Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post up a thread for your EV. Progress pics, description and assorted alliteration
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ev28wa
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Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

Hi all, I'm building (to my knowledge) the first RA28 electric conversion downunder. Please have a look and bookmark for future updates if your interested!

I know this might upset some of the purists out there but it will hopefully be of interest to some.

http://www.cel28ev.com.au/

To those interested I have added a newsletter signup on the homepage, for weekly updates. :)
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jonescg
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by jonescg »

More pictures! MOAR!

I used to drive a '74 Crown. Awesome beast.
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Damon500
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by Damon500 »

Great project- I look forward to following it!
ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

Thanks lads, very early days in fact I am picking up the rolling shell tomorrow hense the lack of pics. Then it will be rust repairs and body work for a while!
reecho
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by reecho »

jonescg wrote: Sat, 22 Sep 2018, 20:30 More pictures! MOAR!

I used to drive a '74 Crown. Awesome beast.
I imported a concourse 1988 Toyota Crown a few years back. Ah those were the days... :lol:
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by reecho »

ev28wa wrote: Sat, 22 Sep 2018, 17:46 Hi all, I'm building (to my knowledge) the first RA28 electric conversion downunder. Please have a look and bookmark for future updates if your interested!

I know this might upset some of the purists out there but it will hopefully be of interest to some.

http://www.cel28ev.com.au/

To those interested I have added a newsletter signup on the homepage, for weekly updates. :)
Specs are good. Have you purchased the Zivan?. There are higher output alternatives for minimal cost. You can get 6.6Kw modules now. Wire 3 in with a Type 2 socket and it will be a full charge in just over 60 minutes.
ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

reecho wrote: Mon, 24 Sep 2018, 19:33
ev28wa wrote: Sat, 22 Sep 2018, 17:46 Hi all, I'm building (to my knowledge) the first RA28 electric conversion downunder. Please have a look and bookmark for future updates if your interested!

I know this might upset some of the purists out there but it will hopefully be of interest to some.

http://www.cel28ev.com.au/

To those interested I have added a newsletter signup on the homepage, for weekly updates. :)
Specs are good. Have you purchased the Zivan?. There are higher output alternatives for minimal cost. You can get 6.6Kw modules now. Wire 3 in with a Type 2 socket and it will be a full charge in just over 60 minutes.
Nope not yet. Only thing I've purchased well put a deposit on, is a siamese warp 9 + powerglide 2 speed transmission as it came to me after a few emails from Tim from EV Works. He had it sitting on a shelf after buying it for 15k from EV West and the project never went ahead. So he gave me a great price to move it on. Too good to pass up! I will be focusing on the restoration first but it will be nice to have the motors so I can work how it's going to be fitted under the car and fabricate mounts etc. I will leave batteries and charging til last so hopefully the price and tech has improved by then.
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by T1 Terry »

The Mustang look a like model, probably one of the best old skool models they produced I reckon. I upgraded a few of these with the twin cam 2 ltr motor by building them into the original 18R block, no engine number changes and there is a photo of one in the vehicle handbook. Stuffed the Police and rego dept because they did come out as a factory option :lol: Once we got past the rego bit I modified them yet again with performance cams, twin 45DCOE Weber carbies and the 2.2ltr 13:1 hemi pistons, fully balanced and twin plate clutches to get the whole thing to couple up to the upgraded gearbox with the far stronger cluster gear bearing. Absolutely out of sight performance, nothing around back then that could stay with them.
How times change, a spirited EV upgrade would leave them standing these days

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ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

Thanks Terry,

This shape eluded me til recently I had never seen one since they were only sold for 1 year and it was a bit before my time. For a long term project like this it really has to look the part to keep me interested. Good to know someone else who worked on them is on these forums!
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by T1 Terry »

If you are reusing the 5 sp manual gearbox you will need to replace the front cluster gear bearing with the BMW 13 ball version, available from your local bearing shop.

T1 Terry
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ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

T1 Terry wrote: Wed, 26 Sep 2018, 12:22 If you are reusing the 5 sp manual gearbox you will need to replace the front cluster gear bearing with the BMW 13 ball version, available from your local bearing shop.

T1 Terry
Nope, it's going to be a dual warp 9 + powerglide 2 speed setup with a custom tail shaft to a 9" rear diff. Hopefully it will lift the front end at full amps. :)
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

Hey all, due to fires and my brother losing his place I am selling all my EV bits for the time being. Please pm me if your interested in;

90x Calb CAM72 3.2v 72ah LiFePo4s
2kw TC Charger
Zilla 2k HV
Siamese Warp 9 and 2 speed powerglide setup
Meanwell 500w Dc-Dc converter
50mm2 orange power cable about 5m worth

All brand new/never used
ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

I would also like to give a huge thanks to Ian from Zeva who offered a full refund for the BMS system I bought from him, a real generous offer.
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by jonescg »

Ah shit :(
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ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

Yeah certainly not the way I thought this would go. But once everything settles back down I will be back with a bigger and better setup. And realistically I have up to 2 years of bodywork to get the car perfect
ev28wa
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Re: Celica 1977 RA28 restoration + performance EV conversion!

Post by ev28wa »

By the time I get the body work done who knows what battery tech might be available, well I'm trying to look on the bright side anyway.
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