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Post by centralvalleygter on Jun 25, 2009 14:58:45 GMT -5
Apparently, between the fear of the virus, spam bots and general busy-ness there is not much activity on the board(s). Don't expect that this string will garner lots response post, but maybe it will seed some activity. Some things I've done since my last post.
1. Replaced dbl round headlights with new single rectangular Halogens. Create much better visibility and uses less current.
2. Change back to slotted aluminum wheels. The 15" were rubbing on the front fender lips when I turned. Also, I needed to get new rear tires as mine were getting bald. The aluminum wheels are 14" (which still fit over the disk brakes) and have low profile tires. Solves rubbing and corners better. I had hoped to find some 15" x 7" that matched the front ones for the rear because I could put 28" diameter tires that allowed me to cruise at 3100-3200 rpm when going 70mph. I didn't find 15", but did find some 14" x 7" which matched well. The highest profile tires I could get provide about 26.75" diameter which gives me 70 mph at about 3300-3400 rpm. I had to do some work to mount the center caps, but overall I'm pretty happy with the new setup.
3. Did some general maintenance and cleanup on previous work.
4. Rebuilt the windshield wiper assembly (down to bear metal, repainted, replaced bushings, shafts, etc.) Also made new wiper arms that use stock VW mounting system. The Universal arms on it did not stay on well and were a general hassle.
Things I hope to do this summer include:
1. Make/mount a front bumper
2. Make some wheel wells for the front
3. Revise my dashboard to allow use of aftermarket short throw shifters (I got carried away and made it protrude into the interior so much that it interferes with a regular shaped shifter. The one that came on it was stock but had been reshaped to move the reach rearward )
4. Transfer disc brakes from the BAHA to the Bradley
5. Possibly take another shot at making doors with metal frames (The ones I made with a wood frames are not holding up as well as they should and I've never been happy with the fit and finish).
So there you have it.... the latest chapter on me and my Bradley.
Steven
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Post by robstone on Jun 25, 2009 19:28:48 GMT -5
Glad to see you are still at it! I am awaiting an 80 hour pay cut from my job and things are very tense for state of Ohio workers right now with the budget in the crapper. I am afraid to spend any cash at the moment and also have a vacation to go on soon. So GT II is on hold until after vacation and after Governor gets the state back in shape. I may attempt some fiberglassing soon though.
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Post by Gary Hammond on Jun 25, 2009 20:59:16 GMT -5
Finally got mine back on the road with the new tank (fuel cell sort of) installed. I also added more baffling to my home-made exhausts and put them back on in place of the Monza GT exhaust. It sounds great, looks better, and is much quieter as well. Unfortunately, it started having a fuel pressure problem after a while, so I proceeded to troubleshoot the fuel pump and regulator both of which tested OK.  Further testing revealed that vapor lock was occurring after everything got up to normal temperature.  After relocating the pump and plumbing the return fuel back to the tank instead of back to the pump inlet, I solved the fuel pressure problem.  Also installed a third set of injectors (started at 22lbs/hr, then 14lbs/hr, and finally 19lbs/hr) and re-calibrated the throttle position sensor and dash module of the injection system. It's running pretty good now! ;D Took all three grandkids their first ride in it yesterday (one at a time of course) and they all loved it! ;D ;D And I started redoing the doors. The old repair I did a few years ago was coming unbonded, so I'm redoing it with silicon seal instead of the more rigid epoxy I used before. I'm hoping this will compensate for the difference in expansion rates between the plexi and the stainless steel.    The sundowner rear window is cracked in several places now and needs replaced. It's still usable, but it looks like crap. I haven't decided yet on whether to replace it or fabricate a new design with flat panels. Anyway, I've been enjoying the warm sunny days and getting lots of looks and thumbs up. ;D Gary Hammond,   |
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jun 29, 2009 0:17:46 GMT -5
I did get the front wheels wells done. Well really just mud flaps as I did not put in full enclosures. For whatever reason, my Bradley did not have the stiffeners in the side tunnels (a pipe from the roll cage extends out and reinforces the outer wall), so my front tires throws pebbles, etc. down the tunnel when I drive down the road. Below is sequence on how I constructed them. First I put glued on wood mounting lips.  Then I fiberglassed them to the body.  Then I drew and cutout a panel from leftover vinyl shower enclosure material.  Here the panel is mounted.  Lastly, the panel has been sprayed with rubberized undercoating.  |
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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 Jul 2, 2009 22:16:42 GMT -5
Hey Gary how are you? Allow me to recommend Shoe Goo as your adhesive. it makes tennisshoe soles and dries very rubbery bu has about 5 times the adhesiveness of any silicone based product.
First post since the demise of the old board. that's too bad. i would really like to get the guy who did it.
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Post by Gary Hammond on Jul 3, 2009 18:13:38 GMT -5
Hi Chris,  Good to see you posting on this board. .............I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking. Already started repairing the doors with silicon, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind for the next time. Thanks for the heads up on Shoe Goo. Never heard of it before, but it sounds like it might work well for laminating the doors with S.S. sheet metal. As for puttering.............Sandy and I took the Brad for a 200 mile cruise today and it ran great............but I got "Bradley Butt" after about 150 miles. Sandy did OK though.......more padding on her side. ;D  Gary Hammond, |
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jul 16, 2009 21:14:21 GMT -5
Well, as I said in the first post I wanted to redo the dashboard. My first effort protruded more than 4" into the driver's area (can't use the word c***pit on this board, it turns into thingypit), which precluded the use of a standard shift lever. The new one is only 1.75" deep at the bottom. I also put an extended top to aid in viewing in bright sunlight. Below are various pictures of the new dash. You can see more on my web site.    =================================================== I also recently replaced the double sealed beam headlights with a single rectangular Halogen light. Much better light & uses less current. I'll post full front pictures later. I didn't feel like pulling it out of the garage, and kinda want to wait until I fashion a front bumper for it.  |
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Post by zendragon on Jul 17, 2009 17:04:42 GMT -5
Where did you get those gauges?
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Post by centralvalleygter on Jul 17, 2009 18:30:11 GMT -5
It is a single electronic gauge panel from Nordskog. They started making boat gauges then moved into auto gages. They also make individual gauges and there are different color LED's available (Green, Red, Blue, Amber). I had it in my BAHA bug for several years and transplanted it into the Bradley. You can get them directly from the mfg, but sometimes they are cheaper from Summit Racing Products. The panel was not cheap, but I found it cheaper than getting individual gauges and it certainly is convenient (and I think it looks good). Sources: nordskogperformance.net/product.php?productid=18582&cat=10&page=2www.summitracing.com/search/brand/Nordskog/?page=1The water temperature sender works find for oil, but you do have to change the label on the gauge (I did it on computer, xeroxing onto transparency) |
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Post by mrbigh on Jul 17, 2009 20:00:58 GMT -5
Nice digital gauges but a little pricey.  |
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Post by robstone on Jul 17, 2009 20:11:16 GMT -5
That's a good one Gary! I'll have to use that one on my wife concerning extra padding. I once told my rear seated passengers in my normal car that my car was equipped with a passenger side airbag, it took my wife, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, a few minutes to realize that the car only had an airbag in the steering wheel. She can punch pretty hard!
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Post by Gary Hammond on Jul 17, 2009 20:53:29 GMT -5
Hi Rob, "rear seated passengers" and "airbag" reminds me of when we first got the Bradley several years ago. Our two boys were still in high school so they rode in the "back seat" or "jump seat" with their heads sticking way up above the roof. We took it for a cruise to go see my parents late in the afternoon. All the way there, my wife complained about the " mouse smell" coming out of the heater ducts. (It was pretty bad!)  So when we headed back home after dark, she announced one of the boys had to ride up front and she was going to ride in the jump seat to avoid the " mouse smell". Didn't hear a peep out of her until we got home and discovered her glasses were plastered with bugs! ;D If she had opened her mouth to complain on the way home, she'd have gotten bugs in her teeth!! There's more than one way to disable an " airbag". ;D Gary Hammond, |
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Further testing revealed that vapor lock was occurring after everything got up to normal temperature. 
After relocating the pump and plumbing the return fuel back to the tank instead of back to the pump inlet, I solved the fuel pressure problem. 
