“No airbags? We die like men!”
Volvo 245 or Jeep Cherokee XJ could be solid choices.
zendaya said:
Volvo 245 or Jeep Cherokee XJ could be solid choices.
I’d happily pay more than a new car’s price for a 240 series EV conversion!
zendaya said:
Volvo 245 or Jeep Cherokee XJ could be solid choices.
I’d happily pay more than a new car’s price for a 240 series EV conversion!
The 245 DL weighs around 3000 lbs. Remove the engine, transmission, and rear axle, and that’s about 500 lbs saved. Fluids, fuel, tank, and other stuff—another 200 lbs. Miscellaneous parts like the radiator, exhaust, etc.—another 200-300 lbs. That’s about 1000 lbs freed up for battery and motor replacements without exceeding the original weight.
The 245 was sturdy and had a decent towing capacity of over 3000 lbs, so adding around 1200 lbs for a battery and motor combo wouldn’t be a stretch.
For reference, a Nissan Leaf’s 62 kWh battery weighs around 900 lbs, and the motor, gearbox, and controllers weigh around 300 lbs. This could give you a 150+ mile range without pushing past factory specs.
Of course, you’d want to reinforce the frame, suspension, and brakes. Maybe even upgrade those 14" tires so the 245 can show off its hidden sporty side?
@zendaya
Just don’t put low-profile tires and oversized rims on a 240! That’d be an insult. But yeah, balancing the weight sounds doable—it’s just getting a quality job done for under $100k that’s the challenge.
zendaya said:
Volvo 245 or Jeep Cherokee XJ could be solid choices.
I’d happily pay more than a new car’s price for a 240 series EV conversion!
Same here! Bring back my old 240DL wagon as an EV, please.
I’m thinking of some cool Malaise era cars from the late 70s and early 80s.
olivia said:
I’m thinking of some cool Malaise era cars from the late 70s and early 80s.
Some cars that could have been awesome but got hit by the economy back then:
- 1978 Dodge Aspen Super Coupe
- Mustang II King Cobra
- 1977 Pontiac Can Am
- 1975 GTO
- 1977 Hurst Olds
- 1980 Malibu SS
- 1980 Camaro Z28
- Mitsubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest
- Buick Regal T-Type
You could probably pick these up for a reasonable price today.
How about these: Honda Del Sol, Pontiac Fiero, Porsche 914, or AMC Gremlin?
Mark said:
How about these: Honda Del Sol, Pontiac Fiero, Porsche 914, or AMC Gremlin?
Can we put the charge port on the AMC Gremlin where the gas cap used to be? Right in the middle of the back?
Delorean, hands down.
Depends on what you want. Plenty of cars could be converted to a 100-mile city range, but hitting 300 miles for long trips would be harder.
Maria said:
Depends on what you want. Plenty of cars could be converted to a 100-mile city range, but hitting 300 miles for long trips would be harder.
Most restomods and vintage cars are weekend drivers anyway, so a 100-mile range would work just fine.
@olivia
If that’s the case, then you can pretty much convert anything. Just remember that if you’re going for performance, the powertrain has to match the purpose. A drag car setup looks very different from a cruiser when you’re working with a small battery.
Citroen DS could be a cool candidate.
I’d love to do a Karmann Ghia, but I don’t think there’s enough room for a decent-sized battery.
martin said:
I’d love to do a Karmann Ghia, but I don’t think there’s enough room for a decent-sized battery.
EV West actually makes a kit for the Ghia, and it’s good for over 100 miles of range.
You should look at cars with more powerful engines and better build quality. They’re stronger and could handle the added weight and power of an electric drivetrain more easily.
I want the Testarossa that Electric Classic Cars converted. That thing’s a dream.