Stefan Elsener
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Speed Test - 75 MPH

7/19/2009

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Today we showed the 99% completed EV to the owner to much approval.  We still have a few more odds and ends to take care of, but another week and we will be able to present the owner the keys to a completed 1967 Triumph Spitfire Electric Vehicle Conversion.

We added some ferrite rings to reduce the noise in the PakTraker Battery Monitoring System.
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Keith, Stefan, and Tim with the newly painted and 99% complete EV.
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Tonight we completed a Top Speed test on the highway.  The EV shifts nicely from second to third to fourth gear to propel the car up to 75 MPH with some power left to boot!
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Paint Job

7/18/2009

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Today we spent all day painting the 1967 Triumph Spitfire a nice new coat of green.  

Step 1 was to sand down the entire car to get rid of old paint and debris. 



Step 2: We blew off the dust with compressed air and wiped down the entire body with mineral spirits to remove and remain dust or oil from our hands.




Step 3: Tape off all areas of the car that are not supposed to be painted.




Step 4: We applied a coat of primer.

Step 5: We again sanded and wiped down the entire body with mineral spirits.



Step 6: We applied the first coat of paint.

First Coat of Paint Video



Step 7: We let the first coat bake in the sun for approx. an hour.



Step 8: Apply second coat of paint and let it dry.

Step 9: Apply third coat of paint and let dry.




Step 10: Remove tape and paper/tarps and let the entire car bake in the sun to further cure the paint.

Step 11: Inspect for any areas that need to be touched up.

Step 12: Reattach all accessories such as: hinges, trim, bumpers, light covers, windshield, etc...

Step 13: Show off all the hard work...





Before... [05/23/09]

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After... [07/18/09]

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Suspension, DC-DC Converter, & Tires

7/16/2009

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This week we replaced the front suspension system with new shocks and springs raising the ride height by almost 2 inches.
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We installed the DC-DC converter which will act as a conventional "alternator" and keep the accessory battery charged at all times.
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Also, we finished fabricating the front electronics tray braces. 
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Finally, we were able to get new tires installed on the stock rims.  We painted the old rims a metallic silver to spruce them up a bit.  On Saturday we will be giving the Spitfire a basic paint job to finish its makeover.
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We have conducted several successful test drives.  The EV is breaking in nicely.  The new springs and shocks are working well at keeping the ride smooth going over bumps and potholes.  After we paint the car this weekend we will spend the next couple weeks testing to figure out our top speed and max range characteristics.
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More Test Driving

7/9/2009

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On Wednesday we took the Spitfire on it's first extended test drive.  We drove it about 18 miles with no issues.  We did have a weird sound coming from the motor compartment but after an unsuccessful search and shop test, we took it for another 15 mile test drive and could not reproduce the sound.  It may have just been the motor brushes working in, but we will have to keep an eye on it through more testing.

EV Spitfire in the Wild...We had several people stop and ask questions with the hood open.
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Check out some driving footage of the Spitfire EV below

Some additional progress was also made this week.  We removed the aluminum plate holding the motor controller and replaced it with a finned aluminum heat sink to aid in heat dissipation off the controller. We also re-installed the seats and installed new air shocks in the rear.
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    University of Colorado Denver - ASME

    In the summer of 2009 a group of University of Colorado Denver Mechanical Engineering students completed an ASME sponsored conversion of a 1967 Triumph Spitfire into an Electric Vehicle.

    Special thanks to the student team members: Keith Ray, Stefan Elsener, Tim Jones, Jay Nanninga, Ryan Gaffney, Jon Marts, & Eric Maes.

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