RANT: Electric Conversions, Not what you think...... Options

[KaptKaos]

There's a fellow selling a motor in the classifieds. Here's the link:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=92077

Seems normal enough. I assume, maybe wrongly, that this person is using the car for an electric conversion.

I have no issue with people converting their cars to electric motors. However, I am wondering if it is reasonable to ask or inform the people that are looking to do this to please try to use '76 cars? This is particularly important in California, as the smog checks in California aren't required on Pre-76 cars.

There are two counter arguments that I can think of and they are:

1) '76 cars are fairly rare, and therefore either more expensive and/or harder to find.
2) The point of an electric conversion is to reduce emissions, so using a car that has higher emissions makes more sense.

I am not sure if this is practical/possible/reasonable/feasible, so I figured that I'd ask.

Am I out of line here?

Please note that I mean no ill will to the seller above.

[LarryR]

So where is all this extra electicity going to come from to charge these cars every night? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

They'll just have to run the peak hour plants around the clock.

I have done lots of research into EV conversions (It has been probably 2 years ago). I came to the conclusion back then that in order to do it the way I would want with the power and range I would want it would cost somewhere around 50K. So I just deemed it not an option. I wanted Telsa performance....

I think doing it to a 914 is kind of a mute point considering that the 914 must be one of the all time most converted cars on the planet. (chevy v8's, suby, tdi, I think I remember someone even putting a geo engine in one) I remember thinking that I would probably do a boxster if I ever converted a car to electric. This is for reasons stated before... more abundant, rust resistance, etc...

However, for now the wife and I both drive 40 mpg clean diesels. The new jetta TDI is only 22K and delivers pretty awesome economy. I figure we do need to make the shift to energy independence for a multitude of reasons ... global warming, smog, economy of the nation, on and on....

No one technology will address everyone's needs so I say bring on the diesels, hybrids, EV's etc... Yes I still have my jeep for towing and hauling.... However, I now drive it less than 500 miles a year.....

I have strayed a bit from the initial premise of this thread so I will go ahead and stop here....