Project X gets EV conversion

I'm sure it will make a bunch of people mad but the fab work is stunning. Be interesting to see if Hot Rod actually drives the car after the conversion or if it is just a show pony now.
https://www.motortrend.com/features/project-x-57-chevy-ev-conversion/

Wicked. I'd hoped Elon would have done this first.

I'm a huge fan of modified cars and am sure that I will end up with an electric motor in my Super Bee one day when gas stations no longer exist, but I just feel like this is not the right car to put that crate EV motor in.

X2, but that be the things to come. I’ll probably be dead by then. Lol.

Not the first powerplant swap for that one. Won't be the last either. I prefer the Crusher Camaro myself.

Should have done it with another car, imo.

https://youtu.be/CXk40AUsuSg

I agree with this comment of the video....
It feels like a shot across the bow. "We'll let you keep your hot rods........if you convert them to EV."

Leave alone what is an iconic hot rod this is the same as Bruce Jenner changing government to be popular with the in crowd!

Project X in the mid 2000s got the typical TV show big wheels and Foose stance- and back then one of the builders mentioned a future with electric or hybrid electric power. Just more pushing of a technology that's not ready infrastructurally for prime time. Older people prefer ICE powered cars. The demographic every manufacturer is aiming for- youngsters (18-35) are not into all electric like GM Ford and Tesla think- Youngsters are into whatever car mom or grandma has that they can drive into the ground for free.

I think its actually pretty fitting, because we’re about to all be the Hollywood Knights. Tubby’s is going to be every gas station.

They knew what they were doing.

I like the project - but think they should have picked a different car.

I know most people here aren't going to like this, but I don't think they could have found a better car to do this to. This thing has been a showcase car for powerplants and tech its entire life. What better to be an ambassador to bridge the gap between tech like this? I look at this and see the hobby of hot rodding surviving into another age.

A bit off topic, if so just pass by.... but this is a cool vid with great results.

Shows what can be done.

You a Furze fan too Spud? That guy is all sorts of crazy with legit skills. His pulse jet projects are awesome.

Tony disagrees with my post:

I'd like to do an EV conversion with my '65 Coronet but I just don't think I have the will power to make it happen. I have the money saved up to do the conversion, but the work involved would probably be too much for me to pull off and the car would turn into a barn find.

I think old cars would make terrible EVs. The wind noise the rattles, etc. So much of that is covered up with the sweet sound of V8 music. EVs certainly have a place, but its not in the engine compartments of old muscle.

I'd love to buy the engine they pulled from the Project X!! It would go nice in my mom's 57 Chevy. Still a 4 speed as my mom doesn't like baby transmissions.

Puke.

What did this conversion cost ?

Suddenly LS swaps are looking REALLY good!

They don't say in the article but looks like a $100K type of job to me.

Wish they would let us old ICE dinosaurs die off in peace.

The best thing about old cars is the sound. Take that away and you've ruined it.

Friend of mine has a Tesla...thing runs 9s stock, 60 foots like a dud though. It's crazy, but it's like driving a stupid fast golf cart, according to him. He also owns a couple of FAST mustangs.
It's neat and all, but meh.

Talk about destroying an iconic car - I guess it could be worse - they could have stuck a toyota JZ in it with a couple of hair dryers and NOS on it !!

I've always been curious about this, can he keep running 9 second blasts, or does the et keep droping off? In other words could he make say 5, 9 second runs in an evening (or would it be a 9, then a low 10 then a mid 10 and so on and so fourth), the make it home with out recharging?

I don't know, but I'll ask him.

Guess folks here have missed that for sells a crate motor for such conversions. The EV conversion is clearly a focus of SEMA this year. KInda goes completely against the RPM act they say they support.

I said this exact same thing a couple days ago. Complete BS, and caving into the Leftist agenda. Not a good thing.

He said it'll fall off on the big end as the charge goes away, but you can run it a lot before needing to charge it. It loses anywhere from 1 to 3% charge on a full 1/4 mile pass. At only 40% charge, it'll slow down 3 tenths from it's best pass. He said it's best ever pass was on 70% charge.

Friend of mine has a Tesla...thing runs 9s stock, 60 foots like a dud though. It's crazy, but it's like driving a stupid fast golf cart, according to him. He also owns a couple of FAST mustangs.
It's neat and all, but meh. [/quote]

I've always been curious about this, can he keep running 9 second blasts, or does the et keep droping off? In other words could he make say 5, 9 second runs in an evening (or would it be a 9, then a low 10 then a mid 10 and so on and so fourth), the make it home with out recharging? [/quote]
I don't know, but I'll ask him. [/quote]

He said it'll fall off on the big end as the charge goes away, but you can run it a lot before needing to charge it. It loses anywhere from 1 to 3% charge on a full 1/4 mile pass. At only 40% charge, it'll slow down 3 tenths from it's best pass. He said it's best ever pass was on 70% charge. [/quote]

Thanks for the info....Its good to know what we are up against. At 340 hp I don't think that conversion Chevy is that quick. I remember several years ago there was a couple nerdy conversions at our track ...they went 20. somethings in the quarter.

I learn long ago to not trust anything in print from any magazine, the people who write those articles are English majors, not mechanics or engineers.
I've seen so many screw ups on their part go into print that made no sense, let alone be anywhere near accurate
Some people involved in hot rodding will feed them myths and lies just to see if they are smart enough to know when their being lied to or intentionally mislead
That is sickening and has a very bad affect on our hobby

Makes me want to puke , but , and pun intended , your mileage may vary.

Exactly what I was thinking.

It's sacrilege to do that to the iconic project X. Hot rods will always be internal combustion. Who wants to drive a car that sounds like grandmas Kenmore mixer? Prepare yourself, the end is near.

how many years from now.......

you see them taking all that $hit out and putting a twin turbo ICE back in ???

LMAO

Screw that.

I look at it this way...people still have horses. The ICE vehicles will be around for a while.

Project X faded with me around 2008 when GM got their hands on it. IMO it lost that "Project" feeling at that point. Ok; enough said, back to watching Road Kill ..

I agree. GM turned it into a high dollar street rod. The fab work was fantastic but it wasn't a PHR project car anymore. PHR was always about real, loud, and somewhat crude cars. GM turned Project X into a car that was more Street Rodder magazine than Popular Hot Rodding. It kind of drifted away after that. Tony and Lucky tried to turn it back into a project car with a blown LS engine but it wasn't quite the same. I guess it turns out that you actually can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.