Electric Vehicle Solutions Inc. was founded with the goal of producing affordable electric vehicle conversions and conversion components. We are currently using a 1997 S-10 conversion as a test bed for producing additional products and components.
Electric Vehicle Solutions Inc. is currently developing and performing R&D on the following products:
Please feel free to contact us for additional information and product availability.
Here are some pics of the vehicle just before we started the project. It’s a 1997 Chevy S-10 with a 4-cylinder motor, 5-speed manual transmission and 55,000 miles on the odometer.
Here are some photos of the 2.2 liter four cylinder engine removal process. It took about ten hours total to remove the engine, but I spread the work out over one week, working a few hours each day.
The process went smoothly enough, with only a few problems along the way. I worked slowly, labeling all wiring connections and protecting the engine as it only has 55,000 miles on it, and it was an exceptional runner. Hopefully, I can find a new home for it without much trouble. I encountered the first problem when I found the fuel line connections were located at the back of the engine and buried between the motor and firewall. After some creative wrench work and verbal abuse, that problem was eventually resolved. Next to rear their ugly heads, the starter and starter wiring connections also contributed to a significant rise in my frustration level. But ultimately these previous challenges would pale in comparison to the sheer horror, disgust, and downright fear generated when it came time to remove the motor to transmission bellhousing attachment bolts! I must say that I had been warned. I had heard rumors that “you’ve gotta pull the transmission and engine as a unit”. Then a friend of my buddy who knew a guy whose brother-in law helped a guy told me: “You gotta unbolt the cab and jack it up to get them bolts out”. But I didn’t listen. I forged ahead, I faced the monster, and I won. It only took a 3/8″ drive ratchet with a 12″ swivel handle, two 12″ extensions, and a 15mm swivel socket! Once I got that rig together, I quickly realized that the business end of my wrench was out of my bifocal range. More adjustments. Now it was only a matter of training my body to twist my right arm behind my head and work together with my left hand to feel …… Well, you get the idea.
Anyway, the engine is out. I have proof!. And I still have all my fingers.
The next step in the conversion involved removal of the fuel tank, fuel lines, and other miscellaneous parts no longer needed. The fuel tank removal was a straightforward process. Just remember to drain the tank first and apply some rust penetrant to the strap bolts well ahead of removal time. This is not an area you’ll want to have to resort to a cutting torch to remove a frozen bolt!
After the fuel tank was out and safely dealt with, it was time to remove the truck box. Again, a little rust penetrant was applied in advance, I removed the rear bumper, disconnected the wiring harness, and lifted that bad boy off. I’m fortunate to have had a forklift available, so I blocked the rear of the box onto the forks, attached a support chain to the front cargo ties, and lifted it off alone.
Here are a few pictures of the end result.
A preliminary frame clean-up was next on the agenda. This was one of the last “dirty” steps that needed to be done, but it was a nasty one. I wanted to pressure wash the engine compartment area to remove any grease, and then rough blast the rear frame to prepare the area where I’ll be welding battery box supports.
After a quick soaking with engine degreaser, and ten minutes with a pressure washer, the engine compartment was done and I turned my attention to other end of the truck. Rather than subcontract the rear frame sandblasting, I decided to blast the frame in our 10′ x 15′ blast room. I backed the rear half of the vehicle into the room, scrounged up some protective foam sheeting for the cab, and tarped the doorway closed. With coveralls, protective gloves, and a breathing air supplied air hat, it took about two hours to clean the frame to the condition shown. Again, this is only a rough blast to prep for welding. I’ll give it a finish blast when I’m done with the battery frames and ready for paint.
Well, this just about finishes up the dis-assembly stage of the conversion. Next up, we’ll begin manufacturing our motor coupling, motor adapter plate, and motor mount for the ADC FB1-4001A motor.
The first step in designing our motor/transmission coupler and motor /transmission adapter plate was to document the NV-1500 5-speed manual transmission mounting hole locations and input shaft centerline. Rather than trying to transfer the locations to a plate with center punches and drill bits, we opted to electronically digitize the locations to produce a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file. We’ll then use the acquired data to CNC (Computer Numerically Control) machine the steel motor coupler and aluminum transmission adapter. This process will eliminate any trial and error fit-ups and guarantee the parts will mate together correctly.
The digitizing was performed with a Faro digitizing arm.
After digitzing and gathering the transmission geometry, the raw data …..cont.