| Owner | Roy Mann |
|---|---|
| Location | Freehold, New Jersey United States map |
| | |
| Vehicle | 1977 Volkswagen Super Beetle Body off restoration and electrical conversion of a Convertible - My first Electric and a little different than the last 3 Beetles I restored. This would be my 4th. |
| Motor | D&D Motor Systems, Inc. ES-31B Series Wound DC Too hot to keep your hand on it after 10 mile run at speeds up to 45 mph. Will add a ducted 12v cooling fan to the motor. |
| Drivetrain | 4 speed manual trans - clutchless. Have sheared the teeth in 2 clutch hubs which were welded to the LoveJoy Tube that connects the motor to the trans. Hint: Don't floor it on takeoff. |
| Controller | Kelly 12600B Programmable Bad Boy with 2 cooling fans & heat sinks.........Bit me twice! |
| Batteries | 15 Energizer GC8, 8.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded Golf Cart Batteries Manufactured by Johnson Controls for Sam's Club - 63 pounds each. Hired a kid to load 'em. Ordered 40 TS 160AH Thunder Sky Lithiums to replace the Lead Pack....stay tuned. |
| System Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Charger | Quick Charge 120v - 10amp Programmable On Board Charger with LED State of Charge reading. |
| Heater | Innovative Heated seat pads installed under the vinyl. 12v Hi-Low-Off lighted controls. 60 watts each seat. |
| DC/DC Converter | HWZ 120 -12 volt 300 watts |
| Instrumentation | Simpson Amp & Volt gauges. Recently purchased a Link 10 Meter. Will install with the new Lithiums. |
| Top Speed | 65 MPH (104 KPH) With one eye open and cringing I braved the Interstate and had the car up to 61mph. Hoping to increase that a little once I put a top on the car. |
| Acceleration | The same as a stock Beetle. |
| Range | 38 Miles (61 Kilometers) Updated range: 36-38 miles at 40 mph at 80% DOD if I can believe the state of charge reading on my Quick Charger. Have only driven the car about 1500 miles since completion. |
| Seating Capacity | 2 Frightened Adults - both wondering if it would be better to be ejected in a crash or remain belted? |
| Curb Weight | 2,700 Pounds (1,227 Kilograms) Just an estimate based on original curb weight of the vehicle less the engine, clutch, gas tank and back seat...plus the batteries, motor etc. |
| Tires | 165 R15's |
| Conversion Time | The restoration and welding on the frame took much more time than the actual installation of the Electrical System. Maybe 6 mos. total. |
| Conversion Cost | Car - $1500 Batteries, Motor, Controller etc. - $5500...$8000 for the Lithiums soon to be installed. Time away from work....Priceless. |
| Additional Features | April 2010 Installed new top, padding, cables and headliner. Dec. 09 Update - Ordered 40 Thunder Sky Lithium Batteries 160Ah each. Will install 38 of them in the Beetle after I have culled out the weakest 2. This helps better balance the pack against low discharge and over charge damage. Also gives me 2 spares in the event of mechanical failure or accidental damage. 10 years from now I might not be able to purchase a cell which matches this chemistry. These new TS Cells LiFeYPo are rated at 3000 recharges at 80% DOD....they could possibly last me 15-20 years. Aug 09 Update - Completely stripped and repainted the car Base Coat, Clear Coat - Metallic Beige. Currently re-upholstering the seats. Added Innovative Seat Heaters under the new vinyl- only 60 watts each. Welded Battery Cages front & rear. I don't want the rear 567 pounds of batteries to join me in the front seat. Also, since the photos were taken I have replaced the Curtis PB6 Pot with a Kelly KP Series Throttle Pedal. It eliminates the accelerator cable and places the pot right under it's own pedal next to the Brake Pedal. Fly by wire! Jan. 09 - Upgraded the front brakes from stock drum to disc. Significant improvement in stopping distance. |
| Comments: I welcome them. Email me - but before you suggest adding 19 Alternators or 3 Windmills please Google the term: "Perpetual Motion" or "Over Unity". On board Solar Panels would help a little but not enough to offset the energy used while driving. Also forgot to add the restoration cost of the frame, suspension, brakes, interior, top and paint. I did these myself. Add another $3500.00 Drive Green! - Roy | |
1977 Volkswagen Super Beetle
“The Volts - Wagen”
Last Updated 04-10-2010
Copyright © 1997-2024 by Mike Chancey