Electric Conversion Candidates

[dancingfae]

I'm looking to buy my first car, which I'm going to convert to electric. (I'll have a barely running something or other to drive around while I work on this.)


I LOVE older fast cars, so that's what I'm looking to convert.

Requirements:
• No Power Anything (steering, breaks, windows, locks...)
• Reasonably easy to find parts
• Light and Aerodynamic
• Easy to work on
• Manual Transmission

[MagicRat]

Small cars from the 1960's and '70's are best for lightness and simplicity, especially the Japanese ones.

These cars did not have to meet the same crash and safety standards as newer cars.
They are much lighter, because their structures did not have to meet the same crashwothiness.

Some may call these cars 'flimsy' but they are hundreds of pounds lighter than a newer one.

As for aerodynamic...... square is better, because there is more room for batteries. And rear wheel drive is beneficial.

I suggest for best handling, go for a Datsun 510, or BMW 2002. For ease of parts, consider a Chevy Chevette. Other candidates.... Mazda RX2 or RX3. Maybe an early 70's ancient Toyota Corrola,

For slightly better aerodynamics, Datsun B210 or Plymouth Arrow.

Here is a great video of an electric Datsun 510
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAYrsEOxqYc


Why do you care about the transmission? Electric motors do not need a conventional transmission, right?

[oldblu65]

If you go to Youtube and put " electric car conversions " into search , you'll have many interesting videos on the subject .

[dancingfae]

Technically, you can convert an automatic. But automatics are constantly idling and so use up energy to go nowhere.
I'm converting something because it's cheaper and easier for me to learn to build an electric car, because I appreciate the geeky side of it, and because the engineer I'm working with is an electric guy and won't help me build a gas car.
Even though I'm not Particularly worried about fuel efficiency on the whole, I do have to worry about how much power I'm using and whether my batteries are going to die before I get where I'm going. Most of the time it shouldn't be a problem (and I probably won't be driving this car where it might be a problem), but it seems silly to use my batteries to go nowhere.

Most people who want to convert cars seem to be hippy geeks. I'm not exactly separate from that, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. It does mean that the cars most often converted are VWs, Subaru, and Mom Cars. None of which I like. Although there are a good handful of Porsches that get converted (if I could find one for cheap without an engine...).
Right now, I'm looking locally at a 1971 Fiat 850 Spider Convertible, which is a BEAUTIFUL car but needs major restoration (more than I'm sure I want to put in right now), and a 1973 AMC Javelin, which Doesn't need a top and a whole new interior.

[oldblu65]

A 1972 Datsun 1200 ( or similar ) car is perfect as is evident in the car on the following website . It is used to drag race but is a normal street driven car . Some of the details listed may help with your project . You may have trouble finding a vehicle that old but many newer cars will also fit the bill . It is an interesting vehicle ! Go to http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php !