http://www.ForkenSwift.com – Officially, we’re only at the battery rack building stage of the project. But while waiting to get a welder to finish the job, Spring Fever struck and against better judgment we piled 6 batteries into the car, hooked everything together and went up & down the street a bunch of times.
(Oh – and by the way, if you enjoy spotting continuity errors in movies, you’ll have a field day with this one!)
Again, apologies for the video quality – 20 year-old video camera, makeshift way of getting the pics into the computer for editing.
In case titles are hard to read, here they are:
1. a BIG ForkenSwift milestone
2. Officially… we’re at the stage of the project where we’re making battery racks.
3. The racks will hold four batteries up front, and four in the hatchback.
4. (Cardboard mockups – help figure out positioning and clearances.)
5. But while waiting for a welder to finish the trays… we got SPRING FEVER
6. and decided to “set up” (ahem) the car for a little test drive
7. Here’s the forklift pot box, modified to talk nicely to the golf cart controller
8. Surplus forklift battery charger.
9. Umm… Don’t try this at home. :-O
10. Darin’s actual first drive …
11. Shhhh… Listen…
12. Listen to this: unsolicited feedback from a guy fixing a car in his driveway…
13. “HEY – WHY’S YOUR CAR SO QUIET?”
14. ” BULL$#!T … REALLY ? ”
15. ” AWESOME! ”
16. THAT WAS NOT MADE UP 
17. Ivan takes a spin.
18. Coming up: more comments from the peanut gallery, in … 3 … 2 … 1 …
19. ” Can you turn the muffler up a little bit, Ivan? ”
20. An impromptu car show with the car repair guy and his friends …
—
Project ForkenSwift is an electric car conversion made using parts from a Suzuki Swift, Geo Metro, Baker electric forklift and a golf cart.
Duration : 0:5:27
[youtube bDERyAILOak]
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
The registration …
The registration says “Geo Metro” – but it’s got lots of parts from a Swift and Firefly in there. They’re all the same (other than engine/trans options)!
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Awsome awsome …
Awsome awsome awsome!!!! great job man
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
what did it start …
what did it start out as….you guys are calling it a swift which is suzuki but it has geo metro badges and a pontiac firefly hood…
awesome project with an identity crisis…easy to find replacement parts though.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
thats a nice stop.. …
thats a nice stop….dunno why i’m saying this….i do’em the same
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
that was funny .. …
that was funny .. every1 looking under hood … like at a performance car meet.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
For host cars, you …
For host cars, you have “light”, “good” or “cheap”. Choose any two! lol
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
yo know this …
yo know this electric car is good but why on a rusted car lol
im sure you got that car because its light but still lol
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
o happy day. what a …
o happy day. what a sweet little car
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Top speed is about …
Top speed is about 70 km/h, with a long run up. Doesn’t accelerate well past about 40-50 km/h, so 50 km/h is more like it’s “effective” top speed.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
We “upgraded” to a …
We “upgraded” to a used set of golf cart batteries. Range is between 25-40 km in warm weather, depending on road/traffic/driving style.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
have u goys toped …
have u goys toped it out yet if u have what ahe top out at ?
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Well done gentlemen …
Well done gentlemen.
It is only YOU guys who will eventually manage to shame the establishment (‘OIL Co’, GMC.etc ..and ‘their’ Government.) into offering appropriate products at a sensible cost ….. a technology which YOU have proven is quite possible as it’s already here.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
buena tio te …
buena tio te copiare =)
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I’ll bet you can’t …
I’ll bet you can’t go very far before those batteries die.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Congratulations! …
Congratulations! You win the dis-continuity award! First person to notice.
I realized I wanted that “backing out, from the side” shot after the rest of it had already been recorded, but didn’t think about the shirt issue.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Loved that “backing …
Loved that “backing out of the garage” shot, where you are wearing different clothes all of a sudden!
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
FUTURE!!!!!
FUTURE!!!!!
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
It’s a hydraulic …
It’s a hydraulic pump motor from an electric forklift.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
It’s a hybrid! Geo …
It’s a hybrid! Geo Metro with Suzuki Swift wheels, hatchback, and Pontiac Firefly hood. Yes, Canadian: the car is in eastern Ontario.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
The car did not …
The car did not have power steering. Nothing removed, so it’s no more difficult than before. Speed = slow. Around 50 km/h max.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Where is the …
Where is the electric motor from??
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
It looked like it …
It looked like it had a Pontiac symbol on the hood: A Pontiac Firefly? Canadian?
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
great work! how …
great work! how works the steering wheel without powerbelt? it´s hard? how cost all? and the speed, run fast? please
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I get restless to …
I get restless to start my own conversion every time I see this video. There are some folks on DYI electric car forums that would love to pick your brain.
May 28th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
hahaha. love the ‘ …
hahaha. love the ‘award winning’ commercial voice over at the end. go the EV1!!!