Ha, ya got me... nothing gets past you guys, I swear! Justin is right. The front van is the "project" van, and the rear's the driver. I waited a long time for the project to come along after obsessing over my neighbor's Electravan, and Mark @ mph's gas 360 vans from the 70's. The project van had been sitting for 15 years when I got ahold of it, but is complete minus a few of the electric drive components that would have needed to be updated anyway. And the obvious body work.
I was most of the way through acquiring the needed bits when my neighbor offered to sell me HIS van! I jumped at the chance to pick up a driver in better shape and save myself months of weekends slugging it out with the project. It's funny to see them both out front.
Yes, I did snag a few missing bits and bobs off of the project and donated them to the driver. But I didn't take too much and don't plan on letting it be a parts van - it will be back on the road some day. It's too complete not to.
Once you go electric you never go back! (the prius in the driveway is next on my list!)
Sure, technically it's "freeway capable" but I try to avoid it unless absolutely the only way to get there. Things are rattlin' and shakin' up around 60 and the braking leaves a lot to be desired with all the extra weight from the batteries. Once I swap out a lithium pack for the old lead acid, it'll be 1000 lbs lighter and definitely a lot more nimble. Not that the highway will be any less intimidating... kind of like Fiat Multiplas and VW buses, you still have to remember you're driving an airbagless death trap. But hey, if yer gonna go, go out in style!
45mph is the sweet spot with this van. It tears up Columbia Blvd and Willamette.
Wow, "Hohms" and "Wattson" made the best of? Awesome! Just an update - Hohms is being sold to a friend and will be back on the road in a month or so. Being complete, I just couldn't justify using him as a parts van. Luckily there are a couple other rust buckets out there to pick away at - there's an Electravan email list run by one of the Texas Universities and we all keep in pretty close contact for parts.
Wattson is running like a dream and getting a total makover soon. He'll get some minor body work ironed out, a duo-tone paint job (dark green on bottom, creamy white on top) and a retro roof rack. Not to mention some other system upgrades, not the least of which are a lithium pack.
Thanks for the best of nod to my little clown cars!
Best of OPC. 
5 comments:
Prehaps the first is for parts, due to it's condition.
Ha, ya got me... nothing gets past you guys, I swear! Justin is right. The front van is the "project" van, and the rear's the driver. I waited a long time for the project to come along after obsessing over my neighbor's Electravan, and Mark @ mph's gas 360 vans from the 70's. The project van had been sitting for 15 years when I got ahold of it, but is complete minus a few of the electric drive components that would have needed to be updated anyway. And the obvious body work.
I was most of the way through acquiring the needed bits when my neighbor offered to sell me HIS van! I jumped at the chance to pick up a driver in better shape and save myself months of weekends slugging it out with the project. It's funny to see them both out front.
Yes, I did snag a few missing bits and bobs off of the project and donated them to the driver. But I didn't take too much and don't plan on letting it be a parts van - it will be back on the road some day. It's too complete not to.
Once you go electric you never go back! (the prius in the driveway is next on my list!)
oh wow. do you drive it on the freeway, jay?
Sure, technically it's "freeway capable" but I try to avoid it unless absolutely the only way to get there. Things are rattlin' and shakin' up around 60 and the braking leaves a lot to be desired with all the extra weight from the batteries. Once I swap out a lithium pack for the old lead acid, it'll be 1000 lbs lighter and definitely a lot more nimble. Not that the highway will be any less intimidating... kind of like Fiat Multiplas and VW buses, you still have to remember you're driving an airbagless death trap. But hey, if yer gonna go, go out in style!
45mph is the sweet spot with this van. It tears up Columbia Blvd and Willamette.
Wow, "Hohms" and "Wattson" made the best of? Awesome! Just an update - Hohms is being sold to a friend and will be back on the road in a month or so. Being complete, I just couldn't justify using him as a parts van. Luckily there are a couple other rust buckets out there to pick away at - there's an Electravan email list run by one of the Texas Universities and we all keep in pretty close contact for parts.
Wattson is running like a dream and getting a total makover soon. He'll get some minor body work ironed out, a duo-tone paint job (dark green on bottom, creamy white on top) and a retro roof rack. Not to mention some other system upgrades, not the least of which are a lithium pack.
Thanks for the best of nod to my little clown cars!
Post a Comment