My Dusty 71 GMCe Electruck

[Gregski]

just wanted to get an idear of how the batteries are going to go, each one of those cell modules as they are called is just under 60 volts, these are from a 2018 BMW 530e hybrid and they come 6 to a pack, wait did I just say 6 pack but backwards... rad!

so far I bought two packs so a total of 12 of these beauties

the other three will sit atop of these, bottom three will be mounted to the bottom of the frame C channel, and the top three to the top of the frame C channel using 2x4x1/4 angle iron in front and back

For the Record: I cannot fit four across as they interfere with the three K member bolts protruding upwards through the bottom of the C channel

[notsolo]

Loooking good Greg...When gas hits $10 gallon, your going to be riding around in style while we sit at home with thumbs up.... .... I hope you will add a super bright white light when you open the hood, or a pulsing blue light...Cheers.

[72 tigger]

Thanks for taking the time to take pics and share your stories with us (who knew buying aluminum could be so interesting!)

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Loooking good Greg...When gas hits $10 gallon, your going to be riding around in style while we sit at home with thumbs up.... .... I hope you will add a super bright white light when you open the hood, or a pulsing blue light...Cheers.

ha ha, thanks and is that a Back to the Future reference

[Gregski]

so for those of you who know me, or have followed any of my other two truck builds, Rusty '74 and or Busty '54 you know that I like making lists, sometimes I even make a list telling me to make other lists, ha ha

so, here is a list of things I hope to learn (pronounced: "play with") whilst embarking on this project, simply put because converting a 50 year old truck to electric ain't difficult enuff

1. Media Blast (as in air compressor and media cabinet)

2. Powder Coat (using a electric kitchen stove/oven) Cardboard Freight or Clint Eastwood kit donno yet

3. Paint a car (ok Plasti Dip, but you get the idea) even if it's rattle can

4. MIG Weld aluminum (just bought a special spool gun for my Lincoln 140c)

5. Sow my own seat upholstery (huge ambition, and highly unlikely)

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Gregski

so for those of you who know me, or have followed any of my other two truck builds, Rusty '74 and or Busty '54 you know that I like making lists, sometimes I even make a list telling me to make other lists, ha ha

so, here is a list of things I hope to learn (pronounced: "play with") whilst embarking on this project, simply put because converting a 50 year old truck to electric ain't difficult enuff

1. Media Blast (as in air compressor and media cabinet) - ✔

2. Powder Coat (using a electric kitchen stove/oven) Cardboard Freight or Clint Eastwood kit donno yet

3. Paint a car (ok Plasti Dip, but you get the idea) even if it's rattle can

4. MIG Weld aluminum (just bought a special spool gun for my Lincoln 140c)

5. Sow my own seat upholstery (huge ambition, and highly unlikely)

looks like we can check off number 1 off da list

[layinrocker65]

looking good. This really makes me want to do an EV conversion on something.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by layinrocker65

looking good. This really makes me want to do an EV conversion on something.

thanks and Two Words: "The COE"

[layinrocker65]

Originally Posted by Gregski

thanks and Two Words: "The COE"

Id need about 20 of those BMW battery packs and get 1 mi/kWh because of how big it is

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Gregski

so for those of you who know me, or have followed any of my other two truck builds, Rusty '74 and or Busty '54 you know that I like making lists, sometimes I even make a list telling me to make other lists, ha ha

so, here is a list of things I hope to learn (pronounced: "play with") whilst embarking on this project, simply put because converting a 50 year old truck to electric ain't difficult enuff

1. Media Blast (as in air compressor and media cabinet) - ✔

2. Powder Coat (using a electric kitchen stove/oven) and an Eastwood kit - ✔

3. Paint a car (ok Plasti Dip, but you get the idea) even if it's rattle can

4. MIG Weld aluminum (just bought a special spool gun for my Lincoln 140c)

5. Sow my own seat upholstery (huge ambition, and highly unlikely)

got to check off another item off da list

[72 tigger]

Always a good feeling to check a box

[Gregski]

Motivation?

let's check in with our new field correspondent to see what's in the box, Anita Morebits

[rickcdewitt]

Search electric c10 on youtube for an interesting awd build based on a tesla. Truck winds up aweful looking but i like the ideas behind it

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rickcdewitt

Search electric c10 on youtube for an interesting awd build based on a tesla. Truck winds up aweful looking but i like the ideas behind it

thank you yeah I watched it cringing as it got worse and worse with the more they piled on, my build will be very spartan, very utilitarian, no heater, no AC, no tilt column, no radio, no power seats, no power windows, and definitely no wide body kit

[jimbosprint]

This is a great project. I bet electric conversions are common in 15 years. When it gets more practical I can see putting electric in my K10.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by jimbosprint

This is a great project. I bet electric conversions are common in 15 years. When it gets more practical I can see putting electric in my K10.

thank you so much there is a bit of an underground movement I think some very skilled folks have kept their conversions on the downlow to keep the government from taxing electric vehicles just my conspiracy theory, ha ha

please check this link out

The Electric Vehicle Photo Album aka evalbum.com

[rickcdewitt]

I bet you could use the heat generated by your transmission and its cooler lines to send heated coolant to the heater core without too much difficulty?

[bennylava]

What about putting the batteries where the gas tank used to be?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by bennylava

What about putting the batteries where the gas tank used to be?

oh, I could, but I like to sit further back and have a tad of storage space behind me, and there is no solid frame there unless I build something, there is plenty of room under the bed too

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rickcdewitt

I bet you could use the heat generated by your transmission and its cooler lines to send heated coolant to the heater core without too much difficulty?

that is an interesting point Rick, a lot of the Electric Vehicle components are liquid cooled as well, the Inverter (drives the motor), the Battery Charger, the DC to DC Converter (acts as an alternator) but I am not sure if even all those components generate enough heat to warm the cabin or defrost the windshield, let me ask the good ol' folks on Open Inverter dot Org FORUM why EV Swappers don't do just that, as it is a good point you are making

one idea I am toying with is using the Chevy Volt onboard battery charger and DC-DC Converter (you know sorta keeping it in the GM family, this being a GMC and all) I could have also used the Volt 18 Kw battery pack but my OCD wouldn't allow it as the cell modules are of three different sizes unlike the even BMW "cinder blocks" I decided to go with

please keep the ideas comin' I luv it

[Gregski]

this fuel pump hump bothered me long enuff

[Gregski]

this will never fly at SEMA

[Gregski]

so first up, Big Bertha and sum brut force

[Gregski]

then the mini death wheel

[Gregski]

please don't knock these little Home Depot torches until you've tried a proper torch like this Benzomatic TS8000, cause it doesn't matter if its the blue bottle or the yellow one, it has nothing to do with the type of gas or fuel but everything to do with the proper mixture