My first time.. couple of days.
1985 VW Cabriolet using Nissan Leaf - Charlottesville, VA, USA
I might as well start a build thread. It seem to be all the rage, right?! 
.
I am also shooting video as I do and will try to put a few videos out there as I can.
About me: 47 years old. Engineering background but most of that was in software coding. Limited electronics experience. Limited mechanical experience. First time converting anything.
Why the VW Cab? Wife's favorite car as she was growing up after watching the movie "Can't Buy Me Love". This is her b-day present and she wants it converted.
Why am I doing it? See above but I really want to learn how EV's go together and working on projects while learning is actually a way that I unwind from my "day job".
Now onto to the stuff you all probably actually give a sh*t about.
GOALS
1. Weekend/fun driver
2. Range: 75-100 miles
3. Remove the manual & clutch
4. Heater
5. Don't need AC
6. Preserve the look & feel of the car as original as possible.
7. Retain power steering
8. Finish within 6 months... I will take a moment for you to stop laughing!
Moving on.
BUDGET
I am hoping for $35,000 US all in but understand it may go over. I know that if I did the analysis this is absolutely a dumb 'investment' but I don't care. See above, for me it's a way that I relax. Plus it makes my wife happy and that makes me happy. I will do my best to track costs for anyone interested.
CONVERSION CAR
1985 VW Cabriolet. I did 'overpay' for it but considering that the market for cars is absolutely nuts (thank you, inflation) and I did not want to do any real body/interior restorations I opted to find one in the best condition possible. AND, I did!
![Wheel Tire Car Automotive side-view mirror Vehicle]()
I am now working on removing all ICE components. Happy to report that the motor is out and SOLD! woot.
![Motor vehicle Automotive tire Workwear Vehicle Automotive design]()
(that's me but you all are smart and figured it out already, i am sure.)
I decided to go the Nissan Leaf route after seeing the number of leafs at the junk yard. Figure for a good price you can get a decent start on all the major components. AND it seems that ResolveEV's VCU is pretty good.
To that, I am bidding on a Leaf right now and did already purchase the VCU. Spent an hour today labeling it. Hope that this helps as I am working.
![Circuit component Font Electrical wiring Electronic component Computer hardware]()
At this point, I am 1% in the conversion. I will continue to remove what is not needed in the car and then clean. Once I secure the doner car I plan to remove the motor and battery pack and wire it up and see if I can get this thing to work out side of the car. Once that is done, I will disassemble the pack and begin the process of figuring out where to place the batteries. Right now, I am trying to:
1. get as close as the original balance of the car
2. try to keep batteries out of the main cabin
![Helmet Communication Device Font Gas Office supplies]()
(original weight)
I am thinking putting a few where the gas tank was and towards the front of the trunk. Also, I will probably have to get a few in the front.
I have lots of questions but here is one that I know you all know. Where is the best place for me to pick up the bits I will need like fuses, wire, momentary switches and the ilk?
Thank you and happy holidays!
.I am also shooting video as I do and will try to put a few videos out there as I can.
About me: 47 years old. Engineering background but most of that was in software coding. Limited electronics experience. Limited mechanical experience. First time converting anything.
Why the VW Cab? Wife's favorite car as she was growing up after watching the movie "Can't Buy Me Love". This is her b-day present and she wants it converted.
Why am I doing it? See above but I really want to learn how EV's go together and working on projects while learning is actually a way that I unwind from my "day job".
Now onto to the stuff you all probably actually give a sh*t about.
GOALS
1. Weekend/fun driver
2. Range: 75-100 miles
3. Remove the manual & clutch
4. Heater
5. Don't need AC
6. Preserve the look & feel of the car as original as possible.
7. Retain power steering
8. Finish within 6 months... I will take a moment for you to stop laughing!
Moving on.
BUDGET
I am hoping for $35,000 US all in but understand it may go over. I know that if I did the analysis this is absolutely a dumb 'investment' but I don't care. See above, for me it's a way that I relax. Plus it makes my wife happy and that makes me happy. I will do my best to track costs for anyone interested.
CONVERSION CAR
1985 VW Cabriolet. I did 'overpay' for it but considering that the market for cars is absolutely nuts (thank you, inflation) and I did not want to do any real body/interior restorations I opted to find one in the best condition possible. AND, I did!
I am now working on removing all ICE components. Happy to report that the motor is out and SOLD! woot.
(that's me but you all are smart and figured it out already, i am sure.)
I decided to go the Nissan Leaf route after seeing the number of leafs at the junk yard. Figure for a good price you can get a decent start on all the major components. AND it seems that ResolveEV's VCU is pretty good.
To that, I am bidding on a Leaf right now and did already purchase the VCU. Spent an hour today labeling it. Hope that this helps as I am working.
At this point, I am 1% in the conversion. I will continue to remove what is not needed in the car and then clean. Once I secure the doner car I plan to remove the motor and battery pack and wire it up and see if I can get this thing to work out side of the car. Once that is done, I will disassemble the pack and begin the process of figuring out where to place the batteries. Right now, I am trying to:
1. get as close as the original balance of the car
2. try to keep batteries out of the main cabin
(original weight)
I am thinking putting a few where the gas tank was and towards the front of the trunk. Also, I will probably have to get a few in the front.
I have lots of questions but here is one that I know you all know. Where is the best place for me to pick up the bits I will need like fuses, wire, momentary switches and the ilk?
Thank you and happy holidays!
1 - 11 of 36 Posts
Interesting.. this was pretty much what I was hoping to do -- ie the modules where gas tank, trunk are.Please check how VW did when they made the original CitySTROMer for inspiration.
The Volkswagen Elektro-Golf: an Electric Car from 1976
This Volkswagen Golf hatchback had an electric drive even in 1976. But why did we have to wait several decades for an electric Golf to go into production?dyler.com
View attachment 125797
Another cool but very challenging route would be to use the entire floor from the Leaf and install the pack intact.
Hello. Its going pretty good! Yesterday we test fit the motor (with inverter and gearbox) and mocked a possible way to mount it. We are going to fab this tomorrow evening so we can drop it again and place it. Then build motor mounts.
Once that is in, we can start placing the other components. For battery placement, I think I can drop the 24 module pack (48 modules in total) as is in the trunk right behind the cross member. Then I think I can put 12 (maybe) where the gas tank was and finally I think 12 more in the front. At least that was the plan.. but I am not sure how I will get the Leaf PDM in the car. It is pretty large. If I can't get that in, then I may go another route and look at a Thunderstruck VCU and what not so I can place a DC/DC converter, charger, and so on separately in the car.
![Photograph Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Automotive tire Light]()
![Photograph Light Motor vehicle Wood Automotive tire]()
![Motor vehicle Automotive tire Hood Vehicle Car]()
![Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Hood Automotive design]()
Once that is in, we can start placing the other components. For battery placement, I think I can drop the 24 module pack (48 modules in total) as is in the trunk right behind the cross member. Then I think I can put 12 (maybe) where the gas tank was and finally I think 12 more in the front. At least that was the plan.. but I am not sure how I will get the Leaf PDM in the car. It is pretty large. If I can't get that in, then I may go another route and look at a Thunderstruck VCU and what not so I can place a DC/DC converter, charger, and so on separately in the car.
Quick update.. working on what I am calling the cradle. See pics. Hope to have the motor (w/ inverter) mounted this week. Don't worry, we will make this all look pretty... just trying to get it right.
Also, I could not get all the batteries, motor, inverter, and the Nissan PDU in the car. SO I am dumping the Resolve EV VCU and bought Thunderstruck VCU and BMS with a separate charger and dc converter. Those should be coming soon.
The plan is 24 modules in trunk, 9 in the gas tank area and 3 where muffler used to be, and 12 on top of the motor in the engine bay. Once I get the motor mounted will test and be sure.
More soon.
![Brown Wood Headgear Wall Material property]()
![Hand tool Wood Tool Wrench Metalworking hand tool]()
Also, I could not get all the batteries, motor, inverter, and the Nissan PDU in the car. SO I am dumping the Resolve EV VCU and bought Thunderstruck VCU and BMS with a separate charger and dc converter. Those should be coming soon.
The plan is 24 modules in trunk, 9 in the gas tank area and 3 where muffler used to be, and 12 on top of the motor in the engine bay. Once I get the motor mounted will test and be sure.
More soon.
1 - 11 of 36 Posts
