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Post by gitrdun on Jan 10, 2012 20:28:33 GMT -5
Its worth what it will bring. I recently gave $2200 for my Bradley, it was 90% ready to go. Just needs a few things touched up as it has sat in a garage for probably 20 years without much use. The sad thing is, a year ago on an impulse i bought a Bradley that had a rolling chassis but the body was terrible and the rest was a basket case. Would have taken probably $3000+ to get it built. Then one day i looked into what these things are worth complete. So the basket case sits in the corner of my garage in the same shape i bought it.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 9, 2012 23:05:38 GMT -5
I do have a pressure gauge but never used it before. What should the fuel pressure be on this?
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 9, 2012 18:16:33 GMT -5
My 1600 motor doesnt want to idle below 1400RPM. At 1400 it idles like a champ and sounds smooth. Throttle response is spot on. I have a pict 34 carb. I set the valves to .006" , they were around .015" when i checked them. The volume screw is set at 2-1/2 turns out and the bypass screw is only 1/2 turn out idling at 1400. I noticed when i shut the motor off that gas begins dripping from the lower throttle plate rod. I checked for vacuum leaks and didnt find any, vacuum needle is pretty steady at idle. It also has an electric fuel pump installed. The previous owner said this motor used to be fuel injected, there isnt even a block off plate where the mechanical fuel pump would normally be. No hole in the casting at all. So im wondering if my electric pump is forcing gas into the carb bowl and overfilling it.
Another funny thing. Before i set the valve lash to correct settings the car would fire up imediately even after running for awhile or sitting for a few days. After resetting the valves it now is hard to start without the choke set and acts like its flooded all the time when trying to start. I have to hold the throttle wide open to get it to start.
Any ideas?
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 3, 2012 15:50:21 GMT -5
Wow, that is amazing work.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 2, 2012 21:53:29 GMT -5
That looks nice. I think ill price some stainless sheet tomorrow.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 2, 2012 20:49:44 GMT -5
I thought of doing exactly that but i kinda figured the cost of that much fiber and epoxy would probably be about as much as buying a new plexi wing. I have 0 experience with fiberglass so i dont know i could be wrong. If i cant come up with something simple and easy i probably will go the fiberglass route if the cost isnt prohibitive.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 2, 2012 19:17:30 GMT -5
My Bradley has one wing thats good as new and the other has a big chunk missing where the hinge was mounted to it. I dont have the $ to buy a new wing so im looking for ideas on how to fix it cheap and easy. I thought of mounting a plate of sheet metal on top of each wing which should add a little rigidity as well as give me something to bolt a new hinge to. I would like to cover the top of the wings so they are not see through, id like it to look more like an actual door than a big chunk of clear plexi. I thought of just using black out window tint on the tops and around the bottom and side edges to make it look more like a door but i would still need to fix the missing chunk to attach a new hinge. Im up for suggestions if somebody has a better idea or maybe someone has done this before.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 28, 2011 22:24:10 GMT -5
Good to know. Thanks for the info.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 28, 2011 18:17:44 GMT -5
AJ101954 is the number stamped on the generator stand. The throttle isnt opening past maybe 1/3rd open. Someone has rigged up a cable mount thats not working. That will solve the slow speed issue im sure. Just need to get the carb tweaked in now. Its a PICT34 if i remember right.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 28, 2011 15:03:57 GMT -5
I will get the numbers when i get a chance. Sure would be helpfull to at least know what the engine is or was to begin with. I apreciate the help.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 28, 2011 13:21:29 GMT -5
The chasis i was told is a 77 bug. The owner also said that the engine used to be fuel injected, i didnt know VW used injection but then again i obviously am not a VW expert.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 28, 2011 12:08:29 GMT -5
I didnt even think of checking the opening, that sounds like a good possibility. Im pretty sure the carb is way out of adjustment. It will start and idle fine but it smokes like a chimney and idles rough. Sounds like its loading up. Im going to go through the basics, start with plugs and check the points. Timing looked pretty close. I adjusted the bypass and mixture screws but didnt help much at all. Turned the bypass almost all the way out and the mix screw is turned in almost all the way. Still smoking bad.
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 27, 2011 19:55:08 GMT -5
One other question about the VW engines.
Will a set of 1600cc cylinders fit a 1300cc motor without modification? Or would the block and heads need machined out to fit?
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Post by gitrdun on Dec 27, 2011 19:52:31 GMT -5
I just picked up a Bradley GT that has been sitting in a garage for maybe a decade. Its in good shape but needs a few touchups here and there. After pricing these cars already built i figured i can buy one cheaper than i can fix up the one i was working on.
I took it for a spin and barely got her to go 40mph. Runs nice and smooth just slow. Im not sure if it has a 1300 motor or 1600 or who knows what. Could the carb being out of tune or just bad cause it to be this slow? Whats the top speed for one of these little cars with say a 1600 stock motor? Im not expecting to have a race car feel here just wanting to know what i should be expecting.
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Post by gitrdun on Nov 24, 2011 10:13:38 GMT -5
So i bought a new set of pistons and cylinders for my motor and they arent even close to what was in the motor. I was told this engine was a 1600cc from the guy i got it from. So i just assumed everything was stock when i bought the new parts. My fault obviously. What it has in it are 92mm pistons and over sized thick wall cylinders to match. The case appears to have been bored out to accept the larger cylinders. The cylinders OD measures 95.5mm at the base where it fits into the case and 98mm where it fits in the heads. I cant find any cylinders to buy that match those dimensions. Is this an odd ball outdated size or am i just not looking in the right places? Can i buy pistons that are just a hair larger and have my cylinders bored over to match? I manage a CNC shop with about 25 machines at my disposal so i can do my own machining. Just not sure where to find the odd ball parts.
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Post by gitrdun on Nov 19, 2011 17:45:08 GMT -5
Where is it located? Do you have any pics?
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Post by gitrdun on Oct 17, 2011 16:29:06 GMT -5
I didnt use a dimmer switch on mine, i couldnt figure it out either. Instead i used a switch like shown in the above pic. On-down is low beam and on-up is high beams. Works great.
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Post by gitrdun on Oct 14, 2011 16:44:42 GMT -5
My brother has a ready to bolt in VW bus motor sitting in his garage needing a happy home. Any chance it will fit in the GT without major modifications? Has anyone tried this before?
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Post by gitrdun on Oct 6, 2011 16:55:14 GMT -5
Not trying to hijack the thread but maybe this is relevant. At what horsepower rating is the stock tranny starting to be the weak link?
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Post by gitrdun on Oct 1, 2011 21:58:02 GMT -5
Mystery of the stuck motor solved. I removed one shim from behind the flywheel and it freed it up a bit. I think somebody must have put an extra shim in for good measure. Got it fired up and running. By the way what is the tolerence for crankshaft end play on these motors? I couldnt feel any play at all even after removing one shim.
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 27, 2011 21:15:35 GMT -5
So ive done some more tinkering on the motor. I removed the alternator belt as it seemed to be very tight and the motor spins over much easier than it did. The starter still doesnt seem to have the oomph that i think it should. Its a brand new starter. Maybe the starters on these motors are just weak by nature, i dont know. The carb seems to work, it will squirt out the accelerator pump jets, tried some starting fluid to. I pulled the plugs and checked for spark and it does have spark. I think it just isnt spinning fast enough to fire up. Are these starters usually under powered?
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 12, 2011 16:32:14 GMT -5
Hadnt thought of rotating it with the plugs out, ill do that. No idea how long its been sitting but i was under the impression it should bolt in and fire right up according to the guy i got it from.
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 11, 2011 20:59:29 GMT -5
Checked clearance and the flwheel isnt rubbing in the bell housing. I pulled the motor out and turned it over by hand and it wasnt any easier to roll over. Picked up a new starter and it will now roll the motor over but only about half a revolution at a time. When it hits the compression stroke it cant push through it. I have a feeling this motor just sat to long and is a little stiff. Im tempted to spray some lube down the spark plug holes to lubricate the cylinders and rings and see if it frees up enough to roll over easy.
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 7, 2011 19:40:23 GMT -5
Ok so i checked and its def a 12V starter, that was one of those DUH moments. I pulled it out and put the juice to it and it kinda sorta turned a few revolutions but didnt just spool right up. There was a bronze bushing in the bell housing. Ill borrow a known good starter and try it or just pick up a new one.
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 7, 2011 18:37:18 GMT -5
I did turn the motor over by hand to make sure the flywheel wasnt jammed up. It took alot of effort using a 16" breakover bar with a socket on the crank pulley. Wasnt sure how much effort it should take but i could feel the compression.
Ill pull the starter and check to make sure its a 12V and not a 6V. If all fails ill just pick up an auto tranny starter as suggested.
Thanks for the info.
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Post by gitrdun on Sept 6, 2011 17:44:11 GMT -5
Now that the weather has finally cooled below killer heat levels i am getting back to work on my GT-1. I have a 1600cc VW motor that suposedly was pulled from a running bug, no idea what year the motor is. I installed it in the car and then hooked up the battery but it wont roll the motor over. I can hear the solenoid make a solid click like its pushing the gear out but thats all it does. My battery drops from 12.6V to 11.5V when i hold the key on start. I touched the battery cable directly to the starter solenoid to make sure it wasnt bad wireing, same thing.
So im wondering if i have the wrong starter on the wrong flywheel ring. I know these VW motors have at least two different flywheels and different starters to match. But the flywheel fit into the tranny perfect, if it was the wrong one it wouldnt even fit at all. But is it possible i have the wrong starter? If so how can i tell the difference?
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Post by gitrdun on Feb 5, 2011 10:26:19 GMT -5
I saw their products, just didnt know if there was anything OEM that this car was made to use.
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Post by gitrdun on Feb 5, 2011 9:34:26 GMT -5
So where can i get a rear window for a GT1? I know some of the old vette front windshields are used for the front glass which i allready have, but whats everybody use for the back glass? Ive noticed alot of different rear window styles on various GT's.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 29, 2011 13:45:45 GMT -5
Got it fixed this morning. Replaced the flasher relay and it started working a little. Hooked up a battery charger and it whoala. My battery had about 12volts charge in it.
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Post by gitrdun on Jan 28, 2011 18:00:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips all, ill check grounds and voltage and keep digging.
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