Jimmy's Electric Adventures

[J1000]

Do you have a feel for what you'd charge someone with an 80 series who wanted you to convert it and have it come back to them turn-key ready?

I have to believe you've got folks lined up around the block waiting to get conversions done!

Just saw this now. I do have a lot of interest but there are two big hurdles; cost and range. Most of the people that reach out want 200+ miles of range and have a small budget.

I've put some numbers together a couple times and I estimate it would be $8,000-12,000 just in labor. That depends on if the vehicle comes with the engine still in it etc. Then there is probably $15,000 or so in the EV components adapters and other odds and ends to complete the conversion. This would be about as cheap as possible so it would be a LEAF swap like mine.

 

[J1000]

Long time coming but here is episode 5 of my EV Land Cruiser build!

 

[J1000]

Episode 6 is out now!

 

[J1000]

Wiring! Latest episode is out:

 

[J1000]

Super fun day out on the trail with the club, Stay the Trail, and the Forest Service Rangers! I really pushed my truck to the limits. I climbed from Idaho Springs all the way over Kingston Peak and down the other side. About 21 miles, 4,700 vertical feet, 12,150ft elevation, and a low of 18% battery at the top!

When I made it back to town I had 30%! That is roughly 2.1 miles/kwh which is very similar to what the Rivian and Hummer EV get!

Big thanks to @FireMike for setting it up and @AimCOTaco for being my backup plan with tow straps!

 

[J1000]

Things are getting serious and I now have a workshop of my own to build EV conversions! Right here in Morrison less than a 1/4 mile from my house.

 

[Romer]

Jimmy, maybe I missed it. Are you starting a business or is that for your projects? What conversions do you have planned?

 

[J1000]

Jimmy, maybe I missed it. Are you starting a business or is that for your projects? What conversions do you have planned?

Yep I started my business EVSwap last year but I'm starting to get serious about it now. I have some irons in the fire I'll be posting about them soon!

 

[J1000]

EV40 project is a go! Check out this 57k mile all original 1969 FJ40 I just picked up. No drivetrain or axles were included but I've actually already got that stuff.

It's been stripped and the chassis sandblasted and it's ready to build. First steps are to POR-15 the chassis and start assembling it as a roller.

Undecided on the EV components but I am heavily leaning towards a LEAF based build again, except using the 214HP/250ft-lbs version with 62kwh battery. Roughly twice the power and twice the battery capacity of my 80 series and estimated 120+ miles of range. That could change though.

The only serious rust is on the rear of the tub otherwise this thing is clean! Have a couple big totes full of parts and all the glass in excellent condition. Will have to do some research on the best way to tackle the rust.

 

[DouglasVB]

Just saw this now. I do have a lot of interest but there are two big hurdles; cost and range. Most of the people that reach out want 200+ miles of range and have a small budget.

I've put some numbers together a couple times and I estimate it would be $8,000-12,000 just in labor. That depends on if the vehicle comes with the engine still in it etc. Then there is probably $15,000 or so in the EV components adapters and other odds and ends to complete the conversion. This would be about as cheap as possible so it would be a LEAF swap like mine.

The crazy thing is that's not too far outside the ballpark of paying a shop out here on the central coast of California to do an engine swap. ~$10-15k in labor and another ~$5-10k in parts to throw in an LS into a 1st gen runner and make it CARB compliant. And that was the estimate I got a few years ago!

 

[J1000]

The crazy thing is that's not too far outside the ballpark of paying a shop out here on the central coast of California to do an engine swap. ~$10-15k in labor and another ~$5-10k in parts to throw in an LS into a 1st gen runner and make it CARB compliant. And that was the estimate I got a few years ago!

Yeah it basically is an engine swap in terms of labor. A lot of people equate EV with saving money and they extrapolate that an EV conversion will be cheap and easy which is far from the truth. I had one person ask me if I could convert their 2015 Corolla for $5k because they wanted to save money on gas....they didn't think that through very well

 

[Stuckinthe80s]

Yeah it basically is an engine swap in terms of labor. A lot of people equate EV with saving money and they extrapolate that an EV conversion will be cheap and easy which is far from the truth. I had one person ask me if I could convert their 2015 Corolla for $5k because they wanted to save money on gas....they didn't think that through very well

LOL, people aren't too bright...

I had to look it up though:

I don't know what year Corolla they were asking about but my 91 got right at that and I suspect it hasn't changed much in the 30 years since then. So, even if you could do a swap for $5k, it would take just under 4 years to recoup the money spent.

 

[J1000]

LOL, people aren't too bright...

I had to look it up though:
View attachment 118149

I don't know what year Corolla they were asking about but my 91 got right at that and I suspect it hasn't changed much in the 30 years since then. So, even if you could do a swap for $5k, it would take just under 4 years to recoup the money spent.

Yeah and on top of that it's a fully functional car and one of the most reliable cars of all time. Makes no sense to tear it apart. EV conversions should be for a project car or a classic or something like that. Something you would LS swap etc. If you just want an EV commuter car buy a LEAF or Bolt.

 

[J1000]

I will be at Ohm on the Range's State of Charge '23 again this year! There are still spots open for the conference as well as Legacy EV hands-on training. Or come out on Saturday for the "La Vida Volta" EV car show expo which is FREE and open to the public!

Check out the website soc23.com

There are going to be some amazing EV conversions including TWO DeLorean conversions, the amazing EV Supercar, a '65 Shelby Cobra (replica) and of course my EVSwap Land Cruiser!

Public EV car show will be on Saturday the 5th at 3-7pm at Golden High School, Golden, CO.

Photo from last year's event:

 

[J1000]

Reminder to come out to Ohm on the Range State of Charge EV car show this Saturday 3-7:30pm at Golden High School. Same day as the Golden Cruise!

 

[J1000]

I got the chance to drive some amazing EV conversions and also run my 80 through a little autocross course after the State of Charge event last week. Glad I fixed my rear sway bar link!

 

[AimCOTaco]

Cool man! I wanna try a Rivian more than ever now. But where's the Green CJ-8, I thought we'd get a 4xEV shootout with you two?

 

[J1000]

Cool man! I wanna try a Rivian more than ever now. But where's the Green CJ-8, I thought we'd get a 4xEV shootout with you two?

The CJ isn't drivable yet. He bought a "turn key kit" that ain't so turn key...

 

[IoN6]

That is awesome. What was the K1's time?

 

[J1000]

That is awesome. What was the K1's time?

Not sure. I think it ended up being slower than the Electrollite. It's a pretty insane car but also very hard to drive from the looks of it.