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Post by Jeff Troy on Oct 18, 2018 9:23:59 GMT -5
Hey, Nero, Great looking GTII. One of the nicest we've seen. Treat it well. It deserves that.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 11, 2018 21:09:08 GMT -5
Hi, RK,
The CD was mailed today.
Good luck with the project.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 7, 2018 6:46:14 GMT -5
Hi. rk,
Yes, the CDs are still - and always - available.
All the information above still applies, except that the car has now been fun for 42 years instead of 36.
PayPal, all,or text with a order or further questions.
Good luck with the car.
Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on Mar 29, 2017 9:49:31 GMT -5
I don't think that Bradley would have sold a "factory" car with non-standard seats and covers, no "Executive Option" dash upholstery, and a non-Panasonic radio mounted in the dash instead of using the company's optional upholstered mounting plate that fits below the instrument cluster. Racing stripe is also non-standard. BTW, nearly all the factory-assembled cars were built by Ray Tierney and friends.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Nov 6, 2016 11:02:11 GMT -5
Original system for Bradley was provided by Coolaire-Nordic. I'm not familiar with the Sears system, but it may be same and simply private labeled. Which refrigerant does it use, R12 or R134? If it's the newer coolant, I am your potential buyer. If not, I would still be interested in the compressor and clutch. Please respond to jefftroy@aol.com or call 717-917-3670.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Nov 6, 2016 10:53:29 GMT -5
Hi, John, Sorry you're having a roug time. I hope things can work out favorably.
All the best, old friend,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 7, 2016 17:37:06 GMT -5
Hi, KCG,
Sorry, but not allowed to announce publicly.
Send private email to jefftroy@aol.com and I can fill in the details.
Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on May 30, 2016 23:59:53 GMT -5
Hi, Guys, Back on tour with an old friend after nearly 50 years. Still playing my first-generation '69 Dan Armstrong and a home-brew P-Bass through my Sunn 2000S head and a Sunn 415m cabinet, which incidentally, kicks the nuts off of my two 2000S cabinets - and there's one fewer piece for the offload crews to deal with. The 200S head is a backup, but sounds just as full as the larger head. Sorry about the SVTs; they're okay, but that's what I get when we fly and the backline is contracted. Good luck asking for Sunn amps! The show is hard, in-your-face rock and roll, but I'm not at liberty to say who I'm backing. Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jul 9, 2015 17:40:12 GMT -5
Hi, Guys,
Been a long time, but I'm back on tour with Chubby Checker for the month of July.
I'll be in:
Reno Saturday, July 11 John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks, NV
Bethlehem PA Friday, July 24 Sands Bethlehem Event Center 77 Sands Boulevard, Bethlehem, PA
If you like good old rock & roll, come over and visit. I'm old, but my Armstrong bass still kicks major ass. Would love to meet some of my Bradley driving friends in person.
Warmest regards
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 22, 2015 14:09:28 GMT -5
Hi, Gary,
Great idea on those bumper tabs. Love it. My bumpers and tubes are spot-welded to prevent rotation of the bumper, and flat tabs are welded onto the rear of the tubes where they bolt through the chassis and body, to prevent tube rotation. My spot-welds are functional, but your tabs allow quick removal of the bumpers without having to remove the tubes. Simple and brilliant, my friend. I'll have to do that if I'm still alive if a seventh rebuild should eve be needed.
Warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 22, 2015 13:57:57 GMT -5
Hi,
My Bradley GT and GTII CDs hold files of the complete, original assembly and wiring manuals, and any official updates. The GT CD also holds roughly 38 years and 645 thousand actual miles worth of useful information.
Ordering is easy. Just send $35 through PayPal to jefftroy@aol.com.
If you don't use PayPal, you can send $35 by check or money order to:
Jeff Troy 759 New Holland Ave. Lancaster PA 17602
Be sure to state whether you need the GT or the GTII CD. The cars – and the manuals -- are very different.
One of the many advantages of the CD over an original printed manual is that you can take the pages you need out to the shop and not have to worry about dogging them with oil, grease or other shop debris. If you ruin a page, you can just print another.
One of my CDs just may be the best money you can spend on your car. I'm sure that anyone who has one -- and most owners do -- will tell you that it's extremely helpful.
Bradley GT Information for Owners on CD-ROM Section 00: Text files Section 01: 1976 Original Configuration - Metallic Brown Section 02: 1980 First Rebuild - Cream, Copper and Brown Section 03: 1985 Second Rebuild - White, Blue, Pink and Purple Section 04: 1993-1995 Complete Restoration Section 05: 1995 Shows Section 06: 1996 The Wreck Section 07: 1997-2000 Re-Body Donor Preparation Section 08: 2000-2002 Re-Body Section 09: Post-2002 Car Shows Section 10: Bonus Section - Bradley GT Manuals and Literature Section 11: On The Road Section 12: Restoration Parts, Literature and Instructions Section 13: Sun Ray Products - Bradley GT Kits and Parts Section 14: Reference Materials Section 15: VW Part Source Catalogs Section 10: Work In Progress Files (additional files to be edited for all sections)
Bradley GTII Structural Plans & Updates on CD-ROM Section 01: GTII Structural Plans, Screen Section 02: GTII Structural Plans, Print Section 03: GTII Parts Inventory Section 04: VW Part Source Catalog Recommendations Section 05: Kit in California 2000 Section 06: Arrival in Lancaster PA 2000 Section 07: Assembling the GTII Full Kit – NEVER BUILT: EMPTY FOLDER Section 08: Bradley Automotive Catalogs & Literature Section 09: Reference Book Recommendations Section 10: Dropping the Pan
Thanks and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jun 22, 2015 13:50:13 GMT -5
Hi,
My Bradley GT and GTII CDs hold files of the complete, original assembly and wiring manuals, and any official updates. The GT CD also holds roughly 38 years and 645 thousand actual miles worth of useful information.
Ordering is easy. Just send $35 through PayPal to jefftroy@aol.com.
If you don't use PayPal, you can send $35 by check or money order to:
Jeff Troy 759 New Holland Ave. Lancaster PA 17602
Be sure to state whether you need the GT or the GTII CD. The cars – and the manuals -- are very different.
One of the many advantages of the CD over an original printed manual is that you can take the pages you need out to the shop and not have to worry about dogging them with oil, grease or other shop debris. If you ruin a page, you can just print another.
One of my CDs just may be the best money you can spend on your car. I'm sure that anyone who has one -- and most owners do -- will tell you that it's extremely helpful.
Bradley GT Information for Owners on CD-ROM Section 00: Text files Section 01: 1976 Original Configuration - Metallic Brown Section 02: 1980 First Rebuild - Cream, Copper and Brown Section 03: 1985 Second Rebuild - White, Blue, Pink and Purple Section 04: 1993-1995 Complete Restoration Section 05: 1995 Shows Section 06: 1996 The Wreck Section 07: 1997-2000 Re-Body Donor Preparation Section 08: 2000-2002 Re-Body Section 09: Post-2002 Car Shows Section 10: Bonus Section - Bradley GT Manuals and Literature Section 11: On The Road Section 12: Restoration Parts, Literature and Instructions Section 13: Sun Ray Products - Bradley GT Kits and Parts Section 14: Reference Materials Section 15: VW Part Source Catalogs Section 10: Work In Progress Files (additional files to be edited for all sections)
Bradley GTII Structural Plans & Updates on CD-ROM Section 01: GTII Structural Plans, Screen Section 02: GTII Structural Plans, Print Section 03: GTII Parts Inventory Section 04: VW Part Source Catalog Recommendations Section 05: Kit in California 2000 Section 06: Arrival in Lancaster PA 2000 Section 07: Assembling the GTII Full Kit – NEVER BUILT: EMPTY FOLDER Section 08: Bradley Automotive Catalogs & Literature Section 09: Reference Book Recommendations Section 10: Dropping the Pan
Thanks and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Apr 28, 2015 19:37:18 GMT -5
Back in the 1970's and '80s, before getting my car's AC working correctly, there were times when my AC needed to be charged. On those occasions, Leonard's suggestion is similar to what I did. I would fasten the rear latch of the driver window, and prop the front edge open with a cigarette pack wedged between the Plexiglas and the door sill. The passenger side was opposite: Latch the front and prop open the rear. It helped a little when moving, but proved nearly useless in traffic.
The vents are a joke, and were removed and the holes glassed over during my 1992-94 rebuild. The only thing those "twisty things" will put into your car are dust, rain splash and road debris -- and why in the world would anyone think that the air coming though those ridiculous vents would be cool when the outside temperature is in the 80s or 90s?
A simple rule of thumb for good airflow is that the air exits should allow the passage of at least twice the volume of incoming air. The kick panel vents in the GT allow very little volume in, and with the lids and rear window latched, there is no provision for outbound airflow at all. The incoming air is simply trapped, and as its volume increases, so does the heat level.
If you intend to drive your car in the rain in warm weather, you'd best get an aftermarket AC unit or drive with the lids off. There really aren't many acceptable choices.
Good luck and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Apr 7, 2015 9:09:28 GMT -5
Hi, Smoke,
My GT C has ssveral images of h0w I formed my car's extended flares (see 1992-1994 restoration/body). Not sure, but I think you might have already purchased the CD.
Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on Mar 6, 2015 10:44:45 GMT -5
Hey, Donnie,
These look good. I put in for two, one silver, one lemon, both with black printing and both 2XL.
I clicked the PayPal button twice because nothing happened. Please make sure that i'm ordering two shirts, not four.
Thanks and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Feb 11, 2015 11:52:16 GMT -5
Hi, Winger,
Hate to be a spoiler, but if you really think that the imbecile who wrote that article had any idea of what Bradley cars are about, just try buying what he recommends and you'll see just how little he knows -- appears to me to be just one more self-acclaimed "expert."
The only windshield that fits a Bradley GTII without severe modification to the glass or the windshield frame is the proprietary GTII windshield by Varicon, and it is no longer commercially available. Some Twoie owners have spares, although a good one will seldom go for less than $500, plus crating and shipping.
The Bradley GT windshield is a 1963-67 (called "Mid-Year") Corvette Coupe, and the Plexiglass gulls and short (Sundowner "Convertible") or long (Fastback) rears were available from Bradley Automotive, Allied Plastics (briefly), and Sun Ray Products in your choice of tinted (smoke) or clear (bronze).
Post your questions on this website and you're sure to get answers to your inquiries from experienced owners who know what is isn't true about these cars, not from strangers who have never done what they tell you to do.
Good luck with yours, and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Sept 29, 2014 14:52:41 GMT -5
Thanks, Bob. That would be great. Mine are working fine, but I've painted them black. I think I want to back the original chrome. Thanks again, and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Sept 16, 2014 16:00:43 GMT -5
Hi, Buds,
I'm looking for a not-too-costly set of four original GT tail light fixtures, preferably new or never mounted with clean chrome.
Tap here or call my cell: 717-917-3670.
Thanks and regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Aug 28, 2014 4:29:29 GMT -5
Hi, Bob,
Do you really need a whole frame? I don't think you have to go to such an extreme measure.
My Fiberfab MG TD kit has full doors, and only required a square tube to be welded into the side channel under the frame on each side of the stock VW pan. You could use a heavier round tube if you feel that more is needed. It wouldn't have to hang too far down if it didn't fit all the way into the channel, and the Bradley's side panels are far enough below the frame to hide just about anything.
Warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Aug 12, 2014 16:26:46 GMT -5
Hi, Chris and Group, The engine that lasted 645,000 miles was a 1641, not a 1776. I rebuilt it once after 340,000, then did the next 325K on the rebuild. The valve seats were so destroyed that I had to exceed 2500 rpm just to keep it from dying. The car has been in the garage for the past three summers, but I have recently finished building a new 1776, which is now installed. The body is separated and inverted over a sawhorse dolly, and the underbody cleanup is almost complete. I have a new stainless instrument panel, and have only to wire the switches before I flip the body back over and reinstall it. I also added coil-over, adjustable shocks to slightly raise and even out the ride height without messing with the front and rear-end torsion systems. I usually do a body-off and cleanup on my GT every five years, but the last one was in 2000 when I reinstalled the air-conditioning system (thought I'd be okay without it after the 1994-96 full restoration, but one drive on a rainy summer day was all it took to show me the error of my thinking). Body off, air back in, I drive happy. I also have two blowers mounted for better-than-average heat. Anyway, I expect the new 1776 to be all I need and more. I have a Freeway Flyer transaxle, and at 3,000 rpm, the 1641 would do 70 all day long on 1000-mile-plus road trips. I used all the 1641's top-end parts for my new 1776: Kadron dual carburetors, Gene Berg Dual Quiet Pack exhausts and collector, Pertronix electronic ignition, standard VW oil cooler with a heavy-duty oil pump, and an oil sump. I don't hot rod the car. I take care of it, and in return, it drives nicely -- for years and years and thousands and thousands of miles. Here's a link to a few images in my original post about the new engine: bradleygt.proboards.com/thread/2049/new-1776-engine-gtI'll post additional images when it's back on the road in a couple of weeks. Warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jul 24, 2014 9:55:32 GMT -5
Hi, Winger,
Gary is correct about the 1963-67 Corvette coupe windshield for the Bradley GT (what you're calling a GT-1). The post-1977 rubber trim that Bradley provided is no longer available commercially, but the Corvette chrome shouldn't be too hard to find, although very costly if purchased new. Almost any auto glass house in America can get you the Corvette windshield, and prices will vary.
The T-top flange bolts are carriage bolts. Some auto houses reference them as bumper bolts. Chrome caps were on the heads of the carriage bolts that came with Bradley's kits, but I would suggest replacing them with stainless carriage bolts. Chrome rusts, but polished stainless looks almost as bright as new chrome, and a dumpload brighter than rusted chrome. Stainless doesn't rust.
You can get stainless carriage bolts at any good fastener house. I use Totally Stainless in Gettysburg PA, and Fastening Products of Lancaster in Lancaster PA.
If you're tearing down and reassembling your car, spend the longer bucks and replace every exposed fastener (nuts, bolts, washers, screws) with a stainless part. Bradley's choice of fasteners rusted after only a few months without garage storage. They were the only sub-standard parts in the GT kit, and they were SERIOUSLY sub standard.
Good luck with the car.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jul 17, 2014 22:13:56 GMT -5
Cheers, Ed,
Greetings from a fellow editor from across the pond.
I don't check this site all that often when I'm working on a project. I have roughly 20 RC airplanes going for American modeling magazines right now, and I've just finished building a new 1776 engine for my Bradley (645,000 miles after 38 years of steady driving). I'm also in the late stages of finishing a Fiberfab 1952 MG TD Replica, which I found completely new in boxes and untouched by hand or drill some 10 or 11 years ago, and sprucing up my four 1960 vintage race karts for next season.
My CDs have a lot of information, and may hold the history that Gary told you about as one of the files. I think it's on there, but I'll have to check.
I'm probably one of - if not the - only original owner builders who is still maintaining and driving the car. I bought my kit from Bradley in 1976, and the company did a fine job with delivery and support. Unfortunately, the comment about me knowing the owners and visiting the factory is incorrect. I spoke with several representatives by phone, but have never visited the facility. The guy who had the direct company contact is Ray Tierney of Sun Ray Products in Minnesota. Ray built many of the turnkey vehicles, and worked closely with the company when they were active. He still offers Plexiglas gull wings and rear windows for the GT.
Gary is correct in that here are no hard production numbers available. The serial numbering system was misleading and meaningless, at least to those outside the company. Over the years, we're estimating that approximately 5,000 GT cars were produced in kit, assembled or turnkey form, and roughly 500 GTIIs in the same three formats. My personal guess is that today's roadworthy cars number in the neighborhood of 100 and 20 respectably.
I'm sure I'll have some information that might help you, although my knowledge is in the car more than the company. After so many miles, years, six rebuilds, and three complete ground-up restoration with the same vehicle, there isn't much I haven't been through with a GT.
Let me know what you need, and I'll do my best to help. I'd be happy to send you a comp CD if it will help your article.
Please contact me by email at: jefftroy@aol.com or phone my cell: 717-917-3670.
Warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on May 13, 2014 19:17:50 GMT -5
Hi, Mike,
The outlet on the right is stock. The outlet on the left has been relocated to exit over the A/C compressor. The hose on the left gets cut into two lengths. The upper length goes from the outlet to a metal tube fitted over the compressor. The second goes from the tube to the heat exchanger. It looks a lot more sensible when you see it with the compressor.
The compressor is still connected to the body and chassis because there was no point in losing all that hard-to-find refrigerant. I'll remount the compressor when the engine goes in and the body hoes back on the chassis.
Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on May 13, 2014 17:59:05 GMT -5
Sorry, ace,
Better looking, yes, but still serves no purpose, kills what little visibility there was, and qualifies for the "Kentucky go-fasters" club, which includes goober features like curb feelers, dual antennae, mud flaps and dingle balls hanging from the roof line.
Not up to your usual standards at all, my friend.
Warmest (anyway) regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on May 13, 2014 17:52:08 GMT -5
Here are the internals Here's the completed bottom end Tins and much top end installed Close to ready for installation Fuel and breather lines are on now. Working on chassis and body, then will mount engine. Warmest...
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Post by Jeff Troy on May 8, 2014 15:46:09 GMT -5
Hi, Crew,
I haven't been on the site too often lately. Been kinda busy with the car.
With one rebuild at 340,000 miles and 325,000 more on the clock, the trusty ol' 1641 engine in my GT was finally declared by me as officially shot at 645K.
My plastic racer has been in the garage for the past two years, and I've finally gotten around to building a new engine for it.
I used all the top end parts from the 1641 -- Gene Berg rocker shafts and Dual Quiet Pack exhaust and collector, CB Performance oil sump, Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition and a few other bits and pieces. The heat exchangers, collector and dual mufflers are all Jet-Hot metallic-ceramic coated from 1994, and all the fasteners are polished stainless button-head caps. There's plenty of billet, too, all the grooved parts from the 1641 -- distributor cover, oil sender cover, pulley plate, degree marker, and lots more. The case and accessories were coated with POR-15 silver, and the tins are all basecoat-clearcoat gold.
The bottom end is all new. I had the low-mileage case line bored and machined for the Mahle 1776 cylinders and pistons, and added rebuilt rods, a counterbalanced Scat crank and 110 cam, new lifters and bearings.
It's all together now, waiting for me to do the No. 6 complete teardown/reassembly of the body and thingypit. I usually do this every five years or so, but the last one was in 2000, so there are a few things to get back to perfect before I start running up the miles again. I have a new stainless instrument panel to replace the aluminum panel that I made in 1994, and two new sets of gulls and rears to cut and fit -- one for daily driving and the other for special occasions. There's a half-decent set of Plexiglas on the car now, but they have the usual cracks and splits. I'll just keep those around for emergencies.
I have pictures of the new engine during and after assembly, but they're all hi-res raw images. I'll post a few shots as soon as I break them down into lower-res JPGs. This is the third VW engine I've built using the Tom Wilson book, and I can't say enough about how thorough this publication is. I'm not a mechanic, and certainly not a gearhead, but this book has guided me to truly professional results three times: one rebuild for the 1641 in the GT, a new 1641 for my Fiberfab MG-TD, and now the 1776 for the GT.
Pics within a day or two.
Warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Mar 29, 2014 9:09:28 GMT -5
HI,
The engine lid, tail light mounting and windshield installation put the car at a 1975 or earlier model. If it has a title, it would read the date that the car was completed and titled, not the year that the kit left the Bradley building. The interior if far from perfect, but looks to be better than most I've seen.
Interesting treatment around the windows. I had planned to make some very differently shaped reinforcing parts from stainless, but your images gave me the idea of doing them in Plexiglas, which will retain the original look of the gulls - and I like that. I've seen cars with metal around the gulls, but don't care for it much. It hampers vision in an already visually poor visibility car, and mostly looks like homemade crap.
Some of the comments I've read in this thread might scare you away, but I have 645,000 on my GT (built in 1976) and have had very little trouble with it. When a GT is built correctly, it's just a a VW with a plastic body, and the VW was always reputed to be an extremely low-maintenance vehicle.
The electrical system could be a problem, so check carefully to see if anything other than headlights are not answering the call. A complete rewire is a pain in the ass, but certainly doable. If the wiring isn't burned out or mouse chewed, you shouldn't need a new harness - just a little patience and the appropriate replacement wires and quick-disconnect connectors.
The headlight door is hitting the light bezels because the original builder installed the headlight bucket too far forward in the body. This is an easy fix with the body separated from the chassis, but can be difficult to access with the body mounted. If you need to do electrical work, I recommend a body pull, which is not all that difficult, then you can address the headlight bucket(s). The headlight actuator sounds like the hardware-store lever that came with the kit. It looks homemade, but it's the factory-provided lever, and it does the job. My CD shows a cleaner, much nicer setup that raises the lids using the unused heater lever next to the shifter.
Heat is a problem in the GT because of the long hoses that are exposed to outside air in several places. There are fixes, but they can be time consuming to inspect and correct, however they are not at all costly. I drive my car in rain, wind, snow, ice and anything else. It was my daily driver for many years, and registered in five states, most of which had fairly severe winters. Heat is far from great, but can be made acceptable. Some owners may disagree, but for a daily driver, air-co should be installed. Kits are available.
"Expensive" is a term often used for replacement Bradley Plexiglas gulls and rear windows. I guess if you pay $300 for a POS car, you look at $250 as being high for the cost to replace a gull door. On the other hand, if you bought almost any used production car for $300 and priced a replacement piece of glass, I think you would see that the $250 for the gull is not so much after all. Does anyone really think that you could get a window or windshield for an old car that would relate to what was paid for the car? A replacement Corvette windshield runs anywhere from $150 to $300, regardless of whether it's going on a mid-year ('63-67) Corvette coupe or a Bradley GT. What you paid for the car is irrelevant.
If you buy the car, I do suggest ordering one of my CDs. It has files for all of the manuals, and a lot of useful information that can help you get - and keep - the car in good shape.
Best of luck and warmest regards,
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Post by Jeff Troy on Feb 2, 2014 17:02:53 GMT -5
Hi, Dan,
Sent you a PM. New CD on the way tomorrow (Monday).
Warmest regards...
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Post by Jeff Troy on Jan 30, 2014 0:36:05 GMT -5
Hi, Guys,
Just a point about GT gulls, fastback and Sundowner rear windows...
Ray Tierney's oversize Plexiglas parts are not unique to his products. Bradley Plexiglas gulls and rears were manufactured oversize by design, and ALL producers of these parts have cut them to Bradley's design specifications.
Cutting the parts down to fit each individual car was part of the assembly process, and the procedure is explained in certain editions of the assembly manual.
The original Plexiglas parts shipped by Bradley Automotive were oversize, and each piece carried a D.O.T. stamp. When Bradley went out of business, the same original Plexiglas parts were made available by Allied Plastics. These were also oversize, and some carried the D.O.T. stamp.
Ray Tierney (Sun Ray) built many of the turnkey cars for Bradley, and also produced Plexiglas parts for the GT after Allied ceased production. He still offers the gulls and rears, although the D.O.T stamp is no longer required and is not present. His parts are oversize because they are supposed to be oversize.
Warmest regards...
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Post by Jeff Troy on Dec 5, 2013 20:15:45 GMT -5
Hi, 10,
You have a private message.
Warmest regards,
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