Re: home made Hybrid -

[Jerry Casper <gremlingts@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- fljab@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:


> but one idea thrown out I'd like to talk about some
> more.
> 
> What if you took an AMC, something light & cheap,
> like an American or Gremlin,


  Uh..."light"? A GREMLIN?! I own 8,and except for the
early 70-72 models, they're pretty much ALL over 3,000
lbs, the mid-70's approach 3,400 lbs with all the
safety crap on them. I think the early ones were 2,700
at lightest, and that's NOT very light. My '84 Dodge
colt weighed 2,100 lbs. 

> >Where to find info on an electric motor that would
> work
 SEARCH THE WEB
> >Would the electric motor still need to go through a
> transmission
  NO. THEY CAN START FROM 0 RPM. 
> >Would a generator like what you'd find at Lowe's or
> Home Depot work to recharge while driving?
   NO
> 
> On the last, I'd think not.  

  You'd need to use the current drain of a big enough
electric motor used to power the car, then find a
generator that could keep up with it.
   My cousin's husband, an inventor, made a Subaru
Brat as a hybrid out in Denver, CO a 20 years ago,
except with a twist...he used the Generator gas MOTOR
to power the truck, as well as 20 electric batteries
and electric motor! He fought Denver authorities for
YEARS trying to get an Emissions exemption for it, but
because it used a 2-cycle gas engine, they
hard-headedly would not issue a waiver to let him
legally road it experimentally. I don't know if he
brought it back east with him, or sold it, but it was
a very interesting piece of work. He said the 2-cycle
motor wouldnt' push the Brat much faster than 45
mph....I asked about why he didnt use the gen motor to
power a generator to charge the batteries while the
electric motor was running, and he "claimed" too much
efficiency loss. I dunno, I'd think even a 10,000 watt
generator motor would use less gas than a 350 V-8, or
even a 4-cylinder. But that's for some one else to
figure out. 


>   I don't think a normal
> size generator like this could keep up with current
> drain in batteries while driving normal speeds, but
> I'm not really sure how to figure all this out.


  Use your public school edumacation to figga it out,
dude! E=MC Hammer square knotted and that sort of
thing...
> 
> I was thinking that, of course, you'd need a
> sh**load of batteries, but could you separate them
> into two banks and run off one while the other
> charges? Kinda like a backup?

  No, you need alot of batteries to power a vehicle
electric motor to push a 2,000 lb car down the road. 

> 
> I'm kinda intriqued by this idea and wonder how
> cheaply you could put together a classic AMC using
> electric/gas power. 

  All custom work...not cheap unless you do it ALL
yourself. 

> I'd need AC as well..

   extra load on the electric motor.

> 
> I don't know, maybe it's just another idiot idea aka
> a project that would never get done; just thinking
> of a way to enjoy our cars regardless of the gas
> situation... Jim Boone


 Nothing wrong with thinking , Jim. That's how ideas
form. ONe of the BIGGEST weight areas in a car is
GLASS, it weighs more than metal per surface area. You
remove the glass and install plexiglass or lexan, then
you'll lower the weight substantially. All the
interior trim adds weight, all non-paying. How much
comfort can you give up to increase the mileage? 
  Here's a Gremlin concept idea. Remove all the side
and back glass, replace with lexan. remove all
interior excess trim. remove back seat ( dead weight
). Change doors out with early version Gremlins to
lower door weight ( no safety impact bar ). Other than
the safety bumpers, there's not much else you can
remove to save weight. And you can't remove THOSE
unless they were put on an earlier car. So you really
need a pre-73 Gremlin. Then you can start on the
Electric conversion. Or, put in a Rabbit VW diesel
engine. LOL. just kidding...

Jerry Casper
8 Gremlin owner. 


		
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