Gary, from Mount Vernon, NY. (Entrepreneur usually labeled as "eccentric" by those who know me. )
I want to try out a number of conversions with my friend who has an Auto Repair Shop. Hoping to make some commuter transport, small delivery or cool inner city transport type machines. I'm looking for a "cosmic view" of the industry. This means being able to convert not just cars, but dirt bikes, motorbikes and cycles, trikes, scooters, boats, meter maid carts, ATV's, etc. Also, converting some of those into the others.
Read the Wicki, but still have lots of questions. Maybe some can be converted to Wicki entries.
My first question: is there a list of MOST potential sources of Used DC motors and usable batteries? I shop bankruptcy auctions and you'd be surprised what turns up. For example, lots of forklifts, walkies and power pallet jacks. Are any material handling machines other than forklifts able to provide motors (large or small) for any of the above? Batteries: Military surplus batteries? TelCo batteries? What about computer UPS batteries? Lots of them (Universal Power Supply) are available at corporate auctions. I figure I can buy up whole "lots" and sell the excess on the internet.
2) What kind of equipment can I get (used) that will have the other things needed: controllers, DC-DC converters, chargers, dials, gauges, potentiometers,
3) How old (used) is too old (used)? For example, don't buy any (fill in part name here) built before (XX) year, because...
4) Ive seen lists of donor cars that are usable. How about a list of ones that, in retrospect, should not be used?
Many more thoughts in my mind, this is just the start.
