Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread

[friedlbug]

It's like it is designed to give exactly enough surface are so that the two can rust perfectly together!

I've had this problem on beaters in the past. A sledge to the edge of the tire tread usually does the trick, but you could damage the tire (though I didn't) and make sure not to hit the wheel. Another option is to loosen the lug nuts on the wheel in question, lower the jack enough to put pressure on the wheel (but not the full weight), and steer back and forth.

[bennelson]

I got the front tires off.

I tried jacking it up, heating the the hubs, smacking the tire with a hammer and block of wood. Nothing worked!

Finally I decided I needed four hands to do this right.

I set up the torch on a step-stool pointed off-center at the stuck point. I also got out my big rubber mallet, so I could pound without also needing to hold a block of wood in place to prevent tire damage from the hammer.

I could slowly rotate the tire with one hand (thus making the heat from the torch go to the whole stuck rim contact point) and wack the rim from the back with the mallet.

After a couple minutes of this, the wheel popped right off. The second wheel went even quicker.

I wouldn't have wanted to do this on the side of the road to change a tire!!!

I put some grease on the inside edge of the rim, so hopefully they won't just rust back on!!!!


Now I just have to figure out how to get that transmission out....

Also, I am going out to deliver the Metro engine to a buyer tonight. Probably is a dark alley somewhere. (Psst, budddy...want to buy a fuel efficient engine?....)

[bennelson]

I drove down to Illinois last night to sell the Metro Engine.

This was a sale to a guy through Craigslist, who lives 4 hours away. We did a "meet half-way in a parking lot somewhere" in Rockford IL.

I got $400 cash for the engine. The car only cost me $500. Not a bad refund for the major part of the car I wasn't going to be using.

I still have the gas tank with fuel sending unit and fuel pump, the radiator, and some misc exhaust parts. If I was able to get $100 selling those items, the car is basically free!

Now I just need a cheap controller, free batteries, and a sympathetic machinist, and I have a cheap electric car!!!!

The sale of the engine included other items that were all ready attached to it. All the hoses and things were detached on the car side, and left connected to the engine. The alternator and starter were included as well.

I did keep the flywheel. If I want to make an electric car that includes simple shifting and a built-in mechanical disconnect, I need the flywheel to mount the clutch to. Or at least a modified version or copy of the flywheel.

I still can't get the rear tires off the car. I tried the same technique as the front tires, but had no luck.

I also noticed that the rear wheels have a metal cap that covers the hub nut. The front wheels didn't have that. One more thing to rust in place!

[MetroMPG]

Woohoo! 400 bucks! I'm impressed.

I had the 1.3L motor from the red car up for sale for over a year (asking half that) with no bites. Ended up letting it go for $90, and that included a pile of interior parts the guy stripped from the car as well.

[bennelson]

I have so far gotten 2 other e-mails asking about the Metro engine. One of them was from Ohio!

I guess Metro engines are in demand now.

I could have had these guys bidding against each other!!!

[SVOboy]

That's a sweet deal on the engine...too bad honda motors aren't worth anything...

[MetroMPG]

Now I'm thinking I should put the blue car's 1.0 engine up for sale. I was keeping it thinking I might use it for parts for my car some day...

[bennelson]

I was thinking that I would like to have some sort of permanent web page talking about the car. Ideally, it would have it's own web domain.

I already own HDVideoGuy.com which I never actually got set up for my video business.

Anyways, I threw a real basic web page in there talking about the Electric Metro.

You can see it at:
http://www.hdvideoguy.com/MetroEV

I actually have WAY more info in this thread, but wanted to have someplace to refer the public to.

I plan to continue my postings here for building this project, and eventually add and polish the above mentioned web page.

Somebody please go to it, so I can see if the counter works!

Thanks,

-Ben

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Ideally, it would have it's own web domain.

Have you picked one yet?

I plan to continue my postings here for building this project, and eventually add and polish the above mentioned web page.

That was my plan too

I note with interest the "video" link on your blog. Looking forward to it!

[bennelson]

I don't know where to go for some good cheap simple hosting.

I have heard that Google ads can be good to help defray the costs of running a web page.

I like what this guy did
http://www.electricyaris.com/

In fact, since I have the exact same web software, I just pretty much duplicated his for now. Just trying something out to see if it works.

I guess that if I did a real web page with ads and things, I would want to do a full-blown version that would include info on the electric motorcycle, renewable energy, some personal blog stuff, and info on other projects I have worked on.