Thanks,

lol!! The lower door speakers are the originals, fitted by Skoda from new! so should be least aftermarket looking

Maybe I'm missing something, but what's Columbus?

Paul

Ahh.. of course, shame one of those wouldn't fit!! lol

The gold cone in the speaker is hardly noticeable actually, my crappy camera on flash makes everything look naff! It also appears all the various panels and trim parts are vastly different in colour, in actual fact they are all either very near black dark charcoal, or black and look much better together in real life!!

Wait till you see my gold lightning flash decals.... coming soon!

Regards

Paul

At last I can reply to this topic!

I think this project is excellent and can't wait to see it finished as you're not too far away from me.

Keep up the good work!

Phil

Thanks Phil,

I will update as soon as I've made more progress, severe money troubles holding me back at present, but hopefully, this will be worked through soon!

Regards

Paul

Well if you ever need a hand with anything (unless it's financial as I'm pretty much in the same boat :S ) I am pretty capable (mechanically and electronically) and happy to help a project like this along.

Good luck with it.

Phil

Im loving this build , and the car is looking awesome! Even if it was still petrol powered- it must be one of the cleanest Favorits I've seen for years!!

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the kind offer. I might take you up on it yet

Hi Dmac,

Thanks for the kind complements. It probably is one of the best favorits left in the UK. It actually looks even better in real life, my camera isn't that hot, so it doesn't do it justice.

I have it stored in the garage, and the really strange thing is, when you open the door, and sit in it, apart from looking brand new, it smells strongly of that "new car smell". I really don't know why this is after 15 years, but it's still there!!!

I'll try to update you all as soon as possible, I'm tied down re-building my business at present, hopefully soon this will mean more money available to carry on the project. I'm back to thinking I'll actually use Lithium batteries instead of lead acid now the prices have fallen, half the weight and double the range of lead, along with an expected life cycle of over 10 years hopefully, just 2&1/2 times the cost up front!

These are favourite:

http://www.thunder-sky.com/pdf/200871782241.pdf

If I do use these, I'll have to re-build my battery monitor array to suit the different voltage, but hey-ho.

Catch you all later

Paul

Edited 8 March, 201016 yr by favguy

what happened to this project in the end?? still going?

what happened to this project in the end?? still going?

Hi All,

Yes this is very much still going to continue, the next stage involves buying several expensive components and due to a difficult financial situation, I've not been able to as yet, however thengs have turned around for me and I expect to be sourcing the drive motor in the next 2 to 3 weeks, lots of fun will then entail!!

Watch this space...

Paul

Amazing attention to detail.

Subscribed.

Looking forward to seeing that drive motor!

How are you planning on hooking it up to the current gearbox etc? Will it be be straight to the gearbox? I assume you won't need the clutch anymore as you won't have a constantly spinning drive source (petrol engine) and also probably be able to just leave it in a higher gear and only change once due to the torque from the motor.

Phil

First time I have seen this thread in the years it's been here and I've been a a member.

I must say it is astounding. All the work you have done is flawless and everything visible looks right at home amongst the original parts.

Very much look forward to seeing the finished article.

Best of luck with the build. Sounds like a great idea. As an aside, I wonder if Skoda will, in the future, build a Hybrid / Electric Fabia?

Dave

Edited 31 August, 201015 yr by DaveHarries

There's going to be an electric Octavia:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/News/News/Skoda-to-launch-electric-car/

I love projects like this, and massive kudos as this is better for the enviroment using a car that's had a life as a petrol car.

Hi all,

Thanks for all the kind words, I really havn't abandoned this project and it will continue soon. I am self employed and my business is taking all my time and money to keep afloat at present. The car is safely dry stored in the garage just waiting for me to source parts and continue, so do watch this space, if all goes well I'll try to get the motor before christmas and move on with things

Best regards

Paul

Hello all,

I bet you thought I'd got fed up with this and sailed off into the great blue yonder, didn't you?

Well, I'm back, and it's time to get this show back on the road... lol!!!

The disgusting looking lump you see below is the new power source for the car, don't be fooled by all the crud, it's a rough diamond and I'll show you all how a new set of brushes, springs, bearings & a paintjob will transform it over the coming weeks.

I'll be back very soon...

Yay! Another update One of my favorit (geddit?) projects this, I love the OEM-ness (is that a word? It is now!) you've given it as well, almost as if it's a factory build.

My dad is also interested in this one as he's a retired electrical engineer (a title which I think deserves more protection, as per Germany). He'd like to know what the motor is out of originally?

I've just found this thread and read the whole thing.... I know a thing or two about car mechanics, electric systems etc, and having done allot of stuff my self, from whole house electrical installs, to designing and installing advanced heating controllers, car hifi systems, elec mirror and windows in cars that didn't have them, to designing and building complex speaker crossover units, right down to repairing complex quartz watches....I can really appriciate the neat tidy way of the installs...the fit and finish...the devil is in the detail as they say!!!! Having accounts with CPC and Farnell I do know that I would personally swap some of your stuff for top end.....but that involves money!!!.....I still think you are doing a bloody good job on a tight budget tho!!! RESPECT!!!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the compliments

OctyNik, the motor is from a forklift, don't know which one as I bought it from a forklift breaker who had about 100 motors on the shelf, I'd say it's circa 1985ish and almost certainly hasn't been in use for over ten years at least. Your dad might be interested to know it's a series wound DC motor, it's plate rates it at 36v/48v for use in its original application, but from it's construction, I know it can be "tuned" to run safely at 144v !! mainly by advancing the brush timing by 12 degrees.

fabdavrav, what would you swap for top end then? Just out of interest

Have seperated the motor and can report apart from some wear in the end bearings, which will be changed as a matter of course, under all the filth, it's in exceptionally nice condition. I'm going to go and start cleaning it up now, so expect some piccies very soon :yes:

Paul

fabdavrav, what would you swap for top end then? Just out of interest

Paul

Can't find info...but I would have used different connectors for the back of the battery level display (not the spade/type) (I once went to a scrapies just to get VAG connectors as I was fitting front fogs to my a car of mine, and it looked so factory fit the dealership couldn't tell!) And possiably a different 3pin under the fuel filler cap.....but I'm splitting hairs here....have you seen Farnells catalogue???? some of the Mil and aero spec connectors are quite something.....so is the price.

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search/results.jsp?N=1002292&isGoback=false&displaytext=&isRedirect=false

Good luck with cleaning the motor....remember giving my mums Meile washing machine an overhaul and cleaning the BIG motor on that....IPA and meths I used....remember to do it outside...I didn't and stank mum's kitchen out

My dad is suitably impressed! He wants to know what you're using as a controller?

fabdavrav,

Have you seen the OE connectors on a favorit?? lol!! The ones I've chosen are very OE compared to the original stuff!

I did think about alternatives for the filler entry, but decided on the universal standard 16A, 240V socket.

You might also be interested to know that this motor alone weighs in at about one and a half times the weight of your mums washing machine at almost 60Kgs! It's incredibly dense (a bit like me !)

OktyNik,

Do a web search on "open revolt controller" this is the 144V, 500A controller I'm planning on using so far...

Now onto a little progress...

I started to go over the motor, firstly stripping it down to it's component parts, then degreasing the external casing components, followed by a coat of paint stripper on the aluminium end housings and manually sanding the steel centre until all was clean metal. This was followed by a coat of acid etch primer.

I also removed the cooling fan, and poles and phosphoric acid dipped them until they were corrosion free, these have yet to be painted.

The original bearings were removed from the armature shaft as they were rumbling and new ones have been sourced for re-assembly. the armature and commutator has been thoroughly cleaned and decades of accumulated compacted dust blown out of it with an airline, it appears to be in very nice condition.

Although not pictured, the brush assembly has also been removed and cleaned ready for re-assembly.

Next task is to remove, clean and re-insulate the field coils, I discovered a short to the motor body at pole 2 due to the pole having worked slightly loose causing vibration and chafing of the field coil insulation.

The insulation and varnish to do this is on it's way at present along with new brushes and springs.

Some more piccies for you all:

Back soon

Edited 17 May, 201115 yr by favguy

fabdavrav,

Have you seen the OE connectors on a favorit?? lol!! The ones I've chosen are very OE compared to the original stuff!

I did think about alternatives for the filler entry, but decided on the universal standard 16A, 240V socket.

You might also be interested to know that this motor alone weighs in at about one and a half times the weight of your mums washing machine at almost 60Kgs! It's incredibly dense (a bit like me !)

About the connectors.......I did realise after I posted that maybe that type was OEM for that car ....at least it all matches!!!

60kgs for the motor....nice and light then! pics look good!!!...new bearings probably cost more than the motor ehh???

Mums washing machine motor was about 15kg as it was two motors joined together....I think....it might have been a motor and an alternator/dynamo (the reverse of a motor) as the other bit had a clutch which helped when it kicked to to the very high speed spin.....I'm trying to remember accurately but brain isn't working.... :S

fabdavrav,

Well the motor cost £220, (a new Warfield Impulse9, almost identical but pre-built for EV use, would cost over £1500!) and the bearings were about £32, so not quite! lol!! Actually, all in, including the new brushes, springs, bearings, insulating materials, varnish & paint, it'll stand me at about £480.

Going to get a bit more done to it tomorrow, so more pictures soon...

Edited 18 May, 201115 yr by favguy