[Woodsmith]

Originally Posted by Studebaker

I also found berlingo in Ireland. 3k euro asking price. In decent condition. Don’t know. Seems like kicking down an open door. Braking up good car to build a different one? Why not get and drive berlingo in the first place?

I know what you mean. The ones in Kent are all form a university and were good running vans but they were only allowed to be sold to the breaker on the basis they were never put back on the road in any form. The best deal with them is to buy a front half, about £750 the last time I heard. There were about 6 of them.

Originally Posted by Studebaker

Small auto. This idea is most appealing. Say, there's that cvt transmission from Micra K11 a was looking at. It has electromagnetic clutch witch I would scrap, and couple transmission with motor directly. CVT doesn’t have to idle to be operational. Now, the pulleys that change ratios are pushed together or spread apart by hydraulics operated by set of valves. And here the troubles start. The valves are hooked to ECU. Do you think there could be the way of controlling those valves skipping the ECU ?

What provides the hydraulic pressure? You would need to replicate the pressure supply if it was engine driven or input shaft driven.

No idea about the ECUs, not my field or knowledge. Maybe look at a conventional auto from something from the early 90s.

[MalcolmB]

Hi Studebaker,
Like you say, the mini is ideal in many ways, but challenging in others. I think your conversion goals are spot on.
So you want simple, but no chains, belts or manual gearbox. It sounds to me like Caspar's Think solution is the best fit. It's neat, reliable and should involve the minimum of machining and fabrication.

Having said that, if I was starting again and didn't already have a couple of cheap motors I'd like to try using a rear diff from something like a Sierra or Freelander and mount a motor directly above it, with belt drive to the diff input. I've checked the design specs for the Gates Carbon belts, and with a 36mm wide belt you can easily put 100 kW + into the diff.

[Studebaker]

But then the motor would have to go diagonally. I think in that case it’d be better to mount motor on the side of diff - not above - to utilize space more efficiently. Good idea Malcolm. Very good.

[Studebaker]

Originally Posted by Woodsmith

I know what you mean. The ones in Kent are all form a university and were good running vans but they were only allowed to be sold to the breaker on the basis they were never put back on the road in any form. The best deal with them is to buy a front half, about £750 the last time I heard. There were about 6 of them.
.

Right, so who is the breaker? How do I get in touch with him. Or perhaps you wanna be a middle man? I make it worth your while. What you say? I don’t feel like go to Norway at this moment. Kent’s like…closer?

Thank you Caspar for help, thou.

[MalcolmB]

I hadn't realised the Berlingo motor incorporated the diff and CV joints. That's very interesting, just a shame it's Sepex as it means a very limited choice of controllers. Do you happen to know what diameter the motor is Woody? Eight inches would be about the maximum you could get into a Mini without setting the drive shafts at an angle.

[Woodsmith]

I did a quick search on the Battery Vehicle Society forum and came up with this. Maybe worth a try to see if they still have some.

I saw someone was breaking an electrique on ebay and called to see if the had the vaccum pump and controller for sale, to be told they had SIX electriques and they'd put me through to the owner as he was working out what to do with them!

I spoke very briefly to the owner who put me on hold/lost me a few times and appeared very stressed about anyone coming down to see the vehicle(s) for a week or so - looks like he's been fielding quite a few calls about them...

Here's the ebay link to the "elctrique motor/gearbox for sale".

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citroen-Berlingo- ... 4a9dec09db


quote
" We are selling the pictured electric engine and gearbox from a 2000 Citroen Berlingo Electrique E500

Sold as seen

We would prefer the lucky winner to pickup in person, but can get it delivered at your cost
(contact us for pricing BEFORE bidding if you cannot collect in person)

We will try to answer your emails, but for a faster response please ring us

VAT included in the price.

Viewing before auctions end is recommended, contact us to arrange

We are open
Monday - Friday 9am till 5pm
Saturday 9am till 4pm

Car Components Gosport Ltd
(02392) 501511"


/quote

I've left my number as I'm after a couple of brake servo pumps/controllers, and possibly a new motor controller - I guess I'm not the only one in a queue for one!

Tim

http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org...&hilit=gosport


Not sure if the link will work if you are not signed in.

[Woodsmith]

Originally Posted by MalcolmB

I hadn't realised the Berlingo motor incorporated the diff and CV joints. That's very interesting, just a shame it's Sepex as it means a very limited choice of controllers. Do you happen to know what diameter the motor is Woody? Eight inches would be about the maximum you could get into a Mini without setting the drive shafts at an angle.

I can't remember what the diameter was, but the motor is a square section with the corners knocked off. Maybe about 10"?

This is what one looks like.



You might get an idea of scale here.


The controller.

[MalcolmB]

Thanks for the pics! Assuming the drive outputs are centred in the motor block it would mean the drive shafts exit around 25mm further forward than normal. Combined with the increased width, that would put the drive shafts at quite a steep angle.

[Duncan]

Hi Studebaker

I was sorely tempted to do a mini - I used to have a mini with a Lancia twin cam in the front

My tuppence worth
A mini is light - a 9 inch or 11 inch DC motor with a decent controller and a 3 : 1 diff should be able to spin tires
This means a gearbox is unnecessary

I would be thinking about something like a Subaru or Sierra diff in the middle at the front
I would put the motor in the boot with a drive-shaft along the exhaust tunnel
- would probably need to cut the tunnel out and weld in a bigger one

You could reverse this for rear wheel drive - but then its not a mini

[Studebaker]

Yes, but then you would have to turn the diff around. I think they deigned to spin in certain direction. You know the annoying whizz that comes from diff when you reversing. You’d have it all the time in the set up where diff is spinning in opposite direction.