ron
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by ron on Jan 30, 2011 23:12:54 GMT -5
Bought a partially built Bradley GT 1 with 350 Chevy engine on a S10 frame.
Front cap will not fit due to the radiator/fan set up.
Body is to low. Without seats, sitting directly on floor, head is several inches above body of car.
At a loss as to where to start on corrections. Any help would be appreciated.
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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 31, 2011 0:11:31 GMT -5
HOLY COW!! You have a 350 V-8 in a S-10 and somebody tried to put a GT body on it? Buddy, you are in the outer limits.
Try to post pictures of it cause words just aren't going to be enough.
When I built my Bradley, I had the same problem. In order to fit you need to have your butt within 1 inch of the floor AND be reclined at about a 45 degree angle. I did not have seats in mine for the first year. I had a pair of bass boat seat backs bolted to the floor and about a 1 1/2 inch thick pad made from carpet padding thrown on the floor. At least it worked till I upgraded to hollow plastic baja bug then actual Bradley seats.
Are your seats the original S-10 seats? You need to get your butt lower to the floor.
The other issue is the nose. Frankly, I haven't a clue how you are going to get it to fit. the nose on a Brad is so thin that there is barley room for a battery up there let alone a V-8. the radiator could be moved to the rear cavity. use copper pipe to route the coolant to the rear and use electric fans to pull air through it. After that, unless you can lower the engine, the next option would be to raise the body however high it needs to be to fit over the engine.
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Post by spyderdriver on Jan 31, 2011 1:29:51 GMT -5
i must see this! it sound awesome!
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Post by brianboggs on Jan 31, 2011 6:57:12 GMT -5
Put the body on backwards so the motor is in the rear and drive in reverse!! You'll have plenty of room.
Honestly though you knew it was a total custom when you bought and should have thought this through before you laid out the cash. Step back and re-evaluate it. You'll have to relocate the radiator. You'll have to come up with a new seating arrangement. You'll have to set the body on the chassis to where it looks right in relation to the wheels and start fabricating, and maybe more fabricating. Please post picture of what you have and maybe we can make some suggestions to help you along the way. This project will take years to complete if you have to farm it all out. Good luck and sorry to be a straight forward kind of person.
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Post by pushnfords on Jan 31, 2011 8:10:12 GMT -5
The GTII's I've seen with V8s usually have a custom tube frame and the engine in the rear. It may not be possible to keep the engine in the front and have the body fit over it normally. You could see just how high it would have to be and suspend the body over like a body lift maybe?
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Post by dawgdk on Jan 31, 2011 9:11:28 GMT -5
first things first remove body off chassis sell chassis buy vw chassis and install remember fiberglass is easier to work with than steel.  |
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Post by dawgdk on Jan 31, 2011 9:11:43 GMT -5
first things first remove body off chassis sell chassis buy vw chassis and install remember fiberglass is easier to work with than steel. |
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Post by dawgdk on Jan 31, 2011 9:12:02 GMT -5
first things first remove body off chassis sell chassis buy vw chassis and install remember fiberglass is easier to work with than steel. |
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Post by superdave008 on Feb 2, 2011 3:37:20 GMT -5
That's what I like about this club ! every one helps out and the ideas are superb. i want to throw in my 2 cents if your in the planning stages.....
Get a chassis for a gt 40 and use all of the parts to put it together midship. expensive
#2 I like the idea of buying a dune buggy with a Hi performances motor ( ebay / dune buggy's ) and using the body.
#3 If the S-10 runs good sell it frame and all minus the body. its probably worth $1.500 to $2,500
#4 go to ebay / baha bug or craigslist and find a hi performance baha part out all of the body , glass and everything else you don't need and then build your GT.
They all sound expensive but trying to work with what you've got sounds like something you can do, but the time and effort and misc parts and engineering nightmares you will have to brain storm to get it on the road may not be worth it.
When you come right down to it..... driving a bradley is the goal and I'm having a great time getting there. best of luck .
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Post by dawgdk on Feb 2, 2011 10:14:58 GMT -5
Now by all means don't let me discourage you because i'm actually thinking of doing something simular with a gt2 but it has a little more room to work with.
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