# El(ectric) Camino Project



## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Gentlemen, it has begun.

I have moved from the planning phase to the execution phase for my Electric Camino project.

The donor vehicle arrived from California on Tuesday and looks to be a perfect candidate for an electric vehicle conversion:

No motor/transmission
No interior seats (dash and door panels intact and in excellent shape)
Nearly rust-free (thank you, California weather!)
The engine bay has already been prepped and painted by the previous owner.
Body is primer gray and all trim removed (ready for paint)

I will update the blog below with pictures as soon as I give the "baby" a bath.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Looks like a fun project! Are you going to keep us updated here as well?


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Yes, I plan to update here with progress as things move along.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Baby got a bath today and I cleaned her up good! She is the perfect donor.
More here: http://electriccamino.blogspot.com


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

So, there is a similar creature out there. But mine will be different...

http://www.evalbum.com/46


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Batteries and motors*

After some very enlightening and detailed discussion with Mo_Bandy and DougIngraham, I am continuing on my plan for a single Transwarp 9 and EV-Glide transmission, but may be adding a second motor and a total of 104 batteries - but only if I can fit them into the gas tank location, behind the seat (under the bed) and inside the engine bay. 
Right now, my computer renderings indicate a capacity of 40 at the rear tank, 27 at the middle (behind the seat), and possibly forty more in the front.
If I can get more into the middle, I will be able to reduce the number (and weight) in the front.

I will be mocking up racks after I get the bodywork straightened out this winter.


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## Mo_Bandy (Aug 25, 2009)

*Re: Batteries and motors*



Vhclbldr said:


> After some very enlightening and detailed discussion with Mo_Bandy and DougIngraham, I am continuing on my plan for a single Transwarp 9 and EV-Glide transmission, but may be adding a second motor and a total of 104 batteries - but only if I can fit them into the gas tank location, behind the seat (under the bed) and inside the engine bay.
> Right now, my computer renderings indicate a capacity of 40 at the rear tank, 27 at the middle (behind the seat), and possibly forty more in the front.
> If I can get more into the middle, I will be able to reduce the number (and weight) in the front.
> 
> I will be mocking up racks after I get the bodywork straightened out this winter.


Look forward to see how this build goes 

MO


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Garage Mahal prepped and bodywork begun*

Over the last few months, I installed and troubleshot the Garage Mahal furnace, Air Compressor, and exhaust fan. After all of the clean-up and sorting of parts, I have started on the bodywork of the El Camino.

The roof had some uneven sections and a lot more filler than necessary, so I got it all down to bare metal. There are sections on other parts of the body that have filler or bare oxidized spots showing (chips in the paintwork), so I will have my work cut out.








The first step will be leveling, sanding, and priming the roof.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

At least it is a small roof! Winter time is a fantastic time for mudding large panels. Lotsa working time on the filler. I hate doing a roof in the summer when you only get about two minutes before your filler turns to stucco...


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

First round of filler on, and it gave me about the normal amount of working time (advantages and disadvantages of my heated Garage Mahal). The bare metal had no rust on it despite two days of exposure, mainly due to the dehumidifier and cold weather keeping the humidity in the shop below 40%. It was sitting at 25% one of those days. Not bad for the east coast.

I returned all of my rattle-can primer (even the Duplicolor "Automobile Primer") after doing my research on how to prime & paint bare metal automobile body panels.

I picked up a pair of Harbor Freight spray guns and a decent regulator, along with a can if primer and some lacquer thinner. I will be spraying that after I apply/sand the second round of filler to level out the remaining bumps on the roof.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Oh, and Mo Bandy? I am definitely getting dual Warp 9's with the Zilla Z2K HV.
Just thought you would like to know.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Onward, and Bodyward...*

After removing the paint/filler from the roof, making some slight adjustments, applying my own filler, sanding, then applying a little more in the low spots, and sanding again, I finally got some self-etching primer onto the bare metal to protect it and show where more work needs to be done. 
The good news is that it covers well and looks cool. The bad news is that a lot of it has to come off when I block it to find the low spots and feather it in properly. I also missed a lot of sections with the less coarse grit sandpaper.








It's a learning experience, I guess.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

It only gets easier. Are you familiar with the 10,000 hour rule?


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## Mo_Bandy (Aug 25, 2009)

Vhclbldr said:


> Oh, and Mo Bandy? I am definitely getting dual Warp 9's with the Zilla Z2K HV.
> Just thought you would like to know.


You will be quite pappy you did.. I'm loving mine !

MO


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

evmetro said:


> It only gets easier. Are you familiar with the 10,000 hour rule?


Is that the number of hours it takes to become proficient at bodywork?


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Mo_Bandy said:


> You will be quite pappy you did.. I'm loving mine !
> 
> MO


"Pappy"?


By the way, Mo, what size traction pack, how many controllers, and what kind of performance numbers do you get from your setup?


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## Tesseract (Sep 27, 2008)

Vhclbldr said:


> Is that the number of hours it takes to become proficient at bodywork?


Sort of... this refers to the aphorism that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill or profession. While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support it, the 10,000 rule is generally filed under pop psychology.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Tesseract said:


> Sort of... this refers to the aphorism that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill or profession. While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support it, the 10,000 rule is generally filed under pop psychology.


Very true. I used to resent it when an 18 year old would come into the body shop and surpass my 10,000 hours+ skills in a year or two.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

evmetro said:


> Very true. I used to resent it when an 18 year old would come into the body shop and surpass my 10,000 hours+ skills in a year or two.


Over fourteen years ago, I cut my teeth on bodywork skills while building my IndyCycle, but that was under the tutelage of a master body crafter, dealt mainly with fiberglass, and was long, long ago...


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*No Trans?*

After many conversations with other builders (especially John Metric - BIG Thanks!), research, and looking at/weighing the options, I am changing the plan to eliminate the transmission.

I now will use a Warp9 and Transwarp9, coupled together and utilizing a reversing contactor instead of a transmission for backing up. This will both make the drivetrain lighter, shorter, less complicated. and less expensive. I haven't figured out the best way to control the drive/neutral/reverse system, but am leaning towards a basic automatic transmission control lever. This would allow me to isolate micro switches to ensure that forward and reverse cannot be engaged simultaneously.

I will have to select a suitable one for the El Camino (not column shift, but transmission tunnel mounted) for the proper look & feel of a muscle car.

Right now, this looks promising: http://www.ebay.com/itm/231468912738?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
A Vintage Hurst Pro-Matic 2 Ratchet Shifter. Seems to be the right look and simple to modify for switches only. I will, of course, have to build in some sort of physical spring/gear/lever that makes it feel more mechanically linked...

Any advice/suggestions?


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

*Re: No Trans?*

Hi
Re reverse contactor
I have one in the Device - 
it has two 12v coils, if one is energized and the other is off you go forwards,
to go backwards do it the other way around
If both are on or off - nothing happens

So I have got two switches - to change direction you flip both
(the one that is ON for reverse has one of those fancy "gun switch" covers)

Very simple to use and looks kind of retro
http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forum...-dubious-device-44370p7.html?highlight=duncan


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Duncan, I like the "old airplane cockpit" look of your control box (especially the covered "firing" switch for reverse).
I have a little time to work out exactly how to control the contactors for forward/reverse, but I prefer a more traditional, "muscle car" ook. 
My preference is a Hurst Pro-matic 2 shifter like this: 










It would allow for parking and neutral for contactor off positions, and isolate the forward and reverse contactors.
I am wondering if solenoids are recommended, or should I plan on using physical switches and a cable/lever system instead? The cable/lever system would ensure that the physical movement of the switch could be verified by feel, and also not require an accessory battery to power it (the power usage would be negligible, of course).

Thoughts?


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## toddshotrods (Feb 10, 2009)

Vhclbldr said:


> ...I prefer a more traditional, "muscle car" ook.
> My preference is a Hurst Pro-matic 2 shifter like this:
> 
> 
> ...


The way those shifters are made you could do away with the cable and add micro or momentary switches inside the housing, on the main bracket. They typically use micro switches to send reverse and neutral signals to the vehicle, so two should already be there. You should be able to just add a third for Forward (unless you want the other positions to have assigned functions, then more switches. I would trigger relays off the micro switches...

I've had those in a few different vehicles and the mechanisms on the detent and ratchet style are usually reasonably precise, so adding switches should be straightforward. You might need a spring or two, or something with friction, to add resistance for a more natural feel. I've also put quite a few of them through the paces in the big Summit Racing superstore, and the Jeg's retail store here, some are tight and precise without anything connected, and some feel like they're disconnected.

If you're planning to use Park, you might want a second lockout switch for reverse so the reverse contactors don't close/open every time you come out of park headed for neutral or drive. Otherwise put a physical stop on the bracket to lock it out of park and just use neutral for off (what I would do). If you picked a ratchet style shifter you would just click it back to go (springs back to center), and push forward to hit neutral (springs back to center), (pull/push the reverse lockout lever) push forward for reverse(springs back to center) - had too much coffee and love ratchet shifters! 

Edit: just saw that the Pro-Matic 2 IS a full ratchet shifter - and I realized that I actually owned that shifter before. I had it in a huge 3/4-ton Ford van I used to transport the bikes in. Loved that thing! Rockin!


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## Mo_Bandy (Aug 25, 2009)

Vhclbldr said:


> "Pappy"?
> 
> 
> By the way, Mo, what size traction pack, how many controllers, and what kind of performance numbers do you get from your setup?


Sorry for the delay, I'm running 108 CALB SE 100's with a single EHV Zilla 2K.

No official times but the car 0-60 is definitely in the 5 seconds

I weighted the car (thanks EV West) and im at 3575 pounds 50.5 /49.5 front to rear.


















MO


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Looking forward to Manzanita Micro's review of their new lightweight cells that have a 20C discharge rate (50AH). I have some time before pulling that trigger.
In the meantime, I am planning on using a manual steering box but adding a power assist from a Saturn Vue/Chevy Equinox.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

I may be putting the cart before the horsepower, but my Zilla Z2K HV arrived from the UK today. Thank you for the excellent purchase and shipping, Richard! (And sorry, John Metric, for nabbing it before you!).
http://electriccamino.blogspot.com/2015/02/components-controller.html?m=1

I finished welding the left rear quarter panel on Friday, but still have to seal up a bolt hole in each door and the antenna hole on the passenger side front fender.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

I welded up 14 more unneeded trim holes, mocked up the dual motors, and swapped out the power steering box for a manual unit.










More at my blog (below)


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

I'm jealous you're making progress and I'm not. Looking good though. Are you against using a short powerglide like Mo's? It would work well with the shifter you have in mind, and keep the motors happier (never reversing rotation). 

Again good work, I'm interested to see the similarities and differences between our cars when they are done.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Vhclbldr said:


> I welded up 14 more unneeded trim holes, mocked up the dual motors, and swapped out the power steering box for a manual unit.


That steering column looks like it wi be pretty easy to add the Saturn vue steering motor to, depending on how you lay things out. On my Eldorado build, the steering rack is only a few inches from the firewall, so there was no choice but to mount it over the pedals. I don't know if you are planning on mounting that motor, but at least the engine bay is an option...


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

jwiger said:


> I'm jealous you're making progress and I'm not. Looking good though. Are you against using a short powerglide like Mo's? It would work well with the shifter you have in mind, and keep the motors happier (never reversing rotation).
> 
> Again good work, I'm interested to see the similarities and differences between our cars when they are done.


James, I debated the same thing for a while, and even though the mechanical reverse and ability to put it into park has its advantages, the reduced weight, shorter drivetrain length, and mechanical simplicity (one less thing to break) won out. The way I drive, I rarely go into reverse, and the minor wear on the brushes will be negligible (I hope).

I am hoping we keep each other motivated and moving forward on our respective builds, and look forward to comparing notes as we progress and after completion. It's too bad you don't live closer!


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

evmetro said:


> That steering column looks like it wi be pretty easy to add the Saturn vue steering motor to, depending on how you lay things out. On my Eldorado build, the steering rack is only a few inches from the firewall, so there was no choice but to mount it over the pedals. I don't know if you are planning on mounting that motor, but at least the engine bay is an option...


I was (and am still) considering that exact thing, EV. Even though the wheel turns easily (with two fingers) now, adding around 600 lbs of motors and batteries may make it more effort. In addition, I would be able to freshen up the steering wheel with more modern controls and solve the broken turn signal and useless column shifter unit problem all in one fell swoop. Plus, they come with tilt adjustment!

It's not off the plan completely, yet.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*bodywork woes*

I have had my project vehicle for five months now and am steadily progressing through the tedious chore of bodywork (although looking at it you would think I have gone backwards in development). The roof has been prepped for primer (and has been ready for about two months) while I continue to find and correct rust issues around the rest of the body. I had thought that the driver side rear quarter panel was the only section that needed surgery and replacement panels, but the passenger side was also dodgy. Luckily, it was less damaged and I am already set to tack the outer panel on.

I should wrap up the bodywork and get the10" posi traction diff rebuilt by the end of April. After that Baby gets a good coat of self-etching primer, sanded, and a final coat of high build primer to cover the whole thing.

In May I will order my 9" motors and couplers from Ampahaulic.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*bodywork continues*

After months of sanding and filling and sanding and filling and sanding and filling (you get the idea), I finally shot the body with self-etching primer to cover up the patchy bare metal and filler to give me a better idea of what Baby will look like when she is finished.









Of course, that also ended up showing me some of the imperfections that I had missed. Out came the sanding blocks, DA sander, and filler, and to work again.


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

Looking good! I'm lucky on the straight body department, but I think my suspension and custom rewiring will keep us neck and neck.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

jwiger said:


> Looking good! I'm lucky on the straight body department, but I think my suspension and custom rewiring will keep us neck and neck.


I am still debating on whether to spend the $3500 on a Hotchkiss stage 2 (they are on sale!), but will probably have to get a new wiring harness (Painless). Doing it myself may make it less expensive, but could be more trouble than the time spent...


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

Wiring isn't bad (from my perspective). I have used two Painless kits, they have good instructions and excellent quality. Do not toss your current harness until the car is working on the new one!

I'm going with an Infinitybox three cell kit on mine, it isn't as plug-n-pray as the Painless kits, but it has some serious advantages.


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## Moltenmetal (Mar 20, 2014)

That is a thing of beauty...having spent my winter doing exactly the same thing, you have my deepest sympathy for all that time that you will never get back- but the satisfaction factor as well as your emotional investment in this vehicle has just increased dramatically, or should have!


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

These are great parts as well. I have used their front spindles on two projects, the big brake kits are simply amazing. 

http://www.classicperform.com/chevelle.htm


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

This pic is exciting to see!

On my wiring harnesses, I like to open up my factory harness and give it a hysterectomy, and then add some of my own circuits before wrapping it up again. Granted, my harnesses are nice CA ones that have not seen the harsh environments. To me, it is really fun to re purpose some of the factory circuits with my own.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Sorry for the long time without posting, but I have been trying to work on Baby more than talk about her.

I won't post the latest pic because, well, it looks about the same as the one above. The big differences are that the color is duller (two coats of high build primer) and is sprayed over a TON of reworked sections of the body. I don't think there was any single panel that did not get reworked (except the tailgate, which is really clean on the outside part).

I should be able to get the final primer coat sanded down with 400 grit soon, and will have her painted Blitz Black by the end of the month. 

Parts:
This month, I plan to find an electric steering column from a Chevy Torrent or Saturn Vue and transplant that in, as well as order my two Warp 9 motors from Ampahaulic.
I was able to find a bunch of hinge/latch/interior trim items from a guy on eBay selling his '68 Elky parts (they are as rare as hens teeth, let me tell you!)

Anyway, I will update the blog with some pics once I have something interesting to post. There are some newer ones since last time, but not much.

Oh, I did order a Ford 9" rear end from Quick Performance instead of rebuilding my 10" posi rear end. 3.0 gears should allow me to maintain a pretty good top speed without over taxing the motors.


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## Moltenmetal (Mar 20, 2014)

Keep posting- it's hard to enjoy your bodywork suffering without pictures! I documented every painful minute of mine...

Plans for the drivetrain sound really good.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

I should have more pics after this week, since I plan to paint it next weekend.
(Fingers crossed)


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

The blog is updated with several new and updated posts folks:
http://electriccamino.blogspot.com/2015/04/brakes-and-primer.html
Hoping to shoot Blitz Black this weekend.


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

Excellent progress! I need to spend time in my garage. I'm falling behind you.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Rear end*

It has been a while since my last post, so I will catch up on a few things that I have done since then:

I assembled the Quick Performance Ford 9" rear, painting the center (welded) section green (but keeping the third member black) - just to make it different.
The disc brakes should help with stopping distances, and the beefy new housing and axles should be able to handle the 400+ HP I hope to get out of the beast.










After removing the stock posi traction rear and positioning the new one in place, I found that the anti-sway bar would not clear the bottom of the housing, so my son and I fabricated and welded new mounting brackets for the lower control arms.










Yes, my son Alex is currently 10 years old.



After that, we replaced the old springs with a new set that the former owner sent with the el Camino. You can tell from the pictures that the old ones (Left) were the reason the back end sagged so much.










After finally getting it all together, the new stance looks good.










The top picture is before and the bottom picture is after the rear end swap.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Steering*

After finishing the rear end, I needed to take care of the steering so that it would not interfere with the motor frame/mount fabrication later on.

The key problems were:
1. The existing steering wheel was too small for manual steering.
2. The recently installed manual steering box input shaft was a smaller diameter than the power steering one, so the stock flex joint was spinning around on the shaft.
3. Even with a proper sized wheel, It would be challenging at low/no speed to turn the steering wheel without any sort of power assist.

To correct these issues, I planned the following:
1. Replace the existing steering column/wheel with a 2003 Saturn Vue unit.
2. Replace the flex joint with the correct sized/splined one for manual steering.

The first thing I did was measure the existing steering wheel location and height.



















Next, I went to a local junkyard and extracted a steering unit from an appropriate donor.










Then came the fun part.

After removing the existing column & shaft, I found that the two mounting bolt locations on both the stock column and Saturn's column had identical spacing. This would have allowed an almost direct swap, except for two things:
a) The mounting points on the stock column were located further away from the steering wheel than the Saturn's, and, b) the Saturn column's power assist motor was also too close to the end of the column and interfered with the brake pedal, so a simple solution presented itself when I was explaining the problem to my boys (mainly Alex):










By moving the mounting point further down the collar of the column (extending the collar with a piece of muffler tubing), I could solve a) and b) at the same time.



















The comparison of the two columns shows how close I got to the original spacing between the mounting points and steering wheel rim.










After checking the mount and adding a support shaft to the tilt column pivot point, I mounted the steering unit securely and modified the universal joint and original steering shaft, replacing the flex joint with the proper sized one.
It works great now, even without power.


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

Nice work! What are you going to do with the airbag center pad from the Saturn wheel?


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## Baratong (Nov 29, 2012)

I really like seeing all of the detail in your posts. It's great information seeing exactly how you went about the work! I always enjoy reading your thread.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

jwiger said:


> Nice work! What are you going to do with the airbag center pad from the Saturn wheel?


I had to remove it at the scrapyard or else pay an extra $60 for something I didn't need.


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi - you talked about a "steering box"
Does your car have one of the old pre rack and pinion steering boxes?

If it does throw it over the hedge and do the mods to fit a proper rack and pinion set up


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Duncan said:


> Hi - you talked about a "steering box"
> Does your car have one of the old pre rack and pinion steering boxes?
> 
> If it does throw it over the hedge and do the mods to fit a proper rack and pinion set up


Those for my El Camino cost around $800, and since I will not likely auto cross it until I upgrade the front suspension, I can wait until then to change it to rack & pinion.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Motors and Motor Frame*

I have updated the blog, but just in case you don't want to click over to it, here are some of the highlights so far...

I ordered the two Warp 9 Motors through Ampahaulic (Lone Star Performance) in June, and was happy to receive them on 25 June 2015.

























A few days later, the alignment frame and coupler arrived so I assembled the two motors (but did not attach the shaft coupler, yet).










I am using 1/4" x 2" steel L-channel for the two longitudinal rails and tested out several locations for the motors based upon a cardboard mockup.









https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-.../xNS2i4ToVwY/s640/blogger-image-713948089.jpg

This allowed me to find out that the interior sheet metal and firewall needed to be trimmed and the motor moved forward enough so that the panels won't rub against the driveshaft during rear suspension articulation.

I cut the rails and figured out the height the motors needed to be for best support and lowest center of gravity while keeping it level and aligned properly with the rear axle. I used some angle steel to make removable cross bars to ensure the rails stayed the correct distance apart during fabrication.










I made a jig, heated up some 1/4" x 1" steel in my outdoor grill (up to 500 degrees!) and bent both the lower hoops and the upper hold-down channels. The latter had an interesting feel to it as it bent around the jig, almost a stuttering bend as the metal started to cool. I had to re-heat one piece because I didn't put it into the jig fast enough.










Once the lower hoops were cut, I reassembled the motor frame without the motor and filpped it upside down, welding them on with the MIG welder for now (I will be TIG welding everything later on).










The motor frame prior to test-fitting with motors (I had to get an engine hoist)...


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

*Motors and Motor Frame (continued)*

A few weeks later, I was able to borrow a friend's engine hoist to finally lift the motors off the dollies and test fit the motors into the frame. 










I didn't get a picture of the motors in the frame (oops), but the very front and rear terminals are REALLY close to the rails (like, within 1/4"). 

My concern was that the voltages and amperages I was planning to run through these could result in arcing. I ended up both grinding a little relief where the terminals would be, and adding some felt padding to the hoops to even out the supporting load and keep the motor centered in the frame. Both of these actions took care of the problem.

I think.

I picked up a set of Energy Suspension engine mounts (red urethane - you can see in the picture) and bolted them to the stock engine mounting points on the car's frame. I ended up having to grind down the little hump where the rails went across so that it would sit lower and flat against the plate (to be welded).
You will notice my un-precise cardboard box being used to get an approximate level for the rails while fabricating the motor frame...










Also, the vice grips at the back of the motor frame are holding the angled connection bars for the transmission mounting point. I had to grind down part of the outer L channel so that it would fit into the tunnel opening and center properly. It will be reinforced/triangulated later.










My son, Alex (10 years old) helped me tack the frame and gussets together in place so that I could remove it and weld it all up later.










Yes, that is really Alex welding, and he has been helping since the beginning of the project.

I removed the frame, welded everything together (MIG, still), and will be working on the hold-downs and bolting points later on.


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## ken will (Dec 19, 2009)

*Re: Motors and Motor Frame (continued)*



Vhclbldr said:


> My son, Alex (10 years old) helped me tack the frame and gussets together in place so that I could remove it and weld it all up later.
> 
> Yes, that is really Alex welding, and he has been helping since the beginning of the project.


Alex is a lucky kid. 
Some of my greatest memories are of building things with my father.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Lots of progress to report regarding the motors installation, and mainly because the guy I borrowed my engine hoist from needed it back, so there was some motivation to get it done.

After tacking the motor mounts in place, I borrowed a friend's engine hoist and checked the fit of the dual assembled motors.

The motors fit perfectly, so I TIG welded the gussets and the other parts of the motor frame. I had to weld it from both sides because my electrode holder wasn't big enough to hold the one needed for 1/4" steel. 










After welding the gussets, I added some additional support on the rear hoop, marked, then drilled the mounting holes (that go into the motor housing).

After checking the fit repeatedly, I fabricated the hold downs by bending them the same way as the lower support hoops, grinding off the excess, welding, and drilling the holes where it would attach to the motor and frame.










The rear mount ended up similarly, but is made of slightly thicker material.










After TIG welding everything properly and adding some triangulation for the rear mount, I did one last fit...










Next, I disassembled and painted the motor frame and pieces.










About this time, I got a message from my friend who let me borrow their hoist, saying he needed it back. The pressure was on to get the motors installed, but there was a tiny problem...










This is the shaft coupler, which ended up being approximately .25" long, preventing the motor alignment plates from attaching properly.

After grinding and turning on the metal lathe, it looks like this. Not as pretty, but much better as far as function. I have about .05 clearance on either end of the coupler between it and the motor housings.










After that (and chamfering the newly machined edges), it was a cinch to reassemble the motors, torquing the bolts to the proper amount, then installing the two motors into the motor frame.










The hard part was the final fit onto the motor mounts (everything shrank by 1/4"?), but my friend Glenn and I (that's him above) were able to do it.

Baby finally has her heart!










Nice low center of gravity, too!


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Sweet! That made my day!


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## Moltenmetal (Mar 20, 2014)

Watching this with intense interest- keep 'em coming!


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

Any updates?


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Baby is back in the Garage Mahal after a six-month exile (while I fixed my nephew's perforated Porsche 944)!

Not too much worse for wear, so I was able to work on the driveshaft tunnel and get it buttoned up.
Head over to my blog for more detail, but this pic shows my metalwork:


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Also, I was able to make a motor terminal access cover and then start on the seats.









Seat mounts fabricated...

And now the seat (driver's only):


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## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

Other than fitting the seat and wheel on the wrongs side that looks great!


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Nice looking tunnel, good to see this back in work.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

The seats are in.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

evmetro said:


> Nice looking tunnel, good to see this back in work.


Thanks! I am glad to be back at it, too.

Here is a shot of the tunnel after a little clean up & paint (to keep it from rusting):


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

I have to disassemble the front end to install the ceramic heater modification, so I figured while it is apart, I will remove the doors, seats, and tailgate, as well.
This will let me get easier access to:
1. Finish all of the underbody painting/undercoating
2. Replace the 4-link rear control arms with adjustable top units and corrected lower swaybar mounting points
3. clean up and paint/rust-convert the frame
4. Inspect/replace the brake lines
Replace the front end with an UMI unit
5. replace the body mounts
6. Install the splash shield for the motors

That should keep me busy this summer...


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Well, here we go...
Everything that can be removed (easily) has been removed. Now to remove the bolts and lift the body.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

The body is off and clear!










This is definitely the way to work on the power train and suspension.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Here is the body ready to go back onto the powder coated frame with the middle motor brace (powder coated red).


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

The body is on with new urethane mounts.









On to the wiring!


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Okay, so before I get to the wiring, I put the rest of the vehicle back in order (doors, fenders, tailgate, bumper, bed edge).










Now I have to begin designing and building the housing(s) for the controller, hairball, contactors, OBD Bluetooth, and any other bits for under the hood.
I will be using the Zilla and Hairball to do series/parallel switching, and have to make a switch/wiring system out of the Hurst shifter.

Anyone have ideas/recommendations for the housing designs?


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## Sterling2015 (Jun 24, 2015)

Ha! You make lifting the body look so easy, awesome project.

Looking like EL 222 Camino

Thanks for showing the motor frame build.

Housing designs for a transmission adaptor?


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

No transmission, so no adapter needed.
The shifter switch setup should be fairly easy, and will require some crafting on my part, but we shall see.


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

I'm at a bit of a hold popoint for the hairball housing too. It seems the EV West is pretty good at packaging things like this to keep water out. I know they sell good enclosures. Currently my hairball and ZEVA brain box are zip-tied to a small chunk of pegboard for mock-up and testing.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

More progress lately. Gotta keep this short as I am late for bed after a good night fabricating on "Baby".

The front bay support structure is coming along nicely, with the outer bars and header panel reinforcement mostly done.



















That huge space will be taken up with the Z2k EHV controller box, DC/DC converter housing, controller cooler system, fuses, relays, and possibly a front trunk. All of it under a locking lexan panel (or perhaps several).


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## BuildMore (Oct 28, 2016)

Your work and your project are amazing! Very inspirational. I'm digging your Blog site too! Bravo! - Brian


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Much mental work lately while I get a new TIG welder (my beloved Longevity AC/DC 200SX went out on me, but I have found a Miller Dialarc that will last longer, I hope).

I have been redesigning the center console, building the glovebox, and figuring out the 12V system wiring, with much success in all areas. Check my blog for more details, but I will post some pics in a day or so.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Some progress lately and it has been a while since I updated this post, so let me sum up:

The hairball has a home inside the glovebox:









The Electrical system (ignition - turn/brake/hazard) has been checked/confirmed via bench testing:









The motors, previously slightly out of alignment, are now corrected:









Next step: Reassembly and final prep of the engine bay, DC/DC converter mount/box, and contactor/relay mounts. After that, we are down to removing the glass, final prep and paint, then final wiring.


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Many months ago, I was posting regularly, but things got really busy, really quick.

Good news is that the car is nearly finished. Some of the drama/challenges included:
- finishing/reinforcing the front grille
- Installing the wiring harnesses
- Battery specs, selection, and sourcing
- finishing the interior after wiring
- fabricating battery module trays/holders
- redesigning/sourcing BMS system
- modifying/linking the module BMS plugs/wires with the Orion BMS harness

Almost done...


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## Baratong (Nov 29, 2012)

Vhclbldr said:


> Many months ago, I was posting regularly, but things got really busy, really quick.


I sure understand that. I had to put my build on hold a few times too.




Vhclbldr said:


> Almost done...


That's a lot of work you finished since the last post... I would love to see some updated pics....


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Here are some updated pictures of the build:

The motor bay:









The interior:









Before trim, on the first day rolling it out:


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## jwiger (Oct 18, 2014)

So jealous. How's tha Optima Redtop working out for you?

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk. -Yeah, a BlackBerry.


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## Brian Sawdo (Dec 27, 2017)

Your post is an inspiration. I love old muscle cars and yours has the look. I hope to be converting an S-10 in the future. Keep up the good work.


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## Synonym9 (Sep 15, 2017)

Please videos!!!!
In- and outside.....I cannot wait to see more american muscles converted to E-Power


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

Wow, it has been way to long since my last post, and almost as long since I updated my Blog, but here are some pics and information. 

Baby (the Electric Camino) has been on the road and a nearly daily driver for the last two weeks. I got her done back around Thanksgiving 2017 and drivable on a single string of LG Chem Modules (six modules in series, 96 cells in all).
This gave me around 216 hp (750 amps x 288 volts) but allowed nice accelleration and around 20-25 mile range.

The finished interior:










Here is the engine bay at the time:










And the smuggler trunk layout for the front battery string:










After a few weeks, I brought her back into the shop to balance and install the rear battery pack (into the gas tank location).

One of the battery modules would not take a charge, so I focused just on getting the two strings in the rear installed and will just add the last string once the replacement module comes in.

As soon as I update the blog, I will post an updated picture and continuation of this message board status. As a teaser, the power has more than doubled, I am able to use the "Valet Mode Off" function on the Zilla Z2KEHV, and performance is "spirited". Tire-smoking, even.


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## evmetro (Apr 9, 2012)

Looking good! I haven't been around here much lately, but I often wonder how this rig is coming along.


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## baxy (Dec 24, 2017)

I'm looking to use the same batteries, so I'm interested to know where you sourced yours (especially the bms harnesses) and what you used for a BMS


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## BuildMore (Oct 28, 2016)

baxy said:


> I'm looking to use the same batteries, so I'm interested to know where you sourced yours (especially the bms harnesses) and what you used for a BMS


Hi, much like baxy here, I'm looking at those same modules... 

Looking great, J! I've read up your blog pretty much all the way...what great work! I didn't see many notes or details about the batteries you've used (perhaps I'd missed it? I have looked, lol). I love reading about your thought processes and insights that are woven throughout your Blog. I'm looking to buy my batteries very soon. I've also been looking at these.

Why did you pick these? How are they working out? Any tricks or traps with these? You do provide some info on your experience with the BMS, thanks for that!

Thanks for your inspiration. Loving your choice of vehicle, I almost had one of those, back in the day, but ended up with a '53 Chevy Suburban. I'm building a '53 Hudson Hornet, ATM (that's why I need great batteries, lol!) BTW, I also dig your IndyCycle, looks like a great form factor for EV FUN! Rock on! - Brian

-=* Update: I've purchased 24 of these to do 6s4p. Are you building your packs serial first or parallel first? Looks like your first string is 6s1p in the Smuggler's Bay. Did you continue that scheme for the rear?...and how did you configure those? Thanks! BV


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## Vhclbldr (Feb 8, 2014)

BuildMore said:


> Hi, much like baxy here, I'm looking at those same modules...
> 
> Looking great, J! I've read up your blog pretty much all the way...what great work! I didn't see many notes or details about the batteries you've used (perhaps I'd missed it? I have looked, lol). I love reading about your thought processes and insights that are woven throughout your Blog. I'm looking to buy my batteries very soon. I've also been looking at these.
> 
> ...


A - I configured each parallel string with its own (Orion) BMS, which allows me exact data on every cell in my pack (the most important being highest and lowest cell voltage and keeping them within 10mV). You may want to contact Rich Rudman at Manzanita Micro for advice on your set, as four Orion units would get pretty expensive. Another idea would be to balance each string’s modules, then balance across the pack the other way, then repeat once again to get them as close as possible (2-3 days of balancing each time), then parallel across the 4 modules and connect the parallel packs in series.


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## ElectricSpeedShop (Dec 4, 2018)

Hey Vchlbldr- This project is really well done! Love it! Any interest in being featured on my blog, which focuses on conversions? Please reach out if so! 

electricss.com


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