# Austin Mini Pickup EV conversion



## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi Caspar

What is your final drive ratio? 
And what speed do you need?

Minis used to have a 3.44 : 1 final drive and from memory would do 100mph at about 6000 rpm


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## Caspar (Dec 17, 2011)

I dont use the gearbox from the Mini. I use the complete drivtrain from Think, and 7200 rpm gives 90 km/h with Thinks 13 inch wheel, but whit the 10 inch wheel on the Mini it's only 72 km/h


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## electricmini (Oct 21, 2008)

Hi Caspar,

Nice looking conversion!

I did a Mini pickup, but mine was with a series-wound DC motor.
I did have a Simotion inverter & motor system a few years back, but sold it to buy the Zilla for my Supra project

It did have some software ( "SIADIS" )which you could use to change some parameters but I'm not sure if rpm limit was one that could be changed
(some of the parameters were locked with a special password).
It was an very cranky old program, that needed a genuine 486 PC with DOS to run on (so it won't work with a Pentium or later CPU, and won't run inside Windows as it needs to access the serial port with precise & totally non-standard timing. You'd also need a special adaptor to connect the serial port)

It might be best to see if Eddy Hustinx at HEC can help, he was/is the EU distributor/support for those surplus Siemens inverters
(he's in The Netherlands)

I'll see if I can find the program (not sure which computer it's on)

Bear in mind that it looks in the photos as if Siemens may have done a
special version of the firmware that runs inside the inverter (looking at the labelling) so it may not even work with the software I'm talking about

Also, an easier solution might be to fit 12inch wheels from a later Mini,
then you have the option of upgrading the front brakes to disc brakes as well (much better than the drums the pickup would have as standard)

Regards
Richard (electricmini)


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## Caspar (Dec 17, 2011)

Hi and thanks for your response. The SIADIS program does not gives acces too the RPM setting without accescode. "PlanB" will be to change the signal from the engine too the controller with use of at speedcontroller normaly used for electric speedometers. But the problem is that the engine sends 2 parralel signals that also gives information about the direction that the engine run. Whitch company will be the best too ask if thay gan make a "doubleconverter" for me ? Which company would be appropriate to ask if they can help me with this solution? Perhaps these?
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....ategory_ID=287/home_id=59/mode=cat/cat287.htm

Where can I find Eddy Hustinx HEC ?

I allready have discbrake, the one from Cooper S models fits under 10" rims. Here you can see some pictures from the first "rebuildt" with normal A-series engine http://forum.autoclassic.no/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6078


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi Caspar,

The Cooper S discs are a little bit better than the drums but the larger discs from the later minis are definitely better again!

You can fit 12 inch wheels - the limiting factor is the rear swing arm - it will clear a 12 inch but not anything bigger
There was a longer swinging arm fitter to some Australian minis/mokes but I have no idea how to get a pair!


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## mora (Nov 11, 2009)

That BMS from Electromotus looks good on paper. Cheap, programmable and uses CAN. Please share your experiences about it when you get it installed.


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## electricmini (Oct 21, 2008)

Caspar said:


> The SIADIS program does not gives acces too the RPM setting without accescode. "PlanB" will be to change the signal from the engine too the controller with use of at speedcontroller normaly used for electric speedometers. But the problem is that the engine sends 2 parralel signals that also gives information about the direction that the engine run. Whitch company will be the best too ask if thay gan make a "doubleconverter" for me ? Which company would be appropriate to ask if they can help me with this solution? Perhaps these?
> http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....ategory_ID=287/home_id=59/mode=cat/cat287.htm


I thought SIADIS would have that parameter locked, it is trying to protect
the motor from overspeeding.

If you try to change the number of pulses per rev that the motor's speed sensor sends to the inverter, it might not work well. The inverter needs to know the motor's speed accurately to drive it properly with the variable speed 3phase AC the motor needs. This depends on whether it is an induction motor (might work ok) or a synchronous permanent-magnet motor (won't work at all)



Caspar said:


> Where can I find Eddy Hustinx HEC ?
> 
> I allready have discbrake, the one from Cooper S models fits under 10" rims. Here you can see some pictures from the first "rebuildt" with normal A-series engine http://forum.autoclassic.no/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6078


Not sure what his email is now, it was several years back.
I think your best bet would be the larger wheels. Some of the last Minis
had 13 inch wheels (the ones with the "Sportspack" option) so it is possible to go to this size, but you start to get problems with tyres rubbing. 12inch wheels definitely fit, I had them on my Mini pickup for a while!

Regards,

Richard


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## rika (May 13, 2011)

Caspar
Contact me if you still need help. I have Eddys mail, siadis 3.11, manuals and more. 
You will need and old computer (preferd early 1990´s 386 or 486) to run siadis on.
You will also need an OBD 2 interface runing *ISO* 9141-2 protocol (Eddy at HEC sells these)


Regards

Rickard (Sweden)


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## Caspar (Dec 17, 2011)

rika said:


> Caspar
> Contact me if you still need help. I have Eddys mail, siadis 3.11, manuals and more.
> You will need and old computer (preferd early 1990´s 386 or 486) to run siadis on.
> You will also need an OBD 2 interface runing *ISO* 9141-2 protocol (Eddy at HEC sells these)
> ...


Hei Rickard

Jeg satser på norsk og håper du forstår. Ja, jeg skulle jo gjerne hatt noen som kunne hjelpe meg med å endre noen parametre i denne motorkontrolleren. Hvis du vet om noen som kunne gjort dette må du gjerne ringe meg på +4793064200

mvh
Caspar


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## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

Or you could give your program to a "friend" to decompile and disable the pass code feature. 

It has been done before in other "factory" software. International comes to mind. They had 5 layers in the software and the rear gear ratio feature was locked. To change rear gears and get the speedometer to work, you had to pay a dealer. They had to plug it into the internet and have a factory engineer do it over the broadband. It cost a lot to do.

So, a need existed and a way was found. 

BUT- It is set at 7200 for a reason.....

Miz


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## Caspar (Dec 17, 2011)

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=8uG2PQk0OGM


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## samwichse (Jan 28, 2012)

Fixed your link .

I have to say, I WANT that little truck... awesome.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

Really nice conversion, and a great video. 

Love it so much.


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## Arch (Aug 21, 2011)

As someone who is very fond of Minis (the only car I've ever owned was one), I like that very much, and it's a great video too!


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## electricmini (Oct 21, 2008)

Hey Caspar,

That's a beautiful mini pickup, and an awesome conversion!

My first EV was my mini pickup -your video makes me wish I hadn't sold mine (sniff) - but the rust monster had really got its teeth into mine....
I'm glad to see you got the Siemens motor & inverter working

I think I'm gonna have to get hold of one of the Azure Dynamics motors & DMOC inverters, for my old mini cooper that's sitting in the garage
(the Supra's got bad rust, right up in the strut towers, so its days are numbered)

Nice video too 

Regards

Richard


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## Jaesin (Mar 6, 2011)

Awesome! It makes me happy to see this on the road.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Caspar said:


> I dont use the gearbox from the Mini. I use the complete drivtrain from Think, and 7200 rpm gives 90 km/h with Thinks 13 inch wheel, but whit the 10 inch wheel on the Mini it's only 72 km/h


Do you happen to have a web site with photos of the build process? 

Thanks

Pete


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## MalcolmB (Jun 10, 2008)

Hi Caspar

That's a really nice conversion, very well laid out and beautifully finished, and a very professional video. Can you give us any information about the acceleration, 0-80 kph, and energy consumption?

I noticed that the mini seems to be sitting quite low, have you lowered the suspension, or is that just due to the battery weight?


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