ALMOST READY!

The first shipment of parts arrived yesterday.  Two steady days of work, and I have made satisfying progress.

1) 12V keyed circuit closes high voltage circuit when key turns on.
2) 72V circuit all wired and ready for the motor.
3) Chargers all wired in to the 12V and 72V system.  (Style points for the extension cord coming from the gas port!)
4) Throttle box mounted and ready for controller box.

Hands are cut, scraped, burned, pinched. At least they match.

Lesson of the Day...there is one cubic FUCKLOAD of power in 6 car batteries wired in series, and a capacitive charger!  I electroplated my hand with my wirecutters when a jet of molten copper and steel erupted from them as I cut through both charger-wires to the 72V system. (Dumbass!)  Sounded like a gunshot, too!

Have healthy respect for amperage!

Left to do:

mount motor and controller box (waiting for it!)
fix rt-turn lens, front
see about why backup lights arent working.

Some BLING

Battery access

The motor kit is on the way.  In preparation, I figured I needed to have easy access to the battery pack.  There is room for 5 of the 7 batteries on the rear deck above the engine cavity, but they have to be forward of the access hatch (hence, they are inaccessible for maintenance).  I need to be able to drag the batteries back, over the engine hatch, when needed.

hatch open, batteries in their slots

60 lbs X 5 = 300 lbs (right? Hell, idunno...I'm a biologist, not a fuggin' mathematician!  I can't even SPELL "mathematician" by myself!).

300 lbs of lead-acid batteries all connected to each other with heavy gauge cables.

And I don't want the engine hatch to support that weight when I'm futzing around with the battery pack trying to shock myself or start fires.

fancy rail system

"TAA-DAHHH!!"

I rigged up a rail system with 1/2" angle iron, so that my newly constructed steel battery box (also angle-iron) can slide fairly easily fore-and-aft, as needed.  I still want to secure the 2 rails to the sheet metal of the back-deck a little better, but it works great!  A little grease on the track, and it's like butta!  I'm GUESSING that I won't be starting off with so much torque that the pack slides backwards while I'm driving...if it does, I'll deal with it later.



The other two batteries nestle nicely under the back seat.  No worries.

Just ordered the kit.

Wrote a check today for $3125.00.  (Here's the kit)  Supplier says 3 - 6 weeks for everything to be delivered.

The car is ready to roll...just need to install the powerplant!

Keep your fingers crossed for me.... Maybe rolling by Christmas?


(Anyone want to buy a 1998 Jeep Cherokee?  $3125, and it's YOURS!  Runs great!)