Low Cost Miata Electric Conversion

A detailed review of converting a 1990 Mazda MX 5 Miata to Electric Power

[@whitebeardadventures9208]

Congratulations on finishing your electric conversion....you are the only one that I have found on utube to do this good of a job for a reasonable price. I have often thought of a project like this but the cost is prohibitive. Two great things I see from your build, one finding and purchasing an electric conversion at a cheap price for the parts and two getting a expert consultant. I'm no electrical expert at all so that is the part that would scare me the most.....again congrats...Dave

[@electricandlspower]

Cool project. Great video. Thanks for sharing

[@LymanPhillips]

Classic final shot. Love the Lightening Mcqueen sun shade. Kids must love that.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@stumitchell3515]

"you do you" :-) Thats awesome. Excellent video! I am starting down the conversion road and this vid really gives me hope that it is do-able... challenging but do-able. Thanks for putting it up.

[@stupid-clever]

Challenging but doable is the best way to describe it. I just got back from running errands in it. I’ve been driving it here and there for over a year without any issues. Just take your time and unless you are an electrical engineer, you might want to get a consultant on board early. I couldn’t have done it without one. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@fireye1679]

I converted a red Miata back in 2008 when I used to run a conversion shop in the Seattle area. The owner bought $25K worth of Valence lithium batteries when lithium was rare (156V). It had a NetGain 9 motor, prototype Synkromotive controller and the same Zivan charger you have shown. I also used a liquid high voltage heater from Metric Mind (kept stock heater core) and a 12V electric power steering pump imported from Israel. In total I think the cost exceeded 50K as the owner bought the car for $7500, $25K for batteries and I charged $18K for parts and labor. The owner unfortunately died unexpectedly before I finished so he never saw it, and his widow was not interested but had me finish in an attempt to recoup the money, but it was clearly not worth $50K when finished. I am sad the owner never got to enjoy it.

[@stupid-clever]

What an experience! It’s kind of sad to see that generation of conversions have already become so outdated. I’m still loving mine. Just got back from running errands today. I gotta ask, what ever happened to the car?

[@fireye1679]

@@stupid-clever Honestly, I don’t know. My guess would be that the original owner kept it stored and it’s just been sitting unused and neglected. Only other possibility is that she sold it for a huge loss and I’ve never heard about it again.

[@remoteportal]

What happened to it?

[@GhostDancer65]

@@remoteportal and hello @fireye1679 - I HAVE THAT CAR! I advised the widow on an attempted sale in 2018 and then put in in storage when we didn't find a buyer. I'm now resurrecting it. Drop me a PM, Jay.

[@pg9112471]

Inspiring build. I have a miata (stock) just like yours (1990) I looked into doing this but the technology isn't cheap enough yet for me to do this to it. I rebuilt the engine 6 years ago and it's just now leaking oil. Time for a refresh. It's always been a reliable little car it's in the body shop now getting painted can't wait to drive it again. Thanks for sharing.

[@stupid-clever]

I've loved the miata since it came out in 1990. perhaps you will get around to it some day

[@mikeywi96]

Awesome build. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. And cool shirt, DAD

[@stupid-clever]

You bet

[@conceptrat]

Love what you've done. Looks really clean.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@jdear97]

Nice job, really like your work and your detail.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@oleksandrdemchyshyn2452]

Well done! Congrats!!!

[@roversteve8772]

Lovely job Dave very professional , Great video. Very different looking to the conversion on the Ford Escort you purchased as a donor car. Using a existing electric vehicle as a starting point is a Brilliant idea. Look forward to seeing more videos in the future. I own a 1994 1.8 Mazda NA Eunos Roadster Automatic a Japanese model may be an idea in the future. Thanks again Great Video Well Done.😀👍.

[@stupid-clever]

Sincere thanks for your kind comments and for watching!

[@death256p]

I've always dug the design of 80s-90s cars, and hopefully I have the financial means to indulge this hobby one day. but if not, I'll have videos like yours to enjoy. thank you for sharing!

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@YTesting]

Extremely well done, thanks for the video!

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@Bob0bscureD]

Awesome project ... and t-shirt

[@mcneill64]

Sweet. I converted a VW bus. You’re going to love that ride!!

[@stupid-clever]

My first car was a 63 bug. I almost ditched the Miata and picked up a 73 Bug convertible that I was going to convert. I’ve seen the bolt in conversion packages and knowing how simple and elegant the old air cooled VWs are, I almost did it. The Miata was a bit more complicated, but I’m glad I did it. Cheers!

[@Kay0Bot]

Mazda is missing out making bank not offering electric miatas

[@danmobile]

I agree, seems like the perfect little car for electrifying. Even with 100 miles range, if it had some type of fast charge, I'd buy one! I want an EV convertible and the only one on the market is a smart car.

[@georgeb5262]

@@danmobile Porsche Taycan's gearbox may can increase the range, parameters and the fun of the car.

[@danmobile]

@@georgeb5262 That's a big ass non sports car that's triple the price of anything I'd want to buy. Who cares if it has an automatic transmission, I just want something fun and small.

[@georgeb5262]

@@danmobile Agree, but the same thing can be put in lower quality car.

[@danmobile]

@@georgeb5262 Yep I'm hoping they announce an electric Boxster!

[@Anthony-cz6uf]

the DAD shirt.... Nice haha. Awesome video. Keep upgrading it, this will be a trend in a few years!

[@stupid-clever]

Hey, thanks for watching! Glad you picked up on the DAD shirt!

[@frakman1]

@@stupid-clever I saw it too. Guitarist and Miata enthusiast here. Nice work.

[@rjgonzalez5331]

Cool vid man looks super nice

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks!

[@tomeasley3538]

Electric is the future, you do very nice work everything is clean and looks well designed. Congrats on the finished project and being a car guy Im sure you'll enjoy it for years. Now you need to build a power wall, and some alternative power sources.

[@stupid-clever]

sounds like ideas for a couple of new videos.....(expensive ones too!) cheers!

[@tomeasley3538]

@@stupid-clever I built an off the grid cabin, really a house deep in the woods almost 40 years ago pretty primitive in comparison to todays resources , then I started working with Tesla in their early years , Im big fan of alternative energy can't wait to see what you are up to.

[@fix-and-drive-diy-repairs]

I respect the idea of keeping the clutch.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching The clutch still makes it fun to drive!

[@paulmoretto1224]

Subscribed! Thanks for sharing!

[@ianmichaels7629]

Hi, I share most of the viewer's comments, a truly great job. Well done. I have 2 of these models. One is my 'show car' the other is, well just a driver so it could be converted. Very tempting after watching your video. I guess range could be extended if you up graded the batteries?? Apart from that it's a great idea and yes, electric I think is the future. Many thanks for doing a great job with the video, my only small negative comment would be, loose the music. Great presentation 100%..See ya.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching. Based on stats, if my batteries were new I should get about a 60 mile range out of it. I have enough battery box space to upgrade to a bigger pack that could get me 100 miles. Might be a few years down the line though. Cheers

[@yorch802]

Thank you for the video, great job !

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@ifancysongs]

Nice one, looks cool.

[@uligonzalez4303]

What a clean build on the EV conversion. I want to covert my ‘02 Sentra SE-R that I had since new. It’s my back up now to our Tesla M3. Really like how clean yours looks internally.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching Good luck on your build!!

[@RJSoftware2000]

Love what you done. Hate having to strain to hear what you say. The music isn't bad, just the ratio of volume is wrong. It's like someone occasionally putting finger on camera lens when you're trying to see.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for your comments. I’m still pretty new to the editing process. Still learning. Thanks for watching

[@RobS32]

Good job mate 👍

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@wstein25]

Very nice build and video. You are quite the sleuth finding the ford conversion and striping it, finding battery boxes and batteries, all used and relatively low cost. You talked about going forward with upgrades, you might consider that with an AC drive you get regeneration - that is during braking and downhills you put some charge back in the batteries. It might add as much as 25 to 30 % to your range with the same KWH capacity battery bank. I am hoping to start my EV conversion soon. I have a perfectly good '96 Miata, ready to be transformed. It's a blast to drive, and I hope it stays that way after the conversion.

[@stupid-clever]

Glad you liked the video. I think I will do a full re-build in 5 years or so with more bleeding edge technology. This build was definitely on the cheap but successful. The car is still really fun to drive, but it is a totally different experience! There are days when I miss the sound of the ICE on a long mountain drive! Good luck with your build. Please consider documenting the conversion for other potential Miata conversion folks out there! Good luck!

[@sharonbraselton4302]

jus buy sojid star batedr 25 9ercant nore rabfe

[@solexxx8588]

Nice build. I was a bit disappointed in the range but as you said, you can always upgrade batteries later.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@reganovich]

nice work..Peace from Ireland !

[@stupid-clever]

Much appreciated! Thanks for watching! Peace!

[@delsol7878]

Nice conversion! I just wish you had more detailed videos of covering it... ^^

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@noahnadur2961]

Been thinking of doing some kind of motor conversion for my 92 miata now I gotta consider going electric with it

[@stupid-clever]

Go for it! Seems like 92 ways a good year!

[@adrianhope4796]

Good useful encouraging video.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@smitd4ty]

Congrats 🎉 cool build! Have you made any changes/upgrades since the video? This is exactly what I needed! No background. Have a 90 Miata. In Colorado. Idea of converting to EV seems so dope!!

[@stupid-clever]

Glad you liked it! I literally have not made a single change to the car since I finished it. As long as I keep it charged up and air in the tires it gets me around town without a hitch. Heading into some great convertible weather! Cheers

[@Jw20000]

I love this thanks for posting. My only criticism would be hella noisy vacuum pump. I would upgrade to something quieter and further more mount it in a dampened box

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching! A vacuum pump upgrade of some sorts will definitely be part of version 2.0 at some point. Fortunately you don’t notice the pump with the top down going faster than 10 mph or so!

[@dancliffton2596]

this is really cool when you think about how he went about converting it and that this actually exists but i feel like after seeing him drive it around all the fun parts about the miata are gone now except the 50 50 weight distro. but i guess thats subjective because my favorite part about driving a miata is the hi revving engine and the way it sounds 1.6 or 1.8 and the 5 speed so i guess when you gotta start in second and all the other fun footwork stuff is gone

[@stupid-clever]

You are right about the fun of the high revenge engine! Most of all I miss the sound! It’s a different kind of fun. Thanks for watching

[@andyharley2525]

I'm not fallin for the 🍌 in the tail pipe gag! 🤣 🤣

[@stupid-clever]

People still stop and notify me all of the time! Thanks for watching

[@jordanleaman]

Having some serious deja-vu right now, I'm watching this as I'm nearing completion of my '91 Miata EV conversion with a Netgain Warp 9 motor and a 144V lithium battery pack, distributed among the same locations in the car as your build. Also using Orion BMS. I like the sway bar relocation, I wish I had seen this video earlier.

[@frankmundo4300]

How much you pay for the battery

[@jordanleaman]

@@frankmundo4300 using a full pack and a half from a '14 Chevy Volt, coming in at roughly 24kwh for just shy of $3,000

[@stupid-clever]

What??? that's awesome! A little scary how similar!

[@lynvingen]

Thank you for sharing! It was interesting to see how its all put together. A question that came up for me towards the end was how the main, center battery was closed off from under the car, or if at all? After removing the gas tank and cutting out that area I would imagine leaving that area exposed would introduce lots of noise and dust over time (assuming no rainy day drives). and while everything is exposed was any sound deadening added since you get rid of a major noise source? I bet a lot of people are doing these conversions in the years to come and even more will consider a conversion themselves.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching! After installing the battery box in the gas tank cavity, I added a sound dampening layer with a Harbor Freight moving blanket that went under the carpet. I don’t really notice road noise from the back.

[@bernardcharlesworth9860]

Nice job

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks!

[@rogermartinez78]

I like your video my friend, I went the other way and bought a F56 Mini Cooper electric that is complete converted by Mini, I have no interest in the new Mini coming in 2025. And like you I plan to keep my Mini for the rest of my time on the planet. Anyway, excellent job on your Miata.

[@stupid-clever]

I’m a huge fan of the mini! Thanks for watching

[@whitebeardadventures9208]

added my subscription to your channel.

[@YesitisDex]

Wow that it COOL

[@wavxray]

Sweet. Great verbal presentation. I love the build. I’ve always wanted to convert a Fiat X19. Any thoughts?

[@stupid-clever]

If you love the car, there is always a way. just don't invest time in a car you don't want to drive! Cheers

[@sharonbraselton4302]

buy fait 500 eltrc

[@maniata8869]

Thanks for the video! I also own a Miata 1997 model . It is stock and I am going to keep it as long as I can. Your conversion work is very nice and clean! Congratulation on that. My only comment is too bad the range is a bit low. Is there any chance you can upgrade the battery to increase the range in the same batteries layout you have? Nice work!

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching! Upgrading the batteries in the future using the same battery boxes is definitely the plan in the future. Fortunately 99% of the driving I so is within 6 miles of my home. The car is a little like driving a 1st generation iPhone. Version 2.0 will be fun to build.

[@peterkacandes5905]

At some point you might want to add some high voltage warning stickers on the outside, just in case, for emergency responders.

[@stupid-clever]

This is an outstanding idea! Thanks

[@robertpryor7225]

An "electrons onboard" sign, Calvin and Hobbes pissing on the oil industry & a power wheels logo.

[@chosenArchitec]

I want to also convert that 240 Volvo I see down the street ;D love the bronze panels

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@sharonbraselton4302]

buy volvo new ektrc 200 mike range

[@chosenArchitec]

@@sharonbraselton4302 huh? Only electric station wagon I see from them is a concept. You should have just recommended me the new MG5 electric :)

[@willyd-adv]

Great conversion. I have 2 NA MX5s and will soon be converting my red 1990 5 to EV. I'm hopefully going to use my $5000NZD Nissan Leaf as the donor as it seams the cheapest way to go.

[@stupid-clever]

that sounds like an awesome project! make a video and share please!!

[@ROCKNROLLMODS]

"I AIN'T FALLING FO NO DAMN BANANA IN MY TAILPIPE!" LMAO. What a great movie

[@stupid-clever]

It’s great when someone actually gets the movie reference! Thanks for watching!

[@ROCKNROLLMODS]

@@stupid-clever when I was in college beverly hills cop and spinal tap were our go to movies.

[@ROCKNROLLMODS]

Awesome! Just realized that you shirt says "DAD"

[@stupid-clever]

A great Father’s Day gift!

[@philtheoccultist]

aah i love the miata community

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@dbc105]

Curious about your batteries. I heard you say you used the used parts from the Escort and also 144 volts and about 35 miles range. I wondered what batteries they are, what did they come out of and do you have an idea of about what watt hour capacity you have in them. With those I can figure out approximate(best guess) range with the Net Gain in other small cars. Great jobs of both the build and the vid. Thanks, DC

[@stupid-clever]

The batteries are made by “Enerdel” and were sold by a local shop that specialized in conversion parts. I don’t think they are available anymore. The pack is a 19 KWh pack and if the batteries were fresh, I should be getting 60 miles out of them. The guy I bought them from used them for at least three years and they sat on my shelves for at least two years after that. Good luck!!

[@sharonbraselton4302]

gmm ev ¹ 45 mioe range ckse too ev ¹

[@boxingtherapy87]

I wonder if this would be similar to my 93 probe gt 🤔

[@johnmurraycompton569]

Great vid, thanks for documenting it! 2 questions: - Do the batteries get hot? I imagine the nose box gets plenty of air cooling. Is a lack of air flow on the rear pack a concern? - Would you be able to share contact info for your consultant? Thanks! JM

[@stupid-clever]

I haven’t had an issue with overheating batteries, although I only drive it a max of 6 miles or so at a time. I haven’t communicated with my consultant in over a year, but If you are serious, I will forward your contact info to him. Just let me know

[@naarealy]

I am supremely interested in doing this, but with a 1964 Cadillac. (yes,, I know... HEAVY!) I have a vision of the majestic old girl silently cruising the boulevard for a nice brunch!

[@stupid-clever]

As long as you are not expecting long range or dramatic performance, it would make a very cool cruiser!!

[@sharonbraselton4302]

buy new ekrrc cadilace

[@jonpierce-ruhland271]

Nice looking build. I have a notion to swap a Leaf or i-MiEV powertrain into an NA Miata so I viewed this with some interest. Might have missed it, but what'd you wind up at for total weight? I'd imagine probably +150 over the base car?

[@stupid-clever]

I think your estimate is pretty close in terms of weight. There are a lot of folks using factory ev power trains these days. I guess hacking the software can be challenging. For now, I’m happy driving my first generation iPhone EV!

[@glennoc8585]

A guy in the UK has done a conversion of an NB. You could do an Air Con at some stage.

[@stupid-clever]

There are nifty ways to add a compressor, but that is the beauty of converting a convertible, the air conditioning is built in! Thanks for watching!

[@wstein25]

Finally getting my Miata conversion underway. Did you have any concerns about rigidly mounting the motor to the car frame? I'm inclined to preserve the rubber motor mounts used on the ICE.

[@stupid-clever]

I haven’t had any problems for a couple of years. Integrating the rubber motor mounts might work well. Good luck!!

[@fluffymcdeath]

Nice DAD shirt!

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@alexisknows6513]

Nice video , with your coil over change what Spring rate did you use ...Kg/mm or total pounds is fine.

[@stupid-clever]

Full disclosure: I have no idea. I just pulled the coil overs out of the package and slapped them on the car. The rear still sits a little high. I'll probably take a look at dialing in the suspension next spring.

[@nevco8774]

It is interesting to know the update of the car life after 2 years. What do you do if something breaks? Does your consultant help you with troubleshooting? I assume the car does not have airbags?

[@stupid-clever]

I have only had a few issues with the car in the last two years. Obviously the range keeps me close to home, and the snowy winters are a bit limiting. It does have a stock airbag on the driver’s side but none on the passenger. It does get a little glitchy if I let it sit for a couple of weeks with charging and balancing the cells. I got stranded about 6 miles from home one day after the state of charge dropped from 88% to 40% instantly. I now top it off about once a week if I’m driving it or not. When it does die, I think that will be about the right time to rebuild it with new parts. I tell people it is like driving a first generation iPhone in comparison to the tech out there today. Thanks for checking in! Cheers

[@nevco8774]

@@stupid-clever I am amazed how you integrated airbags into your system. I bet your car does not have vampire drain the way Tesla or Rivian has: the situation when battery gets discharged anyway certain percentage a day even the car is not driven due to extensive non necessary work of the main computer. Yuotubers noticed that the EVs of traditional automakers do not have their batteries discharged for no reason. In my experience with Chrysler Pacifica PHEV: I left the car parked for more than 2 weeks and the percentage of the battery charged remained the same. Oddly enough my car is equipped with 19 kWh battery giving me 29-32 mile pure EV range. That means your car’s same capacity battery giving you the same range in much smaller lighter car has lost rightly 45-55% of original new capacity. I believe your already old batteries batteries did hold pretty well so far. Kudos to your amazing perseverance to get a such complicated project done with as much as possible DIY.

[@mangcheng5599]

I love the idea for convert to EV and keep the manual transmission. I hope there will a cheaper motor with high rpm and less torque. BTW, what’s the rpm for 100km/h on 5th gear?

[@stupid-clever]

That’s a great question and I can honestly say I have no idea. I was unable to source the appropriate speed sensor for the motor to hook up to the tachometer. I just go by feel!

[@casey17w]

Nice tshirt D.A.D.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching!

[@JoediyLab]

How did you mount the motor to the transmission and keep the clutch, Most EV'ers remove the clutch and make a shaft between the transmission splines and the electric motor. I am interested in how you kept the clutch. Thanks

[@stupid-clever]

The CanEV adaptor package purchased for the conversion includes an adaptor to mount the shaft of the motor directly to the clutch. Check them out at www.canev.com The adapter was a bit pricey, something like $800 but it was completely plug and play and bolted up without a hitch. Clutch works normally.

[@JoediyLab]

@@stupid-clever Great, thanks for the answer and the quick feedback

[@demil3618]

Nothing stupid about this at all. Great project. The best about projects like this is what there is to learn and to achieve. Would love to do a VW T3 but weight / power ratio isn’t great and where would all the batteries go? So I keep running it on used cooking oil...

[@stupid-clever]

Gotta love the biodiesel! Smells like French fries! My first car was a 63 bug. There are a bunch of bolt in EV kits available for VW conversions. I’m guessing you would sacrifice the back seat for battery space though. Cheers and thanks for watching!

[@demil3618]

@@stupid-clever Its a 9-seater now. Would love to keep it like that. There is space under the back bench and perhaps in the engine compartment (as the electric motor is smaller). But the tank is under the front, not a great place to suspend batteries. Tricky. And 1200kg empty weight, hmm... Shows the challenge with electromobility. If batteries get better energy density, it’ll become an option.

[@phoenixmistertwo8815]

Had to look at his shirt for a second.. Thats Dmajor, Amajor, Dmajor.. So. 'DAD'.

[@stupid-clever]

Father’s Day gift! Thanks for watching

[@theoneoneguys]

Awesome build! I'm interested in how the Colorado tax credit works?

[@stupid-clever]

Check out: energyoffice.colorado.gov/zero-emission-vehicles/zero-emission-vehicle-tax-credits There is a link to a PDF “FYI income 69” that details the tax credits in Colorado for conversions

[@theoneoneguys]

@@stupid-clever Wow very interesting, you got your conversion done right in time. Very cool program, hopefully they open it back up for the future; looks like it ends the start of 2022. Going to have to see if other states have done the same.

[@coreychildress156]

I'd love to convert my NC when battery tech gets to the point where I can get 150-200 miles of range out of er.

[@stupid-clever]

That time will come soon I expect. Thanks for watching

[@December314]

Good, common sense video!

[@jasonmanness7941]

curious about the batteries. I know miatas don't have a ton of space but what are the battery modules out of? (besides the formerly electric escort lol)

[@stupid-clever]

The batteries were created by a local company that was building modules for EV conversion purposes. The packs themselves came from Enerdel. The local guys put the packs into the plastic frame modules with 4 cells each. 10 modules of 4 cells each. The lucky part of it all is that the consultant I hired was one of the engineers that started the local company and built the battery modules in the first place. Just sheer luck! I don’t think those modules are available anymore.

[@jasonmanness7941]

@@stupid-clever that makes it a crazy good find, especially for as little as it cost! hope you're enjoying the car!

[@zivenp6364]

What is there total cost of the components not including the Miata? This seems like a fun build

[@stupid-clever]

That’s tough to say since I did it in a round about way. I bought the Miata originally for about 3K and drove it for 10 years and probably invested 4-5 K in it over the years for cosmetics, new paint, hard top, soft top, chrome wheels etc. I got all of the electric components used in the form of a converted Ford Fiesta for $5500. Sticker price on the stuff when it was new was over $15k. After selling the engine and engine hoist after using it and everything else when it was said and done, I put out about $9K on the conversion (not including the cost of the car). I immediately got $5K back on my taxes in Colorado (but now is only worth $2500 as of last year). My total net cost for the conversion was somewhere between $3500 and $4K. You can typically find an old Miata out there for between 2 and 3K, and if you wanted ultra low cost conversion with short range and grocery getter speed, I think you could do the whole thing for under 10k.

[@BokBarber]

I really like what you've done, but as much of a sucker as I am for manual transmissions (particularly the near perfect shifting in the NA Miata), I would've gone for a direct linkage. That transmission is 75 pounds of weight that could go towards even more batteries.

[@stupid-clever]

All true! Version 2.0 will likely be direct drive

[@jimmiewomble416]

There's a red 90 model in my driveway that threw a rod through the block, missing a transmission, just begging for this conversion. I am concerned about keeping close to the 50/50 weight distribution I love so much about this car.

[@stupid-clever]

It’s totally possible! You could do the conversion, but it will never be anything like the original again. There are some days I really miss the sound of a revving engine!

[@aaron13133]

I want your build, in my focus SVT but more range.

[@stupid-clever]

New batteries would get you better range. Sourcing parts takes a bit of time and research. Good luck and thanks for watching

[@sharonbraselton4302]

buy fird firlçus ev version 90 mioecrange

[@jaideep1337]

What's the Watt Hour capacity of the battery pack? I can run a few range estimations from that figure.

[@stupid-clever]

It is technically a 19 kWh pack that by calculation should get me a range of around 60 miles. In reality, the used batteries have quite a few cycles on them and my range is actually more like 40 miles. I’ll be looking to upgrade the batteries in a year or two for sure

[@jaideep1337]

@@stupid-clever that sounds about right. I guess there simply isn't enough space to put in more batteries. Maybe try out the new higher density 21700 cells, might be able to fit in like 25kwh of capacity then and get a 100 mile range.

[@sharonbraselton4302]

teksa ¹6 pern mire range maxuim 8¹ mioe range

[@Simpyspec]

you can add electric power steering for $950 from Kpower

[@stupid-clever]

Possibly a good add on for version 2.0 when I replace the batteries, but for now I don’t mind it without the power steering. Thanks for watching!

[@paulmclaughlin4092]

Great conversion, beautiful job but lose the wooden wheel!

[@stupid-clever]

Aw come on ! It matches the wood shift knob and the E brake handle! Thanks for watching!

[@andyybarra7032]

this is neat, I was wondering how does insurance work on a converted EV car?

[@stupid-clever]

Great question. I was able to get basic liability insurance to drive it, but I ran into a bunch of hurdles trying to get any additional coverage. You would need to approach one of the companies that insures vintage or classic cars and negotiate its worth. I built mine on the cheap and the blue book value of the car is so low that I didn’t bother. Thanks for watching

[@joebotelho248]

the emblem would look good painted in matt black, or extra dark red, or even dipped in carbon fiber film/wrap

[@mrDarksand]

Nice job man. But you do need a lot of batteries for the range it can go.

[@stupid-clever]

If the batteries were new, based on the specs, I should have double the range that I have. I guess you get what you pay for. I anticipate upgrading to new batteries in a few years. thanks for watching!

[@mrDarksand]

@@stupid-clever ooh of course. So what range should it be if they where brand new?

[@sharonbraselton4302]

new bater xells 60 mioe s too 70 mioe range orety good

[@Tennesseeroadster222]

Hi 👋 I have a 92 I been looking on how and what is out there for for my car when my motor goes I was thinking ev

[@stupid-clever]

Go for it! Thanks for watching.

[@HiFiInsider]

I want to do EV conversion to my 95 Honda civic coupe one day.

[@stupid-clever]

Go for it! Thanks for watching!

[@luc1f3r0_mf7]

its not that not a roll bar that im concerned about but the fact that they can make rollovers even more dangerous nothing against you the car is door just a safety thing

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@tsrwakemaster]

Which Curtis controller is it? I’ve got a 72V 400A 1206

[@stupid-clever]

It’s a 1231 c sorry for the very late reply!!

[@thetruthserum2816]

I may save up and make everything overpowered... then dial down the controller... +Electric A/C +electric Power Steering, + LiFEPo4 Batteries... +Water cooled controller... electric track car... +fast charging...

[@stupid-clever]

Sounds awesome! I currently feel like I am driving a first generation iPhone. I look forward to investing in upgrades at some point. Got to put a couple of kids through college first. Thanks for watching!

[@ChetM0NEY]

How are you kreping the batteries in the back cooled? This is where i am having problems

[@stupid-clever]

I’m actually not doing anything to cool the batteries . I’m never really driving more than 6 or 7 miles at a time . I’ve never had any problems.

[@ChetM0NEY]

Awesome! What spring size/coilover did you put in the back?

[@skystudiohawaii]

Obviously it would be a lot lighter without the transmission. Why leave it in?

[@stupid-clever]

I was more confident I could pull it off keeping the transmission. Next version will be direct drive

[@jordiwuyts822]

Can someone explain the t-shirt?

[@stupid-clever]

It’s graphic representation of guitar chords representing “D” “A” “D” My Father’s Day present. Thanks for watching!

[@B0A2]

What was the total cost?

[@stupid-clever]

total cost around $9000 without tax breaks

[@MrKFess]

Are there any legal hurtles to this?

[@stupid-clever]

I certainly hope not! I got the car legally registered as an electric vehicle. In Colorado, depending on who is doing the registration, they can be a little picky. I would advise looking up your local requirements. You won’t be the first person to have done it and they should have plenty of information online.

[@ronniemullis8717]

I do love these conversations but only a 40-50 mile range seems useless. I guess you could play 2-18 hole rounds and push it back to the clubhouse.

[@stupid-clever]

The trunk is too small for a set of clubs anyway

[@Tonyyyy_666]

Is it Illegal to do it out here in California?

[@stupid-clever]

I don’t think it is illegal anywhere, but California might have specific requirements to make it legal. The CO dmv had specific requirements for conversions on their website. (Like it has to be capable of 55 mph)

[@Tonyyyy_666]

@@stupid-clever I actually like this Idea a lot i mean don’t get me wrong i love my loud JDM cars but this is different very out of the ordinary but thank you i’m going to look into doing this to my Miata and see what i can do

[@n._.e.m.o]

how many it totally cost?

[@stupid-clever]

Total costs before tax rebates was about 9k USD

[@guiguitonicmotorsport]

It's so cool whit manual gearbox! For why Tesla and other ... Dont use manual gearbox. I dont know. It's fun.... eco...

[@stupid-clever]

Totally agree. Thanks for watching

[@guiguitonicmotorsport]

@@stupid-clever ;-) in the futur I would Like build a electric Dragster miata

[@B0A2]

Bruh the music is so loud

[@stupid-clever]

I agree. I’m done with music in videos from now on thanks for watching

[@tim1299]

good job , just didnt need the music

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@Magicinstalls]

35 miles of range is pretty useless put the gas engine back in it

[@stupid-clever]

Sure

[@philipgrice1026]

Interesting. But please get rid of the unnecessary guitar racket that detracts from your verbiage. Why do people insist on adding a music track to life. It doesn't come with one and doesn't need one.

[@stupid-clever]

Sorry?????

[@achillesbuilds2432]

Hydrogen is cheaper and better for... everything. Electric is a political scam. "Support my lobbyist and not theirs." Overall a cool project but too expensive for making to slower and less practical. I would like to build an electric truck car or solar crawler.

[@stupid-clever]

Thanks for watching

[@sharonbraselton4302]

wring hybdrr is way kire cist hydgern scam not ekrrc

[@Wrenchen-with-Darren]

Music makes this video unwatchable.

[@stupid-clever]

Your refund is in the mail.

[@Wrenchen-with-Darren]

@@stupid-clever awsome responce!!!! Lmao😂