Greetings Gav!, This is Rick from the declining oil Capitol of the World and rising EV Capitol of the world, Houston, Texas. Just follow your passion and do the conversion! The critics should buy their own British Leyland and preserve it if they really care or shut up. Looking forward to future videos on this conversion just like I watched your first conversion in 2007.
Love the idea of an EV Allegro. I worked in The South Experimental Department at Longbridge and many years later worked for TATA Motors, managing their prototype build workshop building Electric cars.
Since internal combustion engines will eventually recede into history along with the infrastructure to support them, there's an argument to be made that an EV conversion is the best way to future-proof a classic car. Looking forward to the project. 👍
I doubt infrastructure will go away in any of our lifetimes, not realistic for that to happen. But at the same time it’s crazy that anyone would care what this guy wants to do with a car he bought with his own money.
I say good on you for converting an older car. I suspect that when the electric revolution really kicks off there will be plenty of classic cars converted to electric. Great to see you doing another conversion. I watched your Mitsubishi series, and was greatly inspired.
This will be a great conversion, your always going to have someone complain but it is your car and you have done it before so it will turn out great ,.So many options and things to think about all part of the fun creating something .
What a great project and the perfect car for the conversion. Don't worry too much about matching the original weight, the suspension height can be easily adjusted once you find someone with the suspension filling gear. Just a word of warning about GPS speedos, they're not legal in NZ. I tried to use one on my EV motorcycle project, but had to use a speedo that uses a magnetic bolt as a sensor instead. Overcomeable is a cool word. Good luck!
Hi Gav, i watch your first conversion at the time, I love it and I'm looking forward to see your next conversion, I bet that you will be super successful, good luck :)
I'm sad about you leaving the Niva project. I own a Niva, and I would love to see one electric. Honestly, that was the reason I started following this channel. Anyway, I hope we can see the Austin all electric.
Don't listen to people. They might say something bad about electric cars like those who said that the earth is flat 400 years ago. I understand your situation, and this new car has even more features than the previous onew, so i like it even more. We like what you do, so continue this project if you won't be bored of it please!
Good luck with the conversion mate, I would suggest swapping the lead acid 12v for a fancy pants lithium one, putting helium in the tyres to save weight and winning lotto!
I love allegros They get some stick and called ugly but I think they’re a great looking car! I’m mixed on converting classics to electric but I’m not anti electric at all . I’m a petrol head classic car fan . I own a Porsche cayman S, and mk2 escort rs2000 but I also have an Audi Etron. Electric cars drive awesome and people slagging them off have no idea what they’re talking about
@@KiwiEVadventures my plans were similar. Go for leaf and 16kw battery. Was offered a Zoe running gear very cheaply. Thought about it too long and it’s gone. Typically.
oh, actually I really wanted to see your Niva EV conversion happening. I also appreciate the authenticity of course, but projects like this are interesting and even tho I don't particularly like EV's, but when you create a special combo that's something I'd like to look at. I would probably enjoy driving an electric Niva than a Tesla. How cool that torque would be behind those 70"s style steering wheels :D
An interesting challenge. I wish you well with it. In your weight calcs I think you said you were considering a 16kWh battery. At 5 km/kWh ( what I get in my Leaf in general driving during the winter ) that is only good for 80 km, not the 130 km you suggested. Also, the Allegro wheels are smaller than the Leaf's so you might not get the same efficiency as the Leaf. 16 kWh is a bit small I think. An 18650 based battery , like Tesla, might give you better kWh for the same weight but it's a lot of work.
Appreciate the comments, Brian! I came to this (probably incorrect) battery conclusion based on my old Peugeot iOn, which only had 11 kWh of usable battery due to degradation, but I could still get 122 km out of it because it was light (1080kg / 2380lb). Although not as aerodynamic, the Allegro should be even lighter than my old Peugeot iOn, so I think 100+ km per charge is *theoretically* possible on 16 kWh.
@@KiwiEVadventures There is a youtuber called Electrified Veronika who is a PhD battery scientist converting an old jeep to electric in the USA and documenting the process. She would be a great one to bounce ideas and calculations off of. Her last video she and her husband built their batter modules.
I have a 2013 nissan leaf, it has only 16kWh usable energy due to degradation, but i can still do 117km/charge in summer/spring/autumn, in winter i can get 105km out of it, but leaf its considerably heaver than Gav's car, so if he has 16kWh usable energy my guess is that he can do more than 100km/charge.
Awesome plans...keep us updated. And good luck with the house/shack hunting. Prices are coming down, now only 1.3 MILLION for an attached 2 bed brick n tile 70s unit.... in deepest darkest Manurewa
Looking forward to the conversion! I just traveled through Bratislava and Kosice and you'll be happy to know there are quite a few EVs and charging stations there. My boutique eco-hotel in Kosice had two Tesla wall chargers and a generic charger. Sadly ICE cars were parked in those spots, but I'm sure if you rolled up in a Tesla they would get the cars shifted around.
It’s going to be a great project! Imagine something like this when we finally get some sort of zero point device, or over unity generator of some sort and only need a capacitor instead of all those batteries and have infinite range for free! Every old car in the world will be lining up for a conversion. I reckon that stuff is not too far into the future. Great project Mate , good luck with it .
Please ignore the naysayers. This is a cracking idea. Hopefully making a old heap more useable and more reliable. I can’t wait to see it come together. Where can I donate money to your conversion. You could mention your supporters in each video about the project. Good like and Godspeed matey
I was wondering when we'd next see a video on the little car. I remember it being on the market for quite some time as well, but like you, I live at the top end of the country and I wasn't keen on driving it back! To be fair, however, I have driven a Triumph Stag back from Christchurch, so I wonder which of us took the bigger risk! Those A-series engines take a LOT of killing and for it to be returning such good mpg / Km/L - whichever way you want to slice it, the engine cannot be too bad. I'd happily make a donation to the cause when the drive train comes out if you're interested in selling it. My 77 Mini would thank you for it! I know plenty of people who don't like the Allegro, but I happen to love its styling....and with a bit of titivation here and there, you can get them looking quite (dare I say it) sporty. In the UK, the Series III Allegro ('79-'82) came out with quad headlights and the Equipe had a 1.7 litre engine, alloys and some first gen Laser Sport-type decals down the side and up the rear pillar. After seeing an Equipe, I have always wanted to get an Allegro, paint it silver, put the striped on, stick a lovely set of Turbine alloys on it and find a quad light grille. Ok - I'd still be running the A-series 1.3, but it would look cool. My intention was to show Kiwis - who never got the S-III or round headlights - that the Allegro could look good. In regards to its repowering - mate, you HAVE to find more than 100km range for the beast. One of the thing that has always put me off buying an electric vehicle is range limitation. The second is the practicality of "refuelling" the beast. I live 37km from Auckland city centre and if I still worked that far away (as a lot do), that's not leaving a lot left over after a round trip....and certainly not enough to turn around half way (either going there or heading home) if I forgot something I needed. A thought I had - rather than filling up the boot - was how high is the Allegro off the ground when the suspension is at its lowest point? Also, how low a profile can you get battery packs? What I am thinking is to mount something either under (or maybe in) the floor pan - ie: re-engineer the floor area and / or in the cavities under / behind the rear seat, trans tunnel etc to add batteries low down, get the weight distributed more evenly throughout the car and to try and utilise every available space the car has in order for additional range / luggage space. The car will need to be complied - sure - and the less intrusion into the original steel work, the less they have to gripe about......but there will be a trade-off if steel needs to be cut if packs cannot be mounted from under or on top without causing major inconvenience or spoiling the "sleeper" look. I have toyed with the idea of doing this to my Stag when its engine coughs its last CO / CO2 out a cylinder. An rebuild on a Stag engine is a phenomenal cost - and also depends if you can find someone with the know-how. Mine runs a P76 engine, which is less expensive, but we are still talking near 5-figures......if the parts can be sourced. I therefore thought about a crate engine - Chev 350 - but again, getting one landed here is still near $10k. Now, if I could get my Stag to go 350-400km on a charge (like it does on 54 litres of fuel) and it costs me similar money to convert as it would to mount a different engine in situ (plus compliance costs to change her current certification as I would for any engine but the P76) and if I still have a usable and practical classic, then electric would be the way to go......but I would lose that beautiful V8 rumble and cruise in near silence except for the gearbox and diff whines.....but have a vehicle that has far less chance of breaking down! I'll be keeping up with this build as it happens. You've picked a good solid base car to start with and now the fun can begin! All the best.
THIS IS SO EXCITING!! I like the challenge of not only converting the car, but meeting NZ certification requirements. I'm about to start my own conversion down in Wellington and I'll be following your journey for more tips and tricks :D
Some modern diesel cars use a 12V electric heater in the HVAC box, as the engines take quite a while to warm up. I think BMW 1-series uses these and are about 1.4 kW. These might be useful for your project and more cost effective (when available as a used part) then buying multiple new 12V heaters. Check out the EVBMW channel for information as Damien has discussed these before. However, to heat a car properly in colder climates, you require more then this. I've seen Tesla Model S's PTC heater, pump out up to 7kW to keep the interior warm.
I have been watching and enjoying your channel for several years. I am becoming convinced you should buy a used (or new) manufactured electric vehicle. You would have a better car than you cobble together on your own. You have a lot more options than you had 2007.
Hi John, believe me, I've thought about just getting a used EV for years but it just wouldn't be "me". I need something really different! A conversion is just unbeatable for sheer wow factor and I want to drive a statement piece!
@KiwiEVadventures Thanks, Gavin, we have been driving a Chevy Bolt since 2021, and we are impressed. My wife accuses me of using it for a research vehicle. She is right.
Gen2 stack at 8:54. (Gen1's DC/DC is behind back seat) Quoting: "The high-voltage harness that supplies power to the [Gen2] PTC heater comes directly from the lithium-ion battery." (it's HV cable connects directly to Gen2 battery) The PTC heater itself is next to parking brake (inside cabin) so not sure if OEM have a different legal framework than DIYers here in NZ? Curious how Lifepos will work with PDM if you stick with Leaf. Researching it myself if you start a discussion forum elsewhere.
For the battery pack location, do you really need four seats? If not, consider removing the back seats and mounting the battery cells in the rear footwell and where the rear seat base was. That way, you retain the normal boot space. 😎
Citroen used the same principle on the 2CV (starting 1948...) but they did it mechanically..... later on they started with hydropneumatic (starting 1956 on TA 15CV)
Whoo im very interested how the EV conversion journey goes. And don't let destroy your dreams by some people on the internet. ;) You own that Thing so you can do whatever you want. =)
I would love to have the estate version, I know I'm weird, hahahaha. I envision a 4WD off road beast with jacked suspension , Knobbly tyres, winch and all the off road fruit!
Ahhh, the Austin Allegro 'Land crab'. I remember it well. I had a polytech (Mechanical engineering) friend with a green one. unfortunately the 'Hydrospastic' Suspension had collapsed on the right hand side so I could see him leaning to the left while driving. I also remember being facinated by the technology pushing up and down on the opposing suspension to see how it reacts. We did not care for our vehicles that much and would drive down Cameron Rd Tauranga trying to push each other off like in the movies. Skoda vs Allegro! Also crashing intentionally into me at intersections trying to push me to the amazment of spectators. My suggestion for heating if at all possible is to reinstate the reverse cycle air con leaf system. this would give you dehumidification also. BTW. After all these years since I made up the cables up for your first conversion. I have finally brought a 2017 nissan leaf for my wife & I'm driving an outlander PHEV which i mostly use in electric. better late than never! & no you cannot use my Wife's car as a donor vehicle. Sorry. :)
@@KiwiEVadventures I would too. unfortunatelly it only resides in my memory. I would surely be arrested trying to recreate these days. maybe a paddock bash. i know of an orange Allegro. just need to find an 1100 Skoda. just checked trademe..... nope. :(
Can't wait to see this come together! I've long thought a Nissan Leaf drivetrain would make a great donor platform for a conversion-- personally I want to swap one into an MR2. Where can we go to donate towards this project?
I think its good you chose to keep a bit of british history going same reason why i chose the mg zs 180 mk1 amd eventually when we ban petrol id convert to the next fuel source which i dont believe is ev as its simply not better for the environment with the resources required for the batteries hopefully cleaner fuels come through soon
Are joined drive shafts legal in NZ? Usually cheaper to get someone to join existing shafts by welding, sleeving and voodoo. There's a place in Poland people on open inverter recommended that's cheap for custom drive shafts too, depends on postage and import fee to NZ I guess.
its up to you to do what ever to your car because you own that car. I hate EV's but love the one's converted to electric since it is way more simple than the EV's like tesla. its much better with something you can work on and fix yourself rather than buying an ev like tesla at high cost and with lowest build quality that falls apart from day 1.
I got given a Nissan Sentra that was converted to electric, unfortunately the the batteries, lead acid, are pretty dead. But aside from that the previous owner had the idea you could use some 12v hairdryers for the screen. Incidentally I'm in New Plymouth.
The only downside to this conversion is - It'll still be an Allegro haha. Was looking forward to that Niva conversion but I'm keen to see how this turns out!
I don’t understand why you aren’t leaving the gearbox in situ, drive shafts and Speedo all taken care of for nothing..? Also your conversion is reversible for the grumbling few..? Petrol tank area for battery pack..just a thought..? 🤔
I love the fact you gave a crap about the purists being upset. I'm glad I'm not the only one 😉. In hindsight the haters are always going be moaning. Their problem not ours. Looking forward to the progress. Check out my TVR Teslaswap build👍⚡💯
EV conversions are going to be the saving grace of so many classic and future-classic cars. Sure, you’re not going to EV swap an Alfa 33 Stradale or McLaren F1, but for non-squillion dollar cars, it’s up to the owner. Petrol heads just need to get over themselves.
@@Banom7a It's complicated, but as I already mentioned in my last two videos, I had to sell the Lada. It's back in Seattle now, with the previous owner who purchased it off me. My residency in the USA was dependent on my spouse. She chose to end the relationship for reasons I didn't agree with, and her choice meant I lost my residency, job, home and car. Don't get married, guys. Never ever get married.
It's so weird to me to see people upset about classic car conversions. You're basically giving an old car a new life, and that engine you already talked about selling to people who might put it in a mini. You get a classic electric car, and an engine gets a new home in a car that might need a new one. It's a win-win. People are weird 😅
После Нивы у тебя много фанатов в России и Казахстане. Мы все говорим по-русски. Я понимаю английский плохо, половину что ты быстро говоришь я не понимаю.🙄 Но я все равно буду следить за тобой.🧐 Если тебе не сложно, сделай субтитры на русском языке.🙏 Спасибо брат! 🤝
О, мне очень жаль. Я новозеландец, и мы одни из самых быстро говорящих людей в мире (по-английски). Я использую для этого Google Translate, но если кто-то, кто читает это, говорит по-русски и может создавать субтитры, я добавлю их.
Obviously I'm interested, but weight limitations play a part. Could you give exact weights of the motor and battery modules? Then I can factor them in.
we never got these in Aust, but i think they look great ... better than an alfa sud imo . as for that stupid argument ... the more cars converted the better, surely?
I've been looking at heat pumps for the heating AND cooling of the Allegro - something like this Zerobreeze portable AC could be possible to re-purpose. th-cam.com/video/aJzYNdbPrlI/w-d-xo.html
Interesting EV project, at least you chose a unique car, rather than doing yet another VW bus or the like. 1st step for EV, conversion should not be fixing up everything that is wrong with the base car itself, you've skipped 98% of that.
Having owned one of these piles of shit back in the day, don't let me stand in the way of you converting iit to electric or beating it very thin with a huge hammer for that matter.
Greetings Gav!, This is Rick from the declining oil Capitol of the World and rising EV Capitol of the world, Houston, Texas. Just follow your passion and do the conversion! The critics should buy their own British Leyland and preserve it if they really care or shut up. Looking forward to future videos on this conversion just like I watched your first conversion in 2007.
Love the idea of an EV Allegro. I worked in The South Experimental Department at Longbridge and many years later worked for TATA Motors, managing their prototype build workshop building Electric cars.
Since internal combustion engines will eventually recede into history along with the infrastructure to support them, there's an argument to be made that an EV conversion is the best way to future-proof a classic car. Looking forward to the project. 👍
I doubt infrastructure will go away in any of our lifetimes, not realistic for that to happen. But at the same time it’s crazy that anyone would care what this guy wants to do with a car he bought with his own money.
Internal combustion isn’t going anywhere anytime soon synthetic fuels will keep them running indefinitely
I say good on you for converting an older car. I suspect that when the electric revolution really kicks off there will be plenty of classic cars converted to electric. Great to see you doing another conversion. I watched your Mitsubishi series, and was greatly inspired.
This will be a great conversion, your always going to have someone complain but it is your car and you have done it before so it will turn out great ,.So many options and things to think about all part of the fun creating something .
What a great project and the perfect car for the conversion. Don't worry too much about matching the original weight, the suspension height can be easily adjusted once you find someone with the suspension filling gear. Just a word of warning about GPS speedos, they're not legal in NZ. I tried to use one on my EV motorcycle project, but had to use a speedo that uses a magnetic bolt as a sensor instead. Overcomeable is a cool word. Good luck!
Hi Gav, i watch your first conversion at the time, I love it and I'm looking forward to see your next conversion, I bet that you will be super successful, good luck :)
Great to have you back with another conversion still have your CD from 2008.
I think its great that you're converting it and look forward to the project
I'm sad about you leaving the Niva project. I own a Niva, and I would love to see one electric. Honestly, that was the reason I started following this channel. Anyway, I hope we can see the Austin all electric.
Yay look forward to seeing you getting this done eventually
Don't listen to people. They might say something bad about electric cars like those who said that the earth is flat 400 years ago.
I understand your situation, and this new car has even more features than the previous onew, so i like it even more.
We like what you do, so continue this project if you won't be bored of it please!
Good luck with the conversion mate, I would suggest swapping the lead acid 12v for a fancy pants lithium one, putting helium in the tyres to save weight and winning lotto!
I love allegros
They get some stick and called ugly but I think they’re a great looking car!
I’m mixed on converting classics to electric but I’m not anti electric at all . I’m a petrol head classic car fan . I own a Porsche cayman S, and mk2 escort rs2000 but I also have an Audi Etron. Electric cars drive awesome and people slagging them off have no idea what they’re talking about
So glad to see this. I’m researching to convert my 79 allegro to electric next year. So I’ll keep a eye out here. Good luck. 👌🏼
Oh that is sweet. Make sure you take heaps of photos and videos. We might need to bounce ideas off each other!
@@KiwiEVadventures my plans were similar. Go for leaf and 16kw battery. Was offered a Zoe running gear very cheaply. Thought about it too long and it’s gone. Typically.
oh, actually I really wanted to see your Niva EV conversion happening. I also appreciate the authenticity of course, but projects like this are interesting and even tho I don't particularly like EV's, but when you create a special combo that's something I'd like to look at. I would probably enjoy driving an electric Niva than a Tesla. How cool that torque would be behind those 70"s style steering wheels :D
An interesting challenge. I wish you well with it. In your weight calcs I think you said you were considering a 16kWh battery. At 5 km/kWh ( what I get in my Leaf in general driving during the winter ) that is only good for 80 km, not the 130 km you suggested. Also, the Allegro wheels are smaller than the Leaf's so you might not get the same efficiency as the Leaf. 16 kWh is a bit small I think. An 18650 based battery , like Tesla, might give you better kWh for the same weight but it's a lot of work.
Appreciate the comments, Brian! I came to this (probably incorrect) battery conclusion based on my old Peugeot iOn, which only had 11 kWh of usable battery due to degradation, but I could still get 122 km out of it because it was light (1080kg / 2380lb). Although not as aerodynamic, the Allegro should be even lighter than my old Peugeot iOn, so I think 100+ km per charge is *theoretically* possible on 16 kWh.
@@KiwiEVadventures There is a youtuber called Electrified Veronika who is a PhD battery scientist converting an old jeep to electric in the USA and documenting the process. She would be a great one to bounce ideas and calculations off of. Her last video she and her husband built their batter modules.
I have a 2013 nissan leaf, it has only 16kWh usable energy due to degradation, but i can still do 117km/charge in summer/spring/autumn, in winter i can get 105km out of it, but leaf its considerably heaver than Gav's car, so if he has 16kWh usable energy my guess is that he can do more than 100km/charge.
Can't wait for you to pull this off mate! So cool!
Awesome plans...keep us updated. And good luck with the house/shack hunting. Prices are coming down, now only 1.3 MILLION for an attached 2 bed brick n tile 70s unit.... in deepest darkest Manurewa
*cries in Auckland*
Actually, big news coming soon. Should have another video churned out within a week.
0:23 I like how the badge says RUSTIN'
I wish you the best, your attitude is so positive, I love it.
My uncle had one of those I'm looking forward to this conversion best of luck dragging it onto the modern world
Looking forward to the conversion! I just traveled through Bratislava and Kosice and you'll be happy to know there are quite a few EVs and charging stations there. My boutique eco-hotel in Kosice had two Tesla wall chargers and a generic charger. Sadly ICE cars were parked in those spots, but I'm sure if you rolled up in a Tesla they would get the cars shifted around.
I envy you, Mike! I'm hoping to get back to Slovakia in 12 months from now if I can save up enough. It's a lovely country.
I’m a proper Allegro fan. I can’t wait to see how this pans out.
It’s going to be a great project! Imagine something like this when we finally get some sort of zero point device, or over unity generator of some sort and only need a capacitor instead of all those batteries and have infinite range for free! Every old car in the world will be lining up for a conversion. I reckon that stuff is not too far into the future.
Great project Mate , good luck with it .
Please ignore the naysayers. This is a cracking idea. Hopefully making a old heap more useable and more reliable. I can’t wait to see it come together. Where can I donate money to your conversion. You could mention your supporters in each video about the project. Good like and Godspeed matey
Fantastic project! Can't wait to see how it turns out.
A couple of cheap 12V travel hairdryers will be ample to demist the screen :)
that reminded me of electrek car that Aging Wheel reviews a while back lmao
I was wondering when we'd next see a video on the little car. I remember it being on the market for quite some time as well, but like you, I live at the top end of the country and I wasn't keen on driving it back! To be fair, however, I have driven a Triumph Stag back from Christchurch, so I wonder which of us took the bigger risk! Those A-series engines take a LOT of killing and for it to be returning such good mpg / Km/L - whichever way you want to slice it, the engine cannot be too bad. I'd happily make a donation to the cause when the drive train comes out if you're interested in selling it. My 77 Mini would thank you for it!
I know plenty of people who don't like the Allegro, but I happen to love its styling....and with a bit of titivation here and there, you can get them looking quite (dare I say it) sporty. In the UK, the Series III Allegro ('79-'82) came out with quad headlights and the Equipe had a 1.7 litre engine, alloys and some first gen Laser Sport-type decals down the side and up the rear pillar. After seeing an Equipe, I have always wanted to get an Allegro, paint it silver, put the striped on, stick a lovely set of Turbine alloys on it and find a quad light grille. Ok - I'd still be running the A-series 1.3, but it would look cool. My intention was to show Kiwis - who never got the S-III or round headlights - that the Allegro could look good.
In regards to its repowering - mate, you HAVE to find more than 100km range for the beast. One of the thing that has always put me off buying an electric vehicle is range limitation. The second is the practicality of "refuelling" the beast. I live 37km from Auckland city centre and if I still worked that far away (as a lot do), that's not leaving a lot left over after a round trip....and certainly not enough to turn around half way (either going there or heading home) if I forgot something I needed.
A thought I had - rather than filling up the boot - was how high is the Allegro off the ground when the suspension is at its lowest point? Also, how low a profile can you get battery packs? What I am thinking is to mount something either under (or maybe in) the floor pan - ie: re-engineer the floor area and / or in the cavities under / behind the rear seat, trans tunnel etc to add batteries low down, get the weight distributed more evenly throughout the car and to try and utilise every available space the car has in order for additional range / luggage space. The car will need to be complied - sure - and the less intrusion into the original steel work, the less they have to gripe about......but there will be a trade-off if steel needs to be cut if packs cannot be mounted from under or on top without causing major inconvenience or spoiling the "sleeper" look.
I have toyed with the idea of doing this to my Stag when its engine coughs its last CO / CO2 out a cylinder. An rebuild on a Stag engine is a phenomenal cost - and also depends if you can find someone with the know-how. Mine runs a P76 engine, which is less expensive, but we are still talking near 5-figures......if the parts can be sourced. I therefore thought about a crate engine - Chev 350 - but again, getting one landed here is still near $10k. Now, if I could get my Stag to go 350-400km on a charge (like it does on 54 litres of fuel) and it costs me similar money to convert as it would to mount a different engine in situ (plus compliance costs to change her current certification as I would for any engine but the P76) and if I still have a usable and practical classic, then electric would be the way to go......but I would lose that beautiful V8 rumble and cruise in near silence except for the gearbox and diff whines.....but have a vehicle that has far less chance of breaking down!
I'll be keeping up with this build as it happens. You've picked a good solid base car to start with and now the fun can begin! All the best.
THIS IS SO EXCITING!! I like the challenge of not only converting the car, but meeting NZ certification requirements. I'm about to start my own conversion down in Wellington and I'll be following your journey for more tips and tricks :D
I'm honoured! You're an NZ EV legend!
@@KiwiEVadventures no you! 😂
I can't wait to follow along with this project!
Some modern diesel cars use a 12V electric heater in the HVAC box, as the engines take quite a while to warm up. I think BMW 1-series uses these and are about 1.4 kW. These might be useful for your project and more cost effective (when available as a used part) then buying multiple new 12V heaters.
Check out the EVBMW channel for information as Damien has discussed these before.
However, to heat a car properly in colder climates, you require more then this. I've seen Tesla Model S's PTC heater, pump out up to 7kW to keep the interior warm.
Check the double bulk head in the drivers footwell , rust likely
While overcomable is a perfectly cromulent word, some superior alternatives might be: surmountable, doable or achievable.
Surmountable? Great name for the project :)
i agree!!
I have been watching and enjoying your channel for several years. I am becoming convinced you should buy a used (or new) manufactured electric vehicle. You would have a better car than you cobble together on your own. You have a lot more options than you had 2007.
Hi John, believe me, I've thought about just getting a used EV for years but it just wouldn't be "me". I need something really different! A conversion is just unbeatable for sheer wow factor and I want to drive a statement piece!
@KiwiEVadventures Thanks, Gavin, we have been driving a Chevy Bolt since 2021, and we are impressed. My wife accuses me of using it for a research vehicle. She is right.
Nice plan and video Gavin
Gen2 stack at 8:54. (Gen1's DC/DC is behind back seat) Quoting: "The high-voltage harness that supplies power to the [Gen2] PTC heater comes directly from the lithium-ion battery." (it's HV cable connects directly to Gen2 battery) The PTC heater itself is next to parking brake (inside cabin) so not sure if OEM have a different legal framework than DIYers here in NZ? Curious how Lifepos will work with PDM if you stick with Leaf. Researching it myself if you start a discussion forum elsewhere.
For the battery pack location, do you really need four seats? If not, consider removing the back seats and mounting the battery cells in the rear footwell and where the rear seat base was. That way, you retain the normal boot space. 😎
I love electric car conversions
Please don't get married in the meantime. ;-)
Haha, I promise I won't. I could write a book titled "Five hundred reasons not to get married" :D
@@KiwiEVadventures Do it! It'll sell like hot cakes!
Use a liquid fuel heater not eclectic it will make your range much longer.
Citroen used the same principle on the 2CV (starting 1948...) but they did it mechanically..... later on they started with hydropneumatic (starting 1956 on TA 15CV)
Whoo im very interested how the EV conversion journey goes.
And don't let destroy your dreams by some people on the internet. ;)
You own that Thing so you can do whatever you want. =)
It's got a tow bar. You could have folding camper adventures!
I would love to have the estate version, I know I'm weird, hahahaha. I envision a 4WD off road beast with jacked suspension , Knobbly tyres, winch and all the off road fruit!
Ahhh, the Austin Allegro 'Land crab'. I remember it well. I had a polytech (Mechanical engineering) friend with a green one. unfortunately the 'Hydrospastic' Suspension had collapsed on the right hand side so I could see him leaning to the left while driving. I also remember being facinated by the technology pushing up and down on the opposing suspension to see how it reacts. We did not care for our vehicles that much and would drive down Cameron Rd Tauranga trying to push each other off like in the movies. Skoda vs Allegro! Also crashing intentionally into me at intersections trying to push me to the amazment of spectators.
My suggestion for heating if at all possible is to reinstate the reverse cycle air con leaf system. this would give you dehumidification also.
BTW. After all these years since I made up the cables up for your first conversion. I have finally brought a 2017 nissan leaf for my wife & I'm driving an outlander PHEV which i mostly use in electric. better late than never!
& no you cannot use my Wife's car as a donor vehicle. Sorry. :)
I would pay good money to see a Skoda vs Allegro crash-race :D
@@KiwiEVadventures I would too. unfortunatelly it only resides in my memory. I would surely be arrested trying to recreate these days. maybe a paddock bash. i know of an orange Allegro. just need to find an 1100 Skoda. just checked trademe..... nope. :(
Not a Landcrab, that was the 1800 (maxi)
@@sparkiepaul1 half right, the landcrab was the 1800 series, but the Maxi was a different car altogether, although they did share the same doors 👍
Can't wait to see this come together! I've long thought a Nissan Leaf drivetrain would make a great donor platform for a conversion-- personally I want to swap one into an MR2.
Where can we go to donate towards this project?
It's happening! 🥳
Heat pump?
Are you upgrading the brakes? Discs on the back?
Sponsorship?
I think its good you chose to keep a bit of british history going same reason why i chose the mg zs 180 mk1 amd eventually when we ban petrol id convert to the next fuel source which i dont believe is ev as its simply not better for the environment with the resources required for the batteries hopefully cleaner fuels come through soon
About the height, why dont you use Motor Hubs? and for the heater why don't you use a webasto heater?
Are joined drive shafts legal in NZ? Usually cheaper to get someone to join existing shafts by welding, sleeving and voodoo. There's a place in Poland people on open inverter recommended that's cheap for custom drive shafts too, depends on postage and import fee to NZ I guess.
Johnny Smith,carpervert, is also modifying an Allegro and nobody complaints or he id ingnoring them
Checkout the suspension pipes because they do rust....
exciting!
its up to you to do what ever to your car because you own that car. I hate EV's but love the one's converted to electric since it is way more simple than the EV's like tesla. its much better with something you can work on and fix yourself rather than buying an ev like tesla at high cost and with lowest build quality that falls apart from day 1.
Could you kindly assist in sizing up a motor for electric conversion ? Is there a formula to be considered
Liked and subscribed ... will be great to see your progress =)
Welcome back !)
Any Niva news?
Thank you! Last I heard, my old Niva was back in Seattle at the Soviet Car Museum. I think about it often and miss it. :(
I got given a Nissan Sentra that was converted to electric, unfortunately the the batteries, lead acid, are pretty dead. But aside from that the previous owner had the idea you could use some 12v hairdryers for the screen.
Incidentally I'm in New Plymouth.
Great. I ❤ it.
Surmountable
The only downside to this conversion is - It'll still be an Allegro haha. Was looking forward to that Niva conversion but I'm keen to see how this turns out!
What are you going to use for brakes? Increasing power by such a large %. The cert man will need that improved.
Hi Gavin, have been following you for many years, have a Suzuki Jimny 4x4 that I am looking at converting, any suggestions? I'm in South Africa
I don’t understand why you aren’t leaving the gearbox in situ, drive shafts and Speedo all taken care of for nothing..? Also your conversion is reversible for the grumbling few..? Petrol tank area for battery pack..just a thought..? 🤔
A 12 volt hair dryer may be an easier solution to the demister problem.
I love the fact you gave a crap about the purists being upset. I'm glad I'm not the only one 😉. In hindsight the haters are always going be moaning. Their problem not ours. Looking forward to the progress. Check out my TVR Teslaswap build👍⚡💯
10:00 Spot the Leaf!
Are you keeping the tow bar? Looks heavy.
EV conversions are going to be the saving grace of so many classic and future-classic cars. Sure, you’re not going to EV swap an Alfa 33 Stradale or McLaren F1, but for non-squillion dollar cars, it’s up to the owner. Petrol heads just need to get over themselves.
What happened to the Lada and why did you leave the US?
when he say gf calling it quit, i assume it must be a visa issue lol.
@@Banom7a It's complicated, but as I already mentioned in my last two videos, I had to sell the Lada. It's back in Seattle now, with the previous owner who purchased it off me. My residency in the USA was dependent on my spouse. She chose to end the relationship for reasons I didn't agree with, and her choice meant I lost my residency, job, home and car. Don't get married, guys. Never ever get married.
Yeah, you planned to convert the Lada to ev too. And where is it now?
You need to watch my other videos, my friend. I've answered that question twice.
@@KiwiEVadventures thanks for the reply! I've noticed the q and a video, but haven't watched it yet.
Try getting a lithium battery for 12 volt system like Tesla have in new model s , it will save some more weight
could you ask a company for a sponsorship for the build?
An iMiEV electric motor might weigh less and be easier to fit in the engine bay.
Florida: " you don't need any special documentation or rules" pretty much sums up doing anything in Florida
It's so weird to me to see people upset about classic car conversions. You're basically giving an old car a new life, and that engine you already talked about selling to people who might put it in a mini. You get a classic electric car, and an engine gets a new home in a car that might need a new one. It's a win-win. People are weird 😅
The number of views on these videos are criminally low. I hope that some day I finally get to see an electric Niva :,)
После Нивы у тебя много фанатов в России и Казахстане. Мы все говорим по-русски. Я понимаю английский плохо, половину что ты быстро говоришь я не понимаю.🙄 Но я все равно буду следить за тобой.🧐 Если тебе не сложно, сделай субтитры на русском языке.🙏 Спасибо брат! 🤝
О, мне очень жаль. Я новозеландец, и мы одни из самых быстро говорящих людей в мире (по-английски). Я использую для этого Google Translate, но если кто-то, кто читает это, говорит по-русски и может создавать субтитры, я добавлю их.
Great vid. Have you tought about a Hyper 9 motor and 4 x tesla modules? only weighs approx 160kg and no need to touch the drivetrain.
Obviously I'm interested, but weight limitations play a part. Could you give exact weights of the motor and battery modules? Then I can factor them in.
Suspension could the problem in future if you can’t get the parts
Can't you just cut the Allegro and LEAF driveshafts at the appropriate spots and weld the 2 together?
we never got these in Aust, but i think they look great ... better than an alfa sud imo . as for that stupid argument ... the more cars converted the better, surely?
"No evil spouses can stop it from happening" 👍😆
I take it ‘Lucas’ has nothing to do with this...??!
I've been looking at heat pumps for the heating AND cooling of the Allegro - something like this Zerobreeze portable AC could be possible to re-purpose. th-cam.com/video/aJzYNdbPrlI/w-d-xo.html
or this! th-cam.com/video/nwZuu_2KPzc/w-d-xo.html
At 100 a week it should take 15 years to save up 😉
Interesting EV project, at least you chose a unique car, rather than doing yet another VW bus or the like.
1st step for EV, conversion should not be fixing up everything that is wrong with the base car itself, you've skipped 98% of that.
Having owned one of these piles of shit back in the day, don't let me stand in the way of you converting iit to electric or beating it very thin with a huge hammer for that matter.
Overcomeability.