Author Topic: The Electric S10 build  (Read 24997 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
The Electric S10 build
« on: May 29, 2015, 11:55:48 PM »
Hey all,
  My name is Kerry Manning and I am building an AWD electric S10.  I have built 10 vehicles over the years (mostly road racers and rock crawlers) and 5 of them are EVs.  I find I enjoy building cars as much as driving them. A month ago I bought a one owner 88 S10 extended cab 4x4 with really low miles and a rod knock. I wanted a long bed but they are hard to find.  The extended cab had the long wheelbase I wanted and it was in such great shape I couldn't pass it up.

In the past month I have stripped out all the gas related stuff. I have taken the twin motor powertrain out of my track rat miata.  I have coupled the motors to a NP208 transfer case with an adapter from a H1 Hummer and I am starting to fit it in.  I have also built up my 800hp watercooled battery pack that is made from wrecked Chevy volt parts.

I am still trying to figure out axles.  For the front I am looking for a cast iron 7.2 but the ring and pinions are really limited and I want to keep the motors below 4500rpm.  For the stock 7.5" rear I have a TA 2.73 posi diff, and a set of 2.29s r+p to go in but I need to eliminate the c-clips.  I have been talking with Mark Williams here in the Denver area and the c-clip eliminators won't fit on the s10 axle so I asked about put in new axles and welding on ends but that is going to run about a grand alone so I am weighing other axle ideas and open to suggestions.  

I attached a few pictures.


« Last Edit: June 05, 2015, 05:59:39 PM by d55guy »

Offline kiwi belly tank

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3132
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2015, 02:19:44 AM »
I like it when I find other people that build serious vehicles out of "stuff", it takes an understanding most people don't have.
7.5 10 bolt's are great due to the wide range of ratios available.
I believe the Sonoma axle has the same bearing as the Camaro, you can cross check that at your local parts store. That would give you the right housing so you could run retainer kits.
As for the front axle you'll need to get creative there.
See if the 2 series carrier & gears will fit in the front housing. If they do, you could turn the housing upside down & direct mount the motor to the pinion & spin it in the opposite direction or just face it forward & hang the motor out the front & spin it the same as the back one.
If the $hit just won't fit, you could use a rear housing up front the same way but there'd be some fab work to run the stub axles & CV axles.
Do the motors actually need to be in mechanical sync through the T/case?
  Sid.

Offline tauruck

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2015, 03:44:25 AM »
Hey Kerry, I wish you all the best. :cheers:
Nice exciting project.

Mike.

Offline Frank06

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 405
Re:
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2015, 07:30:27 AM »
Kerry: which motors, controllers? 

Frank
E-Racer

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2015, 09:07:13 AM »
Thanks all.  From what I know the sonoma, s10, blazer,  hombre, syclone, etc all used the same axle (except the ZR2 which had the 8.5).  Did you know of a specific year sonoma?  I missed out on a vega axle on CL that had new s10 shafts and posi for 150 that would have been perfect.

I am thinking about a fbody rear end and just welding on some spring perches and putting on a c-clip eliminator.   Just having Mark Williams doing my current axle is probably where I will go I am just the type to research every option as I am budget limited.

If I do decide I need a 7.5 up front I will stuff in the front diff from a colorado.   They came from the factory with the 7.5 but there is probably a fair bit of fab work involved.

As far as the motor and controller I am planning 2 phase for the build.

 This year is Phase1 only using 2 used Warp9 motors powered by a Soliton1 (or a Shiva if I can afford a used one).  I might be just rwd to start depending on ratios and fitment. I may just cut the np208 in half as a simple 2 speed gear box.  In low I'd have a top speed of 75 and in high it's around 200.

 Phase 2 the front axle will be powered by 2 AC24LS motors belted to the front diff and powered by a hacked Volt inverter to give be 500kW total.

 If I go this route then I have more flexibility on the front axle ratio as I have a much higher speed on the AC motors.   So I would bolt in a cast iron s10 front diff (if I can find one) with a one piece bravada shafts and a 3.08 r+p.

Kerry

Offline kiwi belly tank

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3132
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2015, 01:00:02 PM »
I have 10 bolt's on both ends of my liner & originally cut up an 02 Sonoma housing for the rear & a gen 4 Camaro for the front. I didn't use the axle housings but I seem to recall they were the same. The Sonoma also has a flat 4 bolt pinion flange which might be useful to you.
If the the Camaro housing is not too wide then you're good to go.
The NP203 has the advantage of a synchro cone shift on the fly but has a 2.72 monster reduction. The 205 (no chain) has a 1.96 ratio & the 81 to 88 GM version has the synchro cone shift unlike the rest of them.
Long story short= I ended up tossing the Sonoma housing & using an F center only because all the housings I checked at the junkyard were not machined square to the carrier & that would give a toe issue. Check yours.
  Sid.

Offline SteveM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1483
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2015, 04:04:15 PM »
Very interesting project you have there.. :-o

If you intend to race it in a land-speed-racing event - make sure you have a rulebook and study it very very closely.

Please keep posting pics and updates - that looks like a fascinating project.

Steve.
1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2015, 08:18:46 PM »
Thanks all, I just got a copy and the first thing that jumped out was the axles so I am working on eliminting the c-clips right now.  I wish that disc brakes would count for axle retention.

I have actually looked at the divorced np205 and I might got that route solely for being able to put a TH400 gear vendors in between but it gets very long and the torsion bar cross member gets in the way.  The NP208 is syncro'd and I could but a GV on the end of it but the adapters are hard to find.

The S10 axle widths are:

2wd 54.5"
4wd 59"
ZR2 63"

And the F body is 62" so it could work but I would need a funky offset to fit inside the fender skirts but I should be able to make it work.  This year the Colorado Mile will be 20 miles from my house so I am thinking that will be my first event.  So for the first stage I am now thinking of just doing a 3rd gen 10 bolt with a 2.73 and posi and just the GV on the back of Warp9s.  With 29" tires I can be in the 180's but I'll be slow off the line (not a big deal).  

Kerry
« Last Edit: May 30, 2015, 08:33:27 PM by d55guy »

Offline SPARKY

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6908
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2015, 12:01:51 AM »
When I build mine I use the weld on 9" ends and I bought Ford 28 spline axels from LeadMineproducts.com they make them in 2 different lengths and you just cut to the length you need
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2015, 07:17:36 PM »
I'll have to look at them.  Thanks for the lead.

But I am thinking more about the fbody rear righr now.   There are a  few 2.73 posi axles with drums in the area for a couple hundred bucks.  I think that they will work with the camaro space saver rim (15x4) offset to still fit inside my fender skirts.  I can buy one locally to check fitment this week.


Kerry


Offline SPARKY

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6908
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2015, 08:28:56 PM »
The F body should have 28 splines in the carrier if so you can then narrow to specs with ends and "builder Axels"  and get rid of c clips
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline SteveM

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1483
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2015, 11:06:18 PM »
What class will this truck run?

1/2 of the Rampage Brothers

Offline kiwi belly tank

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3132
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2015, 11:59:07 PM »
I'll have to look at them.  Thanks for the lead.

But I am thinking more about the fbody rear righr now.   There are a  few 2.73 posi axles with drums in the area for a couple hundred bucks.  I think that they will work with the camaro space saver rim (15x4) offset to still fit inside my fender skirts.  I can buy one locally to check fitment this week.


Kerry


Filling the outside of the wheel arch is good for aero. It looks a little weird with a skinny but most of us are more interested in the numbers.
  Sid.

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2015, 11:29:04 AM »
Before I stated even planning the project back in January I emailed Dan Wright and he said there wasn't a good class for me and that the SCTA is not receptive to the creation of "New Classes".  So he recommend I just build what I want and just running for time only (with proper safety equipment of course).  Technically I would fit in the 2201lb+ electric only class but as a street legal truck I will be aiming for barely more then half that current ~320mph record.  

I already have the fender skirts but I won't have them installed till the end of the week (my wife is working late this week so I am on kid duty).

I am planning on running skinnies for sure.

Right now I am thinking these tires:

Phoenix Drag Tires#932-PH15
Phoenix Front Drag Tire
28.3'' x 7.0'' - 15''
DE Compound

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/m20ProductDisplayView?catalogId=10002&langId=-1&productId=135174&storeId=1000

On these rims:

93-97 Camaro RS SS Z28 Firebird Formula Trans Am WS6 Mini Spare Tire 15 inch

http://m.ebay.com/itm/361041091439

It looks like the rims have plenty of positive offset and my rough measurements make it look like I should be able to fit them under the skirts even with a slightly wider axle (like one off a 3rd Gen f body :).

Kerry

Offline d55guy

  • New folks
  • Posts: 29
Re: Electric S10 build
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2015, 11:24:00 PM »
Spent some quality family time working on aero mods.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2015, 11:26:12 PM by d55guy »