Electric 13/60 or not

[Adrianb]

There has been a lot of press recently about classic cars being converted to Electric and I wondered what kind off box frogs I would open if I mentioned it! In some ways I think this is ain’t such a bad idea as when a youngster I was always looking for ways to increase the power,speed back then you had to find a V8  or a straight 6 and add a turbo! But technology these days even a basic Nissan Leaf electric has more umph than a 13/60 so what do you recon ! Can of worms! Box of Frogs! Or the way ahead! Or should someone take this peice of tech away from me!

[Ben Hutchings]

This will be interesting… 

[ferny]

The idea is great, but the range and cost is the issue. Anything you can get your hand on for a reasonable price will be "old tech" with poor range. Plus, where would the batteries go?

Edited June 13, 2021 by ferny

[DVD3500]

A guy converted a Spitfire about 10 miles from here.

The car weighs the same as before.

The motor has been tweaked to behave more or less like the the old one, mostly because it is tacked on to the gearbox which can`t handle a ton of torque.  It does feel a little like a turbo though...

He starts in 3rd and switches to 4th most of the time.

Range is about 80 miles in ideal conditions, less if headlights are on etc.

Trunk space is almost the same. The batteries and chargers only extend to where the rear wheel arches start. The chargers take up about 10% of the parcel shelf inside.

Charging takes between 2 to 8 hours but that is down to the chargers he uses. 

It cost him nearly 20k€ but each car they do after that will be less because he paid for the tooling.

That may sound like a lot but he does not have to pay for fuel, oil or water. His brakes barely get used because of recuperating braking. The clutch also barely gets used as he doesn`t shift as much.

He needed a new engine which would have cost at least 3000€.

It costs about 7-8 € to "fill" the car with power.

He has driven to Greece and back with no problems.

Check out Vintage Voltage,, They do it all the time...

[Rutty]

The engine is the cars soul, The sound of that smooth straight six climbing up through the revs, The popping from the exhausts on over-run. Dropping down through the gears, hearing the synchro's spinning up as they engage and the whine of the layshaft.  The smell of the oil (engine and gearbox) and dust on the hot engine, the vibrations coming through the floor and if you drive at night all this gets heightened to a even higher experience. For me this is what driving is all about. I have driven a few electric cars for work, my brother-in-law has a Tesla, They are soulless metal boxes just designed to take you from one place to another and not involve you in the experience of driving the car. Yes they have lots of gimmicks just google Tesla Model x dancing! but they are just gimmicks to be played with and tossed aside the next week. Yes they are fast but I would rather drive a slow car on the limits rather than a fast car that's within its limits. Then there is the joy of fixing the engine and endless tinkering under the bonnet. 

Putting a electric motor in our cars will just turn them into another soulless metal box so you might as well just buy a new car with a heater that works properly.

Mark

P/S my brother-in-law after 4 years is getting rid of his Tesla and going back to a Range Rover I think that says it all. 

[ferny]

2 hours ago, DVD3500 said:

Charging takes between 2 to 8 hours but that is down to the chargers he uses. 

 

He has driven to Greece and back with no problems.

 

I don't know where you live, but from here it's 2000 miles to Greece. That's 25 times it'd need charging and it'd take 50-200 hours!

 

The RBRR is also 2000 miles, and needs to be completed in 48 hours

 

OK, that's an extreme. But I did 250 miles in the Herald today, which is normal for me and happens every weekend. A lot of the small brand new electric cars can't do that.

 

Full disclosure, I'm on the list to test drive one of these if they become available. I did some maths and worked out that if I only used it for commuting and stayed employed at the same place I am now, I'd be in profit and driving for free in 17 years. 😂

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by ferny

[marino]

Ive given electric a lot of thought as my car needs an engine rebuild , but im with rutty if i wanted a quiet smooth etc car id get a new one but i drive newish cars all the time in my work and even new ice cars are sterile! Electrics are dull even the tesla ok in ludicrous mode the acceleration is mind blowing but thats just a gimick and eats battery range . My triumph when i drive it gives me pleasure and a lot of that pleasure is the sound ( i rarely use the radio) the slightly wooden brakes compared to a modern car the smell of the interior remembering my dad driving it , i could go on. Basically what im saying is that if i was forced ie no more fuel then id do it but now no way i love the car for what it is and as im nearly 60 i think this will be my sons problem rather than mine . Also as time goes on this will all get cheaper too as all things do .

[DVD3500]

12 hours ago, Rutty said:

Putting a electric motor in our cars will just turn them into another soulless metal box so you might as well just buy a new car with a heater that works properly.

Have you seen how ugly modern cars are?

I would rather have a running car that happens to have an evolved powertrain than the rolling blobs we have now.

For me a car is equal parts looks as well as technology and while I salute and appreciate suck, squeeze, fart engines (I get weak kneed around a flat 12...) I really don't think there is anything criminal in converting a car to electric.

I would of course not do it to a rare car or one of historical significance but for cars that were produced in the (hundreds) of thousands I think it is a good option.

I would rather save a car and convert it than let it get crushed...

 

[DVD3500]

10 hours ago, ferny said:

I don't know where you live, but from here it's 2000 miles to Greece. That's 25 times it'd need charging and it'd take 50-200 hours!

I will double check... maybe he also has a fast charging option. Still, he basically recharged during bio breaks and mealtime and of course over night.

I think they stopped over night at least 3 times so that is 24 of the 50 hours right there...

 

[RobPearce]

9 hours ago, marino said:

My triumph when i drive it gives me pleasure and a lot of that pleasure is the sound

We pulled in to a garden centre in my Spitfire on Sunday. As we got out, the lady running the little craft things hut in the car park said "She's a beaut! I heard you coming and thought it would be something nice."

I said "Yes, not exactly quiet."

"But that's what I love about them," she said.

[Adrianb]

I have always considered myself a bit of a petrol head and although not a long standing member of Club Triumph I have had a passion for Triumphs since the sixties when I had a Triumph twenty bicycle! I then had a Triumph Trophy and past my driving test in my dads Dolomite Sprint and more recently organised our village fayre getting the local TR group to turn up and there is nothing better than the smell of these engines running and the smiles of the people looking at them. Thanks to my daughter I now own a 13/60 which as you know is in the process of being reborn! Firing up the petrol engine is the priority and I can’t wait although I wont be able to drive her myself unless I find a race track! As fo Electric maybe not just yet!