# Motor selection for a 78 Monte Carlo



## Duncan (Dec 8, 2008)

I like the Montecarlo - like a Ferrari but more purposeful and not as pretty 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Montecarlo

You will need a decent amount of power - either a grunty DC motor or a motor/drive unit out of a production EV

A Leaf motor plus one of the new brainboards would be good


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## Emyr (Oct 27, 2016)

I'd assume they mean a 3rd gen Chevy Monte Carlo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Monte_Carlo#Third_generation_(1978–1980)


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## czerr (May 18, 2019)

Haha, Yep like what Emyr posted. It's a 3rd gen 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo (with T-tops  ). So it's on the heavier side at 1400kg.


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## remy_martian (Feb 4, 2019)

I did her sister...

A '80 Cutlass Diesel (POS engin that was...). Those are emissions-exempt for *any* conversion, so in went a 454cu in 450HP crate engine and a 4-speed automatic from an IROC Camaro. That was, er, 30 years ago. Performance was decent and was at the threshhold of what I'd call decent. Externally, it looked like your grandma's Cutlass diesel. The reason I'm posting all that here in your tread, and in an EV forum, is to give you a target if you want a fun powerplant in that chassis vs one that literally has the performance of a forklift. I'm skeptical that even dual Warps will get you there, because that car is pretty heavy, but it all depends on personal threshholds and targets.

If you're building a performance "restomod" car, there's no such thing as cheap (unless you are willing to chance letting the "magic smoke" out of the electronics/electrics or use up all your auto club free tows), in my experience, even if you scrounge parts. 

As an example, my 500HP Tesla-pack 5th gen Camaro EV build is going to cost me around 40 grand, counting the host body/chassis. Being a "hobby", the labor in it at that price is heavily discounted to $0/hr. Not a cheap way to get two tons to 60 mph in sub-3sec, but it alo has to be a grocery-getter that's shod in street tires, unlike the eCOPO Camaro, that'll go on at least 100 miles of errands when let out of the stable, and, maybe some day, get off a trailer to go on an extended trip. I should live that long...

Are you keeping the trans in your Monte or going direct drive to the prop shaft? Having a frame in that car means you have the possibility of swapping in a complete cradle from another EV. So many choices, possibilities that are only limited by your bank account and credit card limits.


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## czerr (May 18, 2019)

Thanks for the info remy_martian! 

That's what I was worried about. It's such a heavy car I don't know how practical an EV conversion would be. I wanted to do it to challenge myself a bit and have some fun. But I also want something I can enjoy when it's all done. If it's gonna take $40 grand to get it to the point where it behaves like a 400-450Hp car then I might as well spend $15 grand and put a V8 in it. 

Right now it's got an automatic transmission so I was thinking of either doing direct drive or putting a standard transmission of some sort in. 

Finding EVs at the auto wrecker, in my neck of the woods (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), is proving to be difficult. I haven't found one yet. 

You wouldn't recommend a multiple forklift motor type of set-up for this car? 

Thanks!


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## iubongda123 (Oct 24, 2018)

czerr said:


> Hey!
> 
> I've been tossing around the idea of converting my old 78 Monte Carlo to electric. I've been doing some research and could use a little help with motor selection. Should I be looking at DC, brushless DC, AC or old forklift motors?
> 
> ...


I hope this can help you on wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Lancia_Montecarlo


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

iubongda123 said:


> I hope this can help you on wiki
> https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Lancia_Montecarlo


iubongda123, I can't tell if you're a bot, a human spammer, or if you just didn't read any of the discussion.


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