This is big news! Hope it goes to SEMA.
Saw that episode of Car Fix. Fuller’s shop is handling the build. Holy Cow there was a lot of stuff to remove off the Tesla for transplant into the Cougar!
Going to love following this build.
I think that is very cool too!
I’m reminded of the (very) '80s song by Adrian Belew, “Big Electric Cat”.
- Phillip
This is happening a lot more and I expect it to continue into the future. Seen a few mustangs converted from Tesla’s but this is the first cougar. I dig it, from a performance stand point it will be a rocket, not much compares to the instant power delivered by electric motors.
I saw a lot of it, and I don’t care for it. I totally understand the concept, and I agree it will be a quick car. But like the model A crowd, I realize that my time is coming to an end. Someday this might be considered a ‘cool, period performance upgrade’, but for now I prefer my V8 Fords, powered by gasoline!
I don’t think this is the way of the future. Most of the folks that build old cars struggle to hook up a stereo much less a bionic transplant like this. I can imagine an electric crate motor and battery pack some day that powers the existing driveline maybe replacing from the transmission forward. I suspect that could be made easier than rebuilding the existing parts.
It could be that we all end up doing an electric upgrade to our cars by Government mandate someday. I do love the acceleration of the electric motors, but I’ll be happy to be the outlaw still running my gas powered V8 as long as I can still get gas.
I remember a LOT of people saying EXACTLY this when Ford adopted port injection and EEC-IV on the 5.0 Mustangs. The “death of hotrodding” they said.
And now, that technology (and far more modern injection & engine management) is the norm.
GM is now offering a “crate” EV powertrain intended for swaps into earlier chassis. Give it 2-3 years and this too will be commonplace. Even for the hobbyist.
Rimac have built a power unit for Jaguar classic and Aston Martin Classic, that bolts in using the existing engine mounts.
There is a unit in development in the UK for classic american V8s. The motor sits where the transmission/bellhousing is, it has a simple gearbox where the gearbox extension would be and it bolts up to a tailshaft. It is designed to mount to existing mounts.
Controllers and batteries replace the engine and fuel tank, the radiator position is used for cooling and it adds electric power steering and a/c.
Like the Rimac conversion UK bolt in will be reversible. This will extend the useful lifetime of classic cars until they work out that pure electric isn’t the answer to every situation and will overcome the limitations that the woke environmental governments will place on fossil burning ICE powered vehicles. It also brings benefits of lower maintenance
I think this is a cool project, can’t wait to see how it comes out. This guy is putting together an electric “crate motor” that looks just like a small block chevy: https://www.webbmotorworks.com/
This isn’t reversible. They are cutting up a good convertible Cougar to make a vehicle on a home built tube chassis. It’s going to be all new everything in a period Cougar outfit.
Not what I would want and I don’t want a Tesla either. I hope the guys building it make a good pay check.
I’m with Royce on this one.
With a base cost of $65k for the “400hp V8” version… not including installation… I’m thinking I could buy A LOT of black market gasoline and pay “motor law” fines for a LONG time!
I don’t really get this, if someone want to drive a modern electric car, why can’t they just buy a new fancy car and be happy with it instead of ruining a good old classic cougar or whatever they have by cutting the car in pieces and make something that will cost a fortune to build and that also will be obsolete when it comes to technology in a few years. I also much prefer the sound of the gas driven cars. Here in Norway about 50% of all sold new cars are now electric. Most of my neighbors drive electric cars and while I some years ago could hear whom of them was passing in the street they all now have the same boring uninspiring sound. BTW, last weekend I had a friend visiting me from Oslo. He arrived in his Tesla, and went home on the bed of a two truck. The battery had shorted and had to be replaced at a cost of about $12K. I looked at the tow truck driver when he prepared the Tesla for being winced on the bed and it looked like he had done this many times so I asked if he was rescuing Teslas often, which he confirmed he did. I then pointed at my BMW 5 series and asked how often he had to rescue them, and he said they are rarely seen on his truck. I personally have nothing against electric cars, the technology is becoming better every year, but putting old Tesla parts in a classic car seems like the wrong thing to do.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
About 5 years ago I lived in Georgetown, TX. There was a shop there - used to be on one of the cable TV shows - that gutted a '67 Mustang fastback and “powered” it with electric motor and battery power. They used to push it out of the trailer and then into car shows. When the show was over they would push it back into the enclosed trailer.
“putting old Tesla parts in a classic car seems like the wrong thing to do”
I have been doing this long enough that I can tell you whatever latest greatest restomod / performance / kid fad wheel / hotrod part you alter a classic with, 10 years from now someone will open the hood and say “I remember when those were the hot ticket!”. Nobody ever says when they uncover a barn find… “Oh crap… Look, too bad they kept it all original, I think I will pass…”
In the olden days (high-school 1985-1989), my goal was to go as fast and loud as I could, chrome EVERYTHING, see how small of steering wheel I could install, how big of tires and how many speakers I could carve into the interior. Most of us just go back to boring original at some point in our lives… For me, when I step into my classics I want NOTHING that reminds me of 2021, they are my escape, a time machine if you will. I still would like to drive this car when done and would welcome a future where one buys an electric car platform and then opens up the Dynacorn website and you get to choose the classic shell to slip on.
Reversible was in relation to leonbray comment about a direct replacement for the engine and transmission that allows it to be dropped in with little to no modification. This could be removed in the future.
But yes this original post is far too much to be gone back on. Even some could make the statement about coyote swapped classics too. The level of modification for those is just about not worth going back the other way. For me it really depends on the car your starting with, if its something special I would not want to cut it up, if its a run of the mill or not worth making stock again then have at it. Create something cool!
To me this is just another form of Restomod. Purists will hate it, some may not like it but accept it and others will love it.