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Electric vehicles are in use everywhere. They have proven to be efficient, quiet, economical and clean. The price, range, speed and load capacity of electric cars today fit as much as 80% of the driving needs of commuters in the United States.
The
Advanced DC motor will need to be supported in alignment with
the input shaft of the transaxle.
The original gasoline engine could be started with an electric starter
or by using a hand crank inserted through the bumper and a hole in the
body. I removed the bumper (only 1 of 4 bolts was rusted so badly that
it broke). It just so happens that an ordinary 1/2" (nominal) schedule
40 CPVC water pipe will jam-fit over the end of the transaxle input
shaft. Using a length of this pipe plus a framing square and a small
wooden wedge, I managed to extend the line of the input shaft through
the hole in the body.
The rear crossmember has a slight dip in the center, just enough to clear the bottom of the crankshaft pulley. The pipe allowed me to measure this. The crossmember is only 2-7/8" below the centerline of the input shaft. That 8" diameter motor will need a minimum of 4" of clearance. I will have to make a new crossmember or make hangers to drop the old one at least 1-1/8" plus the thickness of whatever I use to make band clamps on the motor.
Here's the pipe passing from input shaft through the hole in the body.
The wooden wedge is hiding in the glare from the flash, at the end of
the pipe (center, bottom in the photo). It's at a slight angle to the pipe
to push up and left, as dictated by the framing square to bring the pipe
into a straight line.
One thing that worries me is that without the engine in place the transaxle can make a lot of rocking motion. I don't like the idea of the electric motor having to be the brace against that motion.
The left rear fender has been removed. All but 2 bolts broke in spite of
all the penetrating oil and patient back and forth working of the bolts.
There is some significant rust in that frame rail just left of center in
the photo. I will have to weld a repair panel in place. The brake drum is
still resisting so I don't know the condition of the brake shoes yet.
Likely they will need to be relined.
20 May 2005 - Still chasing parts and options for suspension and brakes.
2 July 2005 - No new photos or progress to report. I've been busy with
other things, including expanding my garage to have a decent place to
work on the 4CV and a 1949 Oldsmobile.
21 July 2005 - In case anyone wants to see what's kept me from working
on the 4CV . . .
my journal on hotrodders.com. It's in reverse chronological order by default.
Copyright 2005 Terry Vessels
All rights reserved.