Dan Henry faces a dilemma when it comes to driving. He’s a climate-conscious, time-pressed tech executive who adores classic cars, especially the 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II, Bloomberg reported. The solution is to remodel the vehicle, removing the oily guts and substituting them with a battery.
Electrifying an old vehicle is a time-consuming and costly process. Car designers weren’t thinking about where to put a rechargeable battery sixty years ago.
Moment Motor Co. in Austin has converted four of Henry’s vehicles. The crew begins by scanning the engine bay, transmission tunnel (basically the car’s plumbing), and trunk in 3D.
The data is then loaded into a CAD model to determine where the power pack should be installed (as is most often the case, multiple small batteries are used).
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Customization may include reworking the brakes and suspension to accommodate the heavier gear that will be installed. “Some people scream that we’re taking the soul out of the car, but the reality is that we’re preserving it.” Marc Davis, founder of Moment Motor said.
Why Is It Challenging?
For good reason, there aren’t many shops like Moment. Modifying a decades-old vehicle to run on electricity necessitates a slew of esoteric skills, akin to a cross between a machinist, an electrician, and a software developer.
“Most professional mechanics can’t make the jump,” says Moment founder Marc Davis, who recruits from tech firms and custom hot rod shops. “We need people who can crack a laptop as well as turn a wrench.”
The market for classic automobiles is thriving. According to insurer Hagerty Inc., a record 36,254 vintage vehicles sold at US auctions last year, worth a combined $2.2 billion as stock market riches and pandemic itches joined with driving nostalgia.
The number of old cars traded on peer-to-peer marketplaces like Craigslist is estimated to be ten times that figure.
For decades, enthusiasts have been electrifying classic cars, but the recent battery and motor advancements have broadened the market, a Bloomberg report revealed
Putting together an EV’s organs is now a simple shopping experience, and many people are purchasing these vehicles solely to make them greener.
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