Classic cars converted to EV

[Peter Gariepy]

https://apnews.com/article/technology-canada-business-denver-9f9694650c23036ed3ee2e7c917d8e22

 

dont shoot the messenger. 😇

[Andy J]

Flame me if you want to,but I would call that automotive blasphemy.

[rocketraider]

I was gonna say heresy.

 

There was a tv show couple years ago where some tiny garage in Wales UK was converting vintage sportscars to electric. It was interesting, but definitely a niche enterprise.

 

Longer range, faster charging and infrastructure to support it. The magic combination to make EVs workable.

 

Though I'm not sure what's worse. Converting to electric or sticking a SBC/LS into an older vehicle as the solution to everything. Either way you've lost the essence of what old car ownership is about, and thrown history out the window.

[kfle]

We will see if this trend grows or becomes a consistent niche option.  Just out today is the annual KPMG survey of 900 Auto executives.  A big drop in EV confidence and enthusiasm.  Still a lot to work out here and will be interesting to see the impact on classic cars.  

 

"Amid those concerns, KPMG reports automotive executives are less bullish about the prevalence of all-electric vehicles in the U.S. and globally by 2030. Estimates of new vehicles sold being EVs by then globally ranged from 10% to 40% in this year’s survey, down from 20% to 70% a year earlier.

For the U.S., the median expectation for EV sales was 35% of the new vehicle market — down from 65% a year earlier and significantly lower than the Biden administration’s 50% goal by 2030"

 

Auto execs less confident in EV adoption amid economic fears: KPMG (cnbc.com)

[Peter Gariepy]

40 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

Though I'm not sure what's worse. Converting to electric or sticking a SBC/LS into an older vehicle as the solution to everything. Either way you've lost the essence of what old car ownership is about, and thrown history out the window.

 

I do agree - EV or ICE engine swaps are the same if the car is no longer original. Truth: fact is pretty apparent... the car hobby overall is weighted heavily towards modified. Visit a local car show or cruise in, or see the vendors at SEMA. It was inevitable that EV swaps would be a thing.

 

"History" comment:  How many properly restored cars is required to retain history?

[kfle]

12 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I do agree - EV or ICE engine swaps are the same if the car is no longer original. Truth: fact is pretty apparent... the car hobby overall is weighted heavily towards modified. Visit a local car show or cruise in, or see the vendors at SEMA. It was inevitable that EV swaps would be a thing.

 

"History" comment:  How many properly restored cars is required to retain history?

Modifications and changes are nothing new in the auto hobby going back to when people use to make their model T's into speedsters and early hot rods.  Resto Mods are especially popular and I would see an electric swap similar to a LS4 crate motor swap.  It is the choice of drive train and power.  I personally collect and drive original cars but this really doesnt bother me when I go to a show as at the end of the day it is about the car culture and keeping these cars on the road.  Now where I would have a problem is if it was an extremely rare almost one of a kind car where we dont have many already preserved.  

 

Here is a great example.  Stutz Bearcat with a modern engine 🙂  Probably a repro body as well but the point stands - What is the difference between a more modern ICE engine versus just putting an electric system in here?  

Edited December 20, 2022 by kfle (see edit history)

[Pfeil]

Here is a great example.  Stutz Bearcat with a modern engine 🙂  Probably a repro body as well but the point stands - What is the difference between a more modern ICE engine versus just putting an electric system in here?  

 

 

The difference is, you turned one into an EV, the other you turned into a Chevy. Neither do this 1/2 Stutz any good.  

[1912Staver]

I doubt there is anything actually  "Brass Era  Stutz " on that Stutz. Possibly a shortened Bulldog frame but even at that probably post Brass Era.  Probably a lot more than the body is re- pro. I believe it is one of the replicas created for the Bearcats TV show.  Have a look at the market value of a Brass Era Stutz. If there is anything of an original Stutz in there you would be way ahead of the game to salvage the parts for a  " real " Stutz.

Edited December 20, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[George Smolinski]

2 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

"History" comment:  How many properly restored cars is required to retain history?

As many as possible.

[1937hd45]

I can't rewire a car so the EV conversion will never happen with any of my projects. If you gave me a new EV I'd sell it before sitting in it. 

[60FlatTop]

We just had a similar at coffee in my garage this morning.

 

We agreed that a majority of people are ignorant of the benefits of electric powered cars whether new or retrofits because they can't get past the political part of it.

 

I may buy one more new car. If I do I will choose one. Right now the BMW 330e would be right there at the top of my list. And I would consider a cheap Prius as a donor car for my '48 Chrysler project. I already low balled a guy with an Avalanche and lost.

 

My bottom line is pretty simple: there are a lot of people with an agenda to take away my options of choice in many facets of my life. I am certainly not going to limit my choices by saying "I will never" accept something on my own opinion.

 

"Two roads diverged in the yellow wood"

I'll come back and check the other one out next time.

 

Life is a series of intersecting cycles.

 

 

[1912Staver]

Likewise I will never say " never " on a EV. As soon as they make some financial sense, I will begin to seriously think about them.

As it is a entry level EV is still way more expensive than an entry level IC vehicle. IC Chevy Spark lists for just over $10 G's  { Canadian } , cheapest EV on the Canadian market is the Hyundai Ion- 5 at $45 G's. So cheapest apples to apples IC vs EV, the EV is 4 times as expensive. I am retired and don't drive nearly as as I did when I was working. I would not live long enough for the cheaper per mile traveled EV cost to outweigh the extra $30 G's up front.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Brass is Best]

HARD NO.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

3 hours ago, kfle said:

Modifications and changes are nothing new in the auto hobby going back to when people use to make their model T's into speedsters and early hot rods.  Resto Mods are especially popular and I would see an electric swap similar to a LS4 crate motor swap.  It is the choice of drive train and power.  I personally collect and drive original cars but this really doesnt bother me when I go to a show as at the end of the day it is about the car culture and keeping these cars on the road.  Now where I would have a problem is if it was an extremely rare almost one of a kind car where we dont have many already preserved.  

 

Here is a great example.  Stutz Bearcat with a modern engine 🙂  Probably a repro body as well but the point stands - What is the difference between a more modern ICE engine versus just putting an electric system in here?  

Nice but no doubt repro body on the "Nearcat".  I would likely show it with the hood down.  But the RHD and other details are cool.  

 

 

[countrytravler]

I hauled this VW pickup truck in the early 2000s. I loved it. He allowed me to drive it around. I almost crashed it when i was loading it. It has instant power when you hit the peddle. 

[countrytravler]

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by countrytravler (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

 

[countrytravler]

 

[countrytravler]

 

[60FlatTop]

A long time ago as well as not so long ago a discerning restorer would look at a rough car and say "Nah, that's not worth restoring. Sell it to some hot rodder". They gleefully took the money.

The same guy is standing their with the the money to ruin that next car you think isn't worth your time.

 

The frames on the 2011ish Tahoes and Escalades are about due to rot out. Mostly in the transmission.

 

 

[TTR]

“Classic cars converted to EV”

 

These “conversions” are nothing more than modern day hot rodding and I thought I read here somewhere that topics dedicated for such on this forum are or should be discouraged. 🙄
 

Must be a slow day at moderator activities. 😉

Edited December 20, 2022 by TTR (see edit history)

[countrytravler]

I have a customer in NC that buys wrecked Tesla from all around the world. He pulls the drive train, does modifications and installs them into cool older cars. 

[1912Staver]

As long as the customer has a virtually unlimited cheque book why not. Many of us are not so fortunate however.

 Life is indeed grand these days.  { As long as you have a hundred grand or two to play with. }

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[hidden_hunter]

If the car was otherwise going to be scrapped no skin off my nose when they do the EV conversion, it's more frustrating when someone starts with a good classic original and trashes it to "modernise it" and then never finishes so they literally destroyed something without acheiving anything

[countrytravler]

Most cases people are knocking the EV and they have never stepped into one. I have owned over 200 muscles and none muscles cars in my life time. From Ford GT40 to a go cart with twin Mac 90s to a twin engine Cessna. also a semi pro drag racer. I have driven thousands of cars in my years of owning a used car lot and being a car hauler. My 2nd home was Woodward Ave in Detroit. I'm a pro street racer. My dad was a Pro driver for the Tech Center in Warren Mi and the Milford Proving grounds for GM in the late 50s to 1970s. He would bring cars home and he would take me and a friend to go street racing. My point is with all the info above, i have driven a lot of vehicles compare to about 90percent of the population. EV are fun to drive and getting better. 

 

 

[TAKerry]

I have no problem with the conversions. If done correctly I would not mind having one myself. With that said, I would not take the numbers matching drive train out of my car and use it for a mule. Now, finding an old clunker that could use a transplant would be a different story. I wish I was smart enough, and mechanically inclined enough. I told my son a few years ago that there was going to be a market for ev conversions into old cars. 

[rocketraider]

6 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I do agree - EV or ICE engine swaps are the same if the car is no longer original. Truth: fact is pretty apparent... the car hobby overall is weighted heavily towards modified.

So we who like bone stock, unmodified, original or restored as original vehicles should lay down and surrender?

 

 

6 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

"History" comment:  How many properly restored cars is required to retain history?

Put it in this context. Would you install vinyl siding or shag carpet on a Frank Lloyd Wright house? A philistine might, but an historian would never consider it.

[auburnseeker]

Problem with Ev power in a classic car is the car will most likely live on for many years and will require how many sets of batteries in that time period,  as opposed to only gas which can be run dry with an ICE engine or even drained out and used in something else.  Seems like it's the absolute worse way to Save the planet.  If that really is the goal of the whole ev concept. 

[1912Staver]

No, the goal is to sell a bunch of quite expensive cars to people who would normally never spend that much. And get a big, fat taxpayer subsidized handout in the process. Con the buyers into thinking that there is something besides providing basic transport at a basic cost to the whole concept. E.G. all or most of the extra cost is the price of saving the planet. That has to be worth the extra 30 grand doesn't it ? Capital M marketing.  Also known as a fool and his gold. 

 Like I have said, if you are rich why not ? How can the rest of us join the club ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

36 minutes ago, 1912Staver said:

No, the goal is to sell a bunch of quite expensive cars to people who would normally never spend that much. And get a big, fat taxpayer subsidized handout in the process. Con the buyers into thinking that there is something besides providing basic transport at a basic cost to the whole concept. E.G. all or most of the extra cost is the price of saving the planet. That has to be worth the extra 30 grand doesn't it ? Capital M marketing.  Also known as a fool and his gold. 

 Like I have said, if you are rich why not ? How can the rest of us join the club ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The EV batteries burn real well has someone come up with a safe way to use that generated heat?

[EmTee]

I'm converting my DeLorean to fusion power.

[Terry Bond]

I sense a degree of inconsistency here - gentle reminder - this is an ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE forum.  Have we not already beat this electric car crap to death?

Terry

[Ed Luddy]

10 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I do agree - EV or ICE engine swaps are the same if the car is no longer original. Truth: fact is pretty apparent... the car hobby overall is weighted heavily towards modified. Visit a local car show or cruise in, or see the vendors at SEMA. It was inevitable that EV swaps would be a thing.

 

"History" comment:  How many properly restored cars is required to retain history?

As for early 70's Plymouth B body cars, there's plenty left in original, or restored to resemble original condition that doing an EV mod isn't endangering the hobby. Not my preference, but not a great loss. After all it's the car owners decision to do as they please, not some keyboard warrior telling them it's sacrilege. How many Model A's need to be saved? There must be  at least 110% of them built still around.

[Bryan G]

Many aren't yet up to date on electrics; they think of 1980s EV technology, which wasn't that much different from 1880s technology. Like me, they think of that cordless screwdriver that wouldn't hold a charge after a year. This is 2022. Still lots of talk about "having to change batteries" but I've yet to ever actually talk to anyone who ever had one wear out. So, I'm a fan, huh? Well, to me, when you yank that gasoline engine, you yank the heart from the vehicle. So the only time I would really feel right about such a swap would be a case where the original powertrain is beyond all hope. And, certainly, there are many lower valued cars out there that simply aren't worth...will never be worth...the cost of a rebuilt engine. I'm thinking early 50s 4 doors, that sort of thing...cars that I really love. But, to spend $5-10k on and engine, transmission, etc. and have the finished product be worth $5-10k? Maybe you might as well electrify it. I don't know. I still just don't feel right about it, but we can't save them all. 

[Studemax]

Two words - BIG STUPID.

[1912Staver]

I have a feeling these electric conversions cost quite a bit more than a $5000.00 - $10,000.00 engine, trans rebuild.

[1935Packard]

This isn't the crowd that is happy to hear it, but I would guess that there will come a time when the option to do an EV conversion is an important way to keep old cars on the road — and maybe the most important way.    We can say "no way" now, but give it time.

[hidden_hunter]

3 hours ago, 1912Staver said:

I have a feeling these electric conversions cost quite a bit more than a $5000.00 - $10,000.00 engine, trans rebuild.

One of the popular youtubers I watch, talked about having it done to one of his already trashed 911's and it was more like $20-$25k 

[Restorer32]

We were contacted last week by a local company regarding putting a top on a '59 Mercedes 300D they were electrifying.