“Like a 1960/70s MG maybe……” – I’m midway through a 71 MGB conversion. I went with Nissan Leaf Gen 1 as the main drivetrain/battery, and using a Thunderstruck VCU.
I chose the MGB because it was $200, small, and fun. The leaf because it was the best documented, easiest to acquire, and has a good curve on price-falling-as-second-hand-inventory builds up. For the fun and feel of it, I’m using the original MG manual transmission.
Some issues so far: The full Leaf stack (Motor + Inverter + PDU) is too tall to fit under the bonnet. I’m working through options on where to put the PDU.
I intend to put 24 of the 48 modules in a trunk recess, and the other 24 in the space behind the driver/pass seat. That puts about 100lbs directly over the rear axle and I think that might lead to sag on these old leaf-springs.
I am also working through where to mount the necessary radiator, and coolant pumps, and of course where to put a 12v battery.
I am pleasantly pleased to find that the MG wiring system is very primitive and is easily printed on a poster sheet of paper. Everything flows through the six fuses under the hood.
Rust is brutal on this old MG. It so bad - its really beyond being worthwhile, BUT, for $200 its a project that if I dont complete, wont be a big $ drain.
Oh - it is a real pain in the ass to figure out how to fit and mount a digital accelerator where the original gas-pedal went. The one I have is too long, wants to be mounted at an angle thats not feasible. That one’s on a long-think.
I’m also keeping the '71 mechanical gauge faces, and instead driving them with RC servos via a RaspberryPI thats listening for CAN bus messages (speed, range, rpm, temp, etc)
“Like a 1960/70s MG maybe……” – I’m midway through a 71 MGB conversion. I went with Nissan Leaf Gen 1 as the main drivetrain/battery, and using a Thunderstruck VCU.
I chose the MGB because it was $200, small, and fun. The leaf because it was the best documented, easiest to acquire, and has a good curve on price-falling-as-second-hand-inventory builds up. For the fun and feel of it, I’m using the original MG manual transmission.
Some issues so far: The full Leaf stack (Motor + Inverter + PDU) is too tall to fit under the bonnet. I’m working through options on where to put the PDU.
I intend to put 24 of the 48 modules in a trunk recess, and the other 24 in the space behind the driver/pass seat. That puts about 100lbs directly over the rear axle and I think that might lead to sag on these old leaf-springs.
I am also working through where to mount the necessary radiator, and coolant pumps, and of course where to put a 12v battery.
I am pleasantly pleased to find that the MG wiring system is very primitive and is easily printed on a poster sheet of paper. Everything flows through the six fuses under the hood.
Rust is brutal on this old MG. It so bad - its really beyond being worthwhile, BUT, for $200 its a project that if I dont complete, wont be a big $ drain.
Oh - it is a real pain in the ass to figure out how to fit and mount a digital accelerator where the original gas-pedal went. The one I have is too long, wants to be mounted at an angle thats not feasible. That one’s on a long-think.
I’m also keeping the '71 mechanical gauge faces, and instead driving them with RC servos via a RaspberryPI thats listening for CAN bus messages (speed, range, rpm, temp, etc)
Shoot me questions as you have them