Marks Story
Today I was asked to work on my days off. It seems one of our nurses got into an automobile accident (not injured badly) and will be out for a week. I will be filling in. So I guess I will not be doing anything on my car except drawing plans for my battery boxes and researching speedometers, and light weight soundproofing. I will let you know how that goes.
The sub frame is coming along splendidly. I have stripped it down to the bare metal in some spots cleaned off the rust where necessary and primed painted and inspected it. There are no deformities except where the L bracket under the front battery rack hit the driveway backing out a few times until my friend Tom told me to “make sure one wheel is up the driveway before the other and that way it wont hit like that”. He was right. I will install the subframe next week.
My 1955 Les Paul Jr did not sell on ebay and the universe still provided me with the funds to help change the world. Last night I got to play my LP Jr with some friends. Life is good! Thank you Universe!
Actually I lowered the subframe… Let me start over, I gathered up my battery boxes and weighed them. As you can see in the picture they were made of wood and weighed 55 lbs.
Then I removed the last lead acid battery. As you can see there is a lot of corrosion from the gel battery venting. This battery was only in the vehicle for three years. It was used for my 12 volt accessories in conjunction with a DC to DC converter. Now I am only going to use a DC to DC converter.
Today I asked my neighbor Willie if I could pick his brain about welding a shelf for the controller I thought the easiest way would be behind the motor or I could rebuild the original battery shelf which I tore out to make room for the lead acid batteries which I am in the process of replacing with LiFePo4’s. The next thing I know we are measuring and designing a bracket in the space behind the right rear wheel well which the DMOC will sit on and be completely out of the way of the battery packs. Thanks to Willie’s expertise and vision.
Yesterday I loaded my mom and myself into the car and we went on a road trip to Pomona CA. Why Pomona you may ask? Well, Pomona is the home of CALIB USA Where I met Keegan Han and purchased 42 AHA180Ah LiFePo4 cells for my EV1E. Perhaps Disneyland would have been more memorable but it would not have had the same effect on the world. I am going to revamp EV1E and make her a usable vehicle and show her off as a viable means of emission free transportation… Did I mention NO GAS!
Yesterday I decided to remove the lead acid gel batteries from EV1E in preparation for installing Lithium Batteries. I am still saving for them but I feel the need to start preparing EV1E for when I am ready to make the big move. I started by removing the hood and disconnecting the front battery cables. Upon inspection I immediately noticed that all of the cables connectors were tight and the batteries seemed to be in excellent condition. These batteries are being sold to Robert for his electric LUV. After I removed the front cables and the DC to DC converter, I moved to the back of the car to disconnect the rear battery pack. As the rear deck lid was opening, it got about half way and suddenly slammed shut! I am not making this up, it was bizarre. I tried to open the deck lid by hand but it would not open. Finally after explaining to EV1E that I wasn’t tearing her apart I was getting her ready for an up grade, she allowed me access (I had to crawl under the rear of the car and open her by hand) The problem was the deck lid opens with a pressure cylinder and it fell off of it’s ball just at the same moment I was opening the lid for removal of the batteries. Great timing! Still shooting for July 1st Laguna Seca race day.
Keep On Pluggin
Yesterday I put my 1955 Les Paul Junior on the the auction block. It seems to be the best way to come up with the additional funds and have some to left over for battery boxes and connectors. You can see the guitar at 1955 Les Paul Junior
If there are any benevolent patriarchs or matriarchs who need a beautiful guitar and wish to help with a very worthy cause reading this, please consider purchasing my guitar. If you’re not comfortable purchasing anything and would rather would just donate the money… that could be arranged as well.
Well, off to work. I will let you know how the sale goes. Until next time… “Keep On Pluggin”
I was so mistaken. I received a quote for 100 batteries at $1.16 per amp hour. I thought that was my price. It was not. If I buy 42 batteries my price is $1.23 per Ah. This is a fair price. I have however made another huh er mis-calculation. I am sure all of you sharpest tools in the shed have already discovered my error. I stated I will need 38 batteries in my last post. Remember this is a 144Volt (nominal) system. The fact is I will need 42 batteries which raises the price tag to $9,298.80 so it looks like I’m still $2000 or so away from my goal. I will get there! It just may take some creativity on my part… I am sure since it is a good cause, the universe will provide. I am so sure, starting tomorrow I will start removing the old batteries. They still have some life left in them. But the time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. Lead is dead and must make way for new life. So this is my Decree: Remove old batteries and sell them. Use the money you get to offset the cost of a pack of LiFePO4 batteries. Change your batteries, Show off your car. Let people drive it. Spread the word through “Leadership by example” and change the way people look at transportation, change the world one car at a time. Follow my progress and I will attempt to show you how.
Ever since I rode in that Civic last year I have been working and toiling to earn enough money to purchase LiFePO4 batteries for my EV1E and I have finally reached the point where that dream is becoming a reality. I am only several hundred dollars short… Out of $8550.00 for 38 Cells. I am going to Re-Dux EV1E and hopefully enter her in the Laguna Seca alternate energy race in Monterey on July 1 2012. The race is called Re Fuel and is held every year for those who wish to try their hand at running on a track. Criteria: Your vehicle must be electric. Last year there were many Teslas, and quite a few DIY vehicles. I was going to try to finish my 914 to enter the race, but Since EV1E is already an electric vehicle I am going to race her and continue to build “Otto” without being rushed. Here is a short movie of EV1E today. I have removed the rear Disc brakes and replaced them with the original drum brakes. I still have disc brakes on the front. The car is finally “roller bearing smooth”
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