2035

[Eddo Rogue]

I have a 94 F250 with the IDI diesel. I've done a little research into homemade biodiesel, and once I get settled down I might try it. The process is reasonably simple. It never gets (really) cold here which simplifies living with biodiesel. I read in an article someone was even using beef fat from a processor as their source of waste oil.

That said, the new house we're looking at buying is across town from work. I'd like to just use my bicycle for commuting when it's not the rainy season. In the rainy season an EV might actually make sense. My new 'commute' would be less than 10 minutes, a short enough trip that it could actually be damaging to my ICE vehicles as they wouldn't even warm up. And again, with the weather, batteries should be happy most of the time.

I didn't mind the 30 minute commute to my previous job most of the time. There was very little traffic and it gave me a chance to wind up and down before and after work. Oftentimes in the winter it was the complete opposite, extremely stressful. It's been an adjustment not having that "me" time now and I have to remind myself of those blizzardy drives to work when I start really missing it.

This. I would use my EV pretty much strictly for work commute, maybe getting groceries. The commute varies, but traffic always sucks. I use motorcycle when possible, but then give up creature comforts and must prepare, like take a chair back pack to fetch/eat lunch and sit a sec on break. A small (and ideally fast) EV would be great, I wouldn't need much range either.

 

[RonD]

I never felt EVs were ever being "shoved down my throat"
Well no more than the "next great thing" is "shoved", lol, thats just what people do, they like to affirm their choices by pushing others to make the same choice
I give you the Mullet hair cuts, bell bottom pants, Nehru jackets, Leisure suits and platform shoes, the "next great thing", at some point in time, lol

I did the internet back in the 1990's, liked it
Tried Social media didn't like it, my kids and grandkids are still trying to get me onboard,

Tried LEDs, like them for some things, and they are getting better at "soft light"

I still have a "land line", lol, but haven't seen a Pay Phone in quite a few years

If you are worried about losing your ICE vehicle, don't be, "they will be prying it out of your cold dead fingers" when your time comes
I doubt anyone alive today will see an outright ban on ICE vehicles, localize bans in inner cities maybe but thats not a bad idea
Like no wood burning in some areas because of the pollution effect

 

[oldgeek]

There's alot of cool EV stuff out there besides EV's.

Yeah, I remember drooling when RC cars first came out.

 

[snoranger]

Yeah, I remember drooling when RC cars first came out.

You should see what they can do now. Come to the Round Up and I’ll bring my Rustler with a brushless motor and LiPo battery. It’s uncontrollably fast.

 

[JoshT]

I never felt EVs were ever being "shoved down my throat"
Well no more than the "next great thing" is "shoved", lol, thats just what people do, they like to affirm their choices by pushing others to make the same choice
I give you the Mullet hair cuts, bell bottom pants, Nehru jackets, Leisure suits and platform shoes, the "next great thing", at some point in time, lol

When I say forced "down our throats" I'm referring to how "they" are attempting to legislate ICE out of existance. I'm not saying that it will happen soon, or that they will succeed. They are trying though.

They are trying to block sales of new ICE in the not distant future. Some places are pushing for it quicker than others, but even when it's not a state level effort the federal level is still wanting to do it.

Sure that doesn't remove existing ICE vehicles, but those will disappear through attrition. Some areas are actively trying to remove older vehicles through legislation, just look at California's push to ban older (as new as early 2000s) diesel trucks. Current right to repair battles threaten the ability to keep these older vehicles on the road. If you are no longer able to service your vehicle or buy the necessary parts, it can become unfeasable to keep them on the road. Some of us start modding vehicles to get around issues like unavailable parts, but the EPA in actively trying to block our ability to modify vehicles. That legislation is aimed at keeping race car parts off the road, but if you think they won't apply it to any non-factory modification you need a reality check. Finally they don't need to take your vehicle or legislate it off the road if they legislate the fuel it needs out of existance. You think they won't? They don't even need to ban gasoline, just keep changing the formula until it can't be run in a older vehicle. Diesel's are already having that issue with the reduction of sulfur having a big impact on older diesel engines. So are older carbureted gasoline vehicles with the ethanol content blended in destroying hoses and seals as well as causing varnish in things that sit a lot.

I didn't see any of that kind of stuff happening with haircuts, clothes, and platform shoes. Mainly with automotive and 2A related items, and strangely the main driving force behind both movements are in the same areas. That's getting awfully close to real politicial talk that I'd rather avoid.

You should see what they can do now. Come to the Round Up and I’ll bring my Rustler with a brushless motor and LiPo battery. It’s uncontrollably fast.

Mine is still 2-stroke... and big... and fast. Of course it's also been sitting in the loft of the storage shed for 3-4 (or more?) years so who knows if it'd still even run. King Motors Baja 5B. Just got no place to run it any more and not much time if I did. I have considered converting to brushless. Also considered trying to lower and set it up for running on pavement.

 

[JoshT]

I am looking fwd to conversion kits getting it together. I would mess with those on a few things.

I'm interested in this too. I'd be a lot more interested in EVs if I could easily turn a classic into an EV myself. The drivetrain postion of the coversion options are already looking pretty good, still got a long way to go before I would consider it, but looking pretty good. For me the biger issue is and probably always will be batteries. It's difficult to fit battery packs into an existing chassis. custom battery packs can be built as evidenced by many of the existing swaps, but that takes a lot of time and research to do. For me paying someone else to do it would not be a feasable option.

One of my dream vehicles in a 67-68 Mustang, preferibly a fastback. I imagine it's pretty high up there on a lot of people's list. I know out the gate that I don't want to keep it stock or "original". If I bought a complete car I'd be replacing 75% of it with aftermarket upgrades and most of the remaining 25% would probably need to be replaced due to wear and tear. I've thought several times that I'd be replacing so much of the car, why start with the expense of an original that's going to need a lot of metal work? Dynacorn makes complete reproduction bodies. Start with one of those and build custom with the parts I want. Won't be an "original" Mustang, but I don't care, it'd be my Mustang. Plan has always been to build it with a windsor based stroker, but I wouldn't have a problem building it as an EV assuming that EV has progressed to the point that I want it to.

Even if the whole conversion were engineered to the point where it was bolt in, battery density and the support network would have to develop a lot more before I would even consider doing it. If I'm going to put that level of work into a vehicle I want to be able to jump in and drive it across country without much thought put into it. I don't want to be stuck around home or planning trips around where I can find a charging station.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I'm interested in this too. I'd be a lot more interested in EVs if I could easily turn a classic into an EV myself. The drivetrain postion of the coversion options are already looking pretty good, still got a long way to go before I would consider it, but looking pretty good. For me the biger issue is and probably always will be batteries. It's difficult to fit battery packs into an existing chassis. custom battery packs can be built as evidenced by many of the existing swaps, but that takes a lot of time and research to do. For me paying someone else to do it would not be a feasable option.

One of my dream vehicles in a 67-68 Mustang, preferibly a fastback. I imagine it's pretty high up there on a lot of people's list. I know out the gate that I don't want to keep it stock or "original". If I bought a complete car I'd be replacing 75% of it with aftermarket upgrades and most of the remaining 25% would probably need to be replaced due to wear and tear. I've thought several times that I'd be replacing so much of the car, why start with the expense of an original that's going to need a lot of metal work? Dynacorn makes complete reproduction bodies. Start with one of those and build custom with the parts I want. Won't be an "original" Mustang, but I don't care, it'd be my Mustang. Plan has always been to build it with a windsor based stroker, but I wouldn't have a problem building it as an EV assuming that EV has progressed to the point that I want it to.

Even if the whole conversion were engineered to the point where it was bolt in, battery density and the support network would have to develop a lot more before I would even consider doing it. If I'm going to put that level of work into a vehicle I want to be able to jump in and drive it across country without much thought put into it. I don't want to be stuck around home or planning trips around where I can find a charging station.

Have you seen that show "vintage voltage"? These brit dudes have a shop where they do exactly that, convert old classics to EV, usualy for owners fed up with high maintenance and relatively low power of old ICE's. Anyways it kinda cheesy, but worth watching for ideas and entertaining results.

 

[rubydist]

I never felt EVs were ever being "shoved down my throat"
Well no more than the "next great thing" is "shoved", lol, thats just what people do, they like to affirm their choices by pushing others to make the same choice
I give you the Mullet hair cuts, bell bottom pants, Nehru jackets, Leisure suits and platform shoes, the "next great thing", at some point in time, lol

I did the internet back in the 1990's, liked it
Tried Social media didn't like it, my kids and grandkids are still trying to get me onboard,

Tried LEDs, like them for some things, and they are getting better at "soft light"

I still have a "land line", lol, but haven't seen a Pay Phone in quite a few years

If you are worried about losing your ICE vehicle, don't be, "they will be prying it out of your cold dead fingers" when your time comes
I doubt anyone alive today will see an outright ban on ICE vehicles, localize bans in inner cities maybe but thats not a bad idea
Like no wood burning in some areas because of the pollution effect

Pretty sure no government (even in CA) told people that they had to get a Mullet, or platform shoes.

I read last week that in CA they are starting to no longer register trucks built before 2010. I have not yet been able to confirm this, but it is the way CA is trending.

 

[pjtoledo]

don't forget transponders/connected.
the govt will soon realize that EVs don't pay road use taxes on fuel so transponders will become mandatory to track miles.
if your transponders don't talk to the monitoring stations as you drive around unpleasant things will happen.
same goes for older vehicles as a way to purge them.

progress, gotta luv it

 

[19Walt93]

I have a 94 F250 with the IDI diesel. I've done a little research into homemade biodiesel, and once I get settled down I might try it. The process is reasonably simple. It never gets (really) cold here which simplifies living with biodiesel. I read in an article someone was even using beef fat from a processor as their source of waste oil.

That said, the new house we're looking at buying is across town from work. I'd like to just use my bicycle for commuting when it's not the rainy season. In the rainy season an EV might actually make sense. My new 'commute' would be less than 10 minutes, a short enough trip that it could actually be damaging to my ICE vehicles as they wouldn't even warm up. And again, with the weather, batteries should be happy most of the time.

I didn't mind the 30 minute commute to my previous job most of the time. There was very little traffic and it gave me a chance to wind up and down before and after work. Oftentimes in the winter it was the complete opposite, extremely stressful. It's been an adjustment not having that "me" time now and I have to remind myself of those blizzardy drives to work when I start really missing it.

If you decide to make biodiesel I learned something useful from a customer who makes his own. We were having all kinds of trouble with biodiesel turning into Crisco and clogging fuel filters in cold weather. Ford didn't have anything to say other than that congealed fuel wasn't a warranty repair. My customer said to take a sample of biodiesel in a clear container, add a little water and shake it, then let it sit. If it settles into 2 layers- water and fuel- it's good. If you get 3 layers it means you have too much glycerin in your fuel and will have problems.

 

[19Walt93]

I'm interested in this too. I'd be a lot more interested in EVs if I could easily turn a classic into an EV myself. The drivetrain postion of the coversion options are already looking pretty good, still got a long way to go before I would consider it, but looking pretty good. For me the biger issue is and probably always will be batteries. It's difficult to fit battery packs into an existing chassis. custom battery packs can be built as evidenced by many of the existing swaps, but that takes a lot of time and research to do. For me paying someone else to do it would not be a feasable option.

One of my dream vehicles in a 67-68 Mustang, preferibly a fastback. I imagine it's pretty high up there on a lot of people's list. I know out the gate that I don't want to keep it stock or "original". If I bought a complete car I'd be replacing 75% of it with aftermarket upgrades and most of the remaining 25% would probably need to be replaced due to wear and tear. I've thought several times that I'd be replacing so much of the car, why start with the expense of an original that's going to need a lot of metal work? Dynacorn makes complete reproduction bodies. Start with one of those and build custom with the parts I want. Won't be an "original" Mustang, but I don't care, it'd be my Mustang. Plan has always been to build it with a windsor based stroker, but I wouldn't have a problem building it as an EV assuming that EV has progressed to the point that I want it to.

Even if the whole conversion were engineered to the point where it was bolt in, battery density and the support network would have to develop a lot more before I would even consider doing it. If I'm going to put that level of work into a vehicle I want to be able to jump in and drive it across country without much thought put into it. I don't want to be stuck around home or planning trips around where I can find a charging station.

There's a show called Iron Resurrection about a garage that builds cars and their adventures. The owners wife and buddy seek out and buy cars for them to build. One time they visited a guy who converted a late 60's Mustang to full electric and she went for a ride in it. She asked if he thought it would do a burnout so he decked the throttle and her eyes got as big as saucers. The car had the equivalent of 800 hp. Not a practical daily driver but neither is the 9 second, 514 powered 70 Mustang one of my former techs built.

 

[stmitch]

I read last week that in CA they are starting to no longer register trucks built before 2010. I have not yet been able to confirm this, but it is the way CA is trending.

We talked about this last week in this very thread (page 10 when you brought it up). It is true that pre-2010 diesel trucks will not be able to be registered unless they can prove that they meet 2010+ emissions standards. What the really means, is that they want all diesels to have a functioning DPF and DEF/SCR system in place. 2010 was the first year those things became necessary to meet the tighter regulations. This phase out of 2009 and older trucks was decided back in 2008. People have had 14 years to plan and prepare for this.

Here's the actual regulation so you can confirm it with your own eyes:

Truck and Bus Regulation | California Air Resources Board

ww2.arb.ca.gov

 

[stmitch]

don't forget transponders/connected.
the govt will soon realize that EVs don't pay road use taxes on fuel so transponders will become mandatory to track miles.
if your transponders don't talk to the monitoring stations as you drive around unpleasant things will happen.
same goes for older vehicles as a way to purge them.

progress, gotta luv it

It's probably more beneficial for them to just charge a flat fee each year when you register. That way, they don't have to implement anything and they get your money whether you drive 20k miles or 2k miles per year. It's what's done in many states already:

I'd bet if you do some math, a lot of those EV fees make the state more money per vehicle than equivalent fuel taxes.

So, if gas is taxed an average of $0.30/gal, and the average EV registration fee is around $125 then the registration fee is the same as the tax on 433.3 gallons of gas. If your ICE vehicle gets 20mpg then you pay the same as the EV driver after 8666 miles. If the vehicle gets 30mpg, then you break even at 13000 miles (which is about the national average for miles driven per year). So an average EV fee is probably about the same to the gov as you driving an ICE that gets 30mpg.

If we look at Ohio specifically, the fuel tax is $0.385/gal and the annual EV registration fee is $200. So every EV owner pays the same amount as fuel tax for 519 gallons of fuel. So regardless of how much or how little they drive their EV they're paying the same each year as a pickup owner that drives 10,380 miles in a truck that gets 20mpg or 15,570 in a car that gets 30mpg or 20,760 miles in a hybrid that gets 40mpg.
Basically, if you drive an efficient vehicle and/or you don't drive very much each year, you're better off paying the fuel tax than the EV owner who pays no fuel tax but pays the flat fee instead.

 

[sgtsandman]

If you decide to make biodiesel I learned something useful from a customer who makes his own. We were having all kinds of trouble with biodiesel turning into Crisco and clogging fuel filters in cold weather. Ford didn't have anything to say other than that congealed fuel wasn't a warranty repair. My customer said to take a sample of biodiesel in a clear container, add a little water and shake it, then let it sit. If it settles into 2 layers- water and fuel- it's good. If you get 3 layers it means you have too much glycerin in your fuel and will have problems.

I’ve read some in people doing the biodiesel thing. Many have to install a fuel system heater to prevent the fuel from gelling in cold weather.

The whole process is pretty involved to. It was interesting reading but sounds like a lot of work and expense. I’m sure the expense drops quickly once you are setup and producing.

 

[bilbo]

There really isn't a ton to it, but it is important to be careful and thorough, no rushing. First, there are dangerous chemicals involved so safety is an issue. Also, if you're not patient enough to wash the fuel properly it can create major problems. The settling and washing process is what gets rid of the glycerin and other contaminants.

Biodiesel gels sooner than regular diesel fuel; I can't remember what the temp is. That's what kept me from trying it in ND. I didn't want to have to deal with the cold issues while making it and running it, so that left me with 6 months I'd be able to make and use it. Gelling won't be an issue here though. All of the horror stories I've read about seem to come from rushing the process and/or cutting corners. By the time it's all said and done I don't know that it's any cheaper than buying fuel, but I enjoy the self-reliance aspect and learning something new. If I ever do it I'm definitely getting a green lab coat and dressing like Beakman. The worst case is it doesn't work, but the neighbors will leave me alone so still a win.

For what it's worth, there are many that don't even bother making the biodiesel for the IDI. They run a blend of waste oil and regular diesel.