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'55 Ragtop Arctic Silver EV Three-fold Driver Build-thread
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reeler
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 3:40 pm    Post subject: '55 Ragtop Arctic Silver EV Three-fold Driver Build-thread Reply with quote

Pulling the trigger on my oval driver. It will be full electric with a stock look. Nothing done to it will not be easily reversible. From a distance, you will think it is pure stock, but you will quickly be left in the dust as it silently scoots away from you.

As some know, I am doing a full restoration on a 1962 walk-through Samba. I came to the conclusion that I cannot regularly drive such an expensive car--I tried to make it a driver, but it will be a trailer queen. The "silver streak" will be my daily driver.

Original Ad: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1736498

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EV Conversion Kit: http://www.evwest.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=168

You will think the "silver streak" is urban legend. If you try to catch it, expect a bruised ego as it silently slips away from you.

The seller, Colby, of Buggy Works in Indianapolis is going to do the restoration and conversion too: www.facebook.com/BuggyWorksInc. Tough to work on his baby only to see it shipped away to San Diego ultimately. He will do the restoration and EV conversion, but will farm out the body work to Db Custom: www.facebook.com/pages/Db-Custom/630097317028700

If you want to see all the photos as this progresses, here is the album on Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7NRC1S


Last edited by reeler on Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:39 am; edited 1 time in total
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reeler
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, disassembly has started so the restoration is underway. I ordered some blade stainless bumpers from Herringtons too. Going with blades to reduce drag. The car never had side-view mirrors or a radio antenna and I won't be installing any to keep the drag low. I wonder how slippery a bug is in a wind tunnel?

Next, the whole car will be dipped to remove the rust and paint. New pan halves will be put on after blasting everything along with heater channel repair. The body shop will get the top and Colby will work on the bottom at his shop.

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I will be dropping by Buggy Works this weekend to see the car for the first time ever. Funny that I will never drive this car with in its ICE configuration.
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sunroof
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where will you hide the 1000 pound batteries?

Don
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reeler
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sunroof wrote:
Where will you hide the 1000 pound batteries?


LiIon are not that heavy--only adding a net of 250 lbs after removal of the ICE components. The batteries fit nicely and are split between: behind the back seat and where the gas tank normally is.

The EV West kit will provide 100 miles range and fast lane freeway speeds. All that with three moving parts in the motor.


Last edited by reeler on Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:36 am; edited 3 times in total
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reeler
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Checked out the car yesterday at Buggy Works and the body shop. It is stripped resting on the pan and waiting for dipping. Here are some photos of the disassembly:

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The body appears very straight without signs of major accidents. Shouldn't be much body work to get this in perfect shape.
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Rome
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wishing you success with the conversion. Weight is the enemy of an electric vehicle; or really any. Have you thought about:
    Stock-width wheels with narrow tires for less rolling resistance?
    Aluminum wheels for reduced weight?
    LED headlamps for low weight and low current draw?
    Does your state require a functioning heater to be road-legal? If so, will you install a small electric "box"?
    Eliminate the spare tire and jack/tools for weight savings, and carry just a bottle of fix-a-flat?
    Have the body shop weld in safety belt mounts for 3-point belts for your safety?
    Install a high-mounted 3rd brakelight with high-intensity lens so people behind you can see when you're braking?
    Thin fiberglass fenders for weight savings?
    El-cheapo running boards for weight savings?
    Take out the entire rear seat (weight) if you never take more than 1 person along?
    Does your house have an electrical outlet/wiring/service that can handle the full-load charge when the batteries are near empty?
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reeler
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

    Stock-width wheels with narrow tires for less rolling resistance? A: I will leave them alone for now, but I see your point. I might go to low rolling resistance rubber. I just don't need much range for the car and am afraid of the torque peeling out.

    Aluminum wheels for reduced weight? A: That is a good point. I like the stock look.

    LED headlamps for low weight and low current draw? A: Was thinking about HID from http://www.ddmtuning.com and LEDs everywhere else. I think HID is low power.

    Does your state require a functioning heater to be road-legal? If so, will you install a small electric "box"? A: I plan to have an electric heater installed under the back seat that taps into the heater channels there. The conversion removes the 12V battery so there is plenty of room.

    Eliminate the spare tire and jack/tools for weight savings, and carry just a bottle of fix-a-flat? A: Definitely. I plan to carry my trickle charger in that space and adding a bottle of fix-a-flat makes sense in addition to my AAA card.

    Have the body shop weld in safety belt mounts for 3-point belts for your safety? A: That is a decent thought. I hate to hack the car, but if I am driving it often, probably a good idea.

    Install a high-mounted 3rd brakelight with high-intensity lens so people behind you can see when you're braking? A: I have seen that done in the vent area. I was thinking about a strip light like this: http://www.chromeglow.com/catalog.asp?prodid=752886&showprevnext=1#recalcPrice

    Thin fiberglass fenders for weight savings? A: Good point, but trying to stay original.

    El-cheapo running boards for weight savings? A: Same answer here.

    Take out the entire rear seat (weight) if you never take more than 1 person along? A: I need to cart around my kids sometimes so will add two belts to the back seat.

    Does your house have an electrical outlet/wiring/service that can handle the full-load charge when the batteries are near empty? A: Yup. I have 4 other electric cars at the moment. Anyone want to buy the cheap LEAF or RAV4 EV that I am selling?


Last edited by reeler on Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
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srm1956
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about finding another flat top gas tank and cutting the bottom section off and use the top half as a cover for the battery. And maybe put a hinge on the back side to gain access and show people. That would be trick and keep the stock look.

Another idea - In the luggage area behind the back seat you can make a dummy luggage cover. I've done this in the past to hide a speaker box and amps. Cut a piece of wood the size of the opening to set on top of the batteries (horizontal) cover it with the same carpet your gonna use on the rest of the car. Find a couple old suit cases you like (and don't mind cutting up) measure how much you want to see or use and cut the bottom section off. Make a filler piece in the bottom of the inside of the suit case and screw it to the Horizontal shelf.

The only section you would be able to tell that it is converted is under the deck lid. But don't get me started there Very Happy

Love the thread and keep us updated.
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reeler
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

srm1956 wrote:
How about finding another flat top gas tank and cutting the bottom section off and use the top half as a cover for the battery. And maybe put a hinge on the back side to gain access and show people. That would be trick and keep the stock look.

Another idea - In the luggage area behind the back seat you can make a dummy luggage cover. I've done this in the past to hide a speaker box and amps. Cut a piece of wood the size of the opening to set on top of the batteries (horizontal) cover it with the same carpet your gonna use on the rest of the car. Find a couple old suit cases you like (and don't mind cutting up) measure how much you want to see or use and cut the bottom section off. Make a filler piece in the bottom of the inside of the suit case and screw it to the Horizontal shelf.


The EV West Kit comes with an aluminum enclosure that fits nicely in the gas tank area. It is engineered for the batteries and the gas tank area.

In the luggage area, I think they also have an aluminum enclosure that fits underneath an aftermarket speaker tray.

We are going to put speakers in the tray and kickpanels beneath the rear seat. There will be a Retro Sound radio with their amplified antenna in the frunk. The car doesn't have an external antenna or side-view mirrors, which will reduce the wind drag.
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reeler
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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The car has been dipped and no big surprises. The heater channels need work and the body at both ends too. Here are some photos.

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My57Oval
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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you get it re-dipped in primer now that every panel, every crevice has been stripped to raw metal? I would think that otherwise, stripping it by dipping it would be worse in the long term than just media blasting the "visable" areas, no? All the weld seams, door and quarter panel crevices, behind the air intake vents etc.

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reeler
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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 7:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rkeyworth wrote:
Can you get it re-dipped in primer now that every panel, every crevice has been stripped to raw metal? I would think that otherwise, stripping it by dipping it would be worse in the long term than just media blasting the "visable" areas, no? All the weld seams, door and quarter panel crevices, behind the air intake vents etc.


They dip it in an anti-rust coating, which is why the metal looks funny. No primer is necessary.
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reeler
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is unclear what the original color is for the car. It has been painted a few times and the birth certificate ordered a few months ago has not shown up.

I want to use an original color and am thinking Strato Silver like this:

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Thoughts?
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

reeler wrote:
It is unclear what the original color is for the car. It has been painted a few times and the birth certificate ordered a few months ago has not shown up.

I want to use an original color and am thinking Strato Silver like this:

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Thoughts?



You can expect to receive a Birth Certificate 9-12 months after you place an order for it.

The car shown above is a far cry from being Strato Silver. A Strato Silver car looks like this-
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RareAir is correct, that first car appears a few shades off of Stratos Silver. Stratos Silver is tough to photograph though, it looks quite a bit different in the shade vs. sun

One my favorite colors though...here is shade

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More light...you see how it changes

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Camera quality is huge too, RareAir's pics are great. Mine are from an iPhone
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reeler
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the color even better now. Strato Silver it is.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's a great color, once it's in the sun, it damn near looks silver as can be seen in RareAir's pics

Good thread for Stratos-Silver:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=80
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reeler
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I made a visit to db Custom in Indiana to see what rust repair needs to be done. Some of the first few inches of the chassis has "returned to mother nature," but very solid above that.

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You never know what lurks under the paint so I am happy with this starting point.
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reeler
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is some body damage on the hood, one front fender and a rear bumper bracket. Otherwise, very strait. Here is the body work needed:
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There are cutouts for the exhaust that need to be returned to original too.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The birth certificate is in. Red Leatherette interior, but paint color is unknown. That means it was either tan or black.

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Hate to be fickle, but I think I am leaning toward Black paint with the red interior. I really like that combination.
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