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130 Build Your Own Electric VehicleDirt and rust are OK in moderation but too much of anything is too much. If youcan’t tell what kind of engine it is because you can’t see it in the engine compartment,pass on this choice. You don’t want to spend as much time cleaning as you do convertingor pay someone else to do it, only to find that essential parts you thought were presentunder the dirt are either in poor condition or not present at all.Rust is rust, and what you can’t see is the worst of it. How can you put your best EVfoot forward in a rust bucket for a chassis? Don’t do it; pass on this choice in favor of arust-free vehicle or one with minimal rust.Keep Your Needs List HandyRegardless of which vehicle you choose for conversion, you want to feel good aboutyour ability to convert it before you leave the lot. If it’s too small and/or cramped to fitall the electrical parts—let alone the batteries—you know you have a problem. Or if it’svery dirty, greasy, or rusty, you might want to think twice. Here’s a short checklist tokeep in mind when buying:• Weight—With 120 volts and a 22 hp series DC motor, 4,000 to 5,000 lbs. is aboutthe upper limit. On the other hand, the same components will give you blisteringperformance and substantially more range in a 2,000- to 3,000-lb. vehicle. Weightis everything in EVs—decide carefully.• Aerodynamic Drag—You can tweak the nose and tail of your vehicle to produceless drag and/or turbulence, but what you see before you buy it is basicallywhat you’ve got. Choose wisely and aerodynamically.• Rolling Resistance—Special EV tires are still expensive, so look for a nice set ofused radials and pump them up hard.• Drivetrain—You don’t want an automatic; a 4- or 5-speed manual will do nicely,and front wheel drive typically gives you more room for mounting batteries.Avoid 8- and 6-cylinders in favor of 4-cylinders, and choose the smallest, lightestengine/drivetrain combinations. Avoid heavy duty anything or 4-wheel drive.• Electrical System—Pass on air conditioning, electric windows, and any poweraccessories.• Size—Will everything you want to put in (batteries, motor, controller, andcharger) have room to fit? How easy will it be to do the wiring?• Age and Condition—These determine whether you can get parts for it, andhow easy it is to restore it to a condition fit to serve as your car.Buy or Borrow the ManualsManuals are invaluable. If possible, seek them out to read about any hidden problemsbefore you buy the vehicle. After you own it, don’t spend hours finding out if the redstripedor the green-striped wire goes to dashboard terminal block number 3; just flipto the appropriate schematic in the manual and locate it in minutes. Componentdisassembly is easy when you learn that you must always disengage bolt number 2 ina clockwise direction before turning bolt number 1 in a counterclockwise direction, etc.Believe me, these are labor savers.