EVCCON 2013 Part II

Friday was the designated Play Day for EVCCON 2013. In past years, we adjourned to the airport on Friday afternoon to enjoy drag and autocross racing and generally play cars. This year a full day was reserved for that activity, and it was a good thing, because ... did I mention that it RAINED?

Before the heavens opened, we did get some runs in, but first we all lined up to have our weigh in. 

The evTD weighs 2065 pounds, with 824 pounds front and 1241 rear for a 40/60% weight distribution. That's pretty close to the VW Beetle's original 45/55.

Photo courtesy Stephen Lumpp

Dad and me getting staged for our first trip down the 1/8th mile drag strip.

And we're off!

Our timed runs came in at 12.101 seconds at 54.3 MPH and 12.485 seconds at 57.0 MPH. We clearly won't set any records, but it's a rush to go all out in something you built.

Even more fun was giving rides and drives to the guys who didn't have cars at the show. Here's my favorite British citizen, John Hardy, along for the ride in my faux British car.

Did I mention that it RAINED?

The festivities were interrupted by a serious gully washer that drove everyone into the hangar. There was still plenty to do ... all the cars came in and took refuge.












I found a choice spot next to the beer wagon,

right next to the EVTV/Aptima Motors eCobra.















Jack Rickard's DC3 was in the hangar with his collection of classic MGs parked under its wings.

The plane was open to tour, so we took a look inside. This is an airliner with style, not the glorified Greyhounds we fly packed into today.

Dad got a chance to try out the pilot seat and recall his college days taking flight lessons in a Piper Cub.

The time indoors gave us a chance to explore some more of the cars. This blue Cobra replica looks like its about to tow the beer wagon away, but it is a very interesting design.

The builder, Glenn Brown, is a machinist by trade, and the craftsmanship is outstanding. He fabricated his own chassis and used GBS batteries like mine, all fitted down low in the front engine bay because ...

The Warp 11 motor is mounted amidships directly attached to the rear mounted Porsche transaxle. Very clever and quite fast.










The rain eventually cleared and the activity continued ...












with a demonstration of how to blow up a battery ...

and dynamometer runs.









With rain forecast for the evening, we decided to leave the evTD in the hangar and got a lift back to the hotel from Toni Seymour in the HPEVS Scion. It was the test bed for the new HPEVS AC75/Curtis 1239 combination. I was very impressed - it felt in every way the equal of my Nissan Leaf which is high praise indeed.

Continued in Part III ...