Merging a free, vintage kit car body with an unlikely donor to create a $2000 Challenge champion

The price sounded fair: “Free but I wouldn't turn down a bottle of a good whiskey.”

Stampie, a longtime GRM forum member, had landed a Bradley GT kit car body. But it was time for a new owner, so he offered it to the rest of the GRM community.

gumby, another cornerstone member of the group, took …

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Great Job on that Bradley, yall deserve the win, the work and effort that went into that car is incredible. So many awesome cars this year too.

I'm so happy to have been included in this with the chance to redeem myself from my... poor... 2019 presentation. Amazing guys with ridiculous skills that humbled me every time we worked on it. 
 

now... where are my sprinkles? I was promised sprinkles. 

I do kinda wonder if Stampie looked at it and thought "yeah, that's what I had planned"

Mr_Asa said:

I do kinda wonder if Stampie looked at it and thought "yeah, that's what I had planned"

He does have a "master planner" vibe going on doesn't he?

Nocones build looks every bit as cool as the first digital mockup I saw. Amazing execution.

Also, I for one welcome our "drop a shell on a mostly custom tube frame chassis" overlords!

In reply to CrustyRedXpress :

That would apply if we didn't use most of the panther chassis, including the entire front suspension, frame rails and even the lower rear arms. 

David, it was awesome having you in our pit spot, spending some time chatting and gathering intel. Thank you for banging this article out same-day so I can easily share without formulating my own words!

When we first conceived the Challenge back in 1999, we figured people would take a low-buck car and maybe add some springs and a few bolt-ons--maybe tweak the boost a bit. Never ever thought we'd see anything even close to this year's field. Absolutely stunning work. 

best Bradley ever !

In reply to californiamilleghia :

I concur.

I should add, stunning creativity, too. 

First it was the Beetle, then it was the Fiero; is the Crown Vic, Panther chassis the new darling of the kit car world? 

There's a lot left on the bone with this one.  I'm amazed talking to them and realizing how much they can improve it for the future.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Mr Wallens, would here be a higher res of this magnficent photo we could use for our work desk top back grounds?

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

In reply to gumby :

Not sure "impressed" will be the right word. But definitely in the garage/shop

gumby said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

Make a full size ceiling poster. 

gumby said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

Challenge winner posters would be cool to see in the store.  Probably not worth the printing cost though.

Maybe there should be a GRM wall calendar.  October of each year being the previous winner's car.  Rest of the pics could be from the Challenge or from build threads of popular cars?

Very impressive win!  Imagine how much time, and skill, went into working out all the details of that build! 

Plenty of new faces, cool cars, and enthusiasm all around this year!

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

gumby said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

Make a full size ceiling poster. 

That might interrupt other ... um ... activities seeing me in your old racecar above your bed. It could get awkward 

Mr_Asa said:

gumby said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

Challenge winner posters would be cool to see in the store.  Probably not worth the printing cost though.

Maybe there should be a GRM wall calendar.  October of each year being the previous winner's car.  Rest of the pics could be from the Challenge or from build threads of popular cars?

I think they stopped giving out the annual wall calendar a couple years back. I don't think there is a hard and fast rule but challenge cars have regularly appeared in the GRM wall calender for months around the challenge. I never won a challenge but my cars were feature in August of 2013 and October of 2014.

bobzilla said:

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

gumby said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I want a poster to hang on the wall in my bedroom; above the headboard. Mrs. gumby would be so impressed when she gets home!

Make a full size ceiling poster. 

That might interrupt other ... um ... activities seeing me in your old racecar above your bed. It could get awkward 

You just need to get one of those racecar beds & paint it to match the X71. It basically has the same profile. 

You mean you guys don't have king size race car beds? I would have never expected that I was the only one. My significant others are always are jealous because I'm better than them and finish first. 

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

Clearly I need to read through the entire thread before entering with my .02 as otherwise I'll merely be reiterating someone else's idea