Customer Reviews:
 Good but outdated November 12, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This well written, thoughtful book was written in 1993, and badly needs to be updated. The technologies have changed (batteries, motors, controllers), and the candidates for cars to convert have changed (for example, you need to be very careful with the computer-driven dashboards and controls of most cars built in the past 8-10 years).
It is a little shocking that this book (and Bob Brant's Build Your Own Electric Vehicle, published in 1994 and not upbdated) are the only ones available for this exciting, rapidly changing field.
 Actual step-by-step conversion explanation November 1, 2007
6 out of 13 found this review helpful
First, the copy I got in 2007 is 126 pages with a color cover, bound with the kind of black fabric binding material they use at Kinko's. The pages are in order and all but a couple of the photos are perfectly clear. Oh, and it has an index; that's a nice touch missing from some books.
First published in 1989 but updated in 1990, and 1993. In *my* experience this makes it a very recent book on this subject. The electric car fad peaked back in the 70's and most books date from that time.
Brown actually attempts to take you through the step-by-step of converting your car to battery power. He includes component selection, wiring techniques, advice on battery boxes, etc. There's a lot of detail here.
He does skimp in some critical areas however. The machining of the mounting plate that adapts the electric motor to the old flywheel is kind of glossed over. I'm not sure your friendly local machine shop will help you with this, but I may be mistaken.
And since he lives in California, the fact that the resulting car will have no heater, no defroster, and no air conditioning doesn't matter to him. Oh, and you'll be adding 800 pounds to the weight to your selected vehicle.
I just don't see anyone actually doing this in 2007. You'd do better to buy a Prius or Insight, and maybe get one of the "plug-in" kits. Then at least you'd have a real car at the end of the day.
No one's ever sold a modern mass-produced battery powered electric car at a reasonable price, and I think with all the hybrids on the road, the sun has really set on the idea of a short-range battery only car.
What I REALLY wish he'd write about is how to convert a riding lawn mower to battery power. That's a project more of us could tackle, and you'd actually have something better than the original when you were done.
Interesting but old material. October 30, 2007
The book is somewhat interesting but the information in the book is old.
Information of engines and batteries was not up to date.
In my copy the pages was not in order (page 41 was followed by 40 the next was 42 and so on).
As I understand it the book was an icon when it came but now I'm sure there are better books.
Good Topic - VERY OUTDATED MATERIAL July 29, 2007
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
The Topic is good, however the "book" is extremely disappointing. First, it states here that the book is paperback. I guess in the strictest sense that is true... however I was quite taken back when I ordered it here from Amazon.com - and received about 70 Xeroxed pages stapled together. Hardly what I expected for a "paperback". Getting past that, the material although relavent, is extremely outdated. If you want to build a high-end golf cart this might help. But if you want to delve into something modern (circa 2007) you won't find it here.
I'm sorry to sound so harse but it is the truth. I'm also sorry to say: Shame on Amazon... you shouldn't advertise this as a "paperback" when you're really selling what amounts to a handful of photocopied pages.
 Dated, but still worth the read June 26, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Nice technical data, but some of the ideas need to be updated for the next generation of home built and home converted. Would LOVE to see an update that adds some of the newer battery and hybrid ideas that are becoming more realistic for consumers.
|
