paul bradley

I'm putting this in my "what the hell column" of my brain.



If you want to pay a guy 10k to make a pinto fender, that's on you. Might be worth it.


Little story I have a friend that is a master car builder (worked on ridler cars) that is amazing at bending metal. He bent up a compound curve lower car valance from a flat piece of steel in a few minutes then looked at me and said "see". ha ha



Or just make it yourself.






.
 
I bought a set of full floor pans, and a set of front partial floor pans for 35-36, maybe 20+ years ago. They were delivered to Hershey for me to pick up not long after placing that order. This is when Pauls dad ran the business. Good service back then, and many of the large parts suppliers also carried some of his pans in their stock.

Unfortunately, his business policy's have changed over the years. Having to wait four years for a critical part of a project, while they are holding your money, is just unacceptable in my opinion, I don't care how nice the final product is. I'd find another way to get what I need to get my project completed.
 
Don't waste your time with Bradley, he took my money and I waited almost 3 years and would have never got them without help from one of his dealers who felt bad for me. Pretty Pathetic to deal with people and hold up their projects. He is a bad guy.
 
Well about 12 years ago, I ordered a full set of 34 floor pans. In about a month, here they came! And they were decent; not perfect. I think I was blessed as I have not heard good things since and this thread proves it.
I think the folks in KS make 33-34 pans but don't know about later years.
 
These posts on Bradley's business never stop. Why do people continue to give him money? Do they hope if they continue to give him money his business practices will get better? Idiocy is doing the same thing over and over and hoping you get a different result.
 
philipswanson said:
Got mine within two weeks! Great quality. He will work with you!
Click to expand...

He will if he wants too . . . but he might just as easily take your money (prepay on the front end) - and you're still waiting 2 years from now. How the heck does one take that gamble - I know I wouldn't.
 
uncle buck said:
BS - A guy that doesn't take or return phone calls is not someone that will work with you. You just flat got lucky that he already had what you needed already done.
Click to expand...

With Paul, you have to be very patient if you want the best. He wouldn't take my money until he was ready to ship. Yes I got lucky because he had mine in stock. The pans are like Henry made them. Stampings are exactly like the originals. He is the only show in town if you want the best. Order at least a year before you need them.
 
I left numerous messages a few years ago over a few months time , I guess I'll continue to wait for the phone call. There's no doubt in my mind that they are the best quality made - when they do get made. I got a few sets 30 years ago from his dad and never had a problem with him
 
I have known Paul for many years, now. Years ago, one of the issues was that people other than Paul who advertised and sold his pans would not buy them and stock them because of the amount of room they take up and the sheer variety they would have to stock with so many different models and years not using the same pans. Paul's situation would be even worse than the retailers. It is not feasible to make large quantities of pans for each different application, store them, and possibly go years before someone ordered a single pan or partial set for a specific application...if ever. As a trifling example in terms of complexity, Paul was the only one I know of that made correct under seat floor pans for 35-37 pickups. The 35-6 and the 37 are not the same with the 35/6 having a different number of "grooves" than the 37 despite being dimensionally the same. Paul made both and both were spot on...you could take an OEM and stack them on Paul's and they were perfect. These days you can buy an aftermarket under seat floor pan for the pickups, but they are all the same stamping and sold as a range of years. There are a whole lot of people who don't know and don't care that they are not the same as the OEM as long as they fill the space. Paul is also competing with those who make pans for street rods that "fit the space" making the orders for his correct pans fewer and farther between. Throw in the people who are restoring a vehicle as a driver and have zero intent of ever showing a vehicle and only want "to fill the space" and the sheer cost of stocking all of the different years and models in the face of ever shrinking sales to those who do want an OEM show quality appearing restoration, perhaps Paul should get out of the business because what people appear to expect in terms of off the shelf availability would put him out of business anyway. Does that excuse the delays and the difficulty in getting in touch with Paul? Probably not, especially if you have a project in need of a pan.
 
If the other companies are taking away Paul's business, shouldn't that free up Paul's time to make original pans for those that want them and get them when promised?
 
Referring to post #36

You or him may not be aware of it, BUT he is out of business!

I don't know anyone, I know when you say his name the immediate response
is " Stay away,Stay away"

Think his victims these days are folks that just are not aware of his dealings
and i'm truly sorry for them.
 
Other companies are not competing with Paul. They produce "One size fits all" pans. He produces them as OEM. No competition. Worth the wait if you want quality.
 
I learned a long time ago that planning ahead on stuff like this is vital. Everyone knows the parameters of his operation by now and should think accordingly. I know that if I had procured a body needing a floor, it would be the first thing I would order. You can quibble about his business model etc. until the cows come home, but if you want quality parts, he seems to be he only game in town.
 
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