[DRIVING] 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Tell us about the project you do with the open inverter
P.S.Mangelsdorf
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Finally some more progress. The LDU is 2/3 of the way mounted in the car. I've finished the front and rear mounts, but ran out of material to finish the side mount this weekend. I'll have to pick up some more box steel this Friday to wrap up the motor mounts. One thing this project is certainly improving: my welding skills.

Most of the mount "design" is done on the fly and with some simple geometry done by writing on my workbench. I know, not the most sophisticated or accurate, but it gets the job done.
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1940 Chevrolet w/ Tesla LDU - "Shocking Chevy" - Completed 2023 Hot Rod Drag Week
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

New control board is in the inverter, and drive unit is in the car.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Found a Volt battery for an absolute steal today. Its at junkyard near my folks in NY so my father will be picking it up this week.

Plan moving forward is to use the single battery to design both battery mounting locations, then mount the one battery, build out the rest of the car, and add the second battery last-ish. I'll have to get a second battery in before finishing the roll cage (for ease of access) and some small things like seats, but hopefully I can get it driving on one battery to shake out any initial problems. Speed of work is going to start picking up now.
If at first you don't succeed, buy a bigger hammer.

1940 Chevrolet w/ Tesla LDU - "Shocking Chevy" - Completed 2023 Hot Rod Drag Week
SRFirefox
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by SRFirefox »

This is beautiful and I think a wonderful example of EV hot rodding. The suspension you selected looks like it was made to live there. Do you expect any issues with the upper shock mounts? They look like they're part of your welded cradle, but I can't tell from your photos.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

SRFirefox wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 7:05 pm This is beautiful and I think a wonderful example of EV hot rodding. The suspension you selected looks like it was made to live there. Do you expect any issues with the upper shock mounts? They look like they're part of your welded cradle, but I can't tell from your photos.
Much appreciated. One of the goals for this project is to bust EV conversion myths, in both directions; to show hot rodders that EV hot rods are still fun and have character, (and don't have to be BMW, Porsche, or VW based), and to show the EV community that conversions can be rough around the edges, they don't all need to be tidy and sterile. Though the wiring and plumbing will be neat, the car is rough, the welds are not art, and I will probably do something wrong.

Regarding the rear shocks, yes the mounts are welded to the frame just out of view. I used mounts made and sold by QA1, so I know they are right.
I decided to just bite the bullet and jump straight to coilovers rather than mess around with creating perches for the coil spring and separate shock setup from the GTO.
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1940 Chevrolet w/ Tesla LDU - "Shocking Chevy" - Completed 2023 Hot Rod Drag Week
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

P.S.Mangelsdorf wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 10:01 pm One of the goals for this project is to bust EV conversion myths, in both directions; to show hot rodders that EV hot rods are still fun and have character, (and don't have to be BMW, Porsche, or VW based), and to show the EV community that conversions can be rough around the edges, they don't all need to be tidy and sterile. Though the wiring and plumbing will be neat, the car is rough, the welds are not art, and I will probably do something wrong.
Also I do want to note that this is directed more at the EVWest/057 Tech customer who has their super sterile VW bug or Porsche 911 and is overly snobby, thus turning off the hot rodding community. I realized it could come off the wrong way given the great number of BMW, VW and Porsche projects here.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by Jack Bauer »

With you 100% on that.
I'm going to need a hacksaw
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

I got started on the axles this weekend. I was hoping that I could find a way to put the Tesla CV joint onto the GTO axle, but no such luck. Different spline counts (no surprise) but not enough meat on the GTO axle to cut a new spline onto it. Plus I need to shorten the GTO axles by about half an inch.

The plan for now is to cut (on an angle) and sleeve the two axles together. We'll see how long that lasts and when (not if) it breaks I'll get new axles made.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by muehlpower »

why don't you use the Tesla Drive Shaft Stumps from zero EV with adapter plates if necessary?


https://zero-ev.co.uk/product/tesla-dri ... 64-993-vw/
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

muehlpower wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:19 pm why don't you use the Tesla Drive Shaft Stumps from zero EV with adapter plates if necessary?


https://zero-ev.co.uk/product/tesla-dri ... 64-993-vw/
Essentially, that's what I'm doing but I just bought the whole drive shafts because it was cheaper. Adapter plates might work, but it would require some custom machining and/or butt welding to the Tesla stumps which I'd like to avoid. In theory, I could have the GTO shafts splined for the Tesla CV bearing carrier but the spline sizes are similar enough that there isn't enough material to cut new splines on.

I'm doing this project on a tight budget so I'm trying to avoid too much custom machining for now. Cutting and sleeving will get me on the road, and I can get a shaft with the GTO splines on one end and the Tesla splines on the other made when these break at some point.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by muehlpower »

I'm not sure we got along right. The parts of Zero EV fit into the Tesla differential and have 6 threads on a diameter of 108mm. Your drive shafts have 6-hole CVs. All you need is a ring with 6 holes of 108mm and 6 threads with your diameter, if you don't already have 108mm. No welding, no cutting!

I made adapters because my drive shafts were too short.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

The Zero EV driveshaft stumps are exactly what I have but cost roughly $200 more than what I paid.
https://zero-ev.co.uk/product/tesla-dri ... umps-pair/

To mate the GTO axles to an adapter would require shortening them, and a) they don't have a good spot to add new splines b) I don't know a good local machinist c) I can't afford to be paying for custom machining work when I can get on the road with spliced axles. d) At this point I don't know whether the axle shaft or outer GTO CV joint will break first. I think its worth testing with the spliced axle to find that out.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by muehlpower »

You can of course do what you want, but I have spoken of the other drive stumps that don't look like the original tesla.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

muehlpower wrote: Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:47 pm You can of course do what you want, but I have spoken of the other drive stumps that don't look like the original tesla.
Oh gottcha. I highly doubt the Pontiac/Holden shafts will come anything close to the Porsche bolt pattern, and as I mentioned, putting in an adapter plate brings a host of other challenges with the packaging constraints I have.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

I've gotten the axles spliced together. I will post photos at a later date. Definitely good enough to get the car going for now.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Since Volt battery #1 has gotten stranded in NY (long story), I'm going to pick up Volt battery #2 this weekend (hopefully). Time to make progress.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by Frankshay »

Hi Paul,

Sorry to hear about the first battery slowing you down. Do you think you'll be on the road this year?
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

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Frankshay wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:54 pm Hi Paul,

Sorry to hear about the first battery slowing you down. Do you think you'll be on the road this year?
Yes. #1 goal is to compete at Hot Rod Magazine Drag Week (if it occurs) in September. Buying battery 2 now instead of after the rest of the build is complete will likely push out getting on the road to mid summer rather than late spring.

This is all, of course, dependent on no major other life events, like numerous home repairs I had to do last year.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Battery #2 has been broken down and reassembled. Photos here:




I also got some work done on the battery rack/box, but didn't take photos. Hopefully by the end of next weekend I'll have the battery installed in the car.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

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Battery box is nearly done. I picked up some of the last pieces of steel yesterday evening, so hopefully next weekend I can wrap that up.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Battery 1 is completely installed and strapped down.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

I also planned out my HV junction boxes, and completed some work on the driveshaft safety loops.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

Brief update on the '40.

I've been making progress, but not posting as much, here or on IG. The HV wiring is almost complete, with the exception of connections to the charger... because the charger won't fit where I wanted it to go. I may end up getting a weaker off the shelf charger, but for now I moved on to the 12V wiring.

Hopefully, I'll finish the 12V wiring and coolant plumbing over the next week weekends, and get to my first test. That test will just be on jack stands because I still have to build the brakes and steering systems.

I'm hoping to post some photos this weekend.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by SRFirefox »

Exciting! Are you planning on doing a full enclosure for the batteries or just taking up trunk/engine compartment space? I look forward to what comes next on your project.
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Re: 1940 Chevrolet with Tesla Motor

Post by P.S.Mangelsdorf »

SRFirefox wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 5:25 am Exciting! Are you planning on doing a full enclosure for the batteries or just taking up trunk/engine compartment space? I look forward to what comes next on your project.
On a stock '40 coupe, the gas tank was located under the rear seat area. I've cut out the floor, and built a rack for the batteries that is inside the frame. The first two rows fit under the stock fuel tank enclosure, but the back two rise up as the stock frame does. The rack/enclosure has to meet NHRA/NEDRA requirements so lots of 1/8-inch thick steel. The bottom side is covered in 1/8-inch plate, and there is an 1/8-inch bulkhead between the front of the compartment and the drivers area. I still have to built the top of the enclosure/firewall, which will likely be at least 1/16-inch, but possibly heavier. That will close the batteries off from the drivers compartment, but remain open to the trunk area. I'm waiting until the second battery is in and the cage is installed to fabricate that part.
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