Projects!

I have considered the Electric Mini E as a project I have taken on to help demonstrate the 'Viability' of the All Electric Car in Every Day use.

I have many 'Projects' (because I am a 3 Dimensional person) not necessarily all compatible in Philosophy.

A long term Project, begun when my brother acquired the car in 1963, is the total restoration of a 1956 Ford Thunderbird!

Stored by my brother in a Barn in Petaluma California since the 1980's, I was given the rolling carcass, accompanied by a multitude of parts in boxes and milk crates, in 2004. My sons and I drove my F250 Diesel North and with a rented flatbed trailer brought the Bird pieces home.

What a fun project for a father and his mid twenties sons!

Tearing down, stripping paint, removing the Motor for complete engine rebuild, familiarizing with parts in boxes, locating resources, we found that there were only 14 Bolts holding the body to the frame! A friend in Costa Mesa had a body 'Rotator' so we moved the car to his shop and pulled the body off the frame.

Complete rebuild of suspension and undercarriage as without the body it's relatively easy to run new (stainless steel) gas lines, brake lines, etc.

Adding Disc brakes to help stop the brute force produced by the Hot Rodded 292!

The car had been Hot Rodded in 1959, so we restored it as a piece of history, 

A California Hot Rod circa 1959-60.

After 5 years of off and on effort, lots of cash, the car is now finished, a perfect 1956 Ford Thunderbird: California Hot Rod.

OK, now that it's done, I love driving it!

But, who can afford to drive it?

Not Me!

In the first 200 miles, I filled the tank 3 times, 45 gallons!

A little more than 4 miles per gallon!

This car is the reason Electric Cars make sense! Electric car detractors like to talk about range anxiety!

RANGE ANXIETY! I get over 100 miles out of a tank on my Electric Car and less than 80 in the Bird!

I plug in at night while I sleep (something everyone has to do) and my Electric car is full in the morning.

The Bird, I have to find a Chevron station, as it won't even run on Arco or anything with gasohol in it.

By the way I've always hated Gassing up in Gas stations!

In 16 months I have driven 21,000 miles on Electricity, saved thousands of dollars in fuel not bought,

I have experienced the past and I have seen the future!

You ask why? Why did I even bother to restore the Bird? 

It IS a piece of history, it's gorgeous to look at, to drive, to ride in, it is a rolling, living, Work of ART.

The worst part of this is the way my garage now smells!