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Post by rebel67 on Jan 26, 2011 20:07:29 GMT -5
Hey Everyone, Im new and posted in Classifieds, but now Im getting into planning my build and couldnt help but notice that I dont see a lot of topless cars. Since thats what I have been planning, I guess I should ask all you experts if theres a reason no one does it. I want to modify my car to resemble 60's era road-coarse cars, like the ones seen in "The Love Bug". My idea was to remove the "T" bar, back window and doors, re-doing the back deck to enclose the, uh, "rear seat" section and making "Cunningham" style headrests with padding at the headrest end. Is there a structural reason I dont find cars modified this way? Oh, I also plan on dropping the pans and raising the body 1 inch. I also liked Big Bobs idea of changing the Gas Tank to fill from the top and re-locating the filler to over the tank. ;D
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Post by rebel67 on Jan 26, 2011 20:09:37 GMT -5
Oh, my name is Mike. Feel free to use my name or my posting name. Thanks!
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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 Jan 26, 2011 21:45:29 GMT -5
the structure of the Brad does not support the windshield well without the top par to "lean back" against. I would recommend keeping your options open by using a "pin and socket" system such that the roof can be re-installed when it is wanted.
Re-enforcing the A pillars and how you do it i cannot help with but other members might.
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 27, 2011 10:31:23 GMT -5
Yes. You definitely need to reinforce the windshield frame. Its not strong enough to hold that weight and the force of the wind while driving.
I believe someone had a post a while back about how they did it. I think it involved some steel tube around the perimeter and tied into the floor.
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Post by spyderdriver on Jan 27, 2011 12:12:15 GMT -5
you might need to build up the dash too.
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Post by rebel67 on Jan 28, 2011 16:54:34 GMT -5
My origional idea was to use 3/4 plywood and make supports that go from the posts to the ledge of the door frame, kind of like a triangle (sic) that would be glassed in and hold the weight of the glass, and provide a place to mount the mirrors to. Sorry to those who prefer the origional location over the fenders, but if it takes 2 people to adjust the mirrors, thats too much like work. I would also re-enforce the perimeter with 1/4x 1" flat steel, and bend it to fit tight.
Then again, I might also take a local suggestion and try to duplicate a "Tesla " roadster type roof, but that too would require a re-enforced windshield frame.
Thanks to you guys for helping with this, I will let you know how I make out.
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JohnDriver
Junior Member
life is what happens while you make other plans
Posts: 63
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Post by JohnDriver on Jan 29, 2011 3:00:48 GMT -5
well let me know how it works out,as I'm building a converted as well.
my buddy the glassman is going to urethane my new glass in.it will make the frame and glass one piece,he suggested I build up the lip the glass sets on,as the first builder cut too much off and the glass wont have enuff to hang on to.
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Post by thehag71 on Jan 29, 2011 4:58:13 GMT -5
I am not an expert, but I think there are 2 (at least) reasons you don't see a lot of "topless" bradleys. #1 is that there are not a whole lot of stock bradleys being driven on the streets to begin with, let alone customized ones. #2 Have you ever taken the roof assembly off of your bradley and looked at it from the side? It just doesn't look right. Just my opinion on the looks. I have seen one "topless" that actually looked ok, but the owner had done a tremendous amount of customization to the rest of the car also. Structurally, he had put steel tubes down into the sides of the windshield frame and tied them to the floor, and behind the windshields top edge he had reinforced with steel tubing also. The rest of the body was almost un-recognizable as a Bradley though. Lotsa welding and fabricating to make it look good.
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 29, 2011 10:12:23 GMT -5
I would make a paper template of those plywood triangles if I were you and tape them in to see how they look. Off the top of my head I think they would need to be pretty large to offer any real support or structure.
Your much better off using either some round steel tube and bend it to fit the exact contour of the windshield and run it down to the frame and then triangulate the base into the floor. If you can't get something bent I suppose you could use square stock and put in relief cuts, fit it, then weld the cuts up.
The flat steel might not be the best choice. If your going to "bend it to fit" it makes me think that the stresses that windshield takes at 55mph might just "unbend" it.
Either way...its lots of work.
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Post by killnjuggalo on Feb 4, 2011 11:02:03 GMT -5
i was bored the other day, and i designed a hardtop convertible for my bradley. i started the design process in inventor, much like auto cad but you can give weight to each and every part. i guessed at the parts because i am always on campus and cant weigh everything. but i put one quarter inch piece of steel sheet cut to fit between the windshield and where the door it, placed on the inside of the bradley so when i put the hardtop on i can use the doors. i got the wind simulation up to about 120mph and the windshield, in theory would withstand the weight and wind at 120mph. also im workin on a quick release at the of windshield and the back of the car. any suggestions let me know
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Post by jspbtown on Feb 4, 2011 11:17:55 GMT -5
And did you reinforce the center on the windshield mount (the fiberglass) that has the support of the "T" roof? While I am not an engineer, it would seem that if you strengthen the outer most mounting points, then additional stresses will be moved toward the center. Does the program take into consideration the material & the thickness?
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Post by killnjuggalo on Feb 4, 2011 12:29:50 GMT -5
yes it does consider material, and thickness. i previously stated before that it was guessed numbers. i am not an engineer, i am an engineer student  . i live in ohio and have no garage right now so i have to wait until its warm outside to get actual numbers. but i feel confident that the final test in inventor will not fall short of the first test. if you take a look at the 63 corvette convertibles they have similar structures connected to the door. i based the design off of that for the reason of the windshield in the bradley is from a 63 vette, and the vette has always been made out of fiberglass. |
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Post by jspbtown on Feb 4, 2011 13:20:10 GMT -5
I wonder if the coupe and convertible vette had a different design/structure around the windshield. I imagine that they just didn't cut the roof off a vette coupe and make it into a convertible.
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Post by Gary Hammond on Feb 4, 2011 15:08:23 GMT -5
Hi,  The vettes all had a steel cage or sub frame that supported the windshield. The fiberglass was applied over that. I think all the fiberglass body parts were bolted on panels. Gary Hammond,   |
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Post by rebel67 on Feb 4, 2011 17:17:35 GMT -5
While Im no 'Vette expert, I can say convertables in general all have extra support to the wind shield, as well as extra support in the frame. I have taken these things into consideration with my car, and I can fabricate stuff pretty well. I never thought this was gonna be easy, but I like "different", so this "model kit" in 1:1 scale should be pretty interesting. Besides, isnt a Bradley just another type of Custom? We should all have somthing that wasnt "in the kit" as part of the personalization of it. If they all looked the same, they would still be "cookie cutter "stuff. That wasnt why I decided to put this thing together, too many other, "easier " cars are around to just drive.....
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Post by topdude on Feb 4, 2011 18:01:29 GMT -5
Some like Bradley resto to original, some something unique all have a place here. Keep going and build what you like.
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Post by jspbtown on Feb 4, 2011 18:08:18 GMT -5
Absolutely build what you like. No question. I think the people here are just saying its not as easy as taking a sawzall to the top.
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 4, 2011 22:19:08 GMT -5
Careful, you may end up going from this....  to this   Some mods should not be done. |
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Post by rebel67 on Feb 5, 2011 9:19:43 GMT -5
Oh, absolutely there are resto and mod guys here, I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone. I feel that if you paid for it, you make it what you want. What I have always loved about cars and the people who care for them is the fact that even if you dont like what the other guy has done to his, we all still respect the thought and work that goes into it. ( That doesnt apply to the absolute stupidity Ive seen with things that are purely UNSAFE for man or beast......its amazing what you see at accident scenes with the local F.D.  ) Well so much for the rant, I hope you guys continue with your thoughts, I did learn quite a bit from you all, so lets keep it going! Oh, and to jspbtown, thanks for the insite, I would have to think that you have been in this rodeo for a bit. Nice to have a second opiion on stuff like this..
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Post by killnjuggalo on Feb 8, 2011 10:46:59 GMT -5
this is pointed to the sterling convertible up the thread... i would have tried to make that a hardtop convertible too, or not messed with it at all... sterlings are amazing kit cars. but if thats what the guy wanted to do, thats his preference. also if anybody wants to take a shot at inventor, there is a free student download from autodesk
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Post by jspbtown on Feb 8, 2011 13:14:17 GMT -5
Thats weird...I was looking at those two Sterlings and they seemed differentfrom my old one. Mine did not have those dual air inlets. One was done low, but the other was much higher.   |
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 8, 2011 13:21:34 GMT -5
Sterlings were made under a few different names, Nova, Bernardi, etc each had minor differences. Even the newest release is not the same. They lost some of the beauty in the newest one.
But you guys are right. Beauty is in the eye of the owner. It is your car and you are free to do anything you want....as long as it is safe.
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Post by jspbtown on Feb 8, 2011 13:28:09 GMT -5
Bernardi were gull wing if I am not mistaken...not canopy.
Sovrans were another variant.
And don't forget the Bremen Sebring. I had a white one...but just bought and sold it so I have very few pictures.
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Post by frk4games on Feb 11, 2011 20:14:15 GMT -5
Taking out the old interior, when I thought I had window sag (did not know about butt drop) I found that there are 2 L shaped supports at both sides of the windshield. I measured to the floor from the bracket and then went and bought some small pipe and a mount at the hardware store. I cut the pipe so it would come just above the bottom bolt in the bracket and then put in a longer bolt to go right thru the pipe. I then adjusted it by just loosening the floor mount at the bottom of the pipe. I lifted the window up enough to get the doors to close smoothly. I think if you did cut off the roof this would be enough reinforcement to make it solid. It did not intrude on interior space. Of course after I found out about the butt drop I fixed that and removed the bars. Like skip I am also installing the celica headlights but a souped up corvair engine goes in instead. I have cut Vector like scoops at the back and I am going to style the front after the Mugen NSX and vent the engine lid like the Bradley GT2 on you tube. Getting rid of the rear window and placing a fuel cell in the space closed off from the interior. Either going with a Lambo silhouette side window scoop or a Jalpa style with a Diablo style lower side skirt with scoop. Like skip time is my biggest enemy with a Capri in the garage a f355 body molds in the basement and my bradley frozen outside there is jsut not enough time. Anyone have any dashboard ideas as I want to put a tv where the guages. I am thinking alfa spider guage pods and moving the stereo so I have a glovebox again. Also my car has/had the factory a/c and I am thinking about going with the corvair system so maybe selling the bradley factory one. I can see it under the dash but have not played with it yet. Hoping to have it in the garage by the end of the month. Thanx any ideas would be great. By the way I love skips window idea. Would like one with even more of an angle. Doing the fiberglass is not a problem but finding one wide enough. If any one has a minivan with a long windshield (Lumina/Transport) maybe they could measure it.
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. i live in ohio and have no garage right now so i have to wait until its warm outside to get actual numbers. but i feel confident that the final test in inventor will not fall short of the first test. if you take a look at the 63 corvette convertibles they have similar structures connected to the door. i based the design off of that for the reason of the windshield in the bradley is from a 63 vette, and the vette has always been made out of fiberglass. 
)