Anyone Interested in Going Electric?

[73StangJK]

I have been just keeping an eye on the developing EV conversion market and what products are offered to retrofit an electrified drive train into something like my 73 Mustang Convertible. The Ford and GM eCrate motors are cool but for a big chunk o cash around $4000 and do not include the battery pack or power inverters and other needed pieces to retrofit them into a vehicle. Eventually I'm sure there will be complete drop in kits available, but not yet. Maybe that's something that could be a new business for one of us.

 

[Fabrice]

Unless alternative clean fuel are introduced, chances are high we'll have not much option than go that way. We're already at $10 a gallon here.
As said in vid, you'll need much more than an eCrate motor. Not even talking about the inverters, controllers, cooling, batt packs etc...
In a 73, even using a single motor on the rear, you'd need different axles, suspension, brakes, modify the floors. Lots can be done, but it will be much more than the $4000 that the engine alone costs. Seen a few vids on the companies offering the conversions and they all talk 80-120k. They of course calculate their labor, fab time, costs and want make a buck in the process. For say 1/3 of that price you could may be better be off by buying a used/crashed but functional EV and somehow mix it with the 73 vert. Which we agree, would be much more sexy than the ugly things they want us to drive these days.
But even that isn't that straight. I've red a few times that Tesla to name just one manufacturer, cancels or modifies functionality via the software if car is found by the computer to not be a legit Tesla or not be serviced by their official service stations. You need some serious tech knowledge to go around that alone and program your own controllers/interface.

It's too soon for now, but it's likely the aftermarket will grow quickly for EV parts/solutions. I mean look at Holley for instance, they are a "fuel" company, their very existence is a stake, they are one of the many companies that will have no choice but invest in other tech or die.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Seeing this car almost, ALMOST, has me thinking electric cars could be cool (this is definitely is). But I don't see me pulling the engine, transmission, and fuel system anytime soon.

https://altdriver.com/classics/zombie-222-electric-68-mustang-does-0-60-in-1-94s/

 

[MikeGriese]

It probably doesn't make sense to take a running car and convert to electric, but it might make sense if you are doing a restoration and need a drivetrain anyway.

 

[71ProjectJunk]

Hell no, no way this car is going electric.

 

[giantpune]

There are a number of companies already selling crate electric motors designed to drop into classic cars and connect to the existing rear end via the transmission tunnel.

One of them was a tesla motor mounted sideways and looked like it connected directly to the driveshaft. The other one i saw was the motor and controller all packaged together. It bolts to a transmission like a tremec and was around $30k. Both of those options used LS pattern motor mounts. You would need some fab work to bolt them into our cars.

Neither kit came with the batteries or battery management hardware. Thats gonna be the part that is more vehicle specific. Trying to cram in all the batteries you need where the gas tank used to sit and under the hood or wherever you can fit them.

 

[timachone]

I hope for synthetic fuels in the future.
A historical or classic car just will be not the same with an electric engine. It will loose all it's character for which we all like them. A classic car will have to make clunk, stink and smoke. Otherwise it's something like an electric restomod. If I want or have to drive an electric I would buy a modern car like a Tesla or all the other outputs from any manufacturers. I may know that my daily driver, a 2013 Challenger R/T, will eventually not get the status of a classic car here, it will still be 20 years until then. Who knows where we are in 20 years, sad enough none of my kids could take it and make a father and son restoration with me. I know now that we have to change something but is it the best solution to go full electric every way? I do not want to start a discussion about it here - that's a whole another story. But I hope for the classics of today that they could be kept as is and be driven occasionally with something like a modern fuel. So I would not think about going electric with my Mustang. If I ever could not be drive it anymore I would keep it, sit in from time to time and make some engine noises with my mouth, a tear in my eyes, thinking of the memories and talk to my grandchildren about it.

Tim

 

[LOUHABY]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO,,,,NOT IN A MILLION,,,,,OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!!

 

[BigBlue]

I feel that converting my classic Mustang would kind of ruin the feeling of driving a vintage car. Some of the smells, the sound, the way it acts, all of that would completely change. In which case, I'd be driving a classic Mustang just for looks, and honestly, looks are almost last in my order of priorities.
That said, Porsche has been collaborating for some time now with Exxon, HIF and Siemens to develop its eFuel, which would be a sustainable gasoline alternative that's compatible with existing fuel systems. They said they want to keep producing their flat sixes for the foreseeable future, so it's an incentive to keep gas engines alive. They just dumped another $75 million into it last month. So hang onto those engines for just a little longer, the Germans may be saving our ICEs after all.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I'm actually confident enough to put money down that gasoline will not completely disappear within the remainder of my lifetime. It might get more expensive and become cost-prohibitive for daily consumption, forcing use of alternative fueled vehicles at some point in the future. However it won't deter me from keeping my cool hot rods. After I'm gone... won't even care. LOL!

 

[will e]

I like the sound of the old iron motor. Converting an old car like ours to electric has other issues as well.
The suspension, especially the springs, will need to be beefed up to handle the extra weight from the batteries. Probably the brakes too.
You won't be able to get state of the art range since the batteries won't be designed into the car. You'll end up with less range and power. And the regen brakes may not be easy to do either.
A/C. power steering will need to be converted.

I like the new F150 lightning, I am hoping that someone will drop out a Ranger/Colorado/Tacoma sized EV truck, I would give it serious consideration. I don't have anything against the F150 except it's too long to fit in my garage.

 

[Kevin H.]

No Thank You!!!!

 

[Horsin' Around]

I would love to go electric.

 

[detritusmaximus]

I would love to go electric.

But it's not unleaded....

 

[midlife]

I much prefer a gas range than an electric range.

 

[DAverkamp]

I would love to go electric.

Atta boy!

 

[Graham Man]

I hope lots of people do, I would like one for my work car (almost no maintenance, they should last forever, VW was so worried they want to offer modular bodies), more time to work on my Mustang, best thing that can happen.... save the fuel for our Mustangs.

One of my cars is over 90 years old, so at that rate we are looking at at least 2122, most likely longer to phase fuel out. I will be long gone, hope someone is still driving my Mustang. I also believe when gas gets expensive enough we will have synthetic fuel.

 

[droptop73]

NOPE

 

[computercarguy]

Steam all the way baby! Those gas and electrics are just a fad.

 

[machattack]

If first and foremost they had charging stations across the USA so it didnt take 2 weeks to go across america then MAYBE? but not because the government shoved it down my throat.
And then,maybe then? if they could make it smell like a gas guzzling muscle car and a tape recording that sounds like a growling mustang.