Converting 79 VW bus using Tesla components.

1755 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by MattsAwesomeStuff, 9 mo ago

HMB Bob

Discussion Starter · Dec 18, 2021

Hi. I’m an old hot rodder having done many engine swaps and race car builds but I’m brand new to EV conversions. I just bought a 79 VW bus to convert using a small rear Tesla S motor, Tesla batteries, and EV West controller. Any guidance from anyone having done a similar conversion will be greatly appreciated.

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brian_

· #2 · Dec 18, 2021

1967 VW Split Screen Van - "ICE Breaker"
Kevin had the van getting it ready for three years, then started the conversion using Nissan Leaf components, then a year later switched to Tesla components, and a couple of years building it... with complete replacement of the front and rear suspension. You might not choose the same design, but this project is well worth reading about.

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sblu

· #3 · 9 mo ago

hey Brian, same boat as Bob, i tried to follow Kevin's thread until the point he moved it to openconverter.org; from there i dont' think this ever materialized? Do you know if it did?

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brian_

· #4 · 9 mo ago

sblu said:
hey Brian, same boat as Bob, i tried to follow Kevin's thread until the point he moved it to openconverter.org; from there i dont' think this ever materialized? Do you know if it did?

Despite all the noise about this forum versus OpenInverter, the thread there didn't go on for much beyond what was here, although they installed the battery. I haven't seen any other public mention of Kevin's van. It was so nearly complete that I assume that it was functionally completed, but I'm not sure that the point was ever to actually drive it, rather than just demonstrate a conversion.

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MattsAwesomeStuff

· #5 · 9 mo ago

brian_ said:
Despite all the noise about this forum versus OpenInverter, the thread there didn't go on for much beyond what was here,

I don't know that there was ever much "versus".

Most of the open source community got pretty (rightfully) upset when whole years of content disappeared from the forum here. After some months, I think all the forum content itself came back, though the other half of the website, the garage, never did. Because the community has no control over the survival of this forum, and Johannes already had webspace, he threw up some forums there for the community to transition to, and many in the open source community who were doing the reverse engineering left with them. I've never heard anyone on either forum speak ill of the other community, just an attitude of having nearly avoided one archive catastrophe.

As to the thread stalling out not too long after...

Kevin had a falling out with some people in the community,, and, New Electric Ireland that was doing conversion classes and pursuing some big conversion contracts (fleet size)... had all their online presence redirected back to New Electric Netherlands. Haven't seen mention of it since. Threads about it got deleted so, I dunno what who's beef is with who or why (well, a little bit), or whether it was just a covid thing or what.

I don't think it had anything do with forum vs. forum, not that I've ever seen.

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