Der Panzer Tesla Powered BMW E31

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 11:12 am

For those unfamilliar with the project here is a Youtube playlist of videos from day one to late last year :

Der Panzer is a BMW E31 I purchased in a very sad state in August of 2014. It has always been Heubner powered and indeed sported the first kit I purchased from Johannes driving a DMOC 645 inverter and Siemens 1PV5135 motor. It destroyed the torque converter in a ZF 5HP24 automatic gearbox when I accidently revved the motor to 10k rpm:) Next up I converted to a 5 speed manual from a BMW E39 523i. The layshaft was ejected through the side housing when I cranked up to 50% regen. A replacement suffered a similar fate. Next up was a ZF 6 speed from an E60 530D. This lasted well and even survived a tuning session with Johannes when we reached 130kw. Not bad for an 80kw motor.

Real fun began in 2017 when I was given a Tesla Large rear drive unit. This was fitted to the E31 along with an open source control board based on Heubner technology. Moron here then decided it needed to be "motorsport proven" and promptly put the car into the wall at Mondello Park race track :

Once the running gear had been repaired it was then time to head to a dyno day at StoneMotorsport :

Not bad for slip control:)

So then the car was sent to an Irish version of Chip Foose for a complete bodywork repair and respray which is nearly complete. Attached a few pics of the progress so far.

sfk · Post by **sfk** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 5:49 pm

Love that colour!

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:29 pm

Excellent colour indeed Damien. Cant wait to see it all finished and on the Autobahn

Peter

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Sat Mar 23, 2019 2:03 pm

Visited the paint shop this morning to test the latest V4.12 software on the Panzer.

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:28 pm

Mr.Foose tells me the Panzer will return on Wednesday next the 17th.

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:27 pm

Der Panzer has returned

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:39 pm

Short little walk around video :

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 6:20 pm

Got the Panzer charging today. First time in the 6 months she's been with the painter.

sfk · Post by **sfk** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 6:23 pm

It took 6 months to get it painted?

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Tue Apr 30, 2019 7:32 pm

Welcome to Ireland.

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Fri May 10, 2019 5:36 pm

Front back together. Underside painted. And the question the whole internet has wanted to know: The Weight!

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Mon May 13, 2019 6:53 pm

Seems putting your car into the wall at the track has a detrimental effect on filament lamps. Spent 2 hours changing almost every bulb in the Panzer. Another reason to upgrade to leds.

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Sat May 18, 2019 6:00 pm

Panzer NCT repairs today. Steering idler arm was a tour de force as the ball joint taper was on there since 1996. Fitted a new door brake on the driver side and for the first time in nearly 5 years of ownership the door stays open on its own.

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Mon May 20, 2019 6:57 pm

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Tue May 21, 2019 3:08 pm

Kevin Sharpe · Post by **Kevin Sharpe** » Tue May 21, 2019 7:56 pm

congratulations on such an important milestone

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Thu May 23, 2019 4:55 pm

Thanks to the help of a forum member who kindly wrote the software we now have working speedometer and tachometer.

doobedoobedo · Post by **doobedoobedo** » Thu May 23, 2019 5:21 pm

Glad it works

arber333 · Post by **arber333** » Thu May 23, 2019 6:01 pm

JB can you tell us what signal you use to calculate RPM and speed from?

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Fri May 24, 2019 4:32 pm

Sure. I mounted a proximity sensor on the Tesla drive unit pointing at the inboard driveshaft flange on the right side. It counts the 6 bolt heads on the flange for every wheel rotation. The arduino then translates this into 9 pulses to drive the speedometer and 20 pulses to drive the tacho at half the motor rpm. So 3k indicated on the tach is 6k motor speed. Reason for this is I don't have the ability as yet to create a new fascia for the tacho to go to 16k rpm:)

Jack Bauer · Post by **Jack Bauer** » Fri May 24, 2019 4:33 pm

Panzer gets a tailpipe:)

doobedoobedo · Post by **doobedoobedo** » Fri May 24, 2019 4:46 pm

That's simultaneously hilarious and awesome.

Bigpie · Post by **Bigpie** » Sat May 25, 2019 6:55 pm

Is it not a tad inconvenient to have to bend down and plug in?
This only occurred to me because I've pulled my back and I'd look a sorry sack trying to plug that in.

Looks cool though.