1973 Leyland Mini S to EV Conversion

[hbpowerwall]

Pipped at the post by incorrect quarter panel pieces of the roof liner kit Still a spectacular result for my first time doing a roof liner install!
Released here & Patreon asap, then rests of the world at 6pm GMT 10+

 

[lsantos]

Sorry if this has been covered... What are you doing about paint?

Scotchbrite & Flatclear coat

Oh come on, no giant sparks/lightningdecal all over it? haha jk

 

[hbpowerwall]

Sorry if this has been covered... What are you doing about paint?

Scotchbrite & Flatclear coat

Oh come on, no giant sparks/lightningdecal all over it? haha jk

If you check out the first post there might be a power symbol in the roof somehow... *unless wifee vetos it

 

[hbpowerwall]

This week I reply to the single biggest questions asked by the community about

1. Why don't you paint it?
2. What motor are you going to use?
3. What batteries are you planning on using?

Tesla battery modules tested fitted under the seats of a Leyland Mini











Moment Motors

• https://www.momentmotors.com/cl-line

Hyper9 120v Motor



The new 9 inch HyPer9 AC motor is based on a new high efficiency design. The motor is a permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance design and holds the highest efficiency rating of IE4+ at 94% motor efficiency. The motor is IP56 sealed. The matching controller, an AC-X1 by SME Group will accept a supply side DC voltage of up to 132 Volts, and will output up to 760 Amps output, with a peak 88kW of power. The permanent magnets are a new design that are manufactured without the use of rare earth elements, but still gain a big efficiency advantage with a powerful 173 lb/ft of torque.

My Electric Mini

• https://www.facebook.com/myelectricmini/photos/rpp.417350825698660/551371798963228/?type=3&theater

Swiden Powertrain

• https://swindonpowertrain.com/uk/news.aspx

A new compact 80kW 'crate' powertrain that makes it easier for specialist OEMs to electrify their low volume sports cars, light commercial and recreational vehicles has been announced. Swindon Powertrain's High Power Density (HPD) EV system will ease the transition for manufacturers currently frustrated by the lack of compact, high power EV systems available to buy in low volumes.

Linked from subscriber - The retail version apparently running this motor only 100 made at 80,000 pounds!
https://swind.life/products/e-classic




GT Tooling's Mini Moke rear motor front wheel drive
https://www.facebook.com/pg/GT-Tool...&album_id=10155290392058099&ref=page_internal
More 'internal' talks (me talking with my self) make me WANT to go down this path with the build. For all the extra time, money & effort this would take to make legal I really love the concept!

 

[erbu]

I came across your YT videos a few days ago and I'm loving it. I'm in the process of looking for a classic mini and am planning on converting it, just like yours. I've been doing a lot of research regarding using an AC50 or hyper9 motor in the mean time. Maybe you know some of these things already, but some things I've learned are:

- On your video, you mentioned moment motor's mini looks like a fully modified front end. At moment motor's instagram, they showed that they used a mini-tec subframe from superfastminis. I'm not sure if you looked into these, but these are replacement subframes with mounts for a honda engine and transmission. Moment also showed that they used a 5-speed honda b-series transmission on their instagram. From what I could tell, using these honda engine subframes require cutting the inner fender to gain some width in the engine bay. But other than that, it looks to be all bolt on.

- Another company I've seen who makes these subframes is allspeed engineering. They keep the rubber cone suspension vs mini-tec swaps it for coil overs.


- evmini.ca is a blog of someone who converted their mini using an ac50 motor back in 2010-2013. Similar to moment motor's set up, but had a local welder modify the existing mini subframe instead of purchasing one. He also used a d-series honda engine instead of b-series. He provided a lot of good information on his swap.



Hope you find this helpful! Keep up the great work & awesome videos!

 

[not2bme]

Great looking body! The floor panels don't look rusted through, and no rust around the fenders. What an awesome car to convert! I envy you, with all the salt on the roads here during winters there's no way a car like that would be able to survive around here. A little sanding and primer coat!

 

[Korishan]

Great looking body!

Careful, you'll make him blush

 

[hbpowerwall]

I came across your YT videos a few days ago and I'm loving it. I'm in the process of looking for a classic mini and am planning on converting it, just like yours. I've been doing a lot of research regarding using an AC50 or hyper9 motor in the mean time. Maybe you know some of these things already, but some things I've learned are:

- On your video, you mentioned moment motor's mini looks like a fully modified front end. At moment motor's instagram, they showed that they used a mini-tec subframe from superfastminis. I'm not sure if you looked into these, but these are replacement subframes with mounts for a honda engine and transmission. Moment also showed that they used a 5-speed honda b-series transmission on their instagram. From what I could tell, using these honda engine subframes require cutting the inner fender to gain some width in the engine bay. But other than that, it looks to be all bolt on.

- Another company I've seen who makes these subframes is allspeed engineering. They keep the rubber cone suspension vs mini-tec swaps it for coil overs.


- evmini.ca is a blog of someone who converted their mini using an ac50 motor back in 2010-2013. Similar to moment motor's set up, but had a local welder modify the existing mini subframe instead of purchasing one. He also used a d-series honda engine instead of b-series. He provided a lot of good information on his swap.



Hope you find this helpful! Keep up the great work & awesome videos!

Dam buddy - that's going to change the direction for sure! I go down the rabbit whole but mainly look at photos as being time poor I can't spend hours reading posts. BUT I think the plan is evolving quite quickly! Where this car will be the learner - do it as cheap as possible then do the car I really want to make an ev second (a mini van) That subframe information will mean i can just use a honda gearbox and drive shafts bolt the gear box to it with custom adaptors and i'm done! I am very happy you took the time to give me/the world this info! you've helped no END!

Great looking body! The floor panels don't look rusted through, and no rust around the fenders. What an awesome car to convert! I envy you, with all the salt on the roads here during winters there's no way a car like that would be able to survive around here. A little sanding and primer coat!

Naw... SOOOO blushing right now ....... (Kori was spot on!) She is in good condition that's for sure, I keep having to edit out me saying LOOK NO rust lolz

Great looking body!

Careful, you'll make him blush

Snicker!

 

[hbpowerwall]

I found more examples of people using the mini gearbox, the idea is starting to grow on me just because there won't be any changes needed to fit the gearbox. Just have to mount the motor on top - Already found the AUTO cad files for the HyPer9 & AC20 still looking for Mini motor cad drawings to hopefully 3D print some models before sending to a machine shop.

https://www.postanote.co.nz/classified-ad/An-Electric-Drive-System-for-an-early-Morris-Mini_24795




NZ Mini EV
https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/cu...o-made-an-electric-vehicle-out-of-a-1966-mini




Phill Roberts' Electric mini

Patrik Svedberg's buildhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/59276210@N07/with/8578699815/




DonRacine idea from back in 2008 this is exactly what I had in my head! Well, kinda there is so much other crap in there also!
http://www.minifinity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=186&t=84018




And after an hour down the googles rabbit hole i end up at this pintrest pin -https://www.pinterest.com.au/geoffmurray/3mini-electric-powered/my search is over lol

 

[hbpowerwall]

I came across your YT videos a few days ago and I'm loving it. I'm in the process of looking for a classic mini and am planning on converting it, just like yours. I've been doing a lot of research regarding using an AC50 or hyper9 motor in the mean time. Maybe you know some of these things already, but some things I've learned are:

- On your video, you mentioned moment motor's mini looks like a fully modified front end. At moment motor's instagram, they showed that they used a mini-tec subframe from superfastminis. I'm not sure if you looked into these, but these are replacement subframes with mounts for a honda engine and transmission. Moment also showed that they used a 5-speed honda b-series transmission on their instagram. From what I could tell, using these honda engine subframes require cutting the inner fender to gain some width in the engine bay. But other than that, it looks to be all bolt on.

- Another company I've seen who makes these subframes is allspeed engineering. They keep the rubber cone suspension vs mini-tec swaps it for coil overs.


- evmini.ca is a blog of someone who converted their mini using an ac50 motor back in 2010-2013. Similar to moment motor's set up, but had a local welder modify the existing mini subframe instead of purchasing one. He also used a d-series honda engine instead of b-series. He provided a lot of good information on his swap.



Hope you find this helpful! Keep up the great work & awesome videos!

Been looking at this option



Given the Honda D Series engine bolts in to this frame it would be super easy to use the Honda Gearbox for extra strength and bolt in swap (well kinda)
Thanks ERBU

 

[erbu]

Been looking at this option



Given the Honda D Series engine bolts in to this frame it would be super easy to use the Honda Gearbox for extra strength and bolt in swap (well kinda)
Thanks ERBU

Yeah, there's a ton of different ways people are doing it. I've thought about using the mini gear box, but I don't have any CAD skills to design a vertical mounted adapter plate & coupler. I also wasn't sure about what to do with the oil in the gearbox. Since the motor & transmission shares oil, do you just leave oil in there and close it up?

The person with that pick up truck conversion is on the diyelectriccar.com forum. I don't know if he's still active there. There are also one or two guys that are in the middle of their mini conversion in that forum.
https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67066

Did you see the install manual for that minitec subframe? There's a pdf link of it at the top of this page. It shows the cuts you need, but I'm not sure which cuts are needed for the sub frame vs cuts needed for the honda engine itself.
https://www.minimania.com/VTEC_Conversion_Kit_MTB2_Installation_Manual

Also, candian ev makes sells the adapter for the honda transmissions. It just comes down to cost & ease of buying + shipping vs having a local shop do it.
https://canev.com/product/honda-4-cylinder/

I'm excited to see which route you end up with. It'll be awesome either way! I'm really hoping I can find a suitable mini soon so I can start my project like you.

 

[hbpowerwall]

Yeah, there's a ton of different ways people are doing it. I've thought about using the mini gear box, but I don't have any CAD skills to design a vertical mounted adapter plate & coupler. I also wasn't sure about what to do with the oil in the gearbox. Since the motor & transmission shares oil, do you just leave oil in there and close it up?

With the gearbox all you'd need to do is blank off the end with some tricky autocat *just downloaded it and the learning curve has started) stick the stock dip stick in and you're good to go.

The person with that pick up truck conversion is on the diyelectriccar.com forum. I don't know if he's still active there. There are also one or two guys that are in the middle of their mini conversion in that forum.
https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67066

Spent quite some time on diy electric car, but it prompted me to reinstall an adblocker -The ads ondiyelectriccar dot com make me want to cry - popup video ads should be reserved for porn sites. Moving on it's a great resource and there is some cool older projects i can draw inspiration from for sure.

Did you see the install manual for that minitec subframe? There's a pdf link of it at the top of this page. It shows the cuts you need, but I'm not sure which cuts are needed for the sub frame vs cuts needed for the honda engine itself.
https://www.minimania.com/VTEC_Conversion_Kit_MTB2_Installation_Manual

Having a good look at the minimaina kit, not for this build but i'm thinking if this project gains tracksion on YouTube i'll be doing a van next and take everything I learn from this process to build the perfect conversion next time.

Also, candian ev makes sells the adapter for the honda transmissions. It just comes down to cost & ease of buying + shipping vs having a local shop do it.
https://canev.com/product/honda-4-cylinder/

I'm excited to see which route you end up with. It'll be awesome either way! I'm really hoping I can find a suitable mini soon so I can start my project like you.

Those adaptor plates are cheaper than having one designed so yet another awesome share bud THANK-YOU!

 

[hbpowerwall]

Who would have thought getting laid was frustrating... I guess I shouldn't have gone with the cheapest option.

But wait it was actually PREIUM molded carpet - unfortunately nothing molded or premium about the fit.

First four photos are the front carpet - back fits fine.

Hopefully, the seller sent the wrong model carpet and we can get it sorted quickly. Not that I need carpet yet but it arrived first and needed to be fitted so figured why not. It won't be staying in the car till its complete. Had to remove the heater box to fit the carpet so also took the chance to remove the pedals & 70s AM Raido (That still works well)

 

[Korishan]

At least you checked now instead of after it would of been too late to return/exchange them.

 

[hbpowerwall]

@kori - yes, kinda why i've done it - finding out getting parts that actually fit as described is a touch harder on a 46yr old car.. lol

In other news, front subframe is out and pressure washed ready to be stripped, blasted, powder coated & rebuilt with all new parts









Also found a neat piece of history under the bonnet reinforcing pieces. Was blasting with the leaf blower and it poked out a little - ended up being a 46yr old piece of paper from the factory that recorded defects in the paint.

 

[watts-on]

- ended up being a 46yr old piece of paper from the factory that recorded defects in the paint.

Are you going to add all the new defects to it?

Interesting project, keep it up.

 

[hbpowerwall]

- ended up being a 46yr old piece of paper from the factory that recorded defects in the paint.

Are you going to add all the new defects to it?

Interesting project, keep it up.

Need to add a new abbreviation - Maybe surface rust n patina (everywhere)
One massive circle around the whole car.

Also noticed its a morris in the picture not a Leyland - not that it really matters. It is going into a frame first thing tomorrow morning.

 

[hbpowerwall]

Forum is ahead of the YouTubes..... above post is the making of ep6 but in the meantime enjoy ep5 ahead of official release

 

[hbpowerwall]

1st trip to the powder coaters have to do one thing at a time because of storage space & the fear of forgetting how to reassemble

Almost everything taken off will be upgraded or replaced with new items
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CLASSIC...E-SUSPENSION-REBUILD-UPGRADE-KIT/233405464087
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MINI-7-...NT-END-DISC-BRAKE-CONVERSION-KIT/202877689438

 

[Korishan]

1st trip to the powder coaters have to do one thing at a time because of storage space & the fear of forgetting how to reassemble

That's why lots of pictures. LOTS of pictures

I know what ya mean about space and forgetfulness. Add in the occasional uncle who moves stuff on ya before you can reassemble makes it OH so much easier.