Introduction: Electric Car
taking on old dirt track car and replacing the gasoline drive line with a electric drive system from a golf cart
This is a home made electric vehicle
How to build one of your own....
This particular model is from a 1940's 3/4 midget dirt track car. The best area to located them is in Pennsylvania, thanks to a great club up there that loves to bring these things back from the dead. The car in question had a crosley 4 cylinder engine, the reason for wanting a crosley power one or atleast originally crosley powered is due to the rear end, as will be explained further in build steps.
For a donor motor, craigslist sourced 3 wheel golf cart works nicely or any running one will due just make sure you get the charger with it
The first step that was taken was a tear down of the car and thanks to its simplistic design it was quite easily done which left use with a bare boned chassis to work with, then the tear down of the golf car leaving the rear end attached to the motor, this is more complicated than expected due to the motor being used a a stressed member of the cart.
An interesting discovery was made when test fitting, that is that the crosley rear axle and the golf car one are the same size and that the ends are the same also so it allowed for component to be fitted. suspension brackets were removed from the crosley and re-welding onto the golf cart axle along with wheel hubs which were just bolt on changes.
With fitment on the motor directing under the seat and rear of the car a new front mounting bracket was constructed along with fitment points for the electrical terminals to operate the battery. removal of the seat and seating brackets were needing and the motor plat bracket was also modified to be the seat bracket for the bottom.
the donor golf cart came with 6 batteries which was too much to fit so deep cycle marine batteries were fitted, 4 in all, three in front of the driver and a 4th where the fuel tank used to be. all were then wired up. to give the car some of the original flare back the exhaust was refitted to the car along with an intake cover which are non-functioning items just ascetically pleasing, the body was cleaned and waxed and all the tires are original
the car will go up to 20 mph and maintain a charge for and estimated 1-3 hours continuous, in our applications a charge lasts all day
Participated in the
Green Tech Contest
Participated in the
Wheels Challenge
12 Comments
8 years ago on Introduction
Is this road legal? I would LOVE to have something like that for day to day use.
9 years ago on Introduction
That's really cool!
10 years ago on Introduction
please give the detailed components of this project...
10 years ago on Introduction
what will be the boudget of this project?
11 years ago on Introduction
curiou how much you got the orginal car for????
11 years ago on Introduction
new photos posted will be working on detailed build on here too for everyone's enjoyment
11 years ago on Introduction
the headers are fake for the show, they were the original engine ones. i can, just need to dig them out to post
11 years ago on Introduction
Why are there mufflers? Or are these pictures of the car before the conversion? It would be cool if you posted some pictures of the drivetrain!
11 years ago on Introduction
with the big electric car push going on, this shows it off in a fun way that adults and children enjoy which helps to inspire green institution, also having a college student and his father build one shows that the future is possible
11 years ago on Introduction
Very good - how would be a great help.
11 years ago on Introduction
looks neat.. how did u do it ?
11 years ago on Introduction
A full instructable would be a good idea.