[Ryland]

I haven't done much work on this project in recent months but I'm starting up again now that the weather is getting warmer it's more comfortable being in an unheated work space.
Current part that I am working on is making an attachment ring for the dust boot that keeps dust out of the drive shaft, I'm using the stock dust boot from the CX500 motorcycle but it attached to the engine with a collar that was pressed in to the gas engine, this is not going to work for me so I'm going to make what looks like a very thin spool out of some 2" aluminum pipe to create a flange that the dust boot can then slip over, I had a number of people suggest that I not bother with a part like this, but over time dust and sand getting in to the UV joint will wear it out and I would like this to be as reliable as possible.
The milling machine at my parents house is also in full working order so I can mill basic parts on my own now, this should be helpful in making the battery rack and the last part of the motor mount.
For the battery rack I'm thinking I'll have a center solid rib that supports the batteries and connects to the frame where the engine did, giving strength to the frame, then box it off a bit, have what looks almost like a skid plate between the batteries and the front tire and have it wrap under the batteries and motor, if I set the batteries low enough there ends up being an empty cavity under the motor, this seems like a good space for the speed controller, at some point this week I hope to do a card board mock up of the battery rack and batteries to see how it will really fit together, I'll take photos at that point.
I was also reading about motor options, there are some nice 3 phase brush-less motors out there that will bolt right on, peek horse power of 50hp would match the stock engine altho a 72v motor from a GEM should also be able to handle a momentary peek of nearly 50hp as well, so either way, if I am not happy with the $200 3hp motor I have, a more powerful motor will bolt right on.