This, That, these and those...

You can get your pans from Larry's Offroad in Datyon, Ohio, like I did.
I drove over and picked them up.
Check them out at www.larrysoffroad.com/ .
Keep them in mind for other VW parts and engines.

I see the price has gone up a little, I paid about $80 per pan
when I got mine, but now they are $119.99 per pan.

Wyn

I used 1"x2" tube to make the perimeter framing and then some 3/16" diamond plate to make the floor on my VW based Manx buggy:


If you are a welder/fabricator I suggest this route. I am neither a welder or fabricator and it wasn't hard for me to do, so for you it would be real easy. You can then drop the pans for more headroom and get rid of the rise in the back of the tunnel which will allow more legroom.
This method is also alot stronger than the stock flimsy pans.

Lots of things you can use for sound deading. Lizard skin is a spray on, or there are many other sound deadening products out there. I used Herculiner on my chassis and in all the fenderwell areas. It provides some sound deading plus helps to prevent any "stars" in the paint from rocks being thrown up from under the car. There are some who also use a foil lined roofing product available at Lowes as a low cost sound deading option.

Can't help you on the rear window. The Bradley I did had a custom rear hatch.

Jeff,
Did you butt weld the flooring to the 1x2 tubing?
If you surface weld do you grind down the rise of the diamond plate?
Or do you bolt the diamond plate to the tubing with a rubber seal?
I like your diamond plate flooring.

Wyn

So, the Al diamond plate is actually the vehicle floor, am I right?

The diamond plate is actually the vehicle floor.

My Daughter is a 2LT in the Army stationed at El Paso, Tx, she is in charge of a heavy vehicle platoon. I’d like to build her one of the Dune buggies’ from Larrys Off road. Paint it Desert Camo and equip it with three .68 cal machine guns. One on each side and a remote control one on top roll rail. I think the diamond plate floor would deck it out nicely.

Wyn

Sure! Right after this:


And this:


Oh...and this:



So like maybe 2015? At least the Avenger is all primed and will be ready for paint after I can block it.

Suggestions for paint scheme anyone?

I must say the diamond plate looks awesome, and I have thought about that before, but as the last post brought to light, I was worried about it's appearance after a year or two of use. I have seen other diamond plate products when they look awesome brand new but don't look that good once weathered. Still thinking about it though.
I have done some business through Larry's before; He looks as if he would be the best route for pans without shipping. Thanks for the reminder.
I do, indeed, have Jeff's CD, but I don't remember seeing anything about a quick release back window. I guess I'll have to search it again and see if I can locate that section.
Thanks for the input guys and keep the great ideas coming!

Gulf racing colors, blue and orange

Hi, OneTwo,

The CD has the removable Sundowner "Convertible" Rear Window on the CD in the Bonus Section (10). It's in the assembly manual, and was an available option after 1976.

My modification for the rear and the gulls is to create leather (vinyl/velour) straps that attach to the rectangular catches on the Plexiglas, then add snap buttons at the end. These buttons snap into studs mounted in the car.

Doing this lets you lose those stupid spring clips, which eliminates the rust and rattles. The only things visible when the Plexiglas is off are the tiny studs that accept the strap snaps. It's just like the boot on a convertible top.

Photos and some rough drawings for my upholsterer are also on the CD.

Three important items to note:

1. Thin plastic strip must be sewn into the straps to prevent them from stretching with time and usage.

2. The snaps for the side straps on the Sundowner rear window must be mounted at an angle that prevents the strap from popping off on its own. This is best accomplished with small blocks of wood that you can install under the jump seat upholstery with epoxy or polyester resin.

3. With or without my strap system, a fifth catch MUST be installed along the top edge of the rear window at the center. Without this, air pressure builds under the rear window and will lift it enough to disengage the spring clips (Bradley) or straps (me). The result is a broken rear window on the ground -- or in the face of the driver behind you. I lost two rear windows to this problem before figuring out that a fifth attach point was necessary. Bradley never knew this, probably because no one had driven his or her car far enough or long enough to discover the problem before the company folded.

Best of luck with the car...

As the leading expert on these cars I was hoping that Jeff would add his 2 cents. I am glad he did, cuz I still can't find my cd, and the girlfriend that "cleaned" the computer desk swears she never saw any bradley cd. I think she hid it so I would spend less time working on the bradley (or the motorcycles) and more time with her.

Thanks for your input Jeff. I will keep all of your hints and tips in mind while trying to figure out the best setup for me.

Hi Brad,



I used a pair of the "take-apart" hinges (like used on the doors) to fasten the rear window to the roof. And then I used four of the original style latches to hold it closed. Two on the sides of the window and two near the bottom of the window.

This makes it easy to open for access to the rear shelf area, and also easy to remove and reinstall. With six attachment points, there's no danger of it catching the wind and blowing off!

Here's a few pics.







Gary Hammond,

Gary,
Great idea and thanks for the visual! That's exactly what I had in mind!

I see the carb cut out on your car? What kind of motor you got in that thing? Doesn't look V Dub