Posted on 03/18/2022 6:03:02 AM PDT by Red Badger
Classic car ownership is an extremely rewarding hobby, but it can also be expensive and time-consuming when it comes to keeping the vehicle safe and reliable. EV conversions have become increasingly popular with people who want most of the pleasures of vintage metal without the drawbacks. But what if the conversion concerns a classic Ferrari?
Welcome to Electric Classic Cars which is removing a Ferrari V12 from a 1980s Testarossa to install an electric powertrain to create the “Teslarossa”, but is this really the solution to classic car ownership woes?
Electric Classic Cars’ workshop is located in the UK, and has converted dozens of vehicles to run on electric motors, including helping famous motorcycle racer Guy Martin build the world’s fastest electric car out of a Volkswagen Beetle.
In part one of the series, mechanic Richard already encounters many of the problems that most classic car owners are familiar with, including dead batteries, broken electrical systems, and service costs. As these vehicles get older, parts become more expensive and difficult to find (if you can find them at all).
VIDEO AT LINK................
A Bit of History
The Testarossa has long been maligned as a soft grand tourer, a far cry from the original race cars that carried the Testa Rossa name in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Testarossa’s 4.9-liter flat-12 produced 385 horsepower when it debuted in 1984. Impressive for the time, but shunting around a chassis that weighs upwards of 1,700kg (3,760 pounds), that number isn’t so impressive.
As the engine is removed from the vehicle, the weight savings are already apparent. The engine alone weighs 420kg (925 lbs), and there’s more to be lost in other items as well. Of course, whether this translates into a weight reduction after you take into account the batteries for the electric powertrain, remains to be seen.
Sacrilege or Savings?
Whether or not you agree with the replacement of the sonorous Flat-12 with a silent powertrain, it’s hard to argue against the cost savings of ditching an extremely complicated engine, and replacing it with the least complicated motor of all – electric. Richard doesn’t say exactly which motor and battery capacity he intends to use, but it sounds that it might be sourced from a Tesla. We’ve reached out to him and will update this post once he gets back to us.
While in the past, a supercar with an expensive repair bill might be destined for a Chevy 350 or LS swap, in theory, this new generation of EV swaps not only offers benefits to the environment but also to performance and cost as well.
Any chance we can buy that spare V12 though?
Pete Buttplug is first in line to buy one, because it’s so affordable for middle income Americans.
Anyone want a sweet-ass lawnmower engine?
I could mow my whole yard in 30 seconds......................
Ping!..............
Some states might force you to add a lawnmower engine into the exhaust to get enough smoke coming out to register on your Smog Check.
With ZERO emissions, they might think you’re cheating and you’d fail!
/s
Nope. In an earlier YouTube video they said the powertrain has already been sold.
With used blocks going for $20,000, and transmissions going for $12,000, seems to be that they should be able to fund the entire project by just selling the powertrain.
Oh, cool.
Put the electric motor in and toodle around to the shows.
I hope they are using an Italian electric motor, need to preserve that Italian whine.... 😂
Italians are terrible with electrical wiring................I had a FIAT..............
And the same goes for just about every “sport” edition car on the road: wasted potential left behind by some idiot, along with his money.
Of course. IMO once batteries are included I'd be very surprised if there are any weigh savings.
Besides, a Ferrari is a Ferreri because it sounds like a Ferrari.
A Ferrari is a Ferrari because its spelled Ferrari.
“keeping the vehicle safe and reliable”
Those two words are completely missing from the Ferrari owners lexicon.
And can’t be translated into Italian.
Oh yes, and all Ferrari owners also appreciate bright lights and ergonomic controls laid out in a sensible pattern.
So like did they like, bend it into a "V" when they pulled it out?
Ferrari owners care about their carbon emissions, first and foremost.
:)
I saw a video on youtube where a guy converted his old Suzuki Samurai to electric , LOL
Did he use an RC motor?...............
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