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Post by centralvalleygter on May 27, 2019 17:21:16 GMT -5
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Post by centralvalleygter on May 27, 2019 16:52:20 GMT -5
Hey Jeff, yes we discussed the R/C Planes at length. I think there are still some of our posts in the off topic section. You recognized some of the planes that I posted pictures of from the late 70' and early 80's. My playing bass was spoken of in passing & I think I sent a link to you of some of the our songs. I am not a natural musician, have to work at keeping in time (crazy that I attempt to play a largely percussion instrument with that weakness, huh!). Yeah, I do not think I will ever really be competitive enough in IMAC to place very often, but we have a great group here on the west coast, which prioritize sharing and social aspect over the winning, so it makes for nice weekend getaways. I am also more of a builder. One of the guys who I fly with is a notable pilot in his own right, but, is an amazing builder. He builds the 30% to 40% IMAC planes for others, does about one a year (though usually only takes 6-7 months to actually build them) and charges between $6000 - $9,000 per plane for his labor to build them. He has a waiting list for the next few years. At the last contest there was a 50% YAK with a 275cc twin engine. Elegant in the sky. With the prop he uses, it actually flies pretty close to scale speed, just definitely has better than scale vertical performance.
Checked out your link. Nice to match a voice (and Bass playing) to the words & pics. Sounds like a fun bass part to play (with half step reverse scales & all). Saw the picture of the Chubby Checker album cover... you really got to get over your shyness and come out of your shell (haha...lol). Must have been a great experience to play with a legend again.
We seem to share a lot of experiences (Bradley, R/C planes, music, Go Kart racing). If we did not live on opposites sides of the county, we would have probably been great friends. Speaking of karts, have driven you vintage kart(s) lately?
Best Regards...
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Post by centralvalleygter on May 23, 2019 13:43:55 GMT -5
Hi Jeff, It is nice to see a current post from you and see you are still enthused about the Bradley GT. Mine was off the road for a few years too, but, has been back on the road for a couple of years now. Still my favorite ride. In RC planes, I am now flying IMAC, my current plane is an AJ Laser 230 with a DA 70 twin. I am leading the SW region in points in the BASIC class just by simply flying at nearly every contest. I spent a year calling for a friend in a higher class and he convinced me to enter this year by giving me the slightly damaged Laser (they tend to just drop straight down when they stall, not tip stall and have a poor landing gear system). My brother bought the engine and components needed. It is adequate for the class I am in now, but, I will have to fly a larger plane to be competitive in the higher classes (you loose points for any stray movement and heading changes, even if caused by the wind - larger planes handle that better) if I decide to continue. I have not played bass since my wife passed away in 2014, but did recently play the acoustical guitar again publicly with the help of super glue on my less than completely calloused left finger tips. Best Regards, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Oct 15, 2018 20:55:24 GMT -5
Really nice looking car. You ought to check to see if the rear has additional supports under it, otherwise in time you will be a victim of the infamous "Butt Sag" and your doors will not close right, etc.
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Post by centralvalleygter on Apr 4, 2018 17:08:10 GMT -5
Hi Again Gary, Thanks for the note with more information. I will be curious to learn what differences you notice when you install the new ignition system. I plan to do more research on the water fuel aspect, just to satisfy myself, if nothing else.
Sincerely, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Apr 4, 2018 11:12:49 GMT -5
Hi Gary, Thanks for posting this and the info on the water as fuel process. They are intriguing. Being an engineer myself, I am naturally curious, but also sometimes a bit pessimistic about innovative ways of accomplishing long-time established methods of fuel to mechanical energy conversion. However, after years of getting to know you on this message board (including your clear Christian testimony), your opinion and efforts provide credibility for me. Please do continue to keep us informed. Sincerely, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Mar 9, 2018 23:21:47 GMT -5
Hi, definitely coupe, not convertible. Over the years various gaskets have been used; Corvette with & without the chrome strip and generic with a black locking strip, if you can find the correct profile. Mine is a generic with a black locking strip. Modern cars simply mount the windshield in a bed of black urethane mastic. I have heard that some GT owners have done the same, however you may have to modify the lip to do so, you may need to check with your local auto glass shop to see if that is a viable option in your case.
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Post by centralvalleygter on Feb 23, 2018 0:44:37 GMT -5
I had to register mine as SPCN and then follow the procedure of SB100 to become exempt from the smog test every other year. It is great once I got through it, had to try 2 years to get my number of sequence.
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Post by centralvalleygter on Feb 19, 2018 23:30:12 GMT -5
Hi, I bought it. I read that a Corvette luggage rack would work, so I bought one. It is a Corvette 6 point mount luggage rack and it works perfectly. It is also nice because it is mounted completely from the top. The only caution is that when you have luggage on it, you cannot see out the back window. I got a electronic backup camera for less than $50 that mounts on the upper license plate mount bolts to use in addition to a rear view mirror. The camera is nice because it also has lines on it that help you see how close to objects you are.
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jan 12, 2018 16:53:56 GMT -5
Hi Pete, I installed the third brake light pretty early on (circa 2007), so I do not know if that exact one is still available. I believe I got it from J.C. Whitney Co. Yeah, I looked at a lot of backup light options, not sure I am completely satisfied with this one, but it is plenty bright enough. I kinda liked some square units with 4 LED's that I found, but they were made for less than 12 volts. I was going to put one in each corner of the engine cover above the latching pins. Got the light I used at the same time as the backup camera so I did not know the backup camera had good night vision and I really do not even need the reverse light with it. Oh well, it lets people know I am backing up.
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jan 3, 2018 22:24:49 GMT -5
Recently made some minor changes to the back panel. I put a rear view camera in my Bradley... the rear view mirror and back window worked fine except when I had something on the luggage rack. Nice to have. Also added a reverse light (wired through transaxle switch) for night time backups...
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Post by centralvalleygter on Dec 11, 2017 20:01:10 GMT -5
Actually, I had the tops pretty well done & had the Lexan sheets already in possession when I made the original posts.... So your post just affirmed it was a good plan...
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Post by centralvalleygter on Dec 11, 2017 1:02:27 GMT -5
I though I would post pics of some of the updates I have done since the last pictures that I posted. First, I blacked out the headlight wells & replaced the lexan covers with new slightly tinted ones. The old lenses had a UV protecting film which was flaking off. The new covers have the UV protection integrated into the actual panels. Secondly, I added trimed grills to cover the ventilation holes that I previously drilled in the rear panel. Thirdly, trimmed down my dashboard a bit and added a mount on my steering column for my GPS/Cell-phone. Fourth, I replaced the Ricaro-like seats with regular fiberglass dune-buggy style seats. I did this for one main reason, but found several advantages. Though the other seats were very comfortable, they did not have upholstery exactly, but had fabric glued directly to the foam padding. The end result is they are not very durable and are wearing badly, largely due to sliding down into the seats. The cost to have them upholstered would be prohibitive since patterns would have to be made. I added some sculptured padding to the buggy seats and have done some mutiple hour trips with them. I have found them comfortable enough. My Bradley has the pan lowered per the Bradley instruction manual, so the angled pans make the seats tilt back well. I can replace the upholstery on these for less the $60 each when they wear out. Some unexpected benefits to the change include being able to use seat adjusting sliders, sitting an inch or so lower and since these have a smaller profile, the cabin area feels roomier with easier access to the storage behind the seats. The whole cabin area (except the storage shelf at the dash) has now been lined with black carpet, giving a quieter ride and a better visual appeal. The previous picture shows this pretty well, however, I have provided the following picture to better show the rear window and back storage area better. Other things include replacing the old glass tube type fuse banks with the more modern blade type fuse banks. Also, discernable from the previous pictures is the fact that I downsized the speakers throughout, having only small tweeters on the dash in the front. The smaller speaker cabinet in the rear does a fine job and gives me more storage space. Lastly, I did make some new doors that hinge so I can store them in/on the car when not in use. Making them flexible to use resulted in a little lower fit and finish quality, but they do the job. I built a "suitcase" for them so I can carry them on my luggage rack when not in use. I will drive with the doors off as much as possible (which is most of the time in Sunny Central California0, but have them available if I plan to travel when it might rain sometime during my trip. I am sure I have done some other things, but that is all I am sharing for the moment. Until next time... Best Regards, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Dec 10, 2017 23:25:49 GMT -5
It is interesting to observe the difference in the engine I now have in my Bradley vs. the old one. I used to have a 1641 with dual Kadrons (enlarged venturies), a pretty radical cam and a 4 into 1 extractor exhaust system. The cam and extractor clearly came on at about 3600 rpm and climbed up to right at 6000 rpm. Rather a long winding out between shifts because it kept accelerating. This engine was built by Pat Downs at CB performance especially for a VW bus. A bit over 2000cc, still dual carbs (but with smaller venturies), stroked as well as bored to gain the cc's, definitely a cam for torque, not high rpm power. This engine feels more like driving a muscle car with a V8, strong pull from low rpm, very short runs between shifts (there is no reason to go higher than 4800-5000 rpm as there is no more acceleration). With the much less weight and frontal wind area, the new engine exerts very little effort to accelerate (so though it does not have as high rpm, it gets to is top rpm much quicker) and maintain speed. The net result is it is quicker and actually gets better gas mileage because the engine is not working as hard. I like it!
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Post by centralvalleygter on Dec 9, 2017 2:04:44 GMT -5
Hi Again All,
Well, I have secured a domain and web hosting site, so I have begun to restore my personal web site, which is where I stored all the pictures in all my past posts on this forum. It has taken a bit of time & effort to establish the FTP connection and set up the paths. Unfortunately, the latest backup I have found thus far is a couple of years older than my later postings, so I may have to retake pictures if I do not find a later backup. I also have to edit all my previous posts (more than 350, but not all had pictures) with the new path to where the pictures are, so it is a slow process, but eventually my posts ought to show the pics again. I think most of the off-topic posts are working now (R/C Planes and my VW Bus rebuild, mainly). Oh, and I now you can see my AVATAR again... lol
So, some of you are asking why bother (editing hundreds of post - one at a time), especially since the traffic on this board has definitely declined the last few years and I have only secured the domain & hosting for 3 years. I guess I am just kinda anal that way, incomplete things bother me and maybe some of my efforts will help a newbie or two in the next few years.
I can now also posts pics of the modifications I have made in recent months. Not big things (well other than a new engine), but definitely some refinements. In the mean time,
Best Regards,
Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Nov 30, 2017 23:28:00 GMT -5
Well, it is official... My Bradley is back on the road... Yay, Forgot how much I love driving it.... Got the torkey bus engine in it, cruises effortlously in all gears now... Did a lot of little things I have been wanting done also, including change to blade fuses & I put in new seats which will be cheaper to replace upholstery when they wear out (also makes me sit a little lower too, a good thing )... I did make new doors/Windows that I will be able be carry on my luggage rack when they are not being used. I am not completely happy with them, but I am satisfied enough with them to not keep trying to make new ones... I will drive it without doors anywhere near the car most of the time anyway.... I still have not created a new web site yet so I can post updated pictures or update the address on the old ones so they show up... Hopefully I will have it up soon... Best Regards, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Aug 23, 2017 0:13:03 GMT -5
Hi All, I have not been on this board since some time in 2014. I think my last post was about losing my wife of 35+ years to a heart attack. A lot has happened since then, including moving twice. During most of that time my Bradley has been stored instead of on the road. I hope to get it back on the road in the next 60 days as though I have several vehicles, it is still my favorite to drive. I see a few familiar names still posting....
Unfortunately, one of the things that happened resulted because I was using the server at the school I was at to host my pictures and my personal web site. When I left to teach at another school (at the beach... much nicer weather <read cooler> than the 100+ degree summers in the San Joaquin Valley), the new IT accidentally erased my folder while revamping the web site (the school previously agreed to host my stuff and keep my email address working as long as I wanted - a perk of being at the same school 30+ years, the last few as the Chief Administrator) and thus all the pictures I posted on my past blogs no longer come up. Fortunately, I did back up the site, so I can recreate it when I find a new host server. However, I will have to go back and edit the path of all my past posts with pictures to have them show up again.
Officially, I have retired, but in actuality, I will be a caregiver for my aging mother and older special needs sister. I do have a way to make my obligation flexible, which not all people in this position have available to them, for that I am thankful.
I still have the dream of creating a door system that I can carry in the car and put on in the advent of running into unexpected bad weather. I am thinking a fiberglass top and clear vinyl side windows. I will post what I finally come up with, if I feel it is successful. Hopefully, my engineering degree and past experience fabricating will result in a satisfying solution.
Well, that is enough boring blabbing for now... Hopefully, I can make more enlightening and interesting post in the future.
Blessings, Steven Reynolds aka CentralValleyGter
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Post by centralvalleygter on Aug 22, 2017 23:35:49 GMT -5
Hi, I have not been on this site or posted in a long time. My Bradley needs some work to make it truly roadworthy again. I hope to have it back on the road in the next 60 days or so. The 19" maximum width makes it difficult to find aftermarket seats that will fit. I have some nice ones, but they are no longer manufactured. Unfortunately, they are wearing out and rather than have a traditional upholstery covering, they simply have fabric glued to the foam. They have a unique shape that makes generic seat covers not an option and since it does not have removable upholstery to use as a pattern, it will be more than a $1000 to create covers for them. I am ending up putting fiberglass buggy seats in it (with extra foam padding), so I can replace the upholstery when it wears out for less than $100 per seat.
Sincerely, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Sept 29, 2014 16:11:01 GMT -5
I have mine as i went to LED tail lights, but mine are flange (not gasket) mounted and are black, so I do not think they will be of any help.
Regards,
Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Sept 6, 2014 23:25:19 GMT -5
Hi again everyone...
I have been logging in from time to time, but not posting much for quite a while.
This has been a very difficult year for me for a variety of reasons. It continues as I lost my wife of 35 years on Monday, August 18, 2014 to an unexpected heart attack a few weeks after a routine hip replacement revision surgery. We were very close and had a special relationship, so it will be very difficult for me for the foreseeable future. I do not mourn for her, but simply grieve for my loss of her presence in my remaining temporal life as both she and I have a vibrant dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ and therefore know true reality and what the future holds, including seeing each other again.
On a lighter note, I have just returned my Bradley to the streets after it being parked for nearly a year. I had several problems that I had to solve, including a major oil leak and foreign material periodically settling over the fuel outlet tube in the gas tank. I also did some fiberglass body repair & paint touch up while it was "off the road". Unfortunately, the storage time also did cost me a battery and a brake fluid reservoir. It also took some running time with strong doses of carburetor/injector cleaner in the gas tank as the idle jet(s) were either plugged or other issues would not allow it to idle (had to feather throttle to keep it running). However, the cleaner did its magic and I now have my smooth 800 rpm idle back.
At any rate made a 70 mile round trip dinner visit with my parents this evening and fell back in love with my Bradley again. I have a list of things I want to do to update it again, but I am not going to be doing anything that will keep me from driving it more than a day or two for a while.
I have done some unique things and will try to post some picture shortly.
Best Regards, Steven Reynolds
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Post by centralvalleygter on May 22, 2014 14:07:03 GMT -5
Bonumnox,
The following is copied from one of my previous post.
'You do not upload pictures to this message board server like you do facebook photos. They must be hosted on another server and then the link provided on here. Photobucket is a common picture host server used by many of the members.
To post the picture you...put the url (address to the picture - you may cut and paste it) between the "img" tags.
[ img ]address goes here [ /img ]
I put extra spaces in the tags so the computer would not think I was posting a picture.'
The old format had a menu with icons to help, I do not see it on the current format, so you must type in the tags.
Warmest Regards...
Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Mar 4, 2014 14:23:34 GMT -5
Welcome to the site, elliet, It is helpful when trying to sell these to list where you are from (what part of country, state), as shipping these add significantly to the cost. That way people know if it feasible for them.
Best Regards, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Dec 5, 2013 15:24:09 GMT -5
I used the oil cooler to heat my Baja bug. I put the cooler in a box I built under the rear seat area. I used two squire-cage fans to pull the air across the cooler & push it to the front of the cab. I had baffles to redirect the hot air outside during the summer months. The multi-pass type coolers did not work well but the ones built like a water radiator worked quite well. I had to use a remote oil cooler because my slanted shroud did not allow the use of the stock one. It worked as a heater and I never had overheating problems with the engine (even in California 110 degree heat).
I am using the same engine (with the same shroud) on my Bradley, but with the stock heating system and a 9 pass cooler that has a fan with a thermostat switch on it, which draws down. It is mounted under the rear seat on the driver's side. The fan almost never turns on and I have not had any overheating problems, even at 70mph in 110 degrees.
Best Regards, Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Oct 24, 2013 14:26:07 GMT -5
Horen2tas is right. I now use Brad Penn 40. It is recommended by Pat Downs of CB Performance and definitely reduces engine wear, thereby prolonging engine life.
Best Regards,
Steven
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Post by centralvalleygter on Aug 3, 2013 14:32:34 GMT -5
Yep, one of the best modifications I have made was my recent relocation of the filler to the top. Mine is actually right at the rear of the passenger side of the tank. The filler fits nicely between the outter two rails of my luggage rack.
Warmest.....
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jun 20, 2013 14:47:00 GMT -5
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jun 13, 2013 11:11:01 GMT -5
A few pics of my recent efforts! There used to be a 2" hole for a gas filler cap and a large crack from a failed attempt by the previous owner to fix another filler location. Here you see my luggage rack now painted black and my new gas filler location nestled between the rack rails. There used to be a big crack here on the passenger front fender lip where a previously used larger front tire hit when I turned. Here you can see where I moved the turn signals into the headlight wells and repaired the 1 inch square holes that were outside the light wells. This view shows the new mirror location (yeah! I can now adjust the mirrors from inside the car - allowed because of the permanent fixed wing type windows at the front) and where I repaired several holes due to previous door latch mounting efforts. That's it for now... Warmest Regards
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jun 5, 2013 18:46:41 GMT -5
Progress Update! Yeah! Bradley is back on the road! Not everything is done that I intended, but the engine is back in, the fiberglass has been repaired, the repairs have been touched up with matching paint. I also got new front tires and the front end aligned (old tires were beginning to show metal belting) and painted the luggage rack black (installed sand tread on potential wear areas).
It is really nice to be able to adjust the mirrors from inside the car and fill the the gas tank in a couple of minutes, instead of 15-25 minutes.
Still lots to do, but hey I can at least drive it again. Will attempt to find time to post some pics in the near future.
Warmest Regards....
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Post by centralvalleygter on May 21, 2013 15:15:50 GMT -5
I think he would be referring to your use of OK (abreviation for Okalahoma) rather than okay when referring to the Oklahoma. From your response, it may not have been intentional.
Warmest Regards,
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Post by centralvalleygter on May 6, 2013 16:30:41 GMT -5
I use the relay system shown by Dan on my Bradley. It does work well and did eliminate the need to replace the generic ingnition-starter switch every couple of years, which I had to do before installing the relay.
Interesting that someone had installed the Ford relay on my VW bus and at this point I continue to use it. It also seems to work well.
Warmest Regards....
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