The Inhaler - All-Electric 23 Model T Autocross/Drag Truck

[toddshotrods]

So, I am closing my studio/moving my stuff out of the community workshop this weekend. Everything is going in storage for a bit, while I try to figure out "what next". I have been trying to decide what I really want to keep, to reduce the size of the storage unit, and avoid having one full of a bunch of crap I don't want. I decided that Schism was more than I want to do and got rid of it. That left me with two electric motorcycle projects and my tools, nice and tidy.

Long-story-short, the Inhaler became the property of the community workshop in our deal to (unsuccessfully) try to found a non-profit with it as the centerpiece. Monday, Alex tells me that he's handing it back to me - it's mine again...

I had to make some really fast decisions about what to do with it. I decided to keep it and return to something closer to the original plan - small, basic, raw, fun. All the crazy bodywork, and the stretched wheelbase, were to suit our non-profit goals. I pulled the crazy front clip, and the bed, shortened the wheelbase back to 90", and am going to mount the massive 13" motor up front, uncovered, with a conventional driveshaft to the rear axle. It rolls and steers already, so when I get the motor mounted and a driveshaft strung, I will be working on making it run. It will need springs and shocks, but that's a minor issue, needing only light fabrication to implement.

I call the theme I am shooting for "TechnoRat". Sort of Modified style, with just the body tub and a grille shell for bodywork, purposely not perfect - a little rat rod-ish to keep things simple, and blatantly using and displaying modern technology and components on an old hot rod. The key is that motor. It is an absolute torque monster, with every drop of it being available from 0 rpm - now!

[WSSix]

Good luck, Todd.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

just found this project. this is awesome stuff Todd. I've been wanting to do an EV for so long.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by WSSix

Good luck, Todd.

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

just found this project. this is awesome stuff Todd. I've been wanting to do an EV for so long.

Thanks guys! EVs are a blast. It took me a while to adjust, now I'm hooked...

Somehow, I got unsubscribed from my own thread. I didn't even know anyone had replied to it. I came today to post some updates, and saw kudos!

This isn't the real mid plate - just a temporary way to get the motor bolted in the car so I can roll it in my storage unit. When I get settled, I will cut a real mid plate from 0.750 or 1.000" 6061 plate. That thick because of the torque characteristics of the motor. Sorry about the rust. I need to get everything blasted, then buy some Rad Rides stuff.




I pushed the body back quite a bit to get the motor out in full view, and gained the fringe benefit of a better profile; with more classic hot rod proportions.




I was pretty exhausted by the time I got the motor in and staggered back to my office and computer. I used a bunch of leftover CAD stuff I had modeled for other projects to create a 1913 style grille for it.



Then, cut it in MDF today. This is the plug for mold-less carbon fiber construction. When the carbon has fully cured, I'll removed the MDF plug.




I wasn't thinking when I modeled it and left the edges of my Bat-T logo razor sharp in the model. That machine isn't accurate enough to not destroy that edge. I can rebuild it easily though, so no real harm done...


More to come... I have Goodguys Columbus in my head. I probably wouldn't have much battery, but I would be thrilled just to drive it into the show.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

I like it rough. Gives it the logo that patina rustic look.

Whats that motor weigh again?

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

I like it rough. Gives it the logo that patina rustic look...

Thanks. I see what you're saying. Maybe I'll explore keeping/capturing that as a feature. I kind of like the challenge.

It goes with the patina'd carbon look I have in mind for the rest of the car. Kind of like an old carbon fiber race car that's been sitting in a field breaking down in the elements - I guess over hundreds of years! Rather than the, oceans-deep, layers of gelcoat normally found over exposed carbon, you'll be able to feel the texture of the cloth, and there will be places where it's apparently broken, or deteriorated (thousands of years?), etc.

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

...Whats that motor weigh again?

350lbs. This one is a GE: 13.5" diameter, 23" long case. The most popular commercially available, 13", DC, EV motor is the Warp 13, at 13.25 x 20.4"; so this is a beast of an electric motor. My motor came from a 10,000lb capacity (lift and carry) forklift.

Can't wait to feel it pull a 1200lb go-kart.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by toddshotrods

...This isn't the real mid plate...

But this will be...

[mrgm]

I do like where this is going

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by mrgm

I do like where this is going

Thanks mrgm!