Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift

[MetroMPG]

yeah, the hf would be nice - but i should have said: cars actually available locally.

all the crx's of that vintage are just a rusty memory around here... the civic i found is an unusual recent transplant from the west coast.

[MetroMPG]

crud.

heard back about 2 of the "parked" (i.e. dead) metros around here: $350 for one, $500 for the other. the $350 one is actually worth $50, but the owner is delusional (parked for many years, cracked windshield, rusty around the edges, not running).

the $500 one is probably worth $500 - owner says it's low miles (120k km), runs fine, but needs a cv joint.

the search continues

[MetroMPG]

bigger crud:

i checked with my insurance broker friday to find out rates for a metro EV, and found out my current company won't insure an EV converted by a hobbyist (i.e. me). checked another company: same answer.

if i can't get insured (or insured cheaply - a regular ICE 93 metro would cost me an extra $35 a month), that'll be the end of the project.

so my focus shifts from finding a host car to finding an insurer...

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Are there any of those online insurance companies that have good rates but ****ty service in canada? esurance.com comes to mind for me.

i know it's an option to just insure the car and not tell them it's electric, but if anyone ever made a claim against me, and it was in any way a result of the conversion, i'd be screwed.

i was willing to take the chance, but my friend wasn't as much. so we have to do full disclosure. i'll call around a bit more this week and see what we can come up with...

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

The deductable might me more than the value of the car, don't you think? It'll prolly get totalled from a fender bender (as would my car), so meh.

yeah, i'm not even looking for collision or comprehensive (theft/vandalism etc) - you're right, it won't be worth it.

[MetroMPG]

for anyone who's following this, 2 10hp 36-48V dc motors sold on eBay this week for $200 and $300 US respectively (250A and 500A ratings). either would have been suitable for a small car conversion. the smaller motor was used, out of an electric fork truck.

[MetroMPG]

got some good news: found an insurance co. which will cover a metro conversion (though they may require that it be inspected at their discretion - which is fine by me). $48/month for 3rd party liability.

[MetroMPG]

went for a drive in the blackfly today - first time i've driven it in a week. i have to take it out at least once a week or the brake rotors get too rusty to clean off with the brake pedal.



anyway, found a potential EV host car on my drive: 93 or 94 swift. red.

very good body for its age. guy wants $100 for it. guy says it runs too.

but it's been repaired (welded) where the front right control arm attaches to the unibody (common point of weakness from rust with these cars, right JanGeo?!).

i first need to find out if a repaired control arm mount will pass a safety check. if it will, this one might be worth getting.

[MetroMPG]

if you're interested, the true beater cars like this don't usually show up in the usual places, ie. the *trader magazines; they're too low-end to even bother advertising.

so, you have to be resourceful to find them. tips:

- all 5 metro candidates i've looked at so far i found driving down rural roads outside of town. just keep an eye out for cars in driveways/yards that are un-plated or have obviously been parked for a while (lots of snow on top is a dead giveaway... though we haven't had much of that this winter). then i just knock at the door and inquire.

- start watching the teamswift.net buy & sell forum: members often post "finds" in their area for the benefit of others who are looking. the "cheap" finds are popular threads, the discussion forum equivalent of yelling "bingo!"

- repair shops (i.e. independent garages): several around here buy & re-sell their customers' old cars when the customer decides to pull the plug on ongoing financial/mechanical life support

- patience. do the rounds. watch the forums. wait a while, and something will eventually turn up. (like my firefly/metro that had 2,400 orig. km when i got it ... but for which i paid waaaaay more than $500)

[MetroMPG]

fyi, here's a properl '95 Metro EV (i.e. not "scrapyard budget-oriented) is for sale:

- 8 inch Advance DC motor, 96 volts,
- 400 Amp Curtis Controller,
- new battery pack (16 Advance flooded lead acid batteries, 6 volts, 120 AH ea)
- radio tape player, driven this EV, happily, for five years. Asking $6000 US.
- link to ad + one not so good picture