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tr6nitjulius
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Electric LBCs
- Thread starter tr6nitjulius
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Speaking of death wishes, I saw something the other day about a company building flying motorcycles.
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tr6nitjulius
Jedi Warrior
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Like sitting behind the wheel of a automobile going down the hiway & at least one hand NOT on the steering wheel WHY/What's the point! Driving vs been transported
Gliderman8
Great Pumpkin
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Some of them play a little tune while backing up to alert you.
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"when the roll is called up yonder I'll be there"?
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I have been reluctant to wade into this conversation but I genuinely don't see what the fuss is about. I understand that they don't sound/smell/drive like traditional LBCs - but they don't break down like them either.
I go to a show and I see cars with swapped engines, with fuel injection - with all manner of modifications and most everyone thinks it is cool. Likewise I have been to shows where rivet counters have felt it important to tell me every change on my car (because apparantly I didn't know
)
My club magazine just came out and one of the members just swapped a new Chrysler engine into his Lagonda because the old engine management system wouldn't let him drive - and he wanted to.
When I am in Britain (especially) I love seeing steam vehicles and here in Toronto, at cruise nights I love chatting with the guy with the diesel chevette - which he loves every bit as much as I love the Midget.
We are at a curious time in history where we have a new/old technology - I get the environmental issues and the self driving issues - I even get that a seemingly higher proportion of d*cks seem to drive them, but much of that is inherent to a new technology and if our forebears hadn't gone through the growing pains of internal combustion we wouldn't be driving Mustangs, we would still be riding them.
They made about a quarter of a Million Spridgets, almost 100,000 TR6's, 365,000 MGBs - If even a quarter have survived, that's lots of scope for modifications without jeapordizing the marque.
Electric cars might be the future, they might not, but in the meantime I find them genuinely interesting - and I truly hope that electric LBC owners would find as warm a welcome here as any other.
Off my soapbox now.
I go to a show and I see cars with swapped engines, with fuel injection - with all manner of modifications and most everyone thinks it is cool. Likewise I have been to shows where rivet counters have felt it important to tell me every change on my car (because apparantly I didn't know
)My club magazine just came out and one of the members just swapped a new Chrysler engine into his Lagonda because the old engine management system wouldn't let him drive - and he wanted to.
When I am in Britain (especially) I love seeing steam vehicles and here in Toronto, at cruise nights I love chatting with the guy with the diesel chevette - which he loves every bit as much as I love the Midget.
We are at a curious time in history where we have a new/old technology - I get the environmental issues and the self driving issues - I even get that a seemingly higher proportion of d*cks seem to drive them, but much of that is inherent to a new technology and if our forebears hadn't gone through the growing pains of internal combustion we wouldn't be driving Mustangs, we would still be riding them.
They made about a quarter of a Million Spridgets, almost 100,000 TR6's, 365,000 MGBs - If even a quarter have survived, that's lots of scope for modifications without jeapordizing the marque.
Electric cars might be the future, they might not, but in the meantime I find them genuinely interesting - and I truly hope that electric LBC owners would find as warm a welcome here as any other.
Off my soapbox now.
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I agree with JP - there are a lot of things I would not do myself, but I still respect them. I'm not a hot-rodder, but I admire their craftsmanship, for example. Amazing metal working skills and beautiful (if not always to my taste) paintwork.
But I'll also laugh at the electric car jokes - as I will at the "old fart with an IC engine" jokes.
Now, how about a Hydrogen conversion? Still has the sound and feeling of a gasoline engine...
Wishing all a wonderful afternoon!
But I'll also laugh at the electric car jokes - as I will at the "old fart with an IC engine" jokes.
Now, how about a Hydrogen conversion? Still has the sound and feeling of a gasoline engine...
Wishing all a wonderful afternoon!
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Back when we switched to horses and mules for field work and heavy cargos, we discovered the "unexpected consequence". Horses need more than grass to eat - they need grains (oats) also. I wonder if the horse owners who switched to cars long ago eventually mirrored those immortal words of Jerry Reed:
"Well if the Lord that made the moon and stars
Would have meant for me and you to have cars
He'd have seen that we was all born
With a parking space"
"Well if the Lord that made the moon and stars
Would have meant for me and you to have cars
He'd have seen that we was all born
With a parking space"
jcw67spitfire
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Recently emailed two different electric conversion guys, one in CA and one in FL, just on a whim to see what it could cost. Yep, it can run into the thousands whether you do it yourself or not, but those prices will drop just like flatscreen tv's did over the years. I'll probably keep reading articles and maybe even delve into the specifics learning engineering designs, changing battery technology, etc., just because I'm a reader.
I recently got a 1967 Triumph Spitfire MK2 with a ll47 cc 4-cylinder engine with the dual HS2 carbs, and it's a blast to drive the little 4 speed. It's pushing 60,000 miles soon. The previous owner had a lot of rebuild work done, most of it 20 years ago, but didn't put too many miles on it since all that work, so I'm not overwhelmed maintaining and improving it. My recent modification from the original is gutting the points and condenser and installing a Pertronix electronic ignition, which a purist would probably be against. I can see driving it for a few years, probably less than 5,000 miles per year, as it's tagged as an antique hobby car with Hagerty insurance. Down the road, when problems start occurring more often, I really don't see any problem switching out the internal combustion engine for a electric motor drive setup, keeping the 4-speed transmission and possibly same suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, disc and drum brakes, no radio, no air, same vibe although maybe that should involve some kind of sound effects. There will be more and more folks offering electric conversions, especially on classic cars, and like it or not, there will be more electric and less fossil-fuel transportation on the road sooner than later. It also helps that I have a 2001 Honda S2000 with the 2.0 4-cylinder engine giving me about 240 horsepower. It's a 6 speed that's a blast to drive. The Triumph and the S2000 are apples and oranges. The S2000 can remain a gas burner that I put 93 octane gas in, with no plans to electrify.
I recently got a 1967 Triumph Spitfire MK2 with a ll47 cc 4-cylinder engine with the dual HS2 carbs, and it's a blast to drive the little 4 speed. It's pushing 60,000 miles soon. The previous owner had a lot of rebuild work done, most of it 20 years ago, but didn't put too many miles on it since all that work, so I'm not overwhelmed maintaining and improving it. My recent modification from the original is gutting the points and condenser and installing a Pertronix electronic ignition, which a purist would probably be against. I can see driving it for a few years, probably less than 5,000 miles per year, as it's tagged as an antique hobby car with Hagerty insurance. Down the road, when problems start occurring more often, I really don't see any problem switching out the internal combustion engine for a electric motor drive setup, keeping the 4-speed transmission and possibly same suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, disc and drum brakes, no radio, no air, same vibe although maybe that should involve some kind of sound effects. There will be more and more folks offering electric conversions, especially on classic cars, and like it or not, there will be more electric and less fossil-fuel transportation on the road sooner than later. It also helps that I have a 2001 Honda S2000 with the 2.0 4-cylinder engine giving me about 240 horsepower. It's a 6 speed that's a blast to drive. The Triumph and the S2000 are apples and oranges. The S2000 can remain a gas burner that I put 93 octane gas in, with no plans to electrify.
jcw67spitfire
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You can watch Richard Van Wyhe test drive an old VW bug (I used to drive a '74 Super Bug around Atlanta years ago) smoothly shifting on a drive to Mount Shasta. I've got his book for $8.95 in my Amazon cart with some other items I haven't yet paid for. I'll hold off on his on-line course for $700 since he's cancelled his 3-day seminars with Covid in the air. The other guy I've emailed in Steve Clunn in FL at The Green Shed Team. I could actually drive my Spitfire down to FL and assist in the conversion over about 3 weeks if I wanted to. But for now, I'll just keep studying, knowing there will be a lot more of these guys, and ladies maybe, in the future and prices will be dropping. Maybe after reading Richard's book I will be able to tell you how the electric motor of manual transmission connection allows for smooth shifting.
jcw67spitfire
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Oh, and I saw an article on Jay Leno this morning (says he has around 190 cars and 160 motorcycles) and he drives a Tesla regularly. He sees the future coming although he is obviously a fan of the internal combustion engine.
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JC - thanks for the info. You might consider starting an Electric Car group here on BCF. Groups are just like a forum, but members "join the group" for messaging.
www.britishcarforum.com
I know there are several other BCF members considering electric purchase, or conversions.
Thanks.
Tom M.
PS - to coin a phrase ... if you build it, they will come.
Groups
www.britishcarforum.com
I know there are several other BCF members considering electric purchase, or conversions.
Thanks.
Tom M.
PS - to coin a phrase ... if you build it, they will come.
Silverghost
Yoda
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Jay has so many cars he has to number them!!
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tr6nitjulius
Jedi Warrior
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@72 I'm fortunate enough to have enjoyed the Sound of my '72 TR6 for 42 yrs 383K+ miles long enough in the tooth not to worry about conversion which won't happen during my ownership simply some humor in the ending gas vs current electric car wars appreciate the thoughts provoked on something I found on another site
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As far as I can tell, hybrids seem to be the best interim vehicles, sorta like when ships transitioned from sail to steam. No denying electric motors produce gobs of power and torque compared to IC, but short of diesel generators or nuclear reactors, until battery tech develops much further, folks in places like Kansas or Texas won't likely be buying Teslas anytime soon.
YakkoWarner
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I actually like the idea of electric driving - I'm not a fan of all the "fluff" that comes with the electric cars (internet uplinking+software updates, constant tracking, automous driving, voice commands, etc) but the basic idea of electric motive power seems sound. I have a basket-case MGB that most of the parts are going into the better body I'm reassembling - I would have no qualms of turning the basket case into an electric machine if I suddenly were to hit the Powerball and could afford to do so. Gutting a nice example would seem wrong to me, but theres plenty of classic cars (foreign and domestic) that are not practical to restore or even patch up into running with original drivetrains. If its viable as an original vehicle then I'd prefer it to stay that way, but if its already missing critical pieces than I see nothing wrong with building it into a custom machine either with electric or different IC power.
I have seen some electric conversions that still use the original transmission, steering and brakes and such. The drawback is you lose a lot of range that way, because an electric drive system depends on the regenerative braking to recover power back into the battery and minimal parasitic load throughout the powertrain. A traditional manual transmission definately has internal power loss (as I have discovered trying to bench test the OD on my MGB transmission - I can't find any tool powerful enough to spin the input shaft fast enough to engage the OD with it in 3rd or 4th gear...even my heavy duty 1/2 inch drill bogs down and gets hot). When you're trying to squeeze every yard of range out of a limited battery pack, things like that become important.
I don't expect to be doing any electric conversions or purchases - the math doesn't work for me. Its still pretty far above the means of the working class unless you live really close to your job - and even if you have the money you can't access the charging infrastructure unless you also have access to internet, smart phones and credit cards. I expect to be pushing up daisies long before it becomes truly accessible to the masses.
I have seen some electric conversions that still use the original transmission, steering and brakes and such. The drawback is you lose a lot of range that way, because an electric drive system depends on the regenerative braking to recover power back into the battery and minimal parasitic load throughout the powertrain. A traditional manual transmission definately has internal power loss (as I have discovered trying to bench test the OD on my MGB transmission - I can't find any tool powerful enough to spin the input shaft fast enough to engage the OD with it in 3rd or 4th gear...even my heavy duty 1/2 inch drill bogs down and gets hot). When you're trying to squeeze every yard of range out of a limited battery pack, things like that become important.
I don't expect to be doing any electric conversions or purchases - the math doesn't work for me. Its still pretty far above the means of the working class unless you live really close to your job - and even if you have the money you can't access the charging infrastructure unless you also have access to internet, smart phones and credit cards. I expect to be pushing up daisies long before it becomes truly accessible to the masses.
mikephillips
Yoda
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I agree battery tech needs to improve, both to have more dense energy retention and to be smaller/lighter. Ran across an article on a Sunbeam Alpine converted to electric and while they removed around 400lbs with the gas technology they added 1600lbs with all the batteries taking up the trunk space and the shelf behind the seats. Worked, but not a great tradeoff I thought.
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Yakko - great comments. One thing -
Same here - and I feel the same about home solar; the math doesn't work. Around here, the only profit is for the teams that install the systems and sell/lease the rooftop setup. You can feel good about not using fossil fuels, but your attitude may change when you read the details of how those solar panels are made.
I know one guy who put the system on the north side of his roof, so his neighbors could see he was "green". His system gets little sun - but sure looks good.
Same here - and I feel the same about home solar; the math doesn't work. Around here, the only profit is for the teams that install the systems and sell/lease the rooftop setup. You can feel good about not using fossil fuels, but your attitude may change when you read the details of how those solar panels are made.
I know one guy who put the system on the north side of his roof, so his neighbors could see he was "green". His system gets little sun - but sure looks good.
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