Electric bus

I think I’ll need to get one of them! I know Moggy at ECC has one on his crew cab and seen them elsewhere aswell. I imagine if i hunt there will be a 3D printing file in the internet somewhere to do one.

 

I think I found the font they used was pretty close to one on my PC.
I tried printing one on my old 3D printer but the printer was too bad and so either the results melted in the sun (PLA) or looked rough (damp nylon). These days I have a better printer and I think PETG is robust enough for another try..

I will drag out the CAD files and have another go.

These days you can send your CAD files to the likes of PCBWay and they will mill out a metal version of something you can prototype on a 3D printer..oooh worship the billet logo..

 

Thanks for the info! I know nothing about 3D printing, apart from it can be very useful. I know it’s something I need to get round to one day…

 

Let me know if GL103UQ fits the bill

 

I checked the font used when I was playing around - with a FreeCad ShapeString..

RockwellNova-Bold.ttf

Not 100% correct as the G is different AFAIR.

 

Mike I think I've got the right font. Can check tomorrow if you need it.

 

Loving the fact you are getting into this!

Thanks for taking a look at this. Like I said before, I havent got my head around 3D printing yet, but I’d be interested in getting a good quality print, in metal (or metal looking at least) that said VOLTSWAGEN. I prob wouldn’t put it on the rear, but would add it to the dash.

If it’s something you are interested in doing let me know and I can pay you for your efforts. I’d need to measure up and give you a size. Or you mentioned being able to use online services to get them to do it. Happy to be guided on this if it’s something I can get done.

cheers @mikedjames, @DubCat

 

I’ve been quiet on here, but work has been continuing on this electrickery project, mainly on battery boxes, which have taken waaay longer than i thought. Just confirming I haven’t electrocuted myself… yet photos to follow soonish.

 

You can pretty much find any font on that there internet.





These I made for my 14


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Spare a thought for Moggy at Electric Classic Cars. His daily driver crew cab electric conversion got nicked and ended up a likely write off. Aswell as his daily transport it’s a test bed for new tech, so hits his business too. Must be gutted.

 

Scumbags

 

that's really sad

 

So today I did this…



…and ended up, after a bit of encouragement, with this…



…which is all fine and dandy, but that’s not what you came here for!

 

So what I can tell you is batteries are harder than motors.

Attaching the motor to the disaster bus wasn’t too hard, but the battery was a lash up (see start of this thread). Going from lash up, to something reasonably safe and the right shape and size is a lot harder.

im using Leaf 60kWh battery. That comes with 3 different shaped modules. In general the Leaf is very popular with DIYers because the modules are a very easy to work with standard shape. But that’s only true for the earlier 24, 30, 40kWh models. I knew this would be the case, but because I wanted more range, I knew I’d have to manage the varied shapes of the 60kWh.

I started with a box to replace the bench seat. But I kept on allowing myself an extra cm here, or another 2 there, until my initial frame turned out to be just too tall. It got silly and you would have hit your head on the ceiling!



So a plan B was required. Although before I get there, I should comment on the rock n roll bed you see next to my first attempt.

No one really publishes dimensions for the beds they sell. I spoke to a couple of shops and got some answers. But a problem was going to be that they all have brackets which fit inside the bench, below the seat level which are used to support it when in bed mode.

So that’s no good for my plan. I need the space. Fortunately, speaking to Rusty Lee, he makes each bed more or less to order. That’s not the case with some other places that bulk buy large orders for their stock. He was fine to avoid welding the support brackets to my bed when I ordered it. I will still need them to be there and I have vague notions of hinges and springs and magnets or some other blue peter magic that will allow me to have collapsing brackets that jump into position when needed. But that’s for the future…

 

So Plan B. Not what I wanted, but ended up with 2 battery boxes.

main bench box…

bolts to seat belt points at the back, and has wee holes to allow me to bolt to bench seat mounting points on the floor.




Then, box B…

These will also be the base for cupboards in due course.




It’s been a learning curve!

Who knows if I’m making all the right decisions or not. But that’s the point of trying!

Things to note -
- the T2 floor is not flat. Not only does it have the peaks and troughs of the corrugated floor, there are other profiles. Like at the back where it meets the engine bay, the floor is flat and without the troughs. So if I wanted a box to be level I need to accommodate that.
- the width is dictated both by the size of the modules, plus the width of the rock n roll bed.
- probably other stuff I’ve forgotten about aswell.

speaking of trying - this is my first attempt at welding. Quite pleased because I started out at *diabolical* standard, and now I’ve reached *not very good* standard, so that’s a substantial improvement as far as I’m concerned.

Eagle eyed readers will be wondering if the battery boxes are a bit bare. Yes they are. Modules to be added after I’ve finished mucking about in the engine bay, so the weight is kept down until I’m ready.

Over.

 

BTW - have to admit I thought there would be more interest in my 1800cc engine. For any VW experts, which other vehicles used the T4 engine? Karmann Ghia I believe. Anything else? If anyone has any suggestions on places that would be good to advertise, let me know. I’ve done all the usual FB places, but nothing has turned into a bag of cash yet.

 

I'm surprised too. I expect a 2l would have gone quickly. People don't realise how good the 1700/1800s are.

 

The Devon beds supports fold up under the bed when its set up as a seat, they pivot down 90 degrees so they cross the front edge of the bed when needed, so almost all the volume underneath is free.

 

just the t2, vw type 4 and Porsche 914 and 912e used variants of the t4 engine as far as I’m aware.

I’m also surprised it hasn’t sold yet. Maybe consider dropping the price? I saw a good 2.0 914 motor for sale a week or so ago for only £2.5k fwiw.

 

Although the VW 411, 412 and Porsche 914 had Type 4 engines only the T2 used the Type 4 BUS engine.

£2k is probably about the right price, you just need to find someone that wants a 1.8, but most people with a bus will be looking for a 2.0l.