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Post by killswitch0201 on Mar 16, 2010 21:11:16 GMT -5
Hello everyone. I started building my frame for my Bradley. I'm going to put a 3.4 Liter V8 in the back of it. I'm going to also use the old ECU of the SHO that Im buying and figure out a system to lock the rear wheels so they dont try to steer on me. I know it sounds rediculous but I had an old hot rod guy help me out with some plans and to get this project rolling. Any tips would be great. And feedback is cool as long as it is not too negative.
.....also as a footnote to this, these are only a few details...... I'll get some pictures up when I get more in depth....
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Post by dawgdk on Mar 19, 2010 11:18:56 GMT -5
I'd say go for it if you have support with it!!! otherwiseif it's a single-handed project I wouldn't do it because it is going to be a lot of time and money consuming !!!! I would love to see it done though.
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geddes66
Junior Member
Now I am an instructor at the RTS-M, Camp Roberts CA. Teaching new Army mechanics.
Posts: 87
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Post by geddes66 on Mar 20, 2010 16:52:31 GMT -5
Measure the new drive train and the area in the Bradley's engine compartment real carefully. Use the axle as your base point. I think you will have to do ALOT of cutting of the body to make it fit. Also, figure out how you will plan on re-enforcing the struts of what ever type of suspension you are using. I suspect you have this drivetrain laying around already right? Just make sure it will fit. Other questions are as follows: Where will you relocate the fuel tank to? (Most FWD cars have the engine forward of the axle. There is not that much from the rear axle to the back of the drivers seat in a Bradley.) How close to the back of your seat will the engine rest when finished? How far out the back will it extend? (Will you have Hamster balls?) Where will you set up the radiator? (the nose is rather cramped) During my time with the turbo attempt and with the corvair I ran into quite a few of these problems. If you REALLY want monster power and the advantages of being watercooled IMHO, go with a Subaru. They are already the right shape, are very modern and are turbocharged, leaving only cooling as a problem. Well and keeping the front wheels on the ground, and keeping the clutch from slipping, and keeping the trans together, and getting it to stop. Man I wish the Bradillac was still here. (Eldorado V8 drivetrain and suspension in a VW) Attachments:
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geddes66
Junior Member
Now I am an instructor at the RTS-M, Camp Roberts CA. Teaching new Army mechanics.
Posts: 87
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Post by geddes66 on Mar 20, 2010 17:00:50 GMT -5
FOUND IT!! The Cadley GT or Bradilac or just deathmobile. Coming to a town, curb, sidewalk or tree near you. Either way though I must say, it would be one cool ride. What about a jet? Hey, who remembers this and who built it?? (trivia quiz, I know) Attachments:
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Post by smyrnaguy on Mar 20, 2010 17:22:35 GMT -5
Is that the one Dar Robinson launched into the Grand Canyon?
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Post by killswitch0201 on Mar 20, 2010 20:30:51 GMT -5
Okay I researched more and changed my mind....I'm going with the V6 SHO. It has more options and it also has a 5 Speed as opposed to the V8 that only has an auto. It also has the possibility to use the stock VW transmission because the SHO tranny uses the same bell housing as the 2.3L ford which you can get a conversion kit for....but after all the measuring I can fit the V6 motor and tranny easier, have more room for the radiator, eliminate the transmission bump in the floor, and just be wicked awesome...
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Post by vallyr on Mar 22, 2010 11:22:15 GMT -5
Would not recommend using too strong of a motor with the stock vw trans, unless you switch to the bus trans you are likely to snap something.
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Post by dawgdk on Mar 22, 2010 13:41:18 GMT -5
I'd go with a subaru transaxle with an adapter plate for the sho engine. That way the engine would be facing the right way and you would have just enough room behind the seats!!! You could put the radiator behind the engine over the transaxle and the gas tank up front!!!
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Post by brianboggs on Mar 23, 2010 12:23:21 GMT -5
If you are going to that much trouble(waste of time) you might as well build a proper tube chassis with all the right stuff including brakes and transmission and suspension. When all that is done take the Bradley GT body and carve the insides out and place it on the chassis. If you dont do this you are just pissin in the wind. The VW chassis is useless for what you think you want to do. I dont know why everyone thinks these things should be rockets. There is zero resale value as it is and then to butcher it up and never finish it well, good luck.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Mar 23, 2010 15:41:55 GMT -5
Hi, Kill,
Easy, dude. I can't even count the number of threads like this I've seen on this Web site over the years.
Pay attention to Brian's advice, or be prepared to be the next stone in the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. You can't get to the moon with a pogo stick.
I've said it before, if you want to build a race car, why not at least start with some kind of basic performance platform? Don't plan an ambitious project around what was originally designed to be the world's most economical, four-door family transportation.
Best of luck either way, but I hope you give this a lot more thought before doing anything you can't undo.
Warmest,,,
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Post by Gary Hammond on Mar 23, 2010 17:02:50 GMT -5
Hi Killswitch,  Got my GT back today after getting another new headliner installed. (The last one was put in about 10 or 12 years ago.) It was a beautiful day here in the upper 60's with lots of sunshine. ;D Needless to say, the Bradley refused to come straight home, and took me for a wild ride through the country with the doors off for a couple of hours!!  Had trouble keeping it under 75MPH, and it gets there in a hurry!  The point is, it's a slightly modified 1679cc ACVW I built myself from mostly aftermarket parts. I went for reliability and about 100 HP. I also beefed up the suspension and body some to withstand a little extra performance.  With any more HP or weight in the rear, this thing would become a death trap!  As usual, Jeff Troy gave you some very good advice! ;D Gary Hammond,   |
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Post by jspbtown on Mar 24, 2010 8:45:34 GMT -5
People like me live off of half completed cars that are sold for a song.
I agree with Jeff Troy...the web is littered with dreams of creating the exotic...and equally littered with abandoned kits that are left to rot because someone's ideas are, while geniune, unsupportive of time, money, and skill.
Build the car as it was meant to be built, drive it around and answer all the questions you will be asked about it. And if you want, after you have built it, start playing with a custom chassis.
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doug
Junior Member
Posts: 90
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Post by doug on Mar 25, 2010 16:53:59 GMT -5
killswitch,
listen to these guys, they have a LOT of exp. with these cars and have been around a long time on this and the other board. I have been here for several years and i have to agree with jeff, a lot of guys have came here with big plans to modify the cars and after a little bit they are never heard from again. Keep it simple, maybe do a body off resto get the body and pan in good shape, put a vw engine in it and give it a try. I have a single port engine in mine and it does fine, everytime you drive it, stop for gas go to the store, well pretty much anywhere you can go, people will ask you what it is. Park it next to the fastest car in town and they will look at your car before they look at anything else.......its not all about speed, you have a car that is becoming rare, not worth a whole lot, but still ,,not everyone can go out and buy one.
Doug
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Post by don29163 on Mar 25, 2010 20:19:41 GMT -5
I think the body should be completed before you even start working on the frame. That way you won't be so tempted to just set the body on just so you can try it out.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Mar 30, 2010 8:23:45 GMT -5
Hi, Guys.
Frame or body is a toss-up and a judgment call. Do whatever lights you up first.
The important thing is to get the car operating properly in its original configuration -- however the previous owner built it -- then, after you have a solid set of miles behind you, you will understand what does and does not need to be changed to suit your personal pleasure.
Planning modifications up front before a new owner knows and understands the Bradley is just not practical. People can't effectively judge what they have no experience in understanding. Performance results from, among other formulas, a power-to-weight ratio, not power alone. Sixty-five to 100 horsepower may seem paltry someone who has watched "The Fast and the Furious" a few too many times, but at just 1600 pounds, those 100 horses can pull the GT around very quickly.
The Bradley may not be a race car, but if a race car is what a new owner is looking for, he or she should seriously consider starting with a much bigger budget and a much more suitable platform. Being on a budget isn't a reason to start with a VW; it's the reason that you shouldn't! You're likely to end up spending five times what you expected to transform a family sedan into a performance machine, and the GT design's poor center of gravity will cause too many handling problems at high speed..
Here's some good advice for any new owner to take to heart:
1. Build the GT stock.
2. Get to know and understand its many quirks.
3. Decide on what needs to be improved -- and why -- after evaluating every inch of the car from personal driving experience.
4. Make your mods one at a time. All at once gives you too many results that cannot be properly identified or evaluated. You want to realize the results of each change - pro or con - before moving on to the next change.
5. A 1776 is a good street engine, and will give you excellent reliability if you don't treat your car like a drunken teenager. Get much bigger and you pay for every measure of power with some measure of reliability. Fine if you want to wrench instead of drive, but a big suck if actually want to enjoy the road.
6. Drive defensively. This is positively not the car you want to take to an accident.
Good luck,
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geddes66
Junior Member
Now I am an instructor at the RTS-M, Camp Roberts CA. Teaching new Army mechanics.
Posts: 87
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Post by geddes66 on Mar 30, 2010 10:33:41 GMT -5
THAT previous post needs to made a sticky right at the top of an FAQ forum. It people had followed that advice there would be at least 8 more Bradley's still on the street instead of in land fills across the country.
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Post by killswitch0201 on Apr 23, 2010 20:38:23 GMT -5
Ouch......
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Post by jspbtown on Apr 26, 2010 8:00:22 GMT -5
The honest voice of experience stings sometimes. Its not meant to kill a dream....but rather to prevent disappointment.
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Post by killswitch0201 on Apr 28, 2010 5:57:29 GMT -5
Its a hint of sarcasm... Im definetely going for it. I just ordered a ton of stuff from speedway and I'm starting the frame. Dont worry I'll post pictures. One I figure out the geometry of the engine I'll build all the pieces and the mounts for the frame.
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Post by swatcop on Apr 3, 2011 3:25:46 GMT -5
Kill,
I am by far no expert on the Bradley's or VW's but I have worked on and built a few street rods. rock crawlers from scratch and quite a few vehicles cramming engines in them that were never intended to fit ;D .
I am all for more power, performance and building a conversation piece but I have to agree with most of the other on here with a few of their points. If you are serious about this project think it thru and don't half azz it ;D .
That VW chassis was never intended for anymore HP and torque than it had and by doing a build like this you really should think about it thru..... Using that stock Bug chassis and suspension the increase of weight in the rear like that your handling will be horrible since the front end will be light, that VW chassis is flimsy and will most likely twist up if you get traction without breaking anything, the trans and rear diff is going to be a major weak point also and will eventually break under the load, plus don’t forget trying to stop or slow down with inadequate braking system, I could go on and on I’m sure!!!
I'd recommend using the Bradley body on a fabricated tube steel chassis and a good weld in IFS suspension. The money invested there will be well spent and in the long run it will most likely save you $$$$... This way you will be able to build something to handle the added torque and HP increases, you will also be able to balance it out better and get the handling and performance that you really want out of it and at the same time you have a sweet looking, head turning car. If you can’t afford the that or lack the know how or don’t want to invest the time restore it to stock and add some special touches to it, you will indeed have a rare car that will get plenty of attention!!! Otherwise you may end up with a twisted hulk of busted parts and throwing good money after bad and eventually turn into one of the many guys that started a dream project and ended up dumping it somewhere or trying to get out from under the loss (or their wives leave them)... Really though I see it all the time with people having high hopes and dreams go about it the wrong way or not having the experience to follow it thru and end up that way....
Do yourself a favor.... list your goals and intentions for your Bradley, list pros and cons of everything, take your time and think it thru, plan it out, draw it out, then start the build from the ground up or you will hate yourself after you have pissed $$$$ away. Even if it takes 1,2 or 3 years do it right so you have what you really want.
I am getting ready to build a full tube chassis for my Bradley and turning it into a full blown performance EV car for street/ strip use. It is getting a straight axle shortened Ford 9 inch rear with a 4 link suspension and a front IFS suspension with coilovers and disc brakes all around. It will be well balanced, safer and better handling than if I was to use the Bug chassis.
Think about it.... PM me if you want some advice on it.... Like I said I am no VW expert but I have a lot of experience with street rods and fabrication.....
Either way I wish you the best with whichever way you decide to go but I hope you think it thru before you start!!!!
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Post by kitcarguy on Apr 3, 2011 9:22:40 GMT -5
I would go with the V6 SHO. I have owned 3 of them and they are much better than the V8. As a suggestion I would make sure if the car has not had it 60k mile service you do it before you even put it in the car. Remember one more thing. They are NOT cheap to maintain.
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Post by killnjuggalo on Apr 5, 2011 10:33:55 GMT -5
thats going to be wickedly fast, trust me... i have an original factory built sebring turbo kit car, with a vw bug tran. attached to a 3.8 engine. oddly enough there is no engine supports. the exhaust is holding the engine up helping the tran. everything is original in the car from factory and has had no problem with the added power. only bad thing with putting it in the bradley opposed to my sterling is accessibility. when you need to work on the engine, and you will, its going to be a big job getting to it.
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Had trouble keeping it under 75MPH, and it gets there in a hurry! 
