# [EVDL] New member - Urba-Electric



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi Ken,
Welcome aboard. There's nothing here but lots of information  And yes Lee Hart is still active here, last post was 8am this morning. Thats a pretty light looking chassis on that Urba-Electric. No doubt you could do some amazing things today compared to the 48V on the G23 starter generator. Put a stock Pinto/MustangII front end and a Ford 8" or 9" rear end on that simple frame and you could get decent handling as well. Have you looked at the Tri-Magnum plans too? I wonder if you could do a decent electric version of that one? Anyway welcome to the list. I have my own project going right now and was just taking a break.

73
Mike
AL1D

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenneth G. Gordon" <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 8:55 pm
Subject: [EVDL] New member - Urba-Electric
To: Electric Vehicle Forum <[email protected]>

> Hello:
> 
> I am a new member who just joined today. I have been 
> interested in electric (and steam) vehicles for many years, 
> having bought a set of plans for the Mechanix 
> Illustrated/Robert Q. Riley "Urba-Electric" many years ago.
> 
> Due to family pressures, I was never able to even start on 
> the construction of the Urba-Electric, but since I am close to 
> retirement, I hope to have enough time to do that soon.
> 
> A little background: I have worked in the 
> electronics/electrical fields for around 50 years, and am 
> currently still employed at the University of Idaho as the 
> Electronic Instrument Specialist, Sr. for the College of 
> Science there. 
> 
> I have also been an amateur radio operator since 1956, 
> holding the call W7EKB, and am still very active on the air.
> 
> I will have much to learn about EV, and I hope to gain some 
> of the knowledge I lack on this forum.
> 
> I have read a couple of posts concerning the Urba-Electric 
> in the archives, and will do some more searching there as 
> soon as possible. Most of the posts I have found so far on 
> the Urba-Electric appear to have been answered by a Mr. 
> Hart, who, I hope, is still active here.
> 
> Well, enough for now. Thank you.
> 
> Kenneth G. Gordon
> Moscow, Idaho 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> For subscription options, see
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
> 

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi Ken,
Welcome aboard. There's nothing here but lots of information  And yes Lee Hart is still active here, last post was 8am this morning. Thats a pretty light looking chassis on that Urba-Electric. No doubt you could do some amazing things today compared to the 48V on the G23 starter generator. Put a stock Pinto/MustangII front end and a Ford 8" or 9" rear end on that simple frame and you could get decent handling as well. Have you looked at the Tri-Magnum plans too? I wonder if you could do a decent electric version of that one? Anyway welcome to the list. I have my own project going right now and was just taking a break.

73
Mike
AL1D

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenneth G. Gordon" <[email protected]>
Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 8:55 pm
Subject: [EVDL] New member - Urba-Electric
To: Electric Vehicle Forum <[email protected]>

> Hello:
> 
> I am a new member who just joined today. I have been 
> interested in electric (and steam) vehicles for many years, 
> having bought a set of plans for the Mechanix 
> Illustrated/Robert Q. Riley "Urba-Electric" many years ago.
> 
> Due to family pressures, I was never able to even start on 
> the construction of the Urba-Electric, but since I am close to 
> retirement, I hope to have enough time to do that soon.
> 
> A little background: I have worked in the 
> electronics/electrical fields for around 50 years, and am 
> currently still employed at the University of Idaho as the 
> Electronic Instrument Specialist, Sr. for the College of 
> Science there. 
> 
> I have also been an amateur radio operator since 1956, 
> holding the call W7EKB, and am still very active on the air.
> 
> I will have much to learn about EV, and I hope to gain some 
> of the knowledge I lack on this forum.
> 
> I have read a couple of posts concerning the Urba-Electric 
> in the archives, and will do some more searching there as 
> soon as possible. Most of the posts I have found so far on 
> the Urba-Electric appear to have been answered by a Mr. 
> Hart, who, I hope, is still active here.
> 
> Well, enough for now. Thank you.
> 
> Kenneth G. Gordon
> Moscow, Idaho 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> For subscription options, see
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev
> 

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 15 Feb 2008 at 22:47, MIKE WILLMON wrote:
> 
> > Hi Ken,
> > Welcome aboard. There's nothing here but lots of information
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

For a better idea on a strong AND light chassis get your hands on the book
"Build your own sports car"
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Sports-Little-%C2%A3250/dp/1859606369/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203208686&sr=8-3

There is a photo in the book of the author holding the chassis up over his
head, I think it weighs something like 50 lbs or so. It is strong enough
to hold up during racing, but I'd beef it up a bit if you are going to
load a bunch of batteries on it.

I like the way it looks, but you could always modify the body if you don't
like it.



> > On 15 Feb 2008 at 22:47, MIKE WILLMON wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Ken,
> >> Welcome aboard. There's nothing here but lots of information
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

There was an Urba-Electric here in Kansas City. I took a look at it 
about 14 years ago. I was only able to recognize it as the car in the 
plans with great difficulty. The fellow that built it had decided to 
"improve" the design. He gave it conventional doors on large external 
gate hinges, and used a salvaged windshield. Have you ever seen any 
vehicle where the windshield was wider at the top than the bottom? To 
save cost he didn't use the fancy transmission, just some sort of chain 
drive. By the time I saw it, it had been off the road for a number of 
years and was sitting rotting in a field. The batteries and charger had 
been salvaged for a solar installation. I tried to get a close look, 
but between snakes and hornets I had to keep my distance. I have no 
idea if it is still there and I no longer know exactly where it was.

To me the problem with vehicles like these is the devil is in the 
details and things that you take for granted on a conventional car like 
door seals, windows that roll down, and that sort of thing become a huge 
issue. If the point is to get into an EV with the level of actual 
performance the Urba-Electric offered, then a basic conversion of a 
small car like Geo would be a far simpler, more useful, and practical 
vehicle, though admittedly not nearly as unique.

Thanks,


-- 
Mike Chancey,
'88 Civic EV
Kansas City, Missouri
EV Photo Album at: http://evalbum.com
My Electric Car at: http://www.geocities.com/electric_honda
Mid-America EAA chapter at: http://maeaa.org
Join the EV List at: http://www.evdl.org

In medio stat virtus - Virtue is in the moderate, not the extreme 
position. (Horace)

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Welcome to the EVlist!
I'm in Boise (attending BSU at the moment). While I have not actually 
converted a car myself, I have an electric in my garage waiting for 
batteries. You are welcome to visit if you're in the neighborhood! There 
is lots of good info on this list, if you can filter out the stuff you 
dont care about (lots of that too).
I've never heard of the Urba-Electric.. but then again, I'm relatively 
young in this group .


-Jon Glauser
http://www.evalbum.com/555

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 16 Feb 2008 at 21:02, Jon Glauser wrote:
> 
> > Welcome to the EVlist!
> > I'm in Boise (attending BSU at the moment). While I have not
> ...


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