What would be the coolest car to convert to electric?

[Vern Padgett]

I'm thinking a 1939 Humber Snipe.

But then a 1946 or later Porsche 356 might be the one.

Or Elon's crashed McLaren.

Or any Bugatti. We were at the Los Angeles Tesla Motors Club event last month, to tour the Peterson Museum, and the Bugattis on the 2nd floor were stunning.

So what do you all think about a 1930s or 1940s Bugatti converted to electric drive?

Any consensus?

How about a 1929 Model A Ford, Edsel's design, the sedan, not the coupe?

 

[TaoJones]

Nice list.

Will add a Model T with provenance to the first year off the assembly line.

 

[Vern Padgett]

Well okay any Bugatti.

Nice list.

Will add a Model T with provenance to the first year off the assembly line.

Of course
No argument there.
How about an 1892 Porsche-Löhner? Four hub-mounted electric motors?

 

[Vern Padgett]

Nice list.

Will add a Model T with provenance to the first year off the assembly line.

Would you go for an 1896 Quadricycle?

 

[eye.surgeon]

rear drive air cooled cars lend themselves to EV conversion. Beetles are transformed by EV conversions. 911s work great but the bubble is so large it doesn't make financial sense.

 

[Vern Padgett]

I don't think any one would want the 1888 Dr. Benz car.

As an electric modern-day car, for everyday use.

The first automobile. Invented in Germany. Sorry, Barack. You got that wrong.

 

[Vern Padgett]

So maybe the ultimate electric kit car

Would be Ferdinand Porsche's Volks Auto from

1936

 

[Vern Padgett]

A 1938 Buick Straight 8?

A Dusenberg?

A 1936 Cord 810?

A 1948 Tucker?

 

[Vern Padgett]

The best choice: the 1936 Cord 810.

 

[InTheShadows]

Jeep Wrangler.

 

[cpa]

I was thinking an old boat-tailed Auburn from the '30s. Or, my grandfather's 1951 Hudson Hornet.

But perhaps the best candidate would be that "Little Nash Rambler Whose Horn Went Beep Beep Beep" because the driver could not get the car out of second gear.

 

[Jdcorbitt3]

First Gen NSX
Porsche Cayman
I want to convert my 17 MX-5 RF. It already looks like similar to the first gen roadster.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

An ICON FJ-44 or a

1950 Studebaker StarLight Commander Coupe.

 

[Graffi]

Not to compete with this list but I still own my first EV, a 1984 Honda CRV, that was converted in 1988. I have not used it in several years, just parked in driveway. I do not want to sell but keep thinking I will take the time to swap batteries and get it going again. Only has range of about 40 miles, with practical range of only 20 miles. Great for daily commute of 20 miles or less without recharge. I was told that this is the first year this model was imported to the USA and also the person who converted it was a big name in the EV world back then. Sorry but I do not remember his name.

 

[Jays200]

Any or all of these

ICON4x4 • ABOUT ICON

 

[Yoona]

The beetle love van ! (yes, those are my LEGO toys)

 

[Xenoilphobe]

 

[skitown]

 

[Vern Padgett]

We are all over the place here! No consensus at all!

Here's one near the top of my list:

1939 Humber Super Snipe:



But maybe I just like it because it has the 1933 Ford front end. Did the Brits just steal Ford's design from 5 years earlier?

 

[Vern Padgett]

Here's the 1935 Auburn Boat tail Speedster:






I'm thinking any of the Bugattis designed during the 30s, on display at the Los Angeles Peterson museum. Would there be copyright issues? This is not within the purview of Tesla-- copying old cars-- I probably should delete this whole silly thread.