[WIP] Nissal Leaf 2016 - Montero 1989

[leontissot]

Hello OpenInverter community!

My name's Leon Tissot, posting from Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico (right on the Sea of Cortez, about 2 hours south of Tucson).

**The Mission:**
Converting my 1989 Mitsubishi Montero (Mk1 / Dodge Raider in the US) to electric. This has been on my mind for years, and 2025 is finally the year I'm making it happen.

**My Background:**
Full disclosure - I work in finance, not engineering. So this is going to be a learning curve, but I've got fabrication equipment available and a technical partner helping with the electronics/mechanical side. I'm treating this as a long-term project where I can upgrade components as technology advances and prices drop.

**The Setup:**
- Recipient: 1989 Montero, 5-speed manual, part-time 4WD
- Donor: 2016 Nissan Leaf (EM57 motor + battery pack)
- Location: Mexico

**Target Specs:**
- Comfortable highway cruising at 120 km/h (75 mph)
- Minimum 100 km (62 miles) range
- Keep original instrumentation functional
- Maintain 4x4 capability
- AC (eventually - we get HOT down here! )
- Build it once, upgrade it forever

**Why I'm Here:**
This community has been an incredible resource - the technical discussions, build threads, and troubleshooting help have been invaluable in planning this project. I'll be documenting everything here as I go, hopefully adding to the knowledge base for the next person crazy enough to EV-swap a 35-year-old SUV.

Thanks for having me, and looking forward to learning from all of you!

Best,
Leon

[leontissot]

Hey everyone!

Quick update on the Montero EV conversion - we're officially past the "planning" phase and into the "holy crap, this is really happening" phase.

The Donor - 2016 Nissan Leaf:
Picked this up December 26th at a Copart auction in Tucson. Apparently Christmas week is prime auction time - everyone's busy with family, so prices drop. Snagged it for $800 base ($1,290 with fees).

Ran LeafSpy on it and the battery health looks surprisingly decent for an 8-year-old pack. The plan is to run it as-is and upgrade to higher capacity down the line if/when needed. Car is fully functional - just has a broken front bumper, but all the drivetrain components are solid.

The Recipient - 1989 Montero:
After months of searching, I finally found THE ONE in Yuma - manual transmission, original paint, all original interior in great shape. Paid $2,000 USD, which feels like a steal for a clean Mk1 in this condition.

The drive back to Guaymas was... interesting. My tow vehicle kept overheating from the weight, but we made it home in one piece. The Montero's actually running - just needs a new radiator.

Next Steps:
Starting this week, I'm tearing both vehicles down and parting out everything I won't need for the conversion. Figure I can recoup some costs and make room in the shop.

For those who've done donor vehicle teardowns - any advice on what to absolutely keep vs. what's safe to sell? I'm planning to keep all the electrical components, inverter, motor, battery pack, and associated wiring/sensors from the Leaf. But I'm sure there's stuff I'm not thinking about.
Thanks again for all the knowledge sharing here. This community is what's making this possible!

Leon

[cajamatt]

cool project! try to grab the:
motor/inverter/pdm
all the HV cables
all the heating and cooling stuff
power steering assembly
gauges maybe
if you have space grab some random auxiliary electronics that might come in handy like the heated seat switches and fuse boxes

[leontissot]

cool project! try to grab the:
motor/inverter/pdm
all the HV cables
all the heating and cooling stuff
power steering assembly
gauges maybe
if you have space grab some random auxiliary electronics that might come in handy like the heated seat switches and fuse boxes

Thanks for the info! I'll definitely be keeping all of those components you mentioned.

I'm planning to run this conversion with the Thunderstruck VCU and MCU setup. I've been doing my research and it seems like it gives me more flexibility than Resolve EV but less complexity than Zombieverter - kind of a sweet spot for someone coming from a non-engineering background.
Appreciate the heads up on the auxiliary electronics too - I've got the storage space, so better to hold onto it all now than regret parting it out later!

[leontissot]

Hey everyone!
We're making real progress now. The Montero teardown is underway and I'm starting to see how this puzzle is going to come together (I think! ).
What's Done:

Engine pulled from the Montero ✓
Removed most ancillary components ✓
Bellhousing cleaned up and ready for measurements ✓
Next step: Taking precise measurements to determine the bellhousing center point

Coupling Solution:
After reviewing all the options, I'm going with BRAT Industries' blank coupler. The plan is to:

Use their technical drawings to fabricate the motor-side adapter plate
Purchase their coupler
Weld the transmission-side spline section following their guidelines

The Battery Pack Reality Check:
Here's where my original plan hit a wall - literally. I was hoping to keep the Leaf battery pack intact and mount it underneath, but with the manual transmission staying in place, there's just not enough clearance.
New battery configuration:

Split the pack into two sections
Mount one section where the gas tank currently lives (still need to remove tank + exhaust)
Mount the second section in the engine bay (fingers crossed it fits! )

Remove fuel tank and exhaust system
Start the Leaf teardown and component extraction
Finalize bellhousing measurements for the adapter plate

Slow and steady progress, but it's progress! Hoping to have more substantial updates soon.
Cheers,
Leon

[ianlighting]

Could you use the attachments button at the bottom of the full editor. Your images aren’t showing.

[Bratitude]

looks fun!

note: the resolve only controller the leaf motor, so not sure how you are going to run the PDM and deal with the BMS data.

zombieverter prebuilt from daimen is not really any more technical. its really quite simple to use, especially with the leaf components.

i also am about to make my pre wire zombieverter harnesses available. makes it much more " plug and play"

[IsakSoderlund]

looks fun!

note: the resolve only controller the leaf motor, so not sure how you are going to run the PDM and deal with the BMS data.

zombieverter prebuilt from daimen is not really any more technical. its really quite simple to use, especially with the leaf components.

i also am about to make my pre wire zombieverter harnesses available. makes it much more " plug and play"

Hi!
Just for others to know the Resolve controller works with the Leaf PDM/OBC, BMS and inverter/motor. With all Leaf models 2013-2025.
With our wiring harness one just has to plug in all the connectors and a 12V battery and you can spin the motor

[Mhs]

Nice
I have a 1990 Pajero (Montero) swb similar to yours that I'm planning to convert.

Will you be a able to create a CAD for the bellhousing mounting plate via measurements or scan?

[leontissot]

Nice
I have a 1990 Pajero (Montero) swb similar to yours that I'm planning to convert.

Will you be a able to create a CAD for the bellhousing mounting plate via measurements or scan?

I should be able to do it from manual measurements. I don’t have a 3D scanner at the moment, but I’m planning to take measurements and start the CAD drawings over the next few days. I’ll post updates/results later this week.

[Bratitude]

Hi!
Just for others to know the Resolve controller works with the Leaf PDM/OBC, BMS and inverter/motor. With all Leaf models 2013-2025.
With our wiring harness one just has to plug in all the connectors and a 12V battery and you can spin the motor

ah yes sorry i was confusing it with the thunderstruck ecu my bad