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

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Looks great Todd!

Thanks Greg! I think I need to buy you a beer or a steak or something, for reminding me how much fun I can have! Hope you're getting the bugs ironed out of Redeuce.

I have a while before I get to drive the Inhaler, but I fake it a lot. I've been working on systems and stuff and sat in it for a while the other day, thinking through everything. I used Flintstone power to move around a little, cranked the wheel hard through imaginary autocross cones, and blew spit bubbles making cool forced-air cooling sounds (think centrifugal supercharger)!

[Streetwerkz]

No worries, we've swamped at werk with no sign of things slowing down.
Just finished up a few big projects, starting a new one that will be huge for us, have 2 coming that will be on t.v. one a feature project, not to mention our normal werk load ..... I don't sleep much these days lol

As far as the truck goes. Yeah the front is swoopy & sleek, then the back is factory... which is now boreing compared to the front. Just some respectful input .

Josh

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by Streetwerkz

No worries, we've swamped at werk with no sign of things slowing down.
Just finished up a few big projects, starting a new one that will be huge for us, have 2 coming that will be on t.v. one a feature project, not to mention our normal werk load ..... I don't sleep much these days lol

As far as the truck goes. Yeah the front is swoopy & sleek, then the back is factory... which is now boreing compared to the front. Just some respectful input .

Josh

Congrats on the success in your biz! Who needs sleep?

Point taken on the back. I don't know what I'll actually do about it, if anything, but I do get what you're saying. Probably lose a lot of sleep thinking about it. Hey! Just because you can't sleep, doesn't mean you have to keep me up! Seriously though, thanks for the feedback.

[john royal]

This project is insane. Wish I had cad and a cnc machine.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by john royal

This project is insane. Wish I had cad and a cnc machine.

Thanks John! CAD/CNC is a lot of fun. I've worked with conventional tools most of my life, eventually found CAD, and fell in love. From my perspective, it's really just another tool in my box. When I'm working in it, I am working from the perspective of grabbing some raw materials, a bunch of tools, and the desire to see what I can create.

Seeing the machines cut this kind of stuff is fun because they actually tend to mimic a good craftsman with a bunch of hand tools. When the rear motor mount was in finishing, it was like watching someone chiseling one of those huge stone monuments. At .020 stepover rate you can barely see where any material has been removed, but if you keep staring you see the shape developing right before your eyes, out of a big chunk of metal. Then, for me, I am seeing the machine mimic what I was doing on screen to create the model. Fascinating stuff!

[toddshotrods]

More CAD in the works. I started out doing a more traditionally styled '30 Ford inspired windshield, but it didn't look right when I mocked it up on the vehicle. I decided to trade practicality for creativity and came up with this assymetrical, double hump, design. I still have to blend the stanchions and main rail together, but it's coming along. The stanchions are going to be 3D prints, then cast in aluminum. I want to whittle (CNC) the main rail from billet.


We've set a tentative goal to try to have it ready to do some racing next year. I really wanted to have it at Goodguys next month (in my own or someone else's vendor space), but the stars don't seem to be lining up for that, so far.

[toddshotrods]

A couple blurry cell phone pics of the Inhaler's current state. I can't remember whether I mentioned it here, so I'll touch on it briefly. We're in the process of shooting a documentary about this project, which has delayed work as we tried to get a basic understanding of where we're going with the video, and then coordinate things to allow for capturing the process. The guy that's heading the documentary has shot for media giants like The History Channel, and has shot for at least one episode of My Classic Car. I saw about fifteen seconds of the promotional short when he first started editing, and it was pretty sweet.

In these pics, we have cut the new track nose (CAD pics back a page or three) and grafted it into the front clip. Hoping to do the lay-up on this clip soon. We have lots of sanding and shaping left to do to get to that though.

[toddshotrods]

We got a little feature in an online alternative fuels publication.

Also getting started on the most ridiculous steering wheel ever. Here I laid out the first cuts on the Curly Maple burl wood block that will become the rim. When I finally get the CAD models finished, we will also start whittling about 75lbs of 6061 billet down to a 5lb center section.

[toddshotrods]

Blazing new trails is exhaustive, but highly rewardling. I've been lost in design issues for months now, and the need was exacerbated by the availability of the motor controller, and some new motors, that my plans were hinged on. It was a risky bet that these parts would eventually be produced, but it's a dream that coming true. The 1+MW (1600hp capable) controller is in prototyping right now, and a new motor that can (hopefully) stand up to it is also in development. I had to up my game to match. I already had plans for everything that's pictured here, I just had to revise some of it a bit.

The wheelbase is going out to 108" soon, and it will have two motors just about dead-center in the chassis, with power going in both directions (AWD). I'm probably going to use C5/6 susepnsion up front, with triangulated four-link rear. Realistically, it will be capable of over 1000hp, though the weight will increase quite a bit from 1200lbs, to something closer to 2000lbs. It will still have the 2:1 weight-to-power ratio, actually better. The thing I like most is that, at rest, there will be no clue that this type of power is under the skin! In fact, it won't even look like there's enough there to make it a functioning vehicle! That was one of my prime goals, from the beginning.

[senor_Camaro]

this has to be the sweetest build on here, GO GREEN POWER!!!! lol