Recent Updates
Miata Project Update:
25 May 2009
The new Ground Control suspension has been installed and functions much better. The ride is great and the vehicle stance is perfect.
20 November 2009
This is a picture of the motor and transmission before
insertion into the Miata chassis. Notice how much smaller the electric motor is than the original gasoline engine.
10 May 2010
The pictures below show the motor controller heat sink that was fabricated. A U-shaped cavity was machined in the back of the ½" aluminum controller mounting plate and then covered with a ¼" plate to enclose a volume of water. The water acts as a coolant and is continuously pumped to the small radiator in the front of the vehicle, visible from the front grill.
14 July 2010
Due to the added weight in the Miata, the brakes needed improving. An Internet search revealed that the 1994 Miata brakes were 30% bigger than the 1991 brakes. So 1994 calipers were purchased from a junk yard and completely overhauled and painted.
Things to consider before you start . . . .
Some things that you should think about before you start a project like this are:
- Do you have the funds available to complete a project of this magnitude? A minimum of $6000 would be necessary if you own the donor vehicle already. That should be your start, and then further funding can come with time.
- Do I have the mechanical skill to complete this project? While a minimum amount of mechanical ability is required, with enough funding the majority of the work can be subcontracted. So, advanced mechanical skills are not a must. The more that you can contribute to the project the more you will enjoy the result.
- Once started, can I finish it? An important question. There is nothing worse than having a half finished project sitting in your garage gathering dust. The answer lies in the goals set for your project. If you set a goal of reaching 50 miles on a charge and were only able to reach 20 miles would this discourage you? Would you have the motivation to continue working on the problem until you resolved the issue? There are people who can help you with these problems. If you purchase a kit of parts from an EV parts distributor, they have been through this before and can give you advice.
- Do I have a work space for this project? A garage space is necessary; the vehicle will be disabled without the hood for many weeks. Working under the vehicle outdoors is not very comfortable. Protection from the weather makes working on the project much more enjoyable. For a successful result, enough time needs to be spent on the project to get it right the first time. Working outdoors encourages haste which makes you to cut corners to get the project completed.
