E-Stang Build Thread
03-06-2009, 06:57 AM
#41
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 153
- You may want to think about converting from the 9" with discs to an 8.8" with drums. The 8.8" is about 15% more efficient, and will handle all the torque and horse power you'll put to the ground. Drum brakes have no rolling resistance like disc brakes do, so you'll gain efficiency there too. It's an easy swap that would more than pay for itself in what you can sell the 9" for. The other advantage to rear drums, is it allows for more pedal travel before applying the brakes. If your controller has infinitely variable regen via a brake pedal potentiometer, this will allow more throw for the pot, making for a smoother transition between regen force and braking force. Otherwise there is like this kind of "coast" point between where regen stops, and brakes apply that feels a bit funky.
It sounds like you have experience with EVs?
- Add a hard rubber air dam across the front cross member (under where the radiator used to be). This will deflect air from under the chassis, and in through the "motor" compartment to aid in cooling the motor and controller assembly. It will also increase the aerodynamic efficiency of the car.
Thanks, and you're welcome!
04-05-2009, 01:40 PM
#42
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 153
Back Home!
Hi again all!
After nearly a year, I'm finally back home! I got back about a week ago and I'm getting settled back in. As I'm sure you can imagine, it's great to be home again.
Unfortunately, not much has happened to the car in the past month. Joe (the guy converting the car for me) has had some health problems, and I've obviously been busy getting home, so there's been very little progress on the E-Stang.
Joe did install the shock tower bracket and another brace bar as you can see here:
The hardest part of not having the car yet, is that this is going to be my daily driver. My wife has her car, and I have an old Triumph Spitfire in my garage, but until the Mustang gets here I don't having anything to drive.
Since it looks like it's going to be a while before I get the car, I've started working on the Spitfire. It used to drive great, but hasn't been started in about four years. Of course, the battery was shot. Once I got that replaced, I discovered the fuel tank has a leak. I tried to patch that, but it was rusted so bad I had to replace it. I just got the new tank yesterday and I'm installing it now -- wish me luck!
After nearly a year, I'm finally back home! I got back about a week ago and I'm getting settled back in. As I'm sure you can imagine, it's great to be home again.
Unfortunately, not much has happened to the car in the past month. Joe (the guy converting the car for me) has had some health problems, and I've obviously been busy getting home, so there's been very little progress on the E-Stang.
Joe did install the shock tower bracket and another brace bar as you can see here:
The hardest part of not having the car yet, is that this is going to be my daily driver. My wife has her car, and I have an old Triumph Spitfire in my garage, but until the Mustang gets here I don't having anything to drive.
Since it looks like it's going to be a while before I get the car, I've started working on the Spitfire. It used to drive great, but hasn't been started in about four years. Of course, the battery was shot. Once I got that replaced, I discovered the fuel tank has a leak. I tried to patch that, but it was rusted so bad I had to replace it. I just got the new tank yesterday and I'm installing it now -- wish me luck!
04-12-2009, 05:56 AM
#44
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 153
Yea, this is all going frustratingly slow. I guess it's not unusual for a unique project like this....
Joe got the front battery rack in:
Not a huge leap forward, but progress.
I've managed to get the Triumph running, which has helped me get around a little. To give you an idea of how rusted the old fuel tank was, take a look at the fuel gauge sender:
Here it is with the new tank installed:
Ok, I know, no more pictures of my Triumph on a Mustang forum!
I have to admit, I'm kind of glad to be working on something -- waiting for Joe to finish the Stang. I've already bought a whole bunch of restoration parts, which are sitting in my garage waiting to be installed!
Joe got the front battery rack in:
Not a huge leap forward, but progress.
I've managed to get the Triumph running, which has helped me get around a little. To give you an idea of how rusted the old fuel tank was, take a look at the fuel gauge sender:
Here it is with the new tank installed:
Ok, I know, no more pictures of my Triumph on a Mustang forum!
I have to admit, I'm kind of glad to be working on something -- waiting for Joe to finish the Stang. I've already bought a whole bunch of restoration parts, which are sitting in my garage waiting to be installed!
04-12-2009, 09:05 AM
#45
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 68
Hey, you're not the only one with that combo. I drove a '77 Spitfire 1500 while I was finishing up the Mustang. Slow but fun car, and easy to work on.
Sorry if I missed it, but how do you figure the weight balance will be, front/rear, with the batteries way up front?
Sorry if I missed it, but how do you figure the weight balance will be, front/rear, with the batteries way up front?
04-12-2009, 02:21 PM
#46
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 153
Joe's still working out exactly how many batteries will go where, but there are 98 total batteries, each weighing about 5.5lbs. My back-of-the-envelope calculations estimate that we can stick about 40 of them under the rear trunk (where the gas tank used to be); the rest of the cells will go up front in the motor compartment.
Ideally you'd want to keep the batteries between the axles, for weight and balance. Unfortunately that's not practicable in most cars. For me, I wanted to keep the majority of the weight up front, so that the car would act and feel more like a conventional internal combustion car. I also wanted to keep as much trunk space free as possible. So we're balancing all those factors and trying to come up with the best configuration.
Ideally you'd want to keep the batteries between the axles, for weight and balance. Unfortunately that's not practicable in most cars. For me, I wanted to keep the majority of the weight up front, so that the car would act and feel more like a conventional internal combustion car. I also wanted to keep as much trunk space free as possible. So we're balancing all those factors and trying to come up with the best configuration.
04-13-2009, 08:05 AM
#50
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: So Cal
Posts: 153
EDIT: Ok, I've looked around and the only thing I see is that he's got the bracket mounted oddly. It should be mounted with the wedge-shaped part vertical, not horizontal as he has it. Then the bolts would actually go on the top of the mount. Is that what you guys are talking about?
Do you think it will work the way it is? I'd hate to have him drilling more holes than necessary....
Last edited by sailfish11; 04-13-2009 at 03:08 PM.