Paul & Sabrina's Cheap EV Conversion

[Christ]

Yes, exactly like that, is what I meant to do.

[order99]

MPaulHolmes-

I've got an idea for a power boost-a partial Baja conversion. It's time-consuming, but the Kit's about $700 last I checked, less than another battery string-and the less weight you haul, the more power you get!

I have a neighbor who's just starting a VW EV of his own, a 96V to start with, and has graciously allowed me to be his part-time Padawan. The first step I recommended(following the Engine removal and cleaning) was to lose as much Chassis weight as possible. So we've turned it into a 2 seater, enabling a more even spread to the Battery trays and better weight distribution, and we're also in the process of making a semi-Baja of it. The nose will be reduced to half-size, all four fenders are gone and the engine cover also gone, with the Bay trimmed a bit. Since we have some floor rust we'll cut the whole thing out from pedal to just behind the front seats, leaving the Steel behind that for the Batts.

The nose and fenders will be replaced with the Fiberglass ones with the Baja kit, the Floorpans with Fiberglass replacements and the front seats will be replaced with lighter, smaller ones-I don't know where he got them, but they're comfy! Between the fiberglass and the seats we're at least 300lbs under when we began, that's not counting the engine, clutch or exhaust either...

In a normal Baja kit, one would finish with a jacked-up frame, oversized tires, an exposed engine bay with a protective cage and a redesigned exhaust system. In our case though, the frame remains at standard height, no cage and i'm in the process of forming a Mini-cover from Coroplast, covering it with two layers of Fiberglass when i've got the design just right and affixing it to the steel. Due to the lessened nose and tail, and the expanded space behind the front seats, the Electrics will be as follows-two Batteries in the nose, two in the engine box with the Motor, four over the back axle and all the bundled Electronics in front of that for a balanced load. The original Starter Battery will be replaced by a Deep-cycle matching the others but on its own circuit for the lights etc(my neighbor plans on a 12V charger per battery, so it will charge with the same cord).

The we grab some slightly thinner tires, and my part's done. Afterwards I just sit back and watch-and learn.

[bennelson]

Order99,

You interested in starting your own thread on here with any more info, photos, etc. of the project you are assisting on?

It sounds interesting!

[order99]

Right now the only thing we have is a cut-up VW, a pile of Fiberglass panels and a filthy garage, but i'll post a few pics once we have something worth shooting. This will probably be next month when the forklift motor shows up-my neighbor's old employer is scrapping out a forklift and steaming it for him. Wish MY old Bosses were that nice.

[Intrigued]

Order99, PULEEEZE do pictures!!! Start at daylight tomorrow!!! Before and After is important for the rest of us to understand what happened.

Start your own thread, by all means!!! I'm just getting to where I can stand to watch commercials about what Oprah has on this week, for crying out loud!!!

[MPaulHolmes]

Originally Posted by Intrigued

Start your own thread, by all means!!! I'm just getting to where I can stand to watch commercials about what Oprah has on this week, for crying out loud!!!

Intrigued is right! It sounds like you guys are doing something very different and interesting! Pictures of how you are destroying the car is good!!! You should read some of my crappy posts! Sometimes all I have to say is that Oprah is a fat cult leader!

We need more people with actual content!!! Please!

I'm not going to do much to pimp out my current car. It's a $40 piece of crap, but I love the idea of modding a car to make it lighter for my next conversion! No picture is too insignificant! Get Er' Done!

[Intrigued]

You mean like this???

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

The batteries are in. It was like lifting 1,000,000 Kenyan refugees or one quarter Oprah getting those batteries in there. They are really heavy.

...I was okay until I saw the new signature. Now I can't stop laughing...and I'm seriously thinking about wearing my "Nuke the Whales" t-shirt tomorrow...just NOT IN PUBLIC!!!

You are seriously affecting me, Holmes! I can't even watch the stupid commercials any more!!!

[MPaulHolmes]

Intrigued! I am going to ask my wife to get me a Nuke The Whales T-shirt for Christmas. I'm excited!

My African American wife gave me permission to ask, "What is Oprah's ..."
(WIFE EDIT).

I need a good project that doesn't cost any money. I still want to make a reasonably priced controller. I know I can do it! I need an oscilloscope, and an Atmel programmer that can transfer the program from the computer to the microcontroller chip (i'm going to use the AtMega16). Ian from Zero Emissions Vehicles Australia just finished a 500 or 600 amp 156v controller. The parts cost $400 Australian. I have gone through much of the process without actually building it. In other words, I've done almost nothing! But I am mostly done with the software for the controller. Temperature shutdown, high pedal lockout, etc... I need a mill too. I will use 200v components. I'll make it as kitlike as possible and help people make it for free. I bet a basic 144v 400 amp controller is doable for like $300 in parts (or less? We'll see.). It's one of the things on my list. It's going to be tough having 3 whole weeks of NO MONEY and no work! What a horrible combination!

Next quarter I'm teaching 3 classes! So, I'll maybe have enough money if my wife get's subbing work to get an oscilloscope and I'll get started on it. I might make the frequency like 1 or 2 kHz to cut down on switching losses. I'll have to figure out how to mask the annoying sound..

[Intrigued]

Get one of those mini-mills from Grizzly when they're on sale. If you're close to a town where one of their brick-and-mortars is, get a display model at a tent sale there. My sister got one at a tent sale and does all sorts of little wooden bits with it for crafts. Surely there's one that will destroy metal parts...

Be sure to pick a frequency for your controller that'll mess with all of the neighbor's wireless systems. Then, when they actually step outside of their houses to see what's going on, and breathe real air and see real live green grass, (white snow?) they'll see your car, and maybe, just maybe, think deep thoughts like "hey, I should do that to help save the environment - and my wallet!!!"


Poor burnt angels... maybe what the world needs is a better mouse trap!!!

[metromizer]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

By the way, I still need to fix the DANG super beetle shimmy, then it's on the freeway!!!!!

Hmmm... for some reason I thought you had a standard beetle <not a super>

If you car has McPhereson front struts, all the "curved windsheild" supers with a horizontally stored spare tire are mac strut. If that's what you have Paul, then fixing the common SB shimmy is usually a matter of replacing the pivot at the top of the strut... but I've never changed one myself, but it's common.