under the hoodtrunk
OwnerMark Bennett
LocationSan Lorenzo, California United States map
Email email image
Vehicle1963 Ford Falcon
Futura Hardtop
MotorNetgain WarP9 Series Wound DC
DrivetrainFord Dagenham four speed transmission with Hurst shifter. Original drive line and rear end. No clutch.
ControllerCurtis 1231C 8601
Squeals at low speeds, but works fine.
Batteries12 US Battery 12V XC, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded
When I have a complete charge it is around 156 volts because each battery goes over 12 volts.
System Voltage144 Volts
ChargerQuick Charge 144 V
Good solid charger for the money. Takes about 8 hours to fully charge my batteries on a 110 outlet.
HeaterNone
DC/DC Converter Battery Tender Jr.
I wired in a battery tender that charges my auxillary battery while I charge my main pack.
InstrumentationI have a state of charge gauge from Westach that is similar to my voltage, but not exact.
Top Speed75 MPH (120 KPH)
No problem getting on the freeway and it cruises along pretty good. High speeds take the batteries down faster though.
AccelerationFeels like what I would imagine the six cylinder felt like. It's not a race car, but not a slug.
Range30 Miles (48 Kilometers)
I was hoping for more but we'll see how it does in the summer heat. Winter cold really does reduce range.
EV Miles
Start:44,991 Miles (72,390 Kilometers)
Current:45,824 Miles (73,730 Kilometers)
Total:833 Miles (1,340 Kilometers)
 
    As of 7/21/2010
Seating Capacity4 adults
Curb Weight3,440 Pounds (1,563 Kilograms)
Car originally weighed right around 2500 lbs. The original 6 cylinder weighed 356 lbs.
TiresBridgestones that came on the car when I bought it.
Conversion TimeI bought the car in April 2009 and had it on the road in Nov. 2009.
Conversion CostI spent about $8300 on conversion parts. Total cost about 10,000. I also wrote off the cost of the conversion on my taxes and got 10% of the conversion cost back.
Additional FeaturesI set up a watering system for the 8 batteries in the trunk so I can top them off without having access to them.
This is a fun car to drive around in. I'm really happy with the project and the overall results. Some day I hope to put in the Lithium Ion batteries, hopefully the technology keeps getting better for more range. Thanks to my Dad and brothers for the help putting it together. Thanks to Jim Ramos at American Battery in Hayward.

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