Here's How I Daily A 40 Year Old Electric Car

[@nighttimestalker]

"my defrost has asbestos in it. So I don't use it. " I love the 70s

[@Nelsea7190]

he could upgrade the hair dryer but that could ruin the originality of it.

[@TruthTortoise81]

that car is a distended rectum

[@scruples671]

I have a Son of a Gun hair blow dryer from 1979. Very popular product of the day. They sold a lot of them. It has the asbestos ring in it. I believe they eventually did a recall in the 1980s for all those hair blow dryers that had asbestos in them.

[@johnathonready9347]

@@scruples671 Soft hands, I eat asbestos for breakfast🥱

[@Heather-lg4gq]

If you really loved the 70s you'd deal with the mesothelioma like the rest of us 😂

[@BasketNet187]

A manual car that doesn't stall and you can set off in any gear. Man, I wish I knew the existence of this car sooner.

[@PavelShevchuk]

Not a car, but Honda now has e-Clutch option for some of their motorcycle

[@mikep490]

You had to be careful what gear is used, for many early EVs. Our utility converted a Toyota in 1969 or 70. IIRC it used an airplane starter/generator. They put it in 4th instead of 2nd (normal gear for starting out) and snapped the driveshaft. With some motors of that age, it could overspeed if not put into gear, which could destroy the motor. You also shifted w/o a clutch on the Toyota.

[@jama211]

also no roof, no power, and no crash protection. seems great lol

[@wiesshund-games]

VW Beetle 3 speed semi auto since forever

[@qoph1988]

Are you still stalling?... How long have you been driving? That's not really a significant problem

[@trueAnge1]

The entire video feels like it was made in the 70s or 80s, I love it.

[@meganzink323]

So, with that many VW parts, I gotta know: How does this car beat emissions?

[@MrMarkusmulder]

Dough Demuro

[@theeoddments960]

He’s really trying to tuck himself though lots of these shots have some gratuitous moose knuckle lmao

[@leo.girardi]

Yes, and him being Colorado I was expecting John Denver to be in the background with his guitar singing.

[@brianm840]

I love how low tech and simple this car feels. I think you'd get a lot more adoption of EVs if there was focus on making barebones, easy to self repair/mod, minimal computer chip designs. No big digital screens. Just a few retro nobs and meters. Would be really kino.

[@uhendri1]

The hair dryer is hilarious! Typical engineering solution...fit for purpose! Nothing wrong

[@lsswappedcessna]

"Hair dryer" that's a funny way to say "window defroster" -ElecTrek engineers, circa 1979

[@whalefpv2236]

the electric heaters have died in my ev so i can see a hairdryer coming out when winter comes hhehehhe

[@arondaniel]

Sounds like they did asbestos they could with the heating system.

[@robertborgeson1821]

They could have put the internals in an abs tube for basically no cost to at least give the illusion of build quality. Or at least spray paint the thing black.

[@gur262]

​@@whalefpv2236a heat gun would be better though possibly way overkill

[@macberry4048]

I wish more people would restomod these old electric cars because they have so much going for them. Old electric cars were built bare bones and without all the weight gaining regulations.

[@mumwifeteacher]

I think my cordless drill is more complicated then this car

[@Boemel]

@@mumwifeteacher and more efficient: li-ion battery, brushless motor, fast charging,...

[@dkdanis1340]

Crazy lightweight isn't always the most optimal there must be a balance. Modern electric cars have zero problems with weight. Modern formula 1 cars are way heavier than old f1 cars yet they are faster than any old f1 car. Modern car structures and safety systems are pretty light. Weight is important but it's one part of equation.

[@MrMarkusmulder]

Doug Demuro

[@tmb282]

"weight gaining regulations" - you mean "life saving regulations" :D

[@nevco8774]

It takes a lot of enduring patience to daily drive this old timer. Time will pass and Cybertruck will not draw attention being common on the road. This particular contraption will always be an attention magnet for car minded folks as long as you keep it on the road. Good job!

[@ElectrekGarage]

It’s a great little daily driver even if it is a pain sometimes! Surprisingly reliable on its new battery pack and not uncomfortable…. Definitely needs more sound deadening though

[@benstein7506]

it will be a cold day in hell before the cybertruck is a common sight on the road...

[@mikeschneider5077]

Time will pass and Cybertruck will not draw attention because they'll be junked or paperweights that no one has seen in years.

[@wtmayhew]

Way more unique, interesting and fun than Cybertruck will ever be, no question about it. It is simple enough to be easily owner hackable too.

[@nevco8774]

@@wtmayhew One thing is sure: this orphan car is simple and hackable enough to be kept alive without any dealership or original company. Usability is mostly as local commuter on certain routes. Obviously Cybertruck can be used all over North America. I still presume the technology will progress to the point that even if Tesla disappears the Cybertruck will be maintained by enthusiasts.

[@Collinormous]

“This was the most popular one they sold” literally dozens!

[@jonathanpullen7439]

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

[@Wise4HarvestTime]

🤣🤣 you win internet comment of the day for me!

[@BigRedLeg]

made me laugh too

[@MikeInTheWoods]

Really interesting, I had no idea this thing existed. And it pre-dates the EV1 too. Wild.

[@ElectrekGarage]

Most of the EVs I own predate the EV1 lol

[@RPRosen-ki2fk]

@@ElectrekGarage How many EV's ... cars, motorcycles, e-bikes, etc. do you own?

[@ElectrekGarage]

@@RPRosen-ki2fk 5 at the moment, but looking to downsize lol

[@MrMarkusmulder]

Doug Demuro

[@JensE95]

It’s not even the first electric car :D electric cars predates combustion engine cars

[@edd2184]

Vehicle may not be my cup of tea, but one thing I truly enjoy is when people speak about cars they truly love. The enthusiasm is contagious

[@ElectrekGarage]

Thank you!

[@alanwardrop9575]

Regarding the car exploding with regeneration, lead acid batteries do release hydrogen when charging so it could explode quite literally 😮

[@warrensteel9954]

Standard warnings on almost all lead acid battery chargers. 🤷‍♂️

[@lsswappedcessna]

Yeah, the lithium swap should possibly fix that.

[@psirvent8]

@@lsswappedcessna It's lithium iron phosphate so yeah definitely ! This chemistry is even safer than li-ion by the way.

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

@@psirvent8 Yes, I’ve seen a puncture test comparison video and it was night and day: the li-ion caught fire almost immediately, while the LFP behaved the same as it had before having a nail shoved through it, outputting approximately the same voltage on the meter.

[@dariopiovani5077]

The 2-3 shift drivetrain wobble sound (20:39) is definitely something you do NOT associate to an EV video but I love it xDDDD

[@JOSEPHZZ123]

i wish i could highlight ur comment 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@thebitlot]

Having gears to shift PERIOD is something folks don't usually associate with an EV.

[@RowanHawkins]

If I could find a modern Ev that could truely coast and not destroy a manual transmission that would make me switch.

[@Peaches-N-Mango]

This is one of the best videos I've seen on a long while and I watch A LOT of KZbin. Please don't ever take this off the road! I LOVE the ending, by the way

[@beforebefore]

32hp output at the motor explained... DC commutated/brushed motors have low efficiency, probably about 75-80%... I'll use 78%. That means it needs at least 41hp of electricity (30.59kW) input to output 32hp (23.86kW). (1hp = 745.7 Watts) The motor controllers in 1979 were horribly inefficient... about 75% would be my educated guess. So to create 28.6kW output, you need 38.24kW input. 16 x 6V batteries is 96 Volts. 38.24kW / 96v = 398 Amps... but at that heavy of a load, lead acid batteries have voltage droop due to internal resistance (just like when you crank your ICE starter, the 12v battery voltage droops a bit) So if the 96v droops to 92v, you would be drawing 415 Amps.

[@ElectrekGarage]

Very good insight!

[@stephenj4937]

It is actually simpler than that. 32 hp is the continuous rating of that motor; DC motors can produce significantly more than their continuous rated hp, but doing so risks overheating it.

[@chadholmes7051]

@beforebefore Was going to make this point but you made it better than I could with all your fancy math I find it funny that an ev fanboy like this guy doesn’t understand the physics of his vehicle and does some half baked calculations on the runing currents and makes the statement that the engineers had it wrong which is hilarious they designed the car fairly sure they knew the efficiency figures of the equipment in it lol stupid fanboys…

[@pr5991]

It seems incomplete…. Read more

[@citymagnum4734]

That's another reason EVs weren't really viable until the 2010s. You don't only need good batteries, but also high-efficiency motors and electronic power controlllers. "Big Oil" hardly needed to kill or suppress the EVs, you simply weren't going anywhere with brushed motors, resistive rheostats and analog control electronics/hardly any regen like in the 70s or 80s. Even if you had access to Lithium batteries before the late 1990s.

[@mrdsn189]

As a longtime Denver resident I’ve seen a few of these driving around town over the decades. It’s very fun to learn more about them. I’m not even sure if I noticed that they were electric back in the day. Thanks for the great video!

[@cglan_9748]

I love that someone loved this car enough to give it a new battery and daily it! I wish I could go to Electrify Expo to see it. And to hear it, I bet that GE motor sounds really cool in person.

[@Sombreropancake-cakemix]

Wait... I have seen this same comment somewhere before. About this same car. In a another channel.

[@roswellgrey5746]

18:03 - I feel the same way! I sole daily my beloved second gen leaf and sometimes I'll turn the radio and AC off just to hear the hum of the motor! Overall I really enjoyed your video - partly for the unique EV, but because of your enthusiasm for it! Makes me smile tbh 🧡

[@PapaWoody440]

Kudos for keeping it alive, every orphan deserves a good home. It looks like an AMC Pacer drawn by someone who didn't own a set of French curves, and who didn't wait 30 years for weed to be legalized in Colorado. I wonder how many Chevy dealers' part departments they raided to get all those Monza taillights.

[@masongrainger2271]

"How many cars did you make John?" John, high as shit: "fuck if I know, I just drew a lava lamp on a napkin and said make that."

[@erniesdeck7550]

I really love how so many different car manufacturers came together to build this car... GM's carpet engineers said our carpet is the least flammable.... Mercury said our back hatch is the least flammable... VW Said our key is the least flammable. The collaboration is just heartwarming.

[@ElectrekGarage]

😂

[@willc5512]

Thanks!

[@BenFenner]

As a manual transmission die-hard and an EV fan, this car has occupied a very special place in my mind for a long time, and shuts down many a related Internet argument as you can imagine. I'm very happy to see such a well produced video on the car, as the others on KZbin were getting long in the tooth. Cheers!

[@barriewilliams4526]

You can get help for that😂

[@maxiferrari08]

​@@barriewilliams4526why should he get help for being a die-hard manual fan? It's a bit outdated but still fun for a weekend car when you don't want to drive in your ev

[@Drewcardello]

The automakers are just being assholes by refusing to make electric cars like this. Smaller size for parking, smaller 40-50kwh batteries and

[@morthim]

most of inflation the last 50 years has been in cars and houses. it is the only industry where you can get a price above 10x cost of materials and labor. if you really want a change lobby your politician. personally i'm only interested in the industry for those sweet sweet margins.

[@robformica5394]

Small cars cost nearly as much to make as large ones - same number of parts, etc. Highway mileage is also not much better so for decent range you still need a larger battery.

[@etherealicer]

At least in Europe we get more and more light electric vehicles (L7e vehicles). And not just Opel Rock /Renault Twizy. we get mini-buses and cargo vehicle. And I think that is a direct result from regulations (no driving ICE-cars in city centers). Sadly, it seems unclear whether the X-Bus will ever come to market (I was really looking forward for this one). Not sure if it is automakers alone. After all, they do also build smaller cars, people just like to buy SUVs.

[@kenbob1071]

You can get a Tesla Model 3 for

[@dijikstra8]

There are quite a few small models in China, and now a few are coming to market in Europe as well. But I agree, if I were to get a car it would be a small car, when I had one it was a Renault Clio.

[@zebracherub]

Very cool ! What I find even more hilarious about the hair dryer is how they didn’t even bother disassembling it or anything to keep the innards and make it look semi-factory. It’s literally OFF THE SHELF, with the handle and brand stickers and everything.

[@tallandhairy]

You sir, are a credit to yourself, that car and automotive history in general. I applaud you.

[@garyprice1145]

Amazing car. A piece of history.

[@NijiflianBustock]

Imagine how far electric vehicles would be if we has started perfecting them 40 years ago. Supper cool!

[@DaarkCloud]

Electric vehicles are so interesting, and it's always amazed me that they've been around for longer than a lot of people realize

[@RuviaPawz]

True just as long as gas

[@DarkAttack14]

@@RuviaPawz Yeah pretty much, William Morrison made a "popular" one in 1889

[@JPK-go9fb]

Even longer than gas cars.​@@RuviaPawz

[@carl8790]

I always love learning more about these older EVs. Can't explain why I'm so fascinated with them. Nice job on taking care of her and giving her a nice battery upgrade 👍🏾

[@cliffgiordane2969]

The tucked in open button up is low key a vibe

[@ElectrekGarage]

Thank you :)

[@brandonquinto4852]

I thought that crash test footage didn't look too bad then I found the full video and it was only at THIRTY MILES PER HOUR. 1960s corvairs hold up better than that, except for the steering column Very cool car and I'm glad someone's keeping it on the road. Too many rare classics just end up sitting in garages or museums most of the time instead of being used as cars The side mirror look like it comes from a VW rabbit. Maybe getting a passenger side one would help a bit with visibility.

[@curtchase3730]

I am looking @ a Tesla, but if there was a dealer down the street from the Tesla place, I'd definitely stop in and check out that model! If my memory serves me, I had an uncle that owned a photo lab in downtown Chicago back in the 70's. I remember him telling me about the electric car they used for some time to do pickups and deliveries of photo work. He showed me a photo of the car and looked a LOT like yours! My wonderful uncle passed away before Tesla and other EV's started mainstreaming. He was ahead of his times.

[@spamsam99]

Just saw this on my YT feed, love your work man!

[@Koulis_]

Fun video! In the UK we had the Enfield Electric in the 70s which was smaller. Johnny Smith turned one into a super high performance record breaker. 👍🏼

[@NielsHeusinkveld]

Neat! I enjoyed watching this. I'd say 10% butterfly door though, 50% is pushing it a bit :D

[@blacknovaentertainment]

this car looks so much like an AMC Gremlin... well done for keeping it alive and well for so long.

[@codyjamescorbett2830]

Wisconsin bought 10 of these. They ran special plates starting at “VTAE 1” and ended at “VTAE 10.” I have “VTAE 5” in Wisconsinites License Plate Museum with a photo of the vehicle. I wish I could send you some photos.

[@ElectrekGarage]

Do you have photos???

[@nintendoatarikiller]

You can save more energy by swapping the sealed beam headlights for LED replacements.

[@bulbman256]

Just make sure to actually get good warm white replacements with safe optics and not those POS cold led headlights that blind people at night

[@NFTparent]

I’ve been watching the other Out Of Spec channels for some time but just found this one. My 14yr old Daughter and I really enjoy your sense of humor and how your videos are structured.

[@trytry23]

It sounds exactly how I expected it to sound.

[@hotrodmercury3941]

My dream build is to build a hybrid or fuel efficient Chrysler Airstream from the 1930s. That way I could daily it, keep that baby alive!!! She's gorgeous!!

[@Dee_Just_Dee]

5:53 To be fair, this reminds me of the last _handful_ of econo-hatch cars I've owned. Their manuals all have a section for "towing", and they all just tell you, "DON'T!"

[@ianfrearson2261]

Interestingly, the speedometer is a Smiths from the UK, but I'm at a loss to say what parts bin that came from. It's also de-branded, which is usually a very use case-specific thing (I think it's unlikely that this vehicle is the specific use case, but who knows?).

[@thaddeusmcgrath]

I never knew this existed, I love your passion for these cars and you seem like a great guy to have a beer with so thanks for being you and keeping the geek in me watching!

[@ElectrekGarage]

Thank you! Beer is gross tho, more of a cocktail guy

[@johnbumster3950]

Great video, very well presented and interesting and fun.

[@ellenfromnowon]

This thing rules. I daily a strange old car too and it's such a lovely joy to have every day

[@camerica7400]

They have cassettes/tapes that you can use as Bluetooth or audio cable to devices.

[@josha_254]

Is that a manual electric? Sick!!!

[@XY-ep8uz]

First video I have seen from you. You are funny, cool, genuine. Keep it up, nice job, cool video!

[@durrymuncher2728]

Love how you worried the audio would be distorted out on the road and it was like the clearest audio (except for the beautiful motor noise)

[@ElectrekGarage]

LOL! I think it helped that my microphone disconnected due to EMF from the controller

[@RJARRRPCGP]

13:31= Why did asbestos get used? That wasn't an issue with most cars at that time, especially 1979 or 1978!

[@ElectrekGarage]

Most cars don’t use hairdryers as heaters lol! It was common back then for hairdryers to use asbestos as a safety feature

[@RJARRRPCGP]

@@ElectrekGarage lol

[@ab3000x]

There's carpet on the steering wheel! LOL. I love it.

[@isisemkeb]

Do you know of the "Manic GT" out on Jan 1st 1970 for 2900$, til June 8th 1971, made in Québec. They built 152 and there are still a little over 40 still going around. It was too small of a market. Pieces were imported from Europe and always came in late and that killed the market.

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

@ 11:38 Your taillights are from a Buick SKYHAWK... NOT a "Buick Skylark." ...just sayin'...

[@danmobile]

Maybe you could add a little cheap rear-view camera and screen - could even integrate it with the rear view mirror if you placed it right. Also you should try gluing that headliner back up and tuck it in nicely. It is really easy with the 3M Spray Glue. Might as well at this point! cool wheels too on this car. I'd change the lights if I drove it at night!

[@MillBrookRailroad]

I like that you're keeping the old girl running. I have an old early 1970's GE built electric garden tractor that I'm planning a rebuild on soon. GE's Elec-trak line is an interesting study in corporate adaptability.

[@RaposaCadela]

Woooww the Electrek sedan, awesome!!! No hatchback though, damn it must be so freakin' rare. This was a really nice video, this car is super interesting, I think you enjoy it and respect in the same way that I would! Except I got no skills xD

[@Montgomerygolfgator]

All commercial vehicles are required to have a fire extinguisher, so it's a bit ahead of the curve for them to recommend it in your owner's manual. See "49 CFR § 393.95 - Emergency equipment on all power units." for more info. Also, the Kia Soul has the exact same tow rating in the US owners manual.

[@stephenj4937]

I had a Mazda 3 and its owners manual had a section on towing that was just one sentence: "Never attempt to tow anything with your Mazda."

[@thenthson]

Towing capacity: Don't.

[@98Zai]

Holy CRAP I just developed the hugest crush on that hatchback brown/copper one! 1:56 Only thing is that front side window being a little goofy, but I'll take it over an SUV any day.

[@vhol93]

Brazil has (had at least) a law mandating a fire extinguisher in every car!

[@forton615]

Belgium too, so I guess all of Europe.

[@warrensteel9954]

It should be mandatory everywhere.

[@davidmenasco5743]

That's a very smart law. In the US, ICE vehicles account for about 15% of all fires reported to fire departments.

[@psirvent8]

@@forton615 France, Italy and Spain don't require any fire extinguisher in cars though. So it's not all of Europe.

[@QOTSAPT]

@@warrensteel9954 It's because of lpg usage.

[@saizero0433]

what a cool and old school thing. I love when people give a second life to old cars and motorcycles. Such transport has a special vibe.

[@jimcabezola3051]

Here I thought the letters in the "AMC" brand name stood for "All Makes Combined." This beats "AMC" hollow...and to the BEST effect. This car was more forward-looking than anything else made in 1979. I had just entered the work force in 1979, and this car would've beaten the snot out of the bicycle with which I "drove" to and from work. Back then, I WISHED for something that was smooth and quiet and didn't stink up the air I was trying to breathe back then. I recall the pall of brown smog that hung over Denver back in the summer of 1978. I hope things are better for you out there now. I started in the work force riding a pedal bike. Now that I'm retired, I've been car-free over a decade...and I ride a pedal bike. So much for personal progress! I enjoy your channel and that of "Aging Wheels." I'm also thrilled to see you on this channel as well. For an old fart like me, rescuing old cars from their awful ICE powerplants is the way to go! Aloha!

[@ElectrekGarage]

Thanks for watching! You are doing it right with the pedal bike!

[@mar4kl]

Yes, but at $82,000 in 1979, it also would have cost 200x what the bicycle you "drove" to and from work did, assuming you had a very nice bicycle. I don't know about you, but when I first started working, I didn't have that kind of money. I still don't.

[@jimcabezola3051]

@@mar4kl Yes, it's both funny and sad. I try to take heart in knowing I may have been doing "the right thing" for less money. I never ADVANCED the art of mere transportation, but I may have lowered tailpipe emissions a tiny bit. Nowadays, of course, I'll be cursed at for encouraging the carbon emissions by promoting the mining of metals and burning petrochemicals by having the metals forged into my bicycle. (Sigh...) We can't win, can we? I never had the money for exotic electric cars, and I still don't. Instead...I'm in my 7th decade, and I'm STILL able for ride for tens of miles every day. I can't even afford an electric bike...and if I bought one...I'd probably curse myself for giving into the temptation to make my life easier. (Sigh...) We can't win, can we?🤣😆

[@SteveEddy-od7fb]

AMC stands for A Mechanics Car!😂😂😂

[@pauldcomft]

This was a fun video for me to watch. The sounds reminded me of a 1978 Volkswagen rabbit that I converted to nominal 144 V electric in 2005 (10@12v 120AH floor polisher l/a batteries). The use of the four-speed transmission is unusual, but I left my original Volkswagen transaxle in place also. Around town, second gear was good from start to 45 mph. Third was good over that, allowing me to touch 70 mph on a long straight stretch. Highway range was optimistically 50 miles. I was severely disheartened when one night my battery charger boiled all the batteries dry. So I went to Costco and bought standard 12V deep cycle batteries for about half the price and half the weight of the originals, and in my continued disheartenment, stupidly sold the car at a huge loss. Interestingly, the rabbit sunroof had very little wind noise, and I could drive down the highway, listening to birds in the distance.

[@Jeremygeo]

Awesome! Modern classic for sure. Thanks for the vid

[@jeremydavis2595]

I love old EVs. In the 1970s General Electric manufactured a line of battery electric lawn and garden tractors with a full list of attachments from mower decks to snowblowers garden plows and tillers. I collect them and I have a few videos of them in action on my channel. They have a cult-like following and after I bought my first one I was immediately hooked. There is even a Facebook group dedicated to them and there are two different guys in the US who's source and manufacturer parts to keep them going!

[@richardthompson6079]

Best review of this vehicle I've seen. Other than the jaw-dropping ridiculous price, it seemed rather practical. Thank you!

[@LincolnWorld]

This the first video of yours that I've come across. I really enjoyed it. I've seen pictures of that car before, and it was fun learning more about it. I find the look of the car to be what I call, "Fun-Ugly". As in, part of me is confused by the look of it, yet I really like it, and the vacillation between the 2 thoughts is something I enjoy. It kind of looks like what I would expect an electric car, of that time, to look. I laughed when you lifted the trunk and it was so tiny. I've never seen a car that looked more like a hatchback, and for it to have a version that isn't a hatchback, but still shaped like that, is really fascinating. Thanks for the fun video! And congrats on getting paid to do this!

[@georgepelton5645]

Interesting and fun video. Glad to see this piece of history being maintained and driven. When discussing the blocked vision behind the car, my thought was that an aftermarket rear camera and screen would be an inexpensive fix.

[@Decenium]

I would love to see a follow up when you are done sorta fixing up the car, paint, maybe some sound deadening, non asbestos heater, maybe funky rims, maybe funky LED headlights, etc etc

[@ElectrekGarage]

absolutely will make a video like that when I'm less broke lol!

[@humanerror7]

always a good day when I discover a car I never knew existed

[@flashwashington2735]

So cool!! It looks like a low budget Sci-Fi B movie AMC Pacer! Now if only they'd electrify the Brubaker. Well, off to watch Grid Runners, Ark II, and Soylent Green. For those Brubakers. Great video! thank you.

[@darwinskeeper421]

This may be the only car that has a warning about exploding in the owner's manual, but it could be argued that the Ford Pinto deserved a section about that as well.

[@ElectrekGarage]

😂

[@lsswappedcessna]

Every old gasoline car has the same design "flaw" as the Pinto, the Pinto was just the one to take the fall for it.

[@krunkle5136]

The door looks like an extra strong homeless guy demanding cigarettes leaned on it.

[@Thunderrolls87]

It somewhat loosely resembles the AMC Pacer. Very interesting car! Never had heard of it.

[@andrewc8566]

I love it!!!! The hairdryer heater is the best thing I've seen in years as a hearer rig......... All the different manufacture's that they used to build it is funny. The wiring isn't even secured with tape, they're just ....... there. Thank you so much for posting this video. I drive a modern day Honda Clarity PHEV. It too is quirky looking.

[@anthonydilligaf823]

I love that you say.. "Just like a normal car...."

[@domramsey]

I love it. And I very much appreciate the gentle quality of life mods but keeping the drive train & experience original. You are probably the best person for keeping this thing alive for the future.

[@Defianthuman]

6:06 That's like my Prius manual. Half of a page to say "don't do it". Spoiler you can, but you will get 16mpg(1200lbs) and only have 11.9 gallons.

[@jeffhampton6972]

This is amazing. First time on your channel and I loved this.

[@marktyers69]

Love the hair dryer heater!

[@Pacman1ac]

Great video. Thanks for all this info about the car.

[@billsmith810]

Very cool! I like oddball and unique vehicles which is why I chose a 2016 Chevy Spark EV which is a damn fun sleeper of an EV (think hot hatch). Fun video, thanks for posting.

[@ElectrekGarage]

We love the spark EV!

[@The_Opinion_of_Matt]

Great video. I had never heard of Unique Mobility Electreks before and I'm a 44 year old car nut. They probably used parts from other cars to keep the costs down. The benefit of that is you don't have to worry as much about sourcing very small batch replacement parts because a lot of them came from other cars. The bad part is that it ends up being designed around the parts bin parts. Anyway, I assume you've looked into 3D printing for parts that didn't come from mass produced cars. Have a good one.

[@kubixx0n1]

Dang why do I love old electric cars

[@OnkelRobinjo]

I watched the whole video. What an absolute blast this car is.

[@StevenScott12153]

That hair dryer to heat the windshield is hilarious

[@XxserabearxX]

Really cool car dude! I love that you get it; like you don't need the newest, fastest car to have a great time working on cars.

[@Fluxkompressor]

All Motors (including electric ones) are rated at the output shaft Your 51HP at the Battery -80% efficiency of the controller -80% efficiency of the Motor gives your 32HP at the shaft (I made up the efficiencies, but shouldn't be too far of) Nothing wrong there, just measured on different spots

[@dontaylor2099]

You are not old 😂. Love your cool old car. Thanks for showing us all of the interesting details especially the hairdryer defroster and owners manual and funky windows and parts from all sorts of cars. It deserves a new headliner and visors and a passenger side mirror for your safety and a nice aftermarket steering wheel would really make the interior look great. It’s nice just the way it is though. A cool piece of automotive history.

[@lsswappedcessna]

It's like a high speed golf cart, what's not to love?

[@BenCollenberg]

This guy is knowledgeable, smart n pretty funny 😂. Great work man!

[@ramadjones]

That backend screams Gremlin! I'd want to do some quality-of-life upgrades to the car. Find an old VW Rabbit and nab the side mirrors off of it. Replace the lights with LEDs. Maybe a backup camera to help with rear visibility? Otherwise, that is a fascinating vehicle. Wish I was in Colorado so I could see it in person!

[@mattbrown5212]

Great job Declan! I own a newer Royal Enfield motorcycle and while reading a book on the history of Royal Enfield I was surprised to learn they had a short lived electric automobile division in the 70's. Your Electrek is a wonderful discovery. I also worked for Tesla for 7 years and am always amazed learning about these amazing earlier EVs. Keep up the good work. You had me laughing throughout.

[@wingsounds13]

Driving that car seems a lot like when I drove a 64 VW Beetle. Far from luxurious, but more fun than makes any sense. Same was true for my 72 Honda AZ-600 that I referred to as my street legal go-kart. 🙂

[@billsmith810]

That AZ600 was a very cool car! I got to drive one back in the day, loved it!

[@KSMvidcast]

That's such a cool car. I would take one of those over any current issue EV. It sounds awesome when you're driving and looks really comfortable inside.

[@tarstarkusz]

You should do a coop with Robert Dunn (Aging Wheels). This is right up his alley. You can go cruising together with him in his Trabant or even better, in his Coda (IIRC, you said the battery is from a Coda)

[@ElectrekGarage]

Lol Robert and I are very good friends, he's been in my videos and I've been in his. He also made a video on this exact car already and funny enough some of the coda modules that I used for the conversion came from Robert!

[@keegan854]

@@ElectrekGarage I was wondering that! Not too many Codas in the world and he has 3 of them :)

[@VirtualJMills]

Windows: You might be able to find some "wiper on a roll" to replace the original center seal?

[@devdoesitbest6974]

Looks like something Flint Lockwood would drive

[@michaelmartin9022]

I bet this will be running long after a lot of todays electric cars, too. No software bugs, no "unable to download wifi update", no planned obsolescence. Just "If there's volts, off you go!"

[@gracie-C3]

you can really tell they took pride in what they were designing and building, no matter how it came out aesthetically

[@cannedmusic]

When you're describing the makeup of the vehicle, it reminds me of Johnny Cash's One Piece at a Time. bet you're excited about switching your powerpack to a solid-state system; shorter charging time, lighter...less possibility of explosion