I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an older
Miata for years. Find something with a blown motor and go from there.
I shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started thinking
about it. You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty straight
body/frame cheap. Now-a-days everybody seems to think their blow
clunker is a secret basket find old original Indian.

P.S. I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because I
like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
flush lights on the new ones. Also, while its probably not available
new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
top for those old ones.

Yes, snag. This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard anybody
in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."

For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
helmet... this rounds on me.

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On 7/16/2023 1:05 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an older
> Miata for years.  Find something with a blown motor and go from there. I
> shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started thinking about
> it.  You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty straight body/frame
> cheap.  Now-a-days everybody seems to think their blow clunker is a
> secret basket find old original Indian.
>
> P.S.  I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because I
> like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
> flush lights on the new ones.  Also, while its probably not available
> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
> top for those old ones.
>
> Yes, snag.  This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard anybody
> in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
>
> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
> helmet... this rounds on me.
>
>
Oh shit , I thought that helmet belonged to Roger Mauck ! Sorry 'bout
that . Isn't the original Miata powered by a rotary ? Three rotor IIRC .
What a piece of shit motor , we had a '72 RX3 for a while . Ran like a
striped ass ape , but got worse mileage than the 350 1968 LeMans Pontiac
we traded in on it .
I got the next round .

--
Snag
Men don't protect women because they're weak .
We protect them because they're important .

On 7/16/2023 2:07 PM, Snag wrote:
> On 7/16/2023 1:05 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an
>> older Miata for years.  Find something with a blown motor and go from
>> there. I shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started
>> thinking about it.  You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty
>> straight body/frame cheap.  Now-a-days everybody seems to think their
>> blow clunker is a secret basket find old original Indian.
>>
>> P.S.  I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because
>> I like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
>> flush lights on the new ones.  Also, while its probably not available
>> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
>> top for those old ones.
>>
>> Yes, snag.  This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard
>> anybody in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
>>
>> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
>> helmet... this rounds on me.
>>
>>
>   Oh shit , I thought that helmet belonged to Roger Mauck ! Sorry 'bout
> that . Isn't the original Miata powered by a rotary ? Three rotor IIRC .
> What a piece of shit motor , we had a '72 RX3 for a while . Ran like a
> striped ass ape , but got worse mileage than the 350 1968 LeMans Pontiac
> we traded in on it .
>   I got the next round .
>

The RX7 and the RX3 had rotary engines. I was coming back late from a
date driving a buddy's RX3 one night and the throttle stuck. I don't
know how fast it reved when I stepped on the clutch, but I expected
there would have been a new crater in the road if I hadn't turned off
the ignition. The throttle mechanically had bound up passing a truck,
but I was able to pop it free and drive home.

As far as I know the Miata (MX-5) always had a standard reciprocating
engine. My wife had a 1990 when I met her, and it had a little 4 banger
developing maybe 90HP. It was "quick" if you knew how to "drive" a
stick. My first car was a 67 Ford (English) Cortina GT (not really
fast) with a stick so I was used to it.

I felt like, while it was definitely not faster, the old 90HP Miata
handled better than the RX7. I only got to drive an RX7 a couple times
so take that with a grain of salt. I do have one anecdote to share on
it however. Driving the back road into Julian I was dogging an RX7 in
all the turn's driving Patti's Miata. He would pull out on the straight
a bit, but into the next declining radius turn and I'd be on him. After
a couple of those he eased over and waived me by.

Totally fun, another time running up Yarnell hill headed for Prescott I
was driving the Miata loaded down pretty heavy with a trunk bag strapped
on the back full of camping gear. Yarnel hill has killed a few bikers
and even a few cagers, but I've been going up that hill my whole life.
My future wife's room mate was riding on the back of a ZX11 with her
boyfriend. He said, "I hope you can keep up."

I never drove it back when it was just a two lane, but I remember it.
Its a "little" safer today.

I replied, "Yeah we'll wait for you at the first gas station in town."
I didn't know if he could really ride that machine, if he would push a
road he didn't know that well in the dark, or if the first time he laid
into it in a turn she would beat the crap out of him to slow down. I
didn't really even consider it could have been deadly for both of them
if he really tried to push it going up that mountain. In any case I
figured if he could ride half smart he would take it easy in the turns
and blast out in the straights. I expect for certain he'd pass me
halfway up the first long straight section.

I don't recall why exactly, but I wound up a few minutes ahead of them
going up the hill. Maybe they gave me a head start. I forget. I hit
that first hard turn, braked in, and pushed out hard, and he still
hadn't caught me. There was a little sand on the road near the hill and
I felt the car slide just a little and thought to myself, "Okay, that's
the limit," If we hadn't been loaded down in back I might have slid out
and hit the mountain. I don't think so, but it sounds more exciting if
I tell it that way. I kept in it all the way to the top of the hill,
and oddly I was more nervous about the faster weaving turns in the trees
up top than I was about the hard turns coming up the hill.

All the way through the woods and I never saw anybody behind me. We
finally saw a place near Prescott where I stopped. I parked close to
the rode where he could see the car, and it was maybe 15-20 minutes
before he rolled in behind me. He just said, "I want to do that again
without a passenger." I didn't ask if he had sore ribs.

I figure a heavy battery in the back of a Miata in place of the gas
tank, and a decent high voltage multi phase electric up front and it
could be a micro beast, or a it could be an economy e-car basically at
the flip of a switch.

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On Sunday, July 16, 2023 at 3:27:23 PM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 7/16/2023 2:07 PM, Snag wrote:
> > On 7/16/2023 1:05 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> >> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an
> >> older Miata for years. Find something with a blown motor and go from
> >> there. I shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started
> >> thinking about it. You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty
> >> straight body/frame cheap. Now-a-days everybody seems to think their
> >> blow clunker is a secret basket find old original Indian.
> >>
> >> P.S. I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because
> >> I like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
> >> flush lights on the new ones. Also, while its probably not available
> >> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
> >> top for those old ones.
> >>
> >> Yes, snag. This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard
> >> anybody in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
> >>
> >> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
> >> helmet... this rounds on me.
> >>
> >>
> > Oh shit , I thought that helmet belonged to Roger Mauck ! Sorry 'bout
> > that . Isn't the original Miata powered by a rotary ? Three rotor IIRC ..
> > What a piece of shit motor , we had a '72 RX3 for a while . Ran like a
> > striped ass ape , but got worse mileage than the 350 1968 LeMans Pontiac
> > we traded in on it .
> > I got the next round .
> >
> The RX7 and the RX3 had rotary engines. I was coming back late from a
> date driving a buddy's RX3 one night and the throttle stuck. I don't
> know how fast it reved when I stepped on the clutch, but I expected
> there would have been a new crater in the road if I hadn't turned off
> the ignition. The throttle mechanically had bound up passing a truck,
> but I was able to pop it free and drive home.
>
> As far as I know the Miata (MX-5) always had a standard reciprocating
> engine. My wife had a 1990 when I met her, and it had a little 4 banger
> developing maybe 90HP. It was "quick" if you knew how to "drive" a
> stick. My first car was a 67 Ford (English) Cortina GT (not really
> fast) with a stick so I was used to it.
>
> I felt like, while it was definitely not faster, the old 90HP Miata
> handled better than the RX7. I only got to drive an RX7 a couple times
> so take that with a grain of salt. I do have one anecdote to share on
> it however. Driving the back road into Julian I was dogging an RX7 in
> all the turn's driving Patti's Miata. He would pull out on the straight
> a bit, but into the next declining radius turn and I'd be on him. After
> a couple of those he eased over and waived me by.
>
> Totally fun, another time running up Yarnell hill headed for Prescott I
> was driving the Miata loaded down pretty heavy with a trunk bag strapped
> on the back full of camping gear. Yarnel hill has killed a few bikers
> and even a few cagers, but I've been going up that hill my whole life.
> My future wife's room mate was riding on the back of a ZX11 with her
> boyfriend. He said, "I hope you can keep up."
>
> I never drove it back when it was just a two lane, but I remember it.
> Its a "little" safer today.
>
> I replied, "Yeah we'll wait for you at the first gas station in town."
> I didn't know if he could really ride that machine, if he would push a
> road he didn't know that well in the dark, or if the first time he laid
> into it in a turn she would beat the crap out of him to slow down. I
> didn't really even consider it could have been deadly for both of them
> if he really tried to push it going up that mountain. In any case I
> figured if he could ride half smart he would take it easy in the turns
> and blast out in the straights. I expect for certain he'd pass me
> halfway up the first long straight section.
>
> I don't recall why exactly, but I wound up a few minutes ahead of them
> going up the hill. Maybe they gave me a head start. I forget. I hit
> that first hard turn, braked in, and pushed out hard, and he still
> hadn't caught me. There was a little sand on the road near the hill and
> I felt the car slide just a little and thought to myself, "Okay, that's
> the limit," If we hadn't been loaded down in back I might have slid out
> and hit the mountain. I don't think so, but it sounds more exciting if
> I tell it that way. I kept in it all the way to the top of the hill,
> and oddly I was more nervous about the faster weaving turns in the trees
> up top than I was about the hard turns coming up the hill.
>
> All the way through the woods and I never saw anybody behind me. We
> finally saw a place near Prescott where I stopped. I parked close to
> the rode where he could see the car, and it was maybe 15-20 minutes
> before he rolled in behind me. He just said, "I want to do that again
> without a passenger." I didn't ask if he had sore ribs.
>
> I figure a heavy battery in the back of a Miata in place of the gas
> tank, and a decent high voltage multi phase electric up front and it
> could be a micro beast, or a it could be an economy e-car basically at
> the flip of a switch.
> --
> Bob La Londe
> CNC Molds N Stuff
>
>
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
> www.avg.com

My wife and I had an RX2 2 rotor when we first got together. I got it from my old man when his wife wouldn't drive it anymore after he was mildly rear-ended at a light. We used to cruise that thing back and forth from Phoenix to Beaumont, Ca every other weekend to see her kids. Hey, any little car like that that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear with an automatic trans was fun back then.
Here's a page with links to a bunch of Mazda EV conversions.

http://www.evalbum.com/type/MAZD

Me, if I still had a place to do it, I'd be considering something like this:

https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/24/electric-chevy-3100-pickup-kindred-motorworks/

But then I've always been an "old truck" guy...just ask Snag.

On 7/17/2023 4:17 AM, Old_Crow wrote:
> On Sunday, July 16, 2023 at 3:27:23 PM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
>> On 7/16/2023 2:07 PM, Snag wrote:
>>> On 7/16/2023 1:05 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>>> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an
>>>> older Miata for years. Find something with a blown motor and go from
>>>> there. I shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started
>>>> thinking about it. You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty
>>>> straight body/frame cheap. Now-a-days everybody seems to think their
>>>> blow clunker is a secret basket find old original Indian.
>>>>
>>>> P.S. I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because
>>>> I like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
>>>> flush lights on the new ones. Also, while its probably not available
>>>> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
>>>> top for those old ones.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, snag. This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard
>>>> anybody in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
>>>>
>>>> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
>>>> helmet... this rounds on me.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Oh shit , I thought that helmet belonged to Roger Mauck ! Sorry 'bout
>>> that . Isn't the original Miata powered by a rotary ? Three rotor IIRC .
>>> What a piece of shit motor , we had a '72 RX3 for a while . Ran like a
>>> striped ass ape , but got worse mileage than the 350 1968 LeMans Pontiac
>>> we traded in on it .
>>> I got the next round .
>>>
>> The RX7 and the RX3 had rotary engines. I was coming back late from a
>> date driving a buddy's RX3 one night and the throttle stuck. I don't
>> know how fast it reved when I stepped on the clutch, but I expected
>> there would have been a new crater in the road if I hadn't turned off
>> the ignition. The throttle mechanically had bound up passing a truck,
>> but I was able to pop it free and drive home.
>>
>> As far as I know the Miata (MX-5) always had a standard reciprocating
>> engine. My wife had a 1990 when I met her, and it had a little 4 banger
>> developing maybe 90HP. It was "quick" if you knew how to "drive" a
>> stick. My first car was a 67 Ford (English) Cortina GT (not really
>> fast) with a stick so I was used to it.
>>
>> I felt like, while it was definitely not faster, the old 90HP Miata
>> handled better than the RX7. I only got to drive an RX7 a couple times
>> so take that with a grain of salt. I do have one anecdote to share on
>> it however. Driving the back road into Julian I was dogging an RX7 in
>> all the turn's driving Patti's Miata. He would pull out on the straight
>> a bit, but into the next declining radius turn and I'd be on him. After
>> a couple of those he eased over and waived me by.
>>
>> Totally fun, another time running up Yarnell hill headed for Prescott I
>> was driving the Miata loaded down pretty heavy with a trunk bag strapped
>> on the back full of camping gear. Yarnel hill has killed a few bikers
>> and even a few cagers, but I've been going up that hill my whole life.
>> My future wife's room mate was riding on the back of a ZX11 with her
>> boyfriend. He said, "I hope you can keep up."
>>
>> I never drove it back when it was just a two lane, but I remember it.
>> Its a "little" safer today.
>>
>> I replied, "Yeah we'll wait for you at the first gas station in town."
>> I didn't know if he could really ride that machine, if he would push a
>> road he didn't know that well in the dark, or if the first time he laid
>> into it in a turn she would beat the crap out of him to slow down. I
>> didn't really even consider it could have been deadly for both of them
>> if he really tried to push it going up that mountain. In any case I
>> figured if he could ride half smart he would take it easy in the turns
>> and blast out in the straights. I expect for certain he'd pass me
>> halfway up the first long straight section.
>>
>> I don't recall why exactly, but I wound up a few minutes ahead of them
>> going up the hill. Maybe they gave me a head start. I forget. I hit
>> that first hard turn, braked in, and pushed out hard, and he still
>> hadn't caught me. There was a little sand on the road near the hill and
>> I felt the car slide just a little and thought to myself, "Okay, that's
>> the limit," If we hadn't been loaded down in back I might have slid out
>> and hit the mountain. I don't think so, but it sounds more exciting if
>> I tell it that way. I kept in it all the way to the top of the hill,
>> and oddly I was more nervous about the faster weaving turns in the trees
>> up top than I was about the hard turns coming up the hill.
>>
>> All the way through the woods and I never saw anybody behind me. We
>> finally saw a place near Prescott where I stopped. I parked close to
>> the rode where he could see the car, and it was maybe 15-20 minutes
>> before he rolled in behind me. He just said, "I want to do that again
>> without a passenger." I didn't ask if he had sore ribs.
>>
>> I figure a heavy battery in the back of a Miata in place of the gas
>> tank, and a decent high voltage multi phase electric up front and it
>> could be a micro beast, or a it could be an economy e-car basically at
>> the flip of a switch.
>> --
>> Bob La Londe
>> CNC Molds N Stuff
>>
>>
>> --
>> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
>> www.avg.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> My wife and I had an RX2 2 rotor when we first got together. I got it from my old man when his wife wouldn't drive it anymore after he was mildly rear-ended at a light. We used to cruise that thing back and forth from Phoenix to Beaumont, Ca every other weekend to see her kids.

Ah, good so you likely at least know about the road into Juian (Ca), and
climbing Yarnell Hill out of Congress, Az. Never heard of any RX2, but
that's doesn't mean much. Lots of things I never heard of.

Hey, any little car like that that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear
with an automatic trans was fun back then.
> Here's a page with links to a bunch of Mazda EV conversions.
>

Light weight small cars with decent suspension are always a surprising
amount of fun. Another I enjoyed besides the Cortina GT was a Celica ST.

> http://www.evalbum.com/type/MAZD

Thank you. I've read a lot about EV conversions, but I'll be sure to
check out that page.

>
> Me, if I still had a place to do it, I'd be considering something like this:
>
> https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/24/electric-chevy-3100-pickup-kindred-motorworks/

I like old trucks myself. My personal oldest was a 65 F250 with the 352
industrial and the cast iron (steel?) transmission all the racers were
trying to talk me out of. I learned to drive in a 57 Dodge step side
split hood. By the time I was driving it the shift pattern was the size
of a small city, but it still dropped into gear okay if I wasn't to far
out on RPM. I'm not much on working on trucks, not that I haven't done
it. I just don't if I don't have to. That being said my old truck now
is a 2007 Silverado turbo diesel. I hope it doesn't get wrecked because
my plan is to keep it until I can't buy diesel anymore. My dad's
favorite old truck was his '90 Dodge Cummins until somebody who didn't
have permission to borrow their daddy's car blew a red light.

>
> But then I've always been an "old truck" guy...just ask Snag.

I've got a 3000 foot workshop, but if I had to work on a truck TODAY I'd
have to do it outside.

--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist

On Monday, July 17, 2023 at 9:55:39 AM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
>
> Ah, good so you likely at least know about the road into Juian (Ca), and
> climbing Yarnell Hill out of Congress, Az. Never heard of any RX2, but
> that's doesn't mean much. Lots of things I never heard of.

I know Julian. In fact, I spent the winter of ''21-'22 managing the campground at Mt Laguna. Had a shop in Julian do some work on my Jeep. Also, in several past lives I've spent time in AZ. I was stationed at both Williams AFB and Luke AFB on either side of a tour in Thailand. when I was in the AF. After I got out I hung around Phoenix for 5 or 6 years. Then, later on, I spent a couple of years in Flagstaff. Now I usually spend November and part of December in Quartzsite before I go back to Arkansas for the winter.

> Hey, any little car like that that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear
> with an automatic trans was fun back then.
> > Here's a page with links to a bunch of Mazda EV conversions.
> >
> Light weight small cars with decent suspension are always a surprising
> amount of fun. Another I enjoyed besides the Cortina GT was a Celica ST.

The RX 2 (it was a '72 I think) was a little 4 door shitbox sort of like the early Coronas or Datsun B210's. Just right for blasting across the desert at night.
>
>
> >
> I like old trucks myself. My personal oldest was a 65 F250 with the 352
> industrial and the cast iron (steel?) transmission all the racers were
> trying to talk me out of. I learned to drive in a 57 Dodge step side
> split hood. By the time I was driving it the shift pattern was the size
> of a small city, but it still dropped into gear okay if I wasn't to far
> out on RPM. I'm not much on working on trucks, not that I haven't done
> it. I just don't if I don't have to. That being said my old truck now
> is a 2007 Silverado turbo diesel. I hope it doesn't get wrecked because
> my plan is to keep it until I can't buy diesel anymore. My dad's
> favorite old truck was his '90 Dodge Cummins until somebody who didn't
> have permission to borrow their daddy's car blew a red light.

Let me see. I've had 3 '54 Chevys (A 3 window, a 5 window and a panel). 2 '61 F-100s (both 302 swapped), a '61 Suburban with a Ford 390 swap, a couple of International Travelalls, and an International 4x4 pickup...and most of these (with the exception of the '54 panel and one of the '61 F-100s were before I owned the hot rod and restoration shop.
Actually learned to drive in a Beetle, when I was about 11.

> >
> > But then I've always been an "old truck" guy...just ask Snag.
> I've got a 3000 foot workshop, but if I had to work on a truck TODAY I'd
> have to do it outside.

My home shop was not quite 1000 square feet, but when I closed the business and moved my tools home I barely had room for my wife's Superglide and the 2 Tourglides we owned at the time. Now I live in a 37' motor home and tow my Jeep and a '79 Honda CB750 Ltd on an 18' car hauler. I spend the summers in the eastern Sierra's near Bishop, CA and the winters near my other kid's houses in Arkansas. All my work is outside anymore, and I'm starting to feel like I'm getting too old for this shit.

>

On 7/18/2023 4:20 AM, Old_Crow wrote:
> On Monday, July 17, 2023 at 9:55:39 AM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>
>> Ah, good so you likely at least know about the road into Juian (Ca), and
>> climbing Yarnell Hill out of Congress, Az. Never heard of any RX2, but
>> that's doesn't mean much. Lots of things I never heard of.
>
> I know Julian. In fact, I spent the winter of ''21-'22 managing the campground at Mt Laguna. Had a shop in Julian do some work on my Jeep. Also, in several past lives I've spent time in AZ. I was stationed at both Williams AFB and Luke AFB on either side of a tour in Thailand. when I was in the AF. After I got out I hung around Phoenix for 5 or 6 years. Then, later on, I spent a couple of years in Flagstaff. Now I usually spend November and part of December in Quartzsite before I go back to Arkansas for the winter.
>
>
>> Hey, any little car like that that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear
>> with an automatic trans was fun back then.
>>> Here's a page with links to a bunch of Mazda EV conversions.
>>>
>> Light weight small cars with decent suspension are always a surprising
>> amount of fun. Another I enjoyed besides the Cortina GT was a Celica ST.
>
> The RX 2 (it was a '72 I think) was a little 4 door shitbox sort of like the early Coronas or Datsun B210's. Just right for blasting across the desert at night.

My favorite... maybe... little 4 door shit box was a 71 Dodge Dart. Had
the slant six 225, but I was given a 71 Plymouth swinger (basically the
same car) that had previously had a 318. I was going to use the
hardware out of the Swinger to swap in a 318 out of a 76 Volare station
wagon, but about the time I got the engine out of wagon somebody came
along and offered me real money for it. I sold the Dart to a fried who
sold it again and I saw it around for many more years. That old 225 was
bullet proof. The Swinger and Volare bodies went to the junk man after
I sold off a few more parts. I would have liked to see the Dart with
the 318 in it, but I also liked the small stack of greenbacks.

Its funny. I NEVER thought of the Dart as anything special, but now I
am told lots of folks thought they were something. I paid $150 for it
with a slipping transmission which was fixed with a filter/fluid change,
and sold it for $250 after I picked up A 76 F150 with the 360, because I
had quit driving the Dart.

>> I like old trucks myself. My personal oldest was a 65 F250 with the 352
>> industrial and the cast iron (steel?) transmission all the racers were
>> trying to talk me out of. I learned to drive in a 57 Dodge step side
>> split hood. By the time I was driving it the shift pattern was the size
>> of a small city, but it still dropped into gear okay if I wasn't to far
>> out on RPM. I'm not much on working on trucks, not that I haven't done
>> it. I just don't if I don't have to. That being said my old truck now
>> is a 2007 Silverado turbo diesel. I hope it doesn't get wrecked because
>> my plan is to keep it until I can't buy diesel anymore. My dad's
>> favorite old truck was his '90 Dodge Cummins until somebody who didn't
>> have permission to borrow their daddy's car blew a red light.
>
> Let me see. I've had 3 '54 Chevys (A 3 window, a 5 window and a panel). 2 '61 F-100s (both 302 swapped), a '61 Suburban with a Ford 390 swap, a couple of International Travelalls, and an International 4x4 pickup...and most of these (with the exception of the '54 panel and one of the '61 F-100s were before I owned the hot rod and restoration shop.
> Actually learned to drive in a Beetle, when I was about 11.

I started driving with a pop crate behind my back at about that age or
maybe a little younger.

>
>
>>>
>>> But then I've always been an "old truck" guy...just ask Snag.
>> I've got a 3000 foot workshop, but if I had to work on a truck TODAY I'd
>> have to do it outside.
>
> My home shop was not quite 1000 square feet, but when I closed the business and moved my tools home I barely had room for my wife's Superglide and the 2 Tourglides we owned at the time. Now I live in a 37' motor home and tow my Jeep and a '79 Honda CB750 Ltd on an 18' car hauler. I spend the summers in the eastern Sierra's near Bishop, CA and the winters near my other kid's houses in Arkansas. All my work is outside anymore, and I'm starting to feel like I'm getting too old for this shit.
>

79 CB750. Is that new enough to be a DOHC? That particular bike always
kind of scared me. A guy who worked for my dad showed up with one. A
76 SOHC I think. Being only 125 lbs soaking wet probably it turned out
to be a mistake that he always kicked it over. I don't even know if the
electric start worked. One day it kicked him back and threw him over
the handlebars messing up his ankle pretty bad. I couldn't find a wheel
chair handy so I just carried him into the ER. You should have seen the
staff jump and run. I asked about it and they said usually when they
see somebody carried in like that its bad.

To be fair, I used to use the kicker on my 1976 GL1000, but it never
kicked me back. I found myself using it whenever I had a choice between
gas money or battery money.

>>

--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
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On 7/18/2023 12:48 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 7/18/2023 4:20 AM, Old_Crow wrote:
>> On Monday, July 17, 2023 at 9:55:39 AM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:
>>>
>>> Ah, good so you likely at least know about the road into Juian (Ca), and
>>> climbing Yarnell Hill out of Congress, Az. Never heard of any RX2, but
>>> that's doesn't mean much. Lots of things I never heard of.
>>
>> I know Julian.  In fact, I spent the winter of ''21-'22 managing the
>> campground at Mt Laguna.  Had a shop in Julian do some work on my
>> Jeep.  Also, in several past lives I've spent time in AZ.  I was
>> stationed at both Williams AFB and Luke AFB on either side of a tour
>> in Thailand. when I was in the AF.  After I got out I hung around
>> Phoenix for 5 or 6 years.  Then, later on, I spent a couple of years
>> in Flagstaff.  Now I usually spend November and part of December in
>> Quartzsite before I go back to Arkansas for the winter.
>>
>>
>>> Hey, any little car like that that would chirp the tires in 2nd gear
>>> with an automatic trans was fun back then.
>>>> Here's a page with links to a bunch of Mazda EV conversions.
>>>>
>>> Light weight small cars with decent suspension are always a surprising
>>> amount of fun. Another I enjoyed besides the Cortina GT was a Celica ST.
>>
>> The RX 2 (it was a '72 I think) was a little 4 door shitbox sort of
>> like the early Coronas or Datsun B210's.  Just right for blasting
>> across the desert at night.
>
> My favorite... maybe... little 4 door shit box was a 71 Dodge Dart.  Had
> the slant six 225, but I was given a 71 Plymouth swinger (basically the
> same car) that had previously had a 318.  I was going to use the
> hardware out of the Swinger to swap in a 318 out of a 76 Volare station
> wagon, but about the time I got the engine out of wagon somebody came
> along and offered me real money for it.  I sold the Dart to a fried who
> sold it again and I saw it around for many more years.  That old 225 was
> bullet proof.  The Swinger and Volare bodies went to the junk man after
> I sold off a few more parts.  I would have liked to see the Dart with
> the 318 in it, but I also liked the small stack of greenbacks.
>
> Its funny.  I NEVER thought of the Dart as anything special, but now I
> am told lots of folks thought they were something.  I paid $150 for it
> with a slipping transmission which was fixed with a filter/fluid change,
> and sold it for $250 after I picked up A 76 F150 with the 360, because I
> had quit driving the Dart.
>
>
>
>>> I like old trucks myself. My personal oldest was a 65 F250 with the 352
>>> industrial and the cast iron (steel?) transmission all the racers were
>>> trying to talk me out of. I learned to drive in a 57 Dodge step side
>>> split hood. By the time I was driving it the shift pattern was the size
>>> of a small city, but it still dropped into gear okay if I wasn't to far
>>> out on RPM. I'm not much on working on trucks, not that I haven't done
>>> it. I just don't if I don't have to. That being said my old truck now
>>> is a 2007 Silverado turbo diesel. I hope it doesn't get wrecked because
>>> my plan is to keep it until I can't buy diesel anymore. My dad's
>>> favorite old truck was his '90 Dodge Cummins until somebody who didn't
>>> have permission to borrow their daddy's car blew a red light.
>>
>> Let me see.  I've had 3 '54 Chevys (A 3 window, a 5 window and a
>> panel). 2 '61 F-100s (both 302 swapped), a '61 Suburban with a Ford
>> 390 swap, a couple of International Travelalls, and an International
>> 4x4 pickup...and most of these (with the exception of the '54 panel
>> and one of the '61 F-100s were before I owned the hot rod and
>> restoration shop.
>> Actually learned to drive in a Beetle, when I was about 11.
>
> I started driving with a pop crate behind my back at about that age or
> maybe a little younger.
>
>>
>>
>>>>
>>>> But then I've always been an "old truck" guy...just ask Snag.
>>> I've got a 3000 foot workshop, but if I had to work on a truck TODAY I'd
>>> have to do it outside.
>>
>> My home shop was not quite 1000 square feet, but when I closed the
>> business and moved my tools home I barely had room for my wife's
>> Superglide and the 2 Tourglides we owned at the time.  Now I live in a
>> 37' motor home and tow my Jeep and a '79 Honda CB750 Ltd on an 18' car
>> hauler.  I spend the summers in the eastern Sierra's near Bishop, CA
>> and the winters near my other kid's houses in Arkansas. All my work is
>> outside anymore, and I'm starting to feel like I'm getting too old for
>> this shit.
>>
>
>
> 79 CB750.  Is that new enough to be a DOHC?  That particular bike always
> kind of scared me.  A guy who worked for my dad showed up with one.  A
> 76 SOHC I think.  Being only 125 lbs soaking wet probably it turned out
> to be a mistake that he always kicked it over. I don't even know if the
> electric start worked.  One day it kicked him back and threw him over
> the handlebars messing up his ankle pretty bad.  I couldn't find a wheel
> chair handy so I just carried him into the ER.  You should have seen the
> staff jump and run.  I asked about it and they said usually when they
> see somebody carried in like that its bad.
>
> To be fair, I used to use the kicker on my 1976 GL1000, but it never
> kicked me back.  I found myself using it whenever I had a choice between
> gas money or battery money.
>
>>>
>

I bought a '76 K6 to teach my wife to ride on . Decided that wasn't
such a good idea when I laid about a hundred feet of rubber in front of
the house (in Memphis) . Sure was a lot of smoke ! So I bought a Kaw
EX250 Ninja , which she wrecked (not badly , but it scared her outta
ridin' for a few years) on the way up to the highway here .
--
Snag
Men don't protect women because they're weak .
We protect them because they're important .

On 7/16/23 11:05 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an older
> Miata for years.  Find something with a blown motor and go from there. I
> shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started thinking about
> it.  You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty straight body/frame
> cheap.  Now-a-days everybody seems to think their blow clunker is a
> secret basket find old original Indian.
>
> P.S.  I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because I
> like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
> flush lights on the new ones.  Also, while its probably not available
> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
> top for those old ones.
>
> Yes, snag.  This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard anybody
> in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
>
> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
> helmet... this rounds on me.
>
>

Miata's have developed a cult following like a beetle or a Jeep.

True though, if you are looking for a Rollerskate and don't want to
re-invent the wheel, a Miata is the "answer".

For an EV you want the lightest vehicle possible.

Just sitting here scratching myself, a FWD shit box with the batteries
behind the driver and as low possible to balance weight.

Other candidates - Starlet, Vega, Chevette, Fiesta, Yugo, Rabbit, B210,
Triumph, MG, Lotus, Small Fiats, Trabant, Hillman, Anglia, early Volvo.

--
Ironhead Rick

On 7/19/2023 12:38 PM, Rick Begeman wrote:
> On 7/16/23 11:05 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>> I've played with the "idea" of doing an electric conversion of an
>> older Miata for years.  Find something with a blown motor and go from
>> there. I shoulda bought a couple of them back when I first started
>> thinking about it.  You could buy worn out old Miatas with pretty
>> straight body/frame cheap.  Now-a-days everybody seems to think their
>> blow clunker is a secret basket find old original Indian.
>>
>> P.S.  I would prefer to do it with the older flip light Miata because
>> I like the bug eye conversion look on them much better than the sleek
>> flush lights on the new ones.  Also, while its probably not available
>> new anymore there was a pretty neat looking fast back aftermarket hard
>> top for those old ones.
>>
>> Yes, snag.  This might have fit better in RCM, but I never heard
>> anybody in RCM say, "You shoulda bought a Miata."
>>
>> For anybody who isn't already outside taking turns pissing in my
>> helmet... this rounds on me.
>>
>>
>
> Miata's have developed a cult following like a beetle or a Jeep.
>
> True though, if you are looking for a Rollerskate and don't want to
> re-invent the wheel, a Miata is the "answer".
>
> For an EV you want the lightest vehicle possible.
>
> Just sitting here scratching myself, a FWD shit box with the batteries
> behind the driver and as low possible to balance weight.
>
> Other candidates - Starlet, Vega, Chevette, Fiesta, Yugo, Rabbit, B210,
> Triumph, MG, Lotus, Small Fiats, Trabant, Hillman, Anglia, early Volvo.
>

A Yugo? I only ever knew one person who admitted to having owned one. I
think I only ever recall having seen one on the road either.

--
Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On 7/19/23 12:38 PM, Rick Begeman wrote:

> For an EV you want the lightest vehicle possible.

> Just sitting here scratching myself, a FWD shit box with the
> batteries behind the driver and as low possible to balance weight.

> Other candidates - Starlet, Vega, Chevette, Fiesta, Yugo, Rabbit,
> B210, Triumph, MG, Lotus, Small Fiats, Trabant, Hillman, Anglia,
> early Volvo.

Hell, the original Tesla Roadster was based on the Lotus Elise chassis.

On 7/19/23 1:41 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:

> A Yugo? I only ever knew one person who admitted to having owned
> one. I think I only ever recall having seen one on the road either.

Back on LI, a buddy of mine's GF had one. They had to put cardboard or a
thin sheet of plywood in front of the radiator during the winter. On
particularly cold winter days, the "heater" never really put warm air in
the cabin.

On 7/20/2023 12:17 PM, DeathGrip wrote:
> On 7/19/23 1:41 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>
>> A Yugo?  I only ever knew one person who admitted to having owned
>> one. I think I only ever recall having seen one on the road either.
>
> Back on LI, a buddy of mine's GF had one. They had to put cardboard or a
> thin sheet of plywood in front of the radiator during the winter. On
> particularly cold winter days, the "heater" never really put warm air in
> the cabin.

In colder climates that used to be an issue on a variety of vehicles. I
still see the occasional new model semi tractor with a partial radiator
block on it.

--
Bob La Londe
Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
real machinist

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
www.avg.com

On Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 10:48:53 AM UTC-7, Bob La Londe wrote:

> My favorite... maybe... little 4 door shit box was a 71 Dodge Dart. Had
> the slant six 225, but I was given a 71 Plymouth swinger (basically the
> same car) that had previously had a 318. I was going to use the
> hardware out of the Swinger to swap in a 318 out of a 76 Volare station
> wagon, but about the time I got the engine out of wagon somebody came
> along and offered me real money for it. I sold the Dart to a fried who
> sold it again and I saw it around for many more years. That old 225 was
> bullet proof. The Swinger and Volare bodies went to the junk man after
> I sold off a few more parts. I would have liked to see the Dart with
> the 318 in it, but I also liked the small stack of greenbacks.
>
> Its funny. I NEVER thought of the Dart as anything special, but now I
> am told lots of folks thought they were something. I paid $150 for it
> with a slipping transmission which was fixed with a filter/fluid change,
> and sold it for $250 after I picked up A 76 F150 with the 360, because I
> had quit driving the Dart.
> >> I like old trucks myself. My personal oldest was a 65 F250 with the 352
> >> industrial and the cast iron (steel?) transmission all the racers were
> >> trying to talk me out of. I learned to drive in a 57 Dodge step side
> >> split hood. By the time I was driving it the shift pattern was the size
> >> of a small city, but it still dropped into gear okay if I wasn't to far
> >> out on RPM. I'm not much on working on trucks, not that I haven't done
> >> it. I just don't if I don't have to. That being said my old truck now
> >> is a 2007 Silverado turbo diesel. I hope it doesn't get wrecked because
> >> my plan is to keep it until I can't buy diesel anymore. My dad's
> >> favorite old truck was his '90 Dodge Cummins until somebody who didn't
> >> have permission to borrow their daddy's car blew a red light.

We had a Duster that my wife inherited from her mom. 225 is indeed bulletproof. My kid got it so hot one night it wouldn't shut off. Had to turn it back on, put it in gear and stall the engine to get it to quit.
Ran fine the next morning, so I put a radiator in it and drove it a couple of more years.
Had a '71-'72 Dart Swinger. Had the 318. Bought it for $50 from a salesman at the dealership that thought his crackhead kid had ruined it. I put now wheel cylinders and a brake hose on it, and swapped the plug wires for a set I made up from good used wires I had hanging around and drove that for a couple of years. Sold it for like $900 sometime in the early '90's.

..
> >
> 79 CB750. Is that new enough to be a DOHC? That particular bike always
> kind of scared me. A guy who worked for my dad showed up with one. A
> 76 SOHC I think. Being only 125 lbs soaking wet probably it turned out
> to be a mistake that he always kicked it over. I don't even know if the
> electric start worked. One day it kicked him back and threw him over
> the handlebars messing up his ankle pretty bad. I couldn't find a wheel
> chair handy so I just carried him into the ER. You should have seen the
> staff jump and run. I asked about it and they said usually when they
> see somebody carried in like that its bad.
>
> To be fair, I used to use the kicker on my 1976 GL1000, but it never
> kicked me back. I found myself using it whenever I had a choice between
> gas money or battery money.

Yes, first year of the DOHC, and in addition, my particular bike is the 10th Anniversary edition. Special paint and ComStar wheels instead of spokes. No kicker, either.
At one point I did have an earlier SOHC. I kicked that thing one time, just to see if I could (and I haven't weighed 125 since I hit puberty). Always used the button after that.
This DOHC bike is spec'ed at 79 hp. Just about what Harley was getting out of my 80" Shovel from the factory (before S&S and I got hold of it).
In a bike that weighs 500 lbs ready to ride.
> >>
>
> --
> Bob La Londe
> Proffessional Hack, Hobbyist, Wannabe, Shade Tree, Button Pushing, Not a
> real machinist
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
> www.avg.com

DeathGrip <hd-fxsts@panix.com> wrote:
>> A Yugo? I only ever knew one person who admitted to having owned
>> one. I think I only ever recall having seen one on the road either.
>
> Back on LI, a buddy of mine's GF had one. They had to put cardboard or a
> thin sheet of plywood in front of the radiator during the winter. On
> particularly cold winter days, the "heater" never really put warm air in
> the cabin.

Back in the early 90s, a student at the same college I was in had
one of their pickups. It was cheap, and it certainly showed. That's
alright, you don't really need heat in Montreal, in the winter.

Phil...the "no thanks!" Asshole(tm)...
--
AH#61 Wolf#14 BS#89 bus#1 CCB#1 SENS KOTC#4
philb@philb.ca http://philb.ca