A few random sightings....
 

So while at work today I saw a few intersting things.

First, outside a grocery store, around back there were two used forklift batteries sitting on a pallet awaiting disposal. If only I had a use for them. They're 24 volt batteries, and the aH rating on them is 878!! :eek:

Unfortunately they (probably) each weigh more than the Forkenswift does! Most batteries in this size range are >1500lbs!

I didn't have a camera with me, but this batt is close.

http://i21.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/dd/27/43cc_1.JPG

Then, on my last stop of the day, I saw a car that I've never seen before, a Datsun B210GX

http://www.adclassix.com/images/78datsunb210.jpg

Just imagine that exact car with +25 years of rust. It's an astonishingly aerodynamic shape for such a car of it's age. One just might make a nice project car someday If anyone ever stumbles across one. :thumbup:

If you find a B210 it better be from Phonix or someplace equally dry. A friend of mine had a B210 and came out to the parking lot one day and the McPherson strut towers had corroded so much the struts were sticking through the hood.

Very thin metal.

If I found a forklift battery like that, I might be temped to steal the Anderson connector from it.

Worth a decent amount for scrap lead.

People have asked me if I was going to use the battery from the forklift for my car. The answer is no, because it didn't come with one, but even if I did, I wouldn't, because they are huge, heavy blocks!

A couple of golf cart batteries is lighter and much more flexible in where you can put them.

In forklifts, the battery is also used as a ballast or a counterweight against the load they lift.

I still kinda like the idea of an EV using a few smaller 12v "lift truck" batteries. They're lighter (only ~400lbs) but still have some awesome aH numbers.

The part I really like is the idea of the "quick-change" capability. If you had modular batteries, and you had two sets, you could quickly swap your depleted batts for the freshly charged set, and go out again without waiting for a charging cycle.

The battery compartment on most forklifts is a big rectangle with rollers on the bottom.

This really does let you "quick swap them".

Still, they weigh a lot, and you need another forklift or other power equipment to handle those batteries.

Quick swap batteries is something talked about all the time on electric vehicle forums.

I used to have a B210 like that and it was one dam comfortable car..
It wasn't going to win any races, but I never thought about it for gas
milage because back then, gas was only 99 cents a gallon lol

very simple cars.

^ One example of how far we've back traveled with fuel economy :/

back traveled?

The old B210 was a not a fun car to drive. And they were really tiny inside. I'm 6'3" and it was not a comfortable fit or ride. Top that off, the ones I drove in the late 70s could barely get to 55MPH with an automatic. The 4 speed was better because you could at least row the shifter...

I agree!:(