# Here's my motor bay -- show me yours!



## sailfish11 (Sep 15, 2007)

Hi all,

I'm putting the finishing touches on my 1965 Mustang conversion and wanted to show you all how everything's laid out:











Since this picture was taken, I've moved the acc bat to the rear and added an emergency disconnect in its place. Also, the monte carlo bar is temporarily removed (to allow some room to work).

One more thing I plan to add is some sort of cover for the battery pack -- both for protection (from the HV components) and for cosmetic reasons. Anyone have something like that on their ride, that they'd be willing to post pics?


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## poprock (Apr 29, 2010)

I realise that the pics are of the unfinished project, but it appears that the motor mount frame (top job) is directly bolted to the original chassis mounting points without rubber mounts, or is it just an optical illusion?


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## sailfish11 (Sep 15, 2007)

No illusion, it is mounted directly to the frame. So far it seems to be ok. No vibrations.


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## poprock (Apr 29, 2010)

OK; being a ragtop the noise is not such an issue,but a body shell can act like a steel drum if there is a broken engine mount and metal to metal contact. Very neat project.


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## sailfish11 (Sep 15, 2007)

We'll see how it goes. Isolation mounts can be added later if needed, but so far so good.

I'd love to see some pics of others' motor bays. All are welcome to post -- let's see what you got!


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## Guest (Oct 13, 2010)

Here is mine.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

current layout... I think I need to take a closer top view of the final deal. I looked thru my stuff, and can't find one where I show the 'finished' layout closer up from straight down so you can really see the layout.

this is older:
http://www.envirokarma.org/ev/gallery/090301_final_assy03.top.htm

and this is the final version, but from an angle
http://www.envirokarma.org/ev/gallery/100306_UnderTheHood.htm


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

It would look better without a campaign sign for a splash guard! I should have painted it. BTW that's not done, batteries will go beside the motor.


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## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

My EV beach buggy:









My Datsun 411:


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

2001 Suzuki Swift:









From LHS: Curtis 1238-7501 motor controller mounted on a finned heat sink with fan, PFC30 charger, EKM meter (inside gray box) "electric box" (shunt and contactor in high voltage side, relays in other side, metal divider in center), cell heater pad controller (on top of elec box), DC/DC converter, accessory battery is just to the right of the DC/DC (only the corner is shown). Motor is under the tray holding the above components - can glimpse it between the blue battery box (8 cells), and the PFC30 - the bright rectangle is its label.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2010)

Another.


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## toddshotrods (Feb 10, 2009)

Sure, if you don't mind under-construction pics. The first is with a paper-mache mock-up track nose to develop a pattern to cut the fiberglass piece. The thingy on top of the motor is a leaf blower housing. The metal fan wheel from it will be used, with a new carbon fiber housing, to create my motor cooling unit (on steroids)!


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## helluvaengineer96 (Oct 8, 2010)

Have not made it to the constructions phase yet... Still in the take everything out and clean phase.

But here it is, just took picture last night. Hoping for some quick progress.


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## EV-propulsion.com (Jun 1, 2009)

and another....









Mike,
www.EV-propulsion.com


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

Wow, half of them are rear engined cars... That has to be a greater percentage than the general EV population... Could it be rear engined EVers are more likely to want to display their goods? More likely to take pics? More likely to be on DIYelectriccar?

BTW love the pic of the dune buggy motor! That's very very clean!


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## etischer (Jun 16, 2008)




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## ThWongs (Sep 4, 2010)

etischer said:


>


WoW! Very sweet, tidy and beautifully engineered!


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

EV-propulsion.com said:


> and another....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Some one knows how to work with aluminum! Really like how the controller has it's own socket. Very nice craftsmanship.


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## etischer (Jun 16, 2008)

ThWongs said:


> WoW! Very sweet, tidy and beautifully engineered!


Thanks, I had plenty of time on my hands waiting for that slow boat from China to deliver my TS.


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## sailfish11 (Sep 15, 2007)

I agree -- both Mike and Etischer, very nice builds! Excellent craftsmanship.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

I'll take more pictures of the engine bay after I upgrade from FLA to LIFePO4...


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## EV-propulsion.com (Jun 1, 2009)

Thanks Sail...
The goal was to make the car so that there were no electrical connections exposed, so there was no accidental shock potential for any observers or others.. . The controller mounting has both hidden conections and also a pretty good heat sink mounted to the aluminum box. Makes for a boring view under the hood though.....
Thanks again,
Mike
www.EV-propulsion.com


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

EV-propulsion.com said:


> Thanks Sail...
> The goal was to make the car so that there were no electrical connections exposed, so there was no accidental shock potential for any observers or others.. . http://www.EV-propulsion.com


I tried to do that with the lexan over the parts that fingers might get poked at, or might be sensitive to direct water spray like main contacter and heater relay... but I wanted it all visible for show.n.tell.


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## PatricioIN (Jun 13, 2008)

here's OHMer's motor bay.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

PatricioIN said:


> here's OHMer's motor bay.


small comment on the heatsink... fins are far more effective if aligned vertically so that natural convection creates a little air movement as the hotter air rises. forced air is great, but you get significantly better dissipation with fins vertical.


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## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

dtbaker said:


> small comment on the heatsink... fins are far more effective if aligned vertically so that natural convection creates a little air movement as the hotter air rises. forced air is great, but you get significantly better dissipation with fins vertical.


I would say he has the number 2 choice for heat sink fin orientation. 

1. plate vertical with fins running vertical
2. plate horizontal with fins up
3. plate vertical with fins running horizontal
4. plate horizontal with fins down (bad!)

Sometimes you have to put things where they will fit.


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## GEO-NL (Apr 6, 2010)

Hello,

These pictures are not the most recent, i will start a new post in a couple of days to show the rest of our work. It's a old vw type 3 squareback.


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## electrabishi (Mar 11, 2008)

Here's the underhood of our Pony:










And one of the Electrabishi:










Mike


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## O'Zeeke (Mar 9, 2008)

Here's mine


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## elanmel (May 3, 2010)

Etischer--great motor bay layout! Can I ask what size was the steel c-beam under your motor? My motor is big (220 lbs) and I want a strong beam under it, spaning across the two frame members. 

Did you put a strap around your motor? 

Did you use a support bracket at the end of the motor?

Thanks!


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## etischer (Jun 16, 2008)

Thanks! The C channel I used was 3" wide and about 1.5" deep. The web thickness is about 5/16"






















There is a front "snub" mount, but it is there to prevent the motor from popping up, not to support the weight of the motor. I have a metal strap around the motor, but added a ratchet strap cause it was hard to keep tension on the metal strap. 





elanmel said:


> Etischer--great motor bay layout! Can I ask what size was the steel c-beam under your motor? My motor is big (220 lbs) and I want a strong beam under it, spaning across the two frame members.
> 
> Did you put a strap around your motor?
> 
> ...


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## Bottomfeeder (Jun 13, 2008)

It was fun cramming all of these batteries under the hood of my Spitfire. I'll get to play those fun games again when it's time to upgrade to Lithium.


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## toddshotrods (Feb 10, 2009)

I have a question. Except for the VW conversions where the motor is, inherently, sort of center stage many "motor bay" pics of street conversions are of batteries stacked over the motor. In custom ICE applications, the engine is treated as an art piece and a lot of time is usually spent making it visually attractive.

*With EVers, is the battery pack more important and/or appealing than the motor?*

I ask, not just because the pics are commonly of batteries, but also because you guys seem to love to see them. The notable exceptions, other than the V-dubs, seem to be racers. In the race-oriented builds it seems like the motor bays usually feature the motor, controller, etc, while the battery packs are located elsewhere.

I've spent a lot of design hours to highlight my motor, including a hoodless body plan and a totally concealed "supporting cast", so this is really interesting to me.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

I am definately in the camp of seeing the motor, and controller if it is as nice as the Soliton1.
Seeing the pack is like seeing the fuel tank in an ICE.

As much as I will go 'Wow!' if I see a huge capacity pack I am not really that interested in row after row of plastic boxes with bits or cable and BMS circuits on top.

I am much more interested in a great looking motor and controller package. To me, that is like seeing a big block V8 and a bank of double barrel carbs on top or a big diesel I6 with a huge in line fuel pump on the side.

This:









Is more interesting then this:


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## rwaudio (May 22, 2008)

toddshotrods said:


> I have a question. Except for the VW conversions where the motor is, inherently, sort of center stage many "motor bay" pics of street conversions are of batteries stacked over the motor. In custom ICE applications, the engine is treated as an art piece and a lot of time is usually spent making it visually attractive.
> 
> *With EVers, is the battery pack more important and/or appealing than the motor?*
> 
> ...


I would be willing to bet that it mainly because of space, with a secondary consideration of weight distribution. There is just too much valueable space up front to ignore, plus the fact that the electric motor is so compact and mounted low it's hard not to cover it while making use of space. I would like to show off the 11HV in my 944 but it will probably get covered up and the centerpiece might be the soliton1 instead.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

rwaudio said:


> I would be willing to bet that it mainly because of space, with a secondary consideration of weight distribution.


absolutely this in my case. I really didn't WANT to stack two batteries on top of my motor, but couldn't put them anywhere else. With LiFePO4 upgrade however, I will be able to open up the bay a little. I'd design the next one a little differently with the extra space.


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## electric85 (Apr 10, 2008)

so jelous of all of you!!! i'm still not quite at the EV stage of my build. 

sailfish11...what type of BMS are you useing? and where did you get it?


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## esoneson (Sep 1, 2008)

I have owned a few vehicles in the past that ran just a little faster than most on the street. And I was very proud of the one thing that made that happen........the motor.
One of the things you love to hear is "that thing is all engine!".

I believe that the beauty of the EV and the point that at least makes me proud, is the understatement of the motor. "You mean you get all that power and acceleration from that tiny thing?".

The beauty is in the absence of the focal point.


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## Max57TBird (Mar 22, 2010)

Ok, I will attempt (again) to post a photo, but here is a link:

http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_71792c86-fc3e-11df-acd9-001cc4c002e0.html

to a very good article that the local newspaper (Pueblo Chieftain) gave me.


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

This is my motor bay, a bit like Todds, everything out in the open.

The final controller, the Kilovac EV200 and the reversing contactor will mount on a nice plate/heat sink above the motor under a clear plastic cover. I told the controller builder I want flashing LEDs and Neon in the controller. Any Idea why he gave me that strange look?

The new Headway 175 volt battery will go under the new smaller seat where the 72 volt AGM tryout AGM battery is now, the battery will also be under clear plastic.

The air for the motor will be ducted and filtered.

Jim


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## electrabishi (Mar 11, 2008)

Nice Jim. You gotta let us know when you get video of some pulls 

Mike


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## toddshotrods (Feb 10, 2009)

Jimdear2 said:


> This is my motor bay, a bit like Todds, everything out in the open....


Well, I finally decided to put a hood over mine, but that looks awesome Jim! 

Gimme six months to a year (at the rate I'm going ) and I'll update with some new pics of my enclosed motor bay.


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