RARE 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit - Electric - $500 (Davis)

[Gregski]

this is not mine, it was found by a friend on the VW Vortex forum

1984 Volkswagen Rabbit

This car was professionally swapped to electric via “US Electricar.” All documentation is in tact including all modifications made to the car, and an original owners manual from the early 90’s on upkeep and maintenance.

Cons:

The car does not run, however it only needs a few adjustments to be back on the road.

First and foremost, it needs a few batteries. The electric engine runs on 14 deep cycle golf car batteries wired in parallel. The proper way to connect the circuit is all included in the manual. Some of the rechargeable batteries have lost their ability to maintain charge which is the main reason the car won’t start.

Second, the right headlight needs to be replaced, however I already have the spare and will include it with the car. This car is one afternoon of work away from being back on the road again.

There is also some

Pros:

The body is in extremely good condition given its age.

All necessary components for fixing the car with the exception of the few replacement batteries are included.

This car is a piece of history. Included in the paperwork, you’ll find news articles written about this car specifically and how it was one of the first electric vehicles of its time.

Very good daily driver and really fun car, especially good for those day-to-day tasks and errands.

1-of-1 decals from the original manufacturer.

Clean title, working odometer + gauges.

Car is registered.


All in all, if I had the time to fix up this car I would, but it’s just been sitting in my backyard for the past year and I think it’s time I let someone else take over. Great car if you have the time to put into it. Just looking to break even on the time I’ve put into it.

[Gregski]

some more standard pics

[Gregski]

and the interior

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

For $500, that's a fantastic deal for someone who wants an EV. Just add batteries and go. Heck of a steal.

See? Here you were doubting me that you could convert at 1984 Rabbit in a weekend if you throw some money at it.

[Gregski]

For $500, that's a fantastic deal for someone who wants an EV. Just add batteries and go. Heck of a steal.

See? Here you were doubting me that you could convert at 1984 Rabbit in a weekend if you throw some money at it.

so like this guy:

[robertwa]

I dunno Greg, it's just down the road from you...... Bunnies are notorious for multiplying

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

I mean, how often are you going to get the chance to race TWO DIY EVs from the same year?

New motorsports league.

[Bigpie]

Added a poll for you Obviously it's result is legally binding.

If that was close to me, it would be on my drive already.

[barracuda816]

I would love to see this be a mini project of yours. Or the fella from ageing wheels.

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

Damn, I already have batteries in the garage, and $500 is a steal... But it would take $2-3k just to get it to me... But it would be fun... I wonder if Greg would let me use his driveway to put new batteries in and then try to drive it back... but that would require DC fast charging and fair sized battery... But it would be a hell of an adventure..
[At this point the angel on one shoulder starts beating the one on the other shoulder with a stick] No. More. Cars. Until. The. Racecar. Runs. Consistently!

This is why car friends are wonderful and dangerous. And why my train of thought cannot be left unsupervised.

[EVSwap]

I think there is more to the story of these Rabbits! The original electric Rabbit was actually called the Unique Mobility Electrek. The Electrek was BEV sold from 1979 to 1982 based on the drivetrain and suspension of a diesel Rabbit with a GE sepex motor manufactured in Colorado. The Rabbit Electric has the same "hairdryer" for a heater as the Electrek had and it is also based on the diesel version. Diesel Rabbits have stiffer springs to support the heavy batteries and longer final drive ratio in the transmission which is better suited to the electric motor. The Rabbit Electric using a Curtis controller which is different than the Solex controller used in the Electrek. The voltage is the same though.

I searched and searched but couldn't find any good photos of the Rabbit Electric's motor, all the photos are poor quality or have the battery box covering the motor.

I really have a sneaking suspicion that these Rabbits were built using leftover parts from Unique Mobility. Check out this video showing off the drivetrain:

[Gregski]

perhaps completely unrelated...

[lsh3rd]

Oooh! Shoutout to my Clemson Engineering brethren! I graduated in 1992, and never saw the car, so I'm guessing the date range of '91-'93 would be closer to '93 as he originally stated. I was also in the sports car club at the time, so it is likely that this thing could have run the stadium/commuter parking lot autocross. It would have been likely I would have seen the car if run spring 1992 or earlier. We had a number of dubbers that were in the club - one of which turned out to be a classmate of my son's father. Small world!

Funny also, I didn't notice at first, it said "Helen, GA" in the title, but I started to recognize where they were when he drove the car around. Since he's local, I wonder if I'd ever see him at Caffeine and Octane (or local "cars and coffee" style event). Driving on Atlanta Interstate highways with a potentiometer for a throttle... totally not sketchy at all!

[lsh3rd]

More!

[lsh3rd]

...and finally some citation from the Clemson wiki on the history of this car. "May: Clemson mechanical engineering students win a $1,500 prize in the Clean Air Vehicle Association (CAVA) Grand Prix Conference and Exposition in Atlanta when their electric car places first for design paper, second overall and second for performance. Seventeen undergraduates redesigned and rebuilt a 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit for the competition, converting it to electrical power, everything but the body being redone for the contest. The electric motor, controller and batteries were provided by their manufacturers through CAVA. Special safety devices had to be installed, including a roll cage and an emergency switch that can disconnect all power to the motor. The students substituted a five-speed transmission for the standard 4-speed. They redesigned the suspension for improved handling. "This conversion process was totally student designed, driven and managed," said Amit Bagchi, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the students' faculty advisor. David Wilkerson was executive coordinator of the student group, called Clemson Alternative Automotive Technology. Student team leaders included Brad Merritt, the electrical group; Nitin Shanbhag, the mechanical group; Brad Golden, the group coordinating electrical and mechanical aspects of design; and Edie Johnson, publicity and fund raising. The Clean Air Vehicle Association and Manheim Auctions provided Clemson with the VW. Major sponsors for the entry included General Electric, Goodyear and Trojan Batteries. The department of mechanical engineering provided funding, and engineering services provided technical assistance and facilities. Other sponsors included Automotive Performance Systems, Troppo Veloce Restorations, I/O Port Racing Supplies and REBO Machining. (Clemson World News, August 1993, Volume 15, Number 2, page 5.)"