We handed Terry an entire skid full of electric car parts and pieces, and invited him to build us an electric car. That’s exactly what he’s doing.
In these pictures, you can see the results. Kenny built some stout mounts, and Terry is now making it happen, and soon the electrons will flow. Like a kid on Christmas morning with a new boxed train set, he’s been building a wonderful diorama all week long.
I would like to think an electric car kit would be an easy thing to put together and sell, but at this point in the evolution of the conversion industry, we have a long way to go. Without a master technician like Terry, I’m not convinced electric car kits are a reality for an average DIY consumer. We’d much prefer to convert your oil leaker here; in fact, we’ll be starting on a ’74 Midget next, and if you’d like us to convert your classic, give us a call and we will be happy to discuss the particulars. That said, we are working on making a kit that adds the necessary pieces so that the average sports car owner has a fighting chance. But it’s complicated.
EV classic car conversions will be an important part the future of our company, as is restoration and modification of gas powered classic cars (just like 501, which we are also out driving around, restored to perfectly accurate, original ICE specs).
I’m certain that there is a large contingent of petrol heads out there who hate these electric things, but at the same time, we’re just delighted to be able to offer a different point of entry for anybody who loves old English cars and wants modern convenience. And convenient they are- this is the ultimate, reliable antique British car. While it still has a few obvious original systems, all the new battery stuff is designed to work forever without a whole lot of maintenance. In fact, we’re using Tesla batteries and expect great results from them. In these photos, you can see the electric heater that we’ve built into a Smiths heater box, on top of a modified original heater shelf.
You can also see the battery disconnect/kill switch under the dashboard that allows us to shut off and pin the switch in the off position for service and safety. At the moment, there are no batteries in the car, so nothing is live, but we’re laying out all the systems and pieces. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a very tidy and clean layout. We’ve designed this, our third electric vehicle, so that it can be serviced in the future should any thing need replacement. Quick-disconnect fittings will be in place on the battery boxes, should they ever need to come out of the car.
Smooth power, no vibration, no leaks and no carbuetors. Do you need the distinctive exhaust note? Time will tell!
