivot because there are only two mounting points that are inline with each other. I suppose I could just drill out the transaxle and put in the rubber mounts. I would need to weld in some connecting brackets for the mounts.

[GjMan]

You need to measure between the bolts that hold the caliper to the steering knuckle, not the cap screws that hold the two halves of the caliper together. From the pic it looks like you have the early (cheaper) caliper.

Hard to tell from the pics just how solid that rear mount is. Some off road shops sell frame horns that you weld to the type 3 torsion tube. Then you can mount the engine like in a Beetle. You can use the type 3 trans by drilling out the holes for the Beetle style mount.

[GjMan]

Berrien Buggy used to sell those weld-on frame horns, but I don't see them on their website now. Cheapest option would probably be to beef up the existing rear mount, since it carries a lot of weight.

Late type 3s used only two mounting points, front of trans and rear of engine, so what you have is similar to what VW used. But maybe not as strong.

[squaretobehip]

[eyetzr]

That is a funky looking rear hanger. Is that bracket on the pipe attached to the oil pump? You do need those frame horns or an equivalent.
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I think he meant "rare", as in "not well-done"

[eyetzr]

Acme car company, Pennsylvania. Tubular Frame Horn Kit. C058-BB502 $228.93
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I think he meant "rare", as in "not well-done"

[TeeSquare2000]

I appreciate all of the knowledge you guys have provided. Looks like it is 55mm between the mounting bolts. So, 1970 Fastback/Squareback/Notchback. Are the chassis/brakes and other parts common between the three? Initially, it looks like they are.

JBUGS has this caliper. Looks like it will work.
https://www.jbugs.com/product/98-1150-B.html?rrec=true

Thanks for the info on the horns. That would be better than the janky hanger on it now. I am just about ready to store it for the winter and plan to remove the engine to refresh in the spring. That would be a good time to install better mounts.

I think you got me going. Thanks!

[TeeSquare2000]

Here is a full pic just in case anyone is interested. I had one many years ago but had to sell it because I was deployed overseas. Always wanted another and finally got one.

[Bobnotch]

[Mike Fisher]

Jim Adney in WI is our go to for parts & component rebuilds.
Are the stock 2 bolt hangers rubber mounted on top?
I would probably run your solid steel custom hanger bar, but it's supposed to have rubber flex on top.
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[TeeSquare2000]

@Mike Fisher

All of the motor/trans mounts are metal-to-metal except for the cone mount on the transaxle. If you are stating that this is crap...then I agree!!! It is not the way I would have planned it out but it does kind of work.

Here is the wide view:

The Mounting bar is metal to metal:

The mount attaches to the motor in the center with one bolt and there are two posts that support the motor metal-to-metal.

This puts the only two supporting pivot points for the motor and transaxle in line with each other. Good thing the motor does not have a lot of power or it would just spin right around (just kidding but something would get seriously bent with any sort of torque).

So, typically on a type 1, the transaxle is mounted at the cone and then two mounts just in front of the motor with rubberized mounts. The motor does not actually have any mounts other than being mounted to the transaxle. I believe this to be correct. I think I need to rig up some structure that uses three flexible mounting points.

I'm just going to run it this way for the remainder of the season and put it into storage for the winter. In the spring, I will remove the motor to give it a refresh. While it is out, I will reconfigure the transaxle mounts to a more solid (logical) 3-point type. Someone recommended the weldable horns like a type 1 uses. Thanks for that as well.

Either way, it is good to have a crap-tastic car to wrench on. I was getting tired of my newer, reliable vehicles.

[Bobnotch]

[GjMan]

Bob, not sure that mount is rubber. Looks kinda like metal. As in welded up and ground down. Or maybe it's just the lighting.

Tee, it looks like you have an earlier case with 6mm oil pump studs and w/o the three threaded holes for the stock mustache bar. Hence the frankly insane Rube Goldberg thing you have now.

Simplest fix would be the weld on frame horns. Anything else would require a different case and lots of fabrication.

[akokarski]

it is probably covered with something hard but the top round part is rubber. here is the complete mount (borrowing from somebody else). Unless it's been modified, it at least started out as a rubber mount.

check this thread https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7409038

[Erik G]

Not sure if this part was answered - that's a squareback rear subframe, it has extra reinforcement not needed on the notch / fastback. These had stronger torsions.
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[TeeSquare2000]

Alright. I think you guys helped me identify the chassis.

It does have rubber mounts at the top of the hanger bar. It looked like glob welding but is actually rubber.

I believe that I'm going to roll with a 1970 VW Type 3 Squareback with 1500 CC dual port, twin carbs.

Thank all of you for the help. I really do appreciate it. I see that there is some very valuable knowledge here!

I now know what to call the pit in the ground that I throw all of my money into...