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

[toddshotrods]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by avewhtboy

...will sure be unique in the road racing world.

I think race rods are the next evolutionary step for 20s and 30s hot rods, following in the footsteps of musclecars. My little electric version is just a twist on the idea. The Factory Five hot rods are already on the street, kind of leading the way, and there is an article in one of the latest magazines about the direction of hot rodding in general that also suggest this. It was a no-brainer for me because I love the artistic aspects of street rods, and the raw adrenaline rush of racing.

Originally Posted by silver63c10

...Looks like it will look pretty mean, too...

Thanks for that. I want it to look like it's a little pissed off, and not a nice sweet little cruiser! Then it'll look right when I'm beating the living $h!# out of it!

Originally Posted by silver63c10

...EVs have really gotten my interest lately, it's almost like hot rodding back in the 50's was with all the new tech and progress being made. I've been toying with an attempt at an electric bike, but haven't had the brainpower, or excess cash , to devote to even getting started on the research for it.

That's what I have been telling some of the more serious environmental EV guys. I am in it for the performance potential, but even their efforts to build daily commuters kind of reminds me of stories I read about how hot rodding developed. It's a little cottage industry, and some serious innovation is coming out of it. Hope you do that bike someday, it's a unique experience.

I've been entertaining the thought of a lowered, smoothed-out, 68-72 Chevy pickup, with a couple Flowmaster original 40-series to tow this thing around with, and give me my American V8 fix. I guess a Ford would match better, but I'm a Chevy guy at heart...

[avewhtboy]

My dad has an old toyota truck with a bad motor, he wanted to make it into an electric vehicle so we bought an electric forklift and robbed the motor and switches. We bought a 72 volt controller and wired it all up.

http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...ruck2_0001.flv

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by avewhtboy

My dad has an old toyota truck with a bad motor, he wanted to make it into an electric vehicle so we bought an electric forklift and robbed the motor and switches. We bought a 72 volt controller and wired it all up.

http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/n...ruck2_0001.flv

Cool. Isn't it kind eerie feeling a vehicle move with no sound preceeding the action? I did some work on a guy's EV, and got my first experience with them last month. The first time was just watching it move in and out of the garage - completely silent, very strange. Then, he took me for a driveway ride and pulled a few mild (800 motor amps) pulls from a dead stop. Sitting in the car and actually hearing my bones popping, and the fabric of my clothing rubbing on the upholstery, then suddenly being in motion - almost bizarre.

Made me realize the challenge I'm facing to make my project feel and sound how I want it to. It really drives home the point of how much sound plays in hot rodding. The sounds and sensations you experience just before a driver/vehicle do something spectacular are an important part of the experience, that can easily be taken for granted. I like challenges though.

[toddshotrods]

I'm trying to get back to work on it, but between juggling business, work, and school it's been slow going. The design was also not sitting well with me, and I was reluctant to start cutting and welding until I had peace with it. The problem was the stretch gave it a classic long nose hot rod profile, but I want it to look like a pickup truck. I eventually decided to add the extra inches behind the cab, and stretch the bed instead of the nose.

I did this photo-based rendering to test the idea - I like it. I also decided I want a full hood to help visually balance the proportions better.


I'm hoping to get hands-on soon, and at least get the whole thing set up, so it looks like the rendering. If I can finally see a truck rather than a bunch of parts, maybe it'll light a fire under my...

[boonedog]

i like the looks of the smoothies over teh pt wheels they dont look right on that early of a car in my opinion.... But thats not worth much

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by boonedog

i like the looks of the smoothies over the pt wheels they dont look right on that early of a car in my opinion.... But thats not worth much

I'm confused. Did you mean to say you don't like them? It says you like them but they don't look right! Or have I not had enough coffee yet?

The smoothies would probably work well if I went with a complete 50s or 60s theme. With the rear wheels pushed back like this, and skinnies up front, I could probably pull off a nice 60s drag race theme - but that's not my thing. Ditto for big whitewalls and narrow rears for a 50s theme - not my thing.

In any case, the smoothies are just an intermediate step. I was planning on using a set right now just to get the mismatched Cragars and factory steel wheels off the thing, so I stuck them on the rendering to see what it would look like. I definitely want forged alloy wheels. Since they're not exactly cheap, I want to have the details and specs sorted out, as much as possible, before ordering them. I may go back and try the Forgelines on this view.

[deuce_454]

my vote would be Fesler FS903 wheels

[boonedog]

I like the smoothies sorry i didnt do a very good job at making that clear.

[toddshotrods]

Originally Posted by boonedog

I like the smoothies sorry i didnt do a very good job at making that clear.

Lol, thanks. I get it now (more coffee + your clarification = understanding) - you didn't think the PT wheels looked right on an antique vehicle!

Originally Posted by deuce_454

my vote would be Fesler FS903 wheels...

I like those, but 35lbs (number from their site) seems heavy. Maybe I'll give them a call when I get closer and see what the actual specs would be for my sizes.

[toddshotrods]

Wow, I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted an update to this thread. I stalled out for a little while, because some things about the plan just weren't making sense to me. I wanted to resolve them before moving on. Greg's "tweaks" and a few mods thread for his 32 actually helped me get my focus, and get back on track. Following his "build" and reading his comments about street rods being big karts worked like a charm, and helped me figure out what was wrong. I got rid of the lid (roof), decided to forget about meeting NHRA (or any other sanctioning body) demands, and started concentrating on making art and having fun.

New art for the new plan. The suspension fairings are to "cloak" the IFS. I'll be doing some full-scale modeling soon to see if I can pull it off. I'm planning on dual, bolt-in, vintage fueler style, upper roll cages for racing.


...and a little progress. The body parts have been properly chopped up and are waiting to be "glued" back together. These parts are just functional plugs for molds and future carbon fiber replacements. The main body is channeled over the frame rails, and the belt line (upper edge) was wedge sectioned an inch. The firewall and cowl were pinched 4-1/2", and chopped seven, bringing the dash down inside the body, and allowing a subtle transition from the belt line to the dash. The track nose was sectioned 4-1/2" and the lower half narrowed 3/4". The bed was narrowed about four inches.