Bradley Automotive was a 1970s manufacturer of kit cars largely based on a Volkswagen Type 1 chassis and drivetrain. The GT was perhaps its best-known product, which could be purchased as a kit or a fully assembled car. The GT II came along later and would be the foundation for a limited run of electric-powered fiberglass cars. Only 50 of those are said to have been built and this is one of them! Our thanks to Tony Primo for the interesting tip!
The GT and other Bradley kit cars were produced between 1970 and 1981 (when the company ran out of money). The GT was a big seller, and the company improved upon it in 1976 with the GT II (designed by a former Shelby American employee). It was fancier and roomier than its predecessor and had true gull-wing doors with frames and sliding glass. Sales were less spectacular at about 500 cars, making replacement parts and pieces a little harder to come by today.
In 1980, the GT II Electric came out, decades before EVs would begin to populate the landscape. General Electric contributed to the car’s development, giving it a direct-traction motor with an output of about 20 hp. The cars gained weight as a result of the batteries, coming in at close to 3,000 lbs. Only 50 of them saw the light of day, probably as a result of Bradley’s financial situation in 1981. This one has been in storage for at least 40 years and the odometer reads only 1,300 miles.
The original lead acid batteries this GT II came with have been replaced with lithium batteries. It has a manual transmission which we assume is the same one the Beetle version of the Bradley would have had. The seller is light on photos except for pics of several documents that attest to the background of the GT II Electric. Located in Salinas, California, this rarity kit car is available here on craigslist for $32,000. Be the only kid on your block (or in the state) to have one!
Yeh, nah,
I’m old, if it’s electric it’s a golf buggy.
Don’t argue with a retired Vet!!!!!
There’s probably a good reason it only has 1,300 miles, it’s more of a warning that a selling point.
Steve R
Only 20 HP? No thanks. But will it chirp the tires on launch? Probably. EVs have one hundred percent of torque available at 0 rpm.
With 20hp it probably actually needs the transmission, not so much for launching but to have a decent cruising speed. I wonder what it has for a final-drive ratio.
The batteries have been updated – what does that mean for range and charging? Does it have a CCS charger or something older like a dryer plug?
Just don’t let it sit in a flood plain!
Have to say that the II Has a much more appealing look than the original! One would assume the posable influence of the former Shelby American employee? 😂
Imagine swapping in an air cooled VW 1200cc, doubling the HP and halfing the weight.
Ahahaha, its called fishing to get a fish at 32k
There’s ugly, and then there is electrified ugly.