Paul's EV conversion 2- 86 Toyota Corolla - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

vpoppv · 10-25-2009, 09:30 PM

Ok, so I felt like a total loser this weekend because I got nothing accomplished. So when it was starting to get too dark for anything, I decided to go ahead and start another electric car project! LOL! I haven't even finished the first one

! It's an 86 Toyota Corolla 4 door sedan with.........an automatic! I once again used the "tow Geo" and got it in the carport. I thought about using it earlier on as it had a blown engine, but decided against it because of the transmission. Then, I saw n2confusion on YouTube do an automatic Geo Metro, as well as this thread:

The Reasons why Automatic Gearboxes WILL Work with EV's & how to do it.. - DIY Electric Car Forums

Also, TheSGC has done one, so it's not like this will be a first! Like E-Sandra, my little red wonder, I have similar goals:
*Keep the backseat (not as picky about the trunk this time)
*have a 5 mile range
*this time, I want it to really go about 40 mph safely

*I'd like to ACTUALLY keep it under $500, not going over this time
*I want to put a straw in MPaulHolmes' brain and suck out all his vast controller knowledge and build it myself.

The biggest problem will be the last one, as I cannot understand a single word being typed in the controller thread. But then again, not long ago I was saying the same thing about building an electric car! Let the games begin!!!

MPaulHolmes · 10-26-2009, 12:02 AM

He's unstoppable!!!!!

Christ · 10-26-2009, 12:39 AM

You can get a 5 mile range on potatoes in water!

Christ · 10-26-2009, 01:01 AM

And you can grow the potatoes in your back yard!!!!

MPaulHolmes · 10-26-2009, 01:55 AM

Yo, Paul! Check out the assembly directions. You can do it!
Directions!

I wouldn't buy the kit if I were you since the whole EV has to cost $500. I think you could do the controller for maybe $300-350 if you order the stuff yourself and can get that horrific heat spreader drilled yourself somehow.
Order directly from Digikey and mouser to save money. I can help you all you want for nothin!
Alvin from down south had a local machine shop drill his 3/4"x1.5"x8" aluminum heat spreader for free! You could have the first $500 freeway capable EV!

If you do, I can mail you a power pcb for free, since your name is Paul. And if I order extras of those control boards, you can have one of those free too. Soldering the control board is annoying, I'm not going to lie.

But I just found some replacement machine screws that would allow for you to make the base plate with just a regular drill I think. No milling whatsoever.

Christ · 10-26-2009, 01:59 AM

If you need to make a heat sink, there are two simple options:

Use an aluminum brick (sourced from a junkyard or an old engine block) and cut slots in it, or
Get hard copper tubing and hammer it flat, then make a "comb" of it, by folding it and stacking it on itself. You can then fasten it to the solid surface and it will act like a sort of heat sink.

They're both dirty, but they get the job done, at least temporarily.

vpoppv · 10-26-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

Yo, Paul! Check out the assembly directions. You can do it!
http://www.adambrunette.com/Kit%20As...Directions.pdf

I wouldn't buy the kit if I were you since the whole EV has to cost $500. I think you could do the controller for maybe $300-350 if you order the stuff yourself and can get that horrific heat spreader drilled yourself somehow.
Order directly from Digikey and mouser to save money. I can help you all you want for nothin!
Alvin from down south had a local machine shop drill his 3/4"x1.5"x8" aluminum heat spreader for free! You could have the first $500 freeway capable EV!

If you do, I can mail you a power pcb for free, since your name is Paul. And if I order extras of those control boards, you can have one of those free too. Soldering the control board is annoying, I'm not going to lie.

But I just found some replacement machine screws that would allow for you to make the base plate with just a regular drill I think. No milling whatsoever.

OMG Paul! You so totally rock!!! With your help, there is no WAY this project won't succeed! I'm going to soak up as much knowledge as I can, and then come back with a bazillion questions!! Like, what's a power pcb?

Nevermind, I'll find that out by myself somehow....

Wow, freeway capable....I was just grinning from ear to ear that I got my car up to 27 MPH today.

I even did it in a 25 zone!

MPaulHolmes · 10-27-2009, 12:37 AM

IF I order extras of the control boards??!! I ordered extras yesterday! They will ship in 12 days... I'll have an extra power section available by then too. No pressure. I'm just saying it's there if you want it. hehe. Heck I can even send it to you, and it can sit there for all eternity never used, and I won't feel bad.

vpoppv · 10-27-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

IF I order extras of the control boards??!! I ordered extras yesterday! They will ship in 12 days... I'll have an extra power section available by then too. No pressure. I'm just saying it's there if you want it. hehe. Heck I can even send it to you, and it can sit there for all eternity never used, and I won't feel bad.

Pressure to what, learn?......succeed?

If you don't mind explaining every little detail like I was a 5 year old, I'm game!! I already have a soldering iron or two, and a soldering gun. I LOVE the pics in your manual. Schematics I don't get, but pictures...monkey see monkey do! Also, I figured out that a PCB is the Pakistan Cricket Board! Thank God for Google, eh?
But seriously though, did you know that the inventor of the PCB was a Paul???!!! Man, Pauls are just awesome all 'round!

vpoppv · 10-31-2009, 06:34 PM

So I finished de-ICE-ing the Corolla, which consisted of emptying the trunk

. But that wasn't quite as easy as it sounds. I didn't have a trunk key. So I had to pull out the backseat, then remove some plastic barrier sheet, then move around the engine parts in the trunk to be able to take out the clip holding in the trunk lock. Once that was done, I took all the parts out of the trunk. I then discovered that there is a water leak in the trunk, and the spare tire well was completely full of water. It must have been there for a while because everything in there was really slimy. That included: a spare tire (it started floating when I pulled off the parts on it!

), a jack, a tire iron, some kind of tool for the jack that looked like a wrench, and a set of snow chains. I took out a rubber grommet to drain the water. It was a perfect, warm, sunny Halloween to do it!