Re: For Sale at any Price?...NOT!

["1sclunn" <1sclunn@msn.com>]

Steve Clunn wrote:
     I see your point and having a car that ever time you pop the clutch it
inspires somebody to go electric is something you don't want to sell. (I'll
bet somebody reading your  post is thinking about converting one now :-).
But what if somebody brought you a Datsun just like the one you have . What
would you charge to make it just like yours (blue meanie 2) ?  Could you do
it for less that 25k ? I think a lot of people after seeing you smoke the
tires would take a Blue Meanie 2 over a ford Think.  Do you think that maybe
the ford com is so in-love with there Think that they just don't want to
sell it (ha ha ).  I don't know about you but I'm having more fun playing
with my EV's now than I ever did 30 years ago when I was rebuilding gas
cars.  Kids today don't have the opportunity to rebuild cars like we did
years ago. Gas is just not fun any more (leaves a bad taste in your mouth
;-( .  But converting a car to electric that's something they can do .  I'd
like to see EV's become the in thing for high school kids to do.   So how
can we promote this hobby ?   It's been a year since I had Port Saint
Lucia's (Florida) first EV rally ( next town south of me) so if anybody has
any ideas on how I can make this "the event" lets hear them. I haven't
picked a date so anybody who has a car and wants to come let me know when
you can make it and I'll pick a date when the most people can come.
1sclunn@msn.com  www.grassrootsev.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Wayland" <dat1200@europa.com>
To: <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 2:52 PM
Subject: For Sale at any Price?...NOT!


> Hello to All,
>
> 1sclunn wrote:
>
> > I would like to see all EV's in the album for sale.  I know that
somebody
> > who puts 500 to 1000 hours into there EV doesn't want to sell it for the
> > price of the parts but by putting the price that they would be happy
with
> > say 40k or what ever, they will help other people trying to sell there
EV's.
>
> While I agree with your concept here, I do not agree that this is a good
idea for
> 'everybody'. Using my favorite car that I own, 'Blue Meanie' as an
example....
> Putting a price on it, as in placing it available for sale, implies that I
am willing to
> let it go for the right price, that I am perhaps wishing for a better EV,
or that it's not
> the pinnacle of design (at least in my eyes), and I think it sends the
wrong message.
> Though some may question why anyone would
> have the fanatical love affair that I have for this now 30 year old
economy car ('72
> Datsun 1200 sedan), it is nonetheless there, and I would never want anyone
to think I'd
> consider selling this car....not for sale!
>
> The era of the early 70's classically styled, clean-looking, tough and
sturdy, easily
> hopped-up, back yard racer, street tough Datsuns was perfect timing for
the young Wayland
> car nut emerging from high school in '69. I don't just miss that era now,
as do some old
> dudes who harken back to the good 'ol days of oldy-moldy music...I missed
it immediately
> when I was still in my early 20's, back when Nissan in one of
automotive-dom's stupidest
> moves, went away from their square-shouldered best-selling Datsun 510's,
the light and fun
> Datsun 1200's, and the rough-riding but oh-so-heavy duty Datsun 520
minitrucks in the mid
> 70's, and instead, brought out boring, nondescript vehicles that lacked
all of the
> aforementioned excitement. The early 80's brought us more boring,
nondescript vehicles
> that in another blunder by Nissan, wore that same corporate nameplate and
lacked the name
> of character 'Datsun'. Yes, I miss the Datsun era...it's one that
evidently, Nissan
> finally admits to missing, too, as they are now capitalizing on the glory
'Datsun' days of
> the early 70's period in all of their recent commercials, fondly showing
the original Z
> Cars, and Datsun 510's tearing up the race tracks! Nissan seems to be
trying to win back
> the hearts of Datsun fanatics with their hot Altima (0-60 in nearly 6
seconds flat)
> series, and now, their new Z Car....too bad they can't swallow their pride
and call them
> Datsuns again! It's also too bad they let Honda take and simply run away
with the market
> that Datsun established long ago...that boy racer, affordable and fun
pocket rocket
> car...you can see the enthusiasm in today's youth as the 'tuner cars' of
the hot import
> scene are where it's at.
>
> Fortunately for me, before they all disappeared, I was able to get a
couple of clean 1200
> sedans, and I've held on to them ever since. I never want to sell my
beloved 1200 (Blue
> Meanie), I never want to see it harmed in any way, and I never lust over
another's EV
> conversion. I've had this cool, fast, and fun EV for many years now, but
each time the
> garage door lifts open to reveal it waiting for me...even as it sits next
to a modern
> machine like my immaculate Honda Insight, my heart still pounds with the
excitement that
> only a cherry condition, 135 HP, 250 ft. lbs. of torque, 300 watt
stereoized, violet pearl
> over royal blue tricked out electric Datsun 1200 can bring to me. When I
go overboard and
> have this desire in excess, I've got that 'other' 1200 to play with, too.
>
> > If your pet project sold you would have some real money to get better
parts
> > and make even a nicer car....
>
> For me, that's not an issue...I already have that 'better car'. Recent
improvements have
> made it even better, too.
>
> For those who've had recent test rides in this car, you'll like what I've
done. Gone is
> the slipping clutch (too many burnoffs in 3rd from a dead stop, I guess),
that I had to
> make excuses for...replaced with none other than the famous 'It Vil Not
Schlipp!' full
> blown racing clutch that was responsible for ripping off the input shaft
of White Zombie's
> former 5 speed tranny. Yes, a few weeks ago I finally did it, and I did it
right. The
> Meanie's lightened flywheel was remachined, and a new competition type,
but more
> streetable than the Zombie's solid copper three prong job, clutch disc was
installed,
> along with that killer  'It Vil Not Schlipp!' pressure plate. Of course, a
new pilot
> bushing and a fresh throw-out bearing were included, too. On the 1-10 fun
factor, it's
> back at a solid '10', as the car now blisters its rear tires at the
slightest provocation.
> Taking off in 2nd gear while mashing down the 'GO pedal' has the 1000 amp
Emeter pegged as
> the tires instantly erupt in white smoke that pours out of the fender
> wells...immature?...maybe, but gawd, what fun! I came around a corner
yesterday, going
> perhaps 10 mph in 3rd gear, and decided to wake up Mr. Raptor 1200...the
car fishtailed
> and smoked the tires for about a block...banging 4th gear, the car
squatted as the 156V
> pack of Optimas (now 5 years old) sagged to about 125 volts but delivered
1000+ amps, and
> the car simply accelerated HARD! It's pretty amazing how much power an ADC
9 inch motor
> can make, and this much power in a light weight car like a Datsun 1200
sedan, is pure FUN!
>
> Another really big improvement has been my rework of the under-hood area
and the inclusion
> of the hopped-up PFC20, that killer Rudman charger! It's really perked up
the Optimas
> being able to hit them with 28+ amps while charging off 240vac. It's also
very cool, using
> a simple twist lock-to-120 vac plug adapter pigtail, to also have the
flexibility to still
> charge off any 120V outlet. I can now blast 9 miles to downtown Portland,
and drive with
> full enthusiasm, knowing that at the downtown located EV charging station,
I can plug into
> the NEMA 14-50 outlet, and jam 28+ amps into the pack and get filled back
up in a hurry.
>
> I've got more improvements coming soon, so there's no reason to ever think
of selling this
> long time EV friend.
>
> See Ya........John Wayland
>
>