# Considering Subaru BRAT conversion



## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

Fran said:


> I wouldn't want to spend more than $5k-$6k to get it to the point where I could at least drive 60 miles or so on a charge.



sounds good right up to this part.... you'll have to spend $5k-$6k just on the batteries to get 60 mile range.


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## Snakub (Sep 8, 2008)

dtbaker said:


> sounds good right up to this part.... you'll have to spend $5k-$6k just on the batteries to get 60 mile range.


Not necessarily so there are plenty of lead acid conversions that get well over 60 miles range.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

Snakub said:


> Not necessarily so there are plenty of lead acid conversions that get well over 60 miles range.


I seriously doubt there are many FLA conversions that get 60 miles... and certainly not in a small thing like a Brat, you'd need a BIG truckful of 6v to get 60 miles!


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## Snakub (Sep 8, 2008)

It just looked a lot like a truck to me so I assumed that it has a high gross vehicle weight I did some searching though and can't really find what the gross vehicle weight is. Dave clouds car get 200 miles range on lead acid http://www.evalbum.com/3242 and it doesn't look like it can handle as much weight that's in it. Here are some cars with much heavier curb weights than the brats that claim to get 60 miles range http://www.evalbum.com/682
http://evalbum.com/3594 http://www.evalbum.com/853 http://www.evalbum.com/1923 http://www.evalbum.com/2199 http://www.evalbum.com/894 http://www.evalbum.com/142 http://www.evalbum.com/390 http://www.evalbum.com/2759
The list goes on and on and I am sure if he ecomod's the thing he might get even more range.


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

from what I recall the BRAT didn't have that much of a payload: perhaps 500 to 750 lbs in the bed. My friend was highly annoyed about that waaaay back in the day.


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## Snakub (Sep 8, 2008)

piotrsko said:


> from what I recall the BRAT didn't have that much of a payload: perhaps 500 to 750 lbs in the bed. My friend was highly annoyed about that waaaay back in the day.


Hmmm...that sux. What is it about the brat is it the frame or just the suspension?


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## NZero (Jan 30, 2010)

Anywho, The brat will be fine if you can throw most of the battery weight in the centre, down low and split the rest evenly front and rear. Since we are starting with low performance, a Kelly controller, 96v motor and Sealed Lead or AGM might push you slightly over the $6k mark but it'll be going well and be somewhat expandable as you require. as for the range, you could get 60 out of it at a small push but if you tie down a small generator then there is really little issue.
The Brat (or Brumby down in these parts) is light enough to get away with a smaller install as you will no doubt want to see results and measure handling before upgrading motor and controller then later batteries to give you a really good off roader. Only thing is there are safety devices that need to be fitted for onroad which may cause a headache off road (first inertia switches etc) and fuses will need to be a better quality and in better housing to handle the bumps.

How much fabrication could you do yourself?


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## Fran (Apr 1, 2011)

Thanks everybody for all the input so far.

NZero thanks definitely for your suggestions. You are right that the smart thing to do is to start off with something simple, cheap, and low-performance. Are there some handy spreadsheet models any of you guys use to come up with rough estimates for the performance and/or cost of different configurations at a given weight??

As far as your question about fabrication, I'd like to do as much myself as possible. I'll be in the US Army for 5 more months, which means I'll have free access to a pretty nice do-it-yourself garage all spring and summer. I'll be taking the BRAT there at some point for light welding to fix 2 bad rust spots in the wheel wells of the truck bed.

My wife has already told me I'll need to wait until late 2012 before I can spend much money at all on this conversion project; I don't know what real groundwork I might be able to lay at this point.

My father is an electrical engineer and talking with him about the bigger-picture EV concepts has been helpful so far. He'll also be able to help me select, design, maybe fabricate electric components when the time comes. He's told me he might post on this thread at some point.


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## NZero (Jan 30, 2010)

Well you have plenty of time so I would say work slow, thorough and put aside slowly for a motor. 

Take all your motor, fuel line, exhaust, fuel tank etc out. Strip down the car as much as you can and clean it up so you have a good shell to work with.
Rust protect the tray and start finding all the little gaps you can fit batteries, motor and controller etc. Power steer pump, vacuum pump etc.

Lay up a circuit diagram and read all the rules regarding building an ev. 

Then buy a motor. Once you have a motor you then get to do a ton of fabrication and you can test trans etc by just running 24v straight to the motor to keep it in good nick and you'll get that feeling of getting somewhere.

To start with I would say find a motor that will handle 144v or you will be redoing alot later on. Controllers etc are easier to change later.
Start with just a 72v or 96v system to get it running then put the money saved in gas into a tin and use it to buy a better controller, then better/more batteries later on down the line. 

But to make a start, stripping that car, a wiring diagram and component location will take you 6 months anyways!


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## Snakub (Sep 8, 2008)

Yes and check the classifieds on here for deals as well as evalbum.com if you bide your time you can save yourself a lot of money.I believe there is an ADC 4001 motor on the classifieds here for a grand.


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## NZero (Jan 30, 2010)

Snakub said:


> Yes and check the classifieds on here for deals as well as evalbum.com if you bide your time you can save yourself a lot of money.I believe there is an ADC 4001 motor on the classifieds here for a grand.


A very good buy, if its still here in a couple of weeks it wont be here any longer


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## CharlieG (Dec 22, 2015)

Just found this old thread. How have you got on with this conversion?


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