Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Alibro wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2026 8:22 am Subbed
If this crazy idiot is mad enough to 1, start a third EV project and 2, attempt to complete it (get it driving as nobody ever completes an EV project) in 30 days then the least I can do is be here to mock/deride/hurl abuse//praise/criticize etc
You can say that again, lol
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

posted by mistake
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Bratitude »

Gregski wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2026 4:44 pm ok I found them, but not sure I am willing to drop that kind of coin when I can't guarantee fitment length wise, I would have had to have them prior to mounting my motor and that would have made positioning it that much more difficult


Outlander Drive Unit Axle Adapters.jpg
thats for the outlander, but your using the MGR, which has flanges already with 4 bolts. you just need to get machined a simple puck that has the 4 bolt holes for the MGR side, and the 6 threaded holes for the beetle CV flange.

did you not center the diff? best to keep your diff center and your axles equal length.
https://bratindustries.net/ leaf motor couplers, adapter plates, custom drive train components
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

this now being my 3rd EV Conversion I offer some advice: Allow yourselves to fail.

take this fugly plate that was supposed to serve as the rear motor mount, this was Plan A, well it did not work out, but it learned me that the frame horns that the MGR rests on are not parallel to the ground but that they swoop up a bit in the rear, had I not mounted this monstrosity to the horns it would have been nearly impossible to find this out

and so here I am making a copy of a copy sort of speak and using that large aluminum plate to transfer the two bolt holes onto a 14.5" angle iron 3/16ths thick

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Rear Motor Mount - Plan B (let me know if you like this design one more better)

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here I am just showing you that I had to notch that rear bracket a little bit to get the motor to sit as low as I wanted it
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

then it was time for another run to S&K Steel for some U channel

S&K Steel.jpg

these types of shops are going the way of the dinosaurs

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I saw this pre bent piece of 1/4" thick aluminum so I bought it for $25 in hopes of using it for something

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the U channel steel next to it was only $5 bucks
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

so here's the general idea

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Snapshot_1.JPG

no floor jack, it's sitting under it's own weight, strength what ever it's called
Snapshot_2.JPG
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

in order to get the motor to sit as low as possible on the frame horns and be centered to keep both of the CV Axles as close to the same length as possible, one of it's bottom cooling fins had to be tickled a little bit

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Bratitude wrote: Fri Mar 06, 2026 12:41 am thats for the outlander, but your using the MGR, which has flanges already with 4 bolts. you just need to get machined a simple puck that has the 4 bolt holes for the MGR side, and the 6 threaded holes for the beetle CV flange.

did you not center the diff? best to keep your diff center and your axles equal length.
hey I appreciate the suggestion, and I finally get it, sorry I have been so caught up in mounting the motor and worrying about it's front and rear brackets I was not even thinking CV axles yet, I just re read your comment and what you are suggesting does not exist yet (as in I can't just order it from you off your website) and I need to have it made, I thought you were offering up a product that has been around, that's what confused the hell out of me. Anyway, the question/concern is will there be enough room for such an adapter aka a simple puck, without the need to shorten the stock VW axles, and if they need to be shortened, then they might as well be grafted or machined to fit mate with the Highlander joints, I think the VW shafts are slightly thicker at 24mm than the Highlander shafts which are 23mm but don't take that to the bank as both are dirty and dusty as hell so I need to remeasure them

here I was just getting the bolts out of the grimy VW ones

IMG_6334.JPG
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by ZooKeeper »

Gregski wrote: Fri Mar 06, 2026 3:37 pm so here's the general idea

no floor jack, it's sitting under it's own weight, strength what ever it's called

Snapshot_2.JPG
Looks like a marketable product you have there :D
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

meanwhile on the Cut Now Cut (CNC) machine


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this was still work in progress, and took a bunch of wax on wax off to get right(ish)
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

and the air cooled 90 pound 70 horse power motor mount is done, I luv how it turned out

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Ghia66 »

Gregski wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2026 7:51 pm meanwhile on the Cut Now Cut (CNC) machine



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Stop the Bus!


This fabrication is looking very professional 🙂
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by ZooKeeper »

Damien has competition, you seem to be collecting projects ;)
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

ZooKeeper wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2026 12:34 am Damien has competition, you seem to be collecting projects ;)
yes I most definitely have Maguireritus bad


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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Alibro »

Gregski wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2026 3:55 pm You can say that again, lol
If a thing is worth saying, it's worth saying twice! :lol:
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Alibro wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2026 9:56 am If a thing is worth saying, it's worth saying twice! :lol:
so funny you say that, Mopar Seth says something similar any time him and I wrench together and have to redo something: "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing two or three times!" mind you it turns out worse each and every time, lol


his 1971 mint Dodge Challenger is on deck for a Lexus LS600h transplant next

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Jack Bauer »

Oh,
My,
God!
I'm going to need a hacksaw
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by MattsAwesomeStuff »

Gregski wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2026 3:46 am
This has got to be the nicest, tidiest solution to an EV driveline conversion I've ever seen.

Just some gorilla-fabbed brackets and whatever you're going to do for the axles, and it's done.

Other than that my driveline is from 1 or 50 of the first electric sportscar ever made, I'm sorely tempted to follow this. No transmission, no shifter, no clutch plate or pedal, no DC motor with unique irreplaceable Italian DC regen controller. Probably no custom axles just an adapter flange. Just a (replaceable) motor and a (replaceable) modern controller.
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

contemplating how to mount the Dilong 6.6kW 550 volt charger / DC-DC Converter, nipples in, or nipples out ?

decided to go with this one instead of the Mitsubishi Outlander one, for two reasons:

1. I already had it

2. word on the street is, this MGR may be volt hungry

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

hope to make something out of these Lifestyler Soft Stride treadmill remnants

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I actually had to shape [pronounced: "beat the crap out of"] some metal, in order to make the rear hangers for this bracket, which is suspended from the rear bumper mounting points (commonly referred to as rust and dust)

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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Ghia66 »

Gregski wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 3:18 am hope to make something out of these Lifestyler Soft Stride treadmill remnants


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I actually had to shape [pronounced: "beat the crap out of"] some metal, in order to make the rear hangers for this bracket, which is suspended from the rear bumper mounting points (commonly referred to as rust and dust)


IMG_6537.JPG


IMG_6539.JPG


IMG_6541.JPG


IMG_6543.JPG

Ah! Sponsorship at last!!! 🙁 and best use of a treadmill yet!
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Alibro »

Gregski wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 3:13 am contemplating how to mount the Dilong 6.6kW 550 volt charger / DC-DC Converter, nipples in, or nipples out ?

decided to go with this one instead of the Mitsubishi Outlander one, for two reasons:

1. I already had it

2. word on the street is, this MGR may be volt hungry


IMG_6530.JPG


IMG_6531.JPG
Wherever leaves the most space for batteries.
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Ghia66 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 9:12 am Ah! Sponsorship at last!!! 🙁 and best use of a treadmill yet!
facts!

treadmillhanger.jpg
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Re: Bunky the eBug: A 30 Day EV Conversion

Post by Gregski »

Midnight Update: so finally got to use this Bermuda Triangle Thingie, and oh boy do I love it
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