12-29-2007, 09:04 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Batman Junior
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
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Shocker! ForkenSwift's identical twin under construction...
Geo Metro Electic Conversion Project
What a jolt ... to discover a couple of guys are taking what looks like the ForkenSwift's identical twin Metro, and they're doing a budget conversion on it.
To top it off - the car's in Hawaii! Don't ask me why, but I find it very cool that the ForkenSwift's twin is being built in freaking Hawaii, while today I was out in the snow & ice, squirting oil into its body panels to try keeping rust from coming back and ruining the bodywork I did this summer. 
They started documenting on Oct. 14 ('07), and just before Xmas the motor was installed on the transmission:
OK, looking at that motor it suddenly becomes obvious they're not quite as low-budget as the ForkenSwift.
It looks to me like a brand new D&D motor. Apparently they're using a Geo Metro EV kit bought through Wilderness EV's.
Some other neat vehicles in their fleet too. I notice a gen2 Prius in the background of one pic, and the author of the blog has also done a WVO Mercedes. The kicker is: I remember watching the video of this guy's Merc earlier this year. The interweb's a small place.
It would be interesting to find out exactly what year the car is, whether it's 2- or 4-door, and what specs they're aiming for (ie. voltage, controller power, etc.) Maybe if we're lucky they'll let us know.
Nice work guys! Looking forward to watching the progress.
http://electricmetro.blogspot.com/
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12-29-2007, 09:54 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Lurking footless halls
Join Date: Dec 2007
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It's the current thing to do.
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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. - Clarke's Third Law
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12-29-2007, 11:46 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Batman Junior
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People's resistance to the idea does seem to be going down.
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12-30-2007, 12:13 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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Lurking footless halls
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There's definately less reluctance to conduct these kind of experiments.
I think the potential has always been there, but with these gas prices, folks are getting pretty wired. I really get a charge out of these stories.
__________________
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. - Clarke's Third Law
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12-30-2007, 03:09 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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MechE
Join Date: Dec 2007
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A series of forkenswifts - nice 
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Cars have not created a new problem. They merely made more urgent the necessity to solve existing ones.
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12-30-2007, 03:20 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Batman Junior
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SW: I can't compete with that!  |
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01-03-2008, 06:35 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Batman Junior
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I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they're using bed frames for the battery racks. I wrecked more than 1 drill bit on bed frame metal making the FS's racks...
http://electricmetro.blogspot.com/20...ts-puzzle.html |
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01-07-2008, 02:25 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Administrator
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It looks like you have a 3rd twin comming up MetroMPG. I was just messing around on craigslist and found this today:
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/wan/530645053.html
I believe I've seen links to this guys site before... maybe off gassavers? |
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01-08-2008, 01:08 PM
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#9 (permalink)
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Batman Junior
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Interesting. I hadn't seen this guy's motorcycle conversion before. |
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01-09-2008, 01:27 AM
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#10 (permalink)
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EV test pilot
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Hey that's my bike!
I just finished reading all 26 pages of the Forkenswift thread.
I get to the end and click the "twin being made in Hawaii" link and get to this one.
Read through and find that somebody has actually referenced my crappy web page for my cycle build.
I had to laugh out loud. I have never experienced anybody "talking about me" on the internet before.
This must be what it feels like to Google yourself and actually get a hit.
I just added a hit counter to my web page. I would have done that originally if I thought anyone was going to actually VIEW IT!
I love the motorcycle, but it isn't so great in Wisconsin rain and winters. I started looking around for some info on a light/cheap EV conversion - anything with 3 or more wheels on the ground and a roof would do.
The closest thing I could find to what I am looking to do is the Forkenswift.
And, yeah, that Craigslist listing was mine too. I did find a guy with a junked out forklift in his garage. It is about 10" diameter 48 Volt. It doesn't have an info plate on it, so I will have to go over there sometime and yank the thing off the forklift to get a better look at it.
-Ben
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