Well it started off as a project to beat the world speed record for electric cars which stood at about 110 mph.
Full of youthful enthusiasm I did all the calculations and yes it was possible to get there as I had the tools and the ability to make a suitable car.
The project required a set of 12 powerful diesel starting batteries and a rewound 36 volt electric motor off an old forklift.
The body was of tubular steel and a space for 1500 lbs of batteries was constructed.
I was about to design and build a space for me to lay down between the front and rear wheels and beside the batteries when I got news that the world record for electric cars was now at a staggering 170 mph approx.
Well I returned to the drawing board and realized that with my resources there was no way I could afford the high tech batteries and 600 hp motors required.
With a half finished racer in the shed I re designed it to make a neat sports car for my self.
A search of the wrecker’s yard and a rear window from a Holden car was just the curvature and shape I wanted, so that was used, and the rest of the car was designed around its shape.
Eventually I had a VW rear transmission and a Morris minor front end running gear and a smart looking sports car was finished.
The fire fly
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=8036.msg63019#msg63019The power controller had to be of a manual sort as the cost of an electronic controller was out of the question and not yet designed.(power transistors were 15 amps then)
3 weeks designing and a very neat controller just 3 lbs in weight that was able to handle the immense currents I was anticipating.
The controller was able to give me 3 different powers from 3 positions the first gave me 36 volts 2nd 72 volts and 3rd was a massive 144 volts on what was a 36 volt motor.
The idea was that each step of power was to be applied via combination of resistors and voltage steps.
The great day came for the test, and as the 3 position switch was never tried out for full power, I was a bit wary of allowing it to open at 500 amps or more or it would flash over and blow up.
So with the car in the lower voltage I cruised to a part of the open country where the road was straight for at least 1 mile.
Took the car from 36 to 72 volts and it sped up to about 45 mph and as it did so I saw the amp meter hit the 600 amps (56 HP at 72 volts) flow for a few seconds as the car accelerated.
Soon as the car got to cruising speed the current dropped to a comfortable 70 amps.(6 hp)
Just then a group of motorcyclists passed me and I thought well here goes I will see what this baby will do,
The switch was moved to max power and the amp meter immediately showed 1200 amps, (227 HP) the switch started to smoke , as the car accelerated.
I dared not open any switches at this point till I had got to cruising at max speed.
This was when I shot past the amazed motorcyclists with a swish of pure silent power, still too frightened to open any switches till the current dropped again.
Just before the end of the straight the current dropped to a 400 amps and I was able to switch off and slow to a stop.
I had done it, I had got the car to about 75 mph (120 k )and I was happy that if I had continued with the original design with much improved streamlining I would have broken the 110 mph target.
Never again was that test repeated as the car was redesigned to give a sedate 70 mph max on the open road and a sedate 30 mph around town
