Push for the speed show

We have the Electric Saker booked to be at the NZ Speed Show on the 20th and 21st of this month. Today was the first of day of an intensive two week plan we have for getting the car mechanically and electrically complete (this work is being done in the Saker factory located in Bunnythorpe). We don't expect to have everything finished, but the goal is to have all the major mechanical work complete and the majority of the electrical components permanently installed although with a temporary 144V test pack.

Currently our Bunnythorpe TODO list looks like this:

• Trailer (needed to transport the race car back to Auckland and for future transportation needs)
  
• Receive Motor + Transaxle
  
• Motor + Transaxle Installation
• *HALF SHAFTS*
• Dash
• Inverter + contactor
• Battery rack/mounts
• Rear tail lights (Brake + rain light)
• Cutoff switch
• seat + harness
• Fire extinguisher
  
• Graphics (Monday + Michael)
• POT + Brake plumbing (+regen)
• Wheel alignment/spring height

Today, while we were waiting for the motor and transaxle to arrive Bruce and I set about laying out the dash and making decisions about whether to use the European style aluminum race dash of the more elegant custom dash configuration commonly used here in NZ. To keep true to the goals of the race car and to minimise unneeded work we chose to modify the exisitng aluminium dash to house the EVision and the Race Technology electronic dash. This provides a minimalistic look and keeps the weight down so we are happy with the decision.

At about 3pm the delivery truck arrived. It dropped off the transaxle, motor adapter plate and clutch. This had all come from We Can Engineering, who had machined the adapter plate for us. The adapter plate looks very beafy and will certainly not be breaking anytime soon. It's possible it could have been made a bit lighter, but in the long term plan this plate, the clutch and the transaxle are temporary items so it's not going to be a problem. Right now we want things to be simple and reliable so we can focus on getting the car to the track sooner rather than later.

We weighed the components to find that all up we have a motor and gearbox combination that weighs 171kg (Transale 55kg, adapter 20kg, clutch 5kg and motor 91 kg) . Not light, but acceptable (it does give us more reason to get rid of the clutch and simplify the gear box in the future though).

After putting the Tilton clutch together and giving the adapter a coat of paint we called it a night.

For tomorrow, the dash is almost ready to be installed (just needs a few mounting holes drilled) and the gearbox and motor are ready to be mated and lowered into the chasis so we can plan the modifications required to mount the first electric drivetrain in a Saker GT.

Stay tuned.