Electrifying Classic Cars

[aeropilot]

ajprice said:

Are there 'heritage' new shells and parts for old Opel/Vauxhall as there are for Minis, MGs etc?

No and I doubt there ever will be either.

Opel/Vauxhall brand is now swallowed up as part of the recent merged Peugeot-Citroen Group and the Fiat-Chrysler Group.

[Flying Phil]

PushedDover said:

Something like a Frogeye Sprite would made a perfect donor to be run around in. Replacing the weedy engine. And no leaks on the garage floor.

As a Frogeye "look-alike", an all fibre glass, 150 mile range electric frog could be made relatively cheaply. The "Isle of Wight" cars show how it could be done and keeping the battery pack small would keep the weight down and maintain the characteristic handling.

[350Matt]

the big issue you have with electrification of a small light sportscar like a frogeye is the weight of the battery pack
the standard A series and its gearbox weighs in at about 150 kg whereas a 40 Kwh leaf battery is 303 kg and the 60 Kwh unit is 410 kg

plus the 100 kg or so for a good sized motor and power electrics
so you end up with a car that was 665 kg now weighing in at closer to the ton so you have to upgrade the brakes and suspension too ( more weight)

I have yet to see any electric sportscars under 1200kg and most are a lot more than this

heavy cars are less nimble and less respsonsive and less fun

[Register1]

I would like a 2CV6.
Plums and Custard
Pull out the 2 stroke, and fit small electric motor, perfect for roof rolled back summer fun.

[singlecoil]

350Matt said:

the big issue you have with electrification of a small light sportscar like a frogeye is the weight of the battery pack
the standard A series and its gearbox weighs in at about 150 kg whereas a 40 Kwh leaf battery is 303 kg and the 60 Kwh unit is 410 kg

plus the 100 kg or so for a good sized motor and power electrics
so you end up with a car that was 665 kg now weighing in at closer to the ton so you have to upgrade the brakes and suspension too ( more weight)

I have yet to see any electric sportscars under 1200kg and most are a lot more than this

heavy cars are less nimble and less respsonsive and less fun

I know somebody has had an (classic) Fiat 500 converted, and thinks it very successful.

[Blib]

singlecoil said:

I know somebody has had an (classic) Fiat 500 converted, and thinks it very successful.

We've had out 1970 500 converted. It's a terrific little thing. We'll be driving it a lot come the summer. Or, rather Mrs B will. I'll hardly get a look in.

[ajprice]

The one off Opel Manta EV has been shown fully now https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/opel-m...

PH article on it now https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Edited by ajprice on Wednesday 19th May 11:16

[1602Mark]

PushedDover said:

Something like a Frogeye Sprite would made a perfect donor to be run around in. Replacing the weedy engine. And no leaks on the garage floor.

That weedy engine is one the things that makes them special. I get people wanting EV that look like classic cars but robbing actual classics of one of their main features seems daft to me. Each to their own though and I'm sure there will be people keen to have one instead of a Leaf or whatever if costs come down to sensible levels.

[largelunchbox]

1602Mark said:

PushedDover said:

Something like a Frogeye Sprite would made a perfect donor to be run around in. Replacing the weedy engine. And no leaks on the garage floor.

That weedy engine is one the things that makes them special. I get people wanting EV that look like classic cars but robbing actual classics of one of their main features seems daft to me. Each to their own though and I'm sure there will be people keen to have one instead of a Leaf or whatever if costs come down to sensible levels.

I agree , taking out a perfectly good engine from a on the road Classic is not ideal. However if you have a non runner or just a body shell then putting a classic back on the road in ev form is better than scrapping or parting it out.

[singlecoil]

largelunchbox said:

1602Mark said:

PushedDover said:

Something like a Frogeye Sprite would made a perfect donor to be run around in. Replacing the weedy engine. And no leaks on the garage floor.

That weedy engine is one the things that makes them special. I get people wanting EV that look like classic cars but robbing actual classics of one of their main features seems daft to me. Each to their own though and I'm sure there will be people keen to have one instead of a Leaf or whatever if costs come down to sensible levels.

I agree , taking out a perfectly good engine from a on the road Classic is not ideal. However if you have a non runner or just a body shell then putting a classic back on the road in ev form is better than scrapping or parting it out.

On the other hand I am of the opinion that the engine from the Frogeye Sprite wasn't perfectly good when it was brand new, let alone now. Changing it to electric would be an excellent and much needed improvement.

[PushedDover]

largelunchbox said:

I agree , taking out a perfectly good engine from a on the road Classic is not ideal. However if you have a non runner or just a body shell then putting a classic back on the road in ev form is better than scrapping or parting it out.

Yet :scratcchin:
M thinking when my Mk1 MX5 goes pop I am thinking Jag V6 conversion

[a8hex]

The BBC news has an article on this topic today

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58578061

I really get the comment about an Aston Martin not being a great subject for conversion whereas a Rolls Royce is. An electic conversion of my X300 would be fun, not because the engine isn't a good engine, it is, but the job of the engine in the X300 (XJR as a possible exception here) is to be an unobtrusive as possible.

[lowdrag]

PushedDover said:

Yet :scratcchin:
M thinking when my Mk1 MX5 goes pop I am thinking Jag V6 conversion

I haven't had a project for some years now and that itch is a'scratchin again. I keep dreaming of taking an MG Magnette ZA and transplanting a 4.6 Rover V8 in with auto box and of course uprated suspension, aircon and power steering. Please tell me to keep taking the Mogadon.

[PushedDover]

lowdrag said:

PushedDover said:

Yet
M thinking when my Mk1 MX5 goes pop I am thinking Jag V6 conversion

I haven't had a project for some years now and that itch is a'scratchin again. I keep dreaming of taking an MG Magnette ZA and transplanting a 4.6 Rover V8 in with auto box and of course uprated suspension, aircon and power steering. Please tell me to keep taking the Mogadon.

I posted in the Rocketeer thread on the test drive of the V6 MX5. Righteous fun, so lively. Would the 4.6 Rover 4.8 be the same or more loafing grunt..... ?

[aeropilot]

lowdrag said:

PushedDover said:

Yet :scratcchin:
M thinking when my Mk1 MX5 goes pop I am thinking Jag V6 conversion

I haven't had a project for some years now and that itch is a'scratchin again. I keep dreaming of taking an MG Magnette ZA and transplanting a 4.6 Rover V8 in with auto box and of course uprated suspension, aircon and power steering. Please tell me to keep taking the Mogadon.

Yep............the Rover engine is a silly idea.




You want to be using a Chevy LS engine instead

[lowdrag]

Not sure the chassis is capable of withstanding 700 bhp! No, I want a woofly V8 with more grunt than horsepower, but capable of showing many a car a clean pair of heels. I suppose a Jaguar V6 would do as well. Maybe it'll stay where it is now, just a dream, but one day when the XKSS is sold (easy to get into but ruddy hard to get out of!) I'll have the funds and blow a few quid on one.

[Flying Phil]

I agree that putting a whooferly V8 into a small sports car is a nice idea....


But I still think an electric frog could be made to be light and nimble with a reasonable 150 mile range.

[DonkeyApple]

These conversions will come into their own when there starts to be a better supply of donor motors and batteries. And ideally you want to be getting rid of the gearbox. Nissan Leafs would finally have a purpose in life.

[SamR380]

Register1 said:

I would like a 2CV6.
Plums and Custard
Pull out the 2 stroke, and fit small electric motor, perfect for roof rolled back summer fun.

They're available:
https://2cev.co.uk/

[voram]

There's a small website/forum called Chargeheads which claims to specialise in this sort of think.

https://www.chargeheads.co.uk/