Mounting the electronics & rear wheel

Each kit is a bit different so expect some cutting and fitting. Also, I found that the order of assembly for my kit was somewhat different than what was specified in the kit. So I've found that it's wise to always be able to undo what has been done in case it needs to be taken apart again. Such was the case with installing some of the electronics. What I've written down so far is the way I would have put the kit together had I known then what I know now!

But first, it's time for more painting. I've taped newspapers all over the BugE so I can now paint the inside of the upper body (don't forget to block the fan so paint doesn't spray up) I'm painting the inside of the cargo area white (so my future cargo is easier to see) and a neutral gray for the rest of the inside. In the photo, it's about half way primed. Originally, I was going to paint the inside with stone paint I had left from another project. However, the paint didn't look too good on a test piece of plastic and I also noticed that it was not good for outside use anyway. So I decided to just stay with the gray. I figure if I don't like it later, I can always go the spray-glue & fabric route. I used spray paint for this step but I would not recommend it. It's very messy, expensive (especially since I went through an expensive disposable respirator) and somewhat dangerous since I was painting in the confined area in front. If I was to do it again, I would just use paint from a can and dab it on with a sponge brush. I decided to leave the front door on since I think the white paint in the middle, leaving red fiberglass trim on the outside may look nice for the inside of the door.

I also painted the bottom of the battery tray black. It's quick and boring so it didn't rate a photo.

Enough painting! Now go back to the frame on the sawhorses and turn it over so it's right side up. The tail for the rear wheel now droops down and the front tires are still off the ground. I recommend mounting the electronics first, then installing the motor and rear wheel after that is done. As you see by this photo, the contactor mounted under the rear bumper-shock hump is a really tight fit. If the motor and tire were installed, I could not even position my arm there or drill the mounting holes! Also, once the contactor is installed, it is very hard to tighten the nuts on top to secure the smaller wires because of the confining space.

So, it's much easier to pre-wire the contactor, put ends on them, then label the wires to show where they will eventually be connected. For reliability, all wire connectors have been soldered rather than crimped on. I don't want to take all this apart again due to a lose connection! Also, in the center, is a diode which has been wrapped in electric tape so it doesn't short against anything else. The lengths of wire are specified in the instruction manual and the circuit diagrams are excellent! Note, the big rectangular brown thing is a resister. I used one which has the same resistance but has a larger power capacity since that was what was available from my supplier. On the lower right of the left photo is the battery cut off switch with a removable red handle that serves as a primitive "key" for the BugE. On the right photo is the contactor once it has been installed, ready to accept two thick cables on the two large terminals.

Seen in the front of the right photo are the two bolts that would have been impossible to drill had a tire been installed. Also, if the motor was installed, it would have been impossible to wedge the contactor into it's mounting space. The contactor was mounted using 2 - 1/4-20 x 1 1/2" bolts & nylock nuts and the left mounting hole was drilled using an angle drill adapter (since the drill I had was too fat). If you're wondering about the Velcro, that's for the motor cover and mud flap (other parts I would install later since they need to be taken off to do these next steps)

Here, you can see the speed controller which is mounted to a piece of white plastic under the front hump of the bumper-shock assembly. Use a jig saw or table saw to cut a board 7"x12" piece of 1/4" plastic or finished plywood. (I used an old plastic cutting board cut to size so I wouldn't need to paint it). Mount the controller to the board using 4 - 1/4-20 x 3/4" bolts with the controller's row of spade connectors facing the rear of the vehicle. On my kit, the space was really tight for the controller so I used a grinder to grind off one side of the hex head bolts so the whole unit would fit inside the frame area.

The board forms two shelves. On the BugE models with the reversing motor, the near side would hold the reversing switch and the far side was supposed to hold two 48V chargers (more on this below). The frame is resting on some seats of some old chair cushions. I used these since I noticed using saw horses with no cushioning was destroying the paint every time the frame was set down on them.

There is another issue that I think is specific only to my kit. I had no tab for attaching the hose clamp for a rear motor mount. I expect this was due to the welder forgetting to weld on the tab. I wasn't sure how critical this was to the design so I decided to construct a bracket and hose clamp arrangement to mimic the function of the missing tab. The hose clamp I used is a 5" to 6 1/2" size attached to a bracket of scrap metal and two bolts. A consequence of this is that the motor cover will now need to pass a bolt (probably using a hole and rubber grommet). However, there is a good side to this. The motor cover, secured in this way, is much less likely to fall off!

Now, it's time to put on the wheel, motor and rear mud flap. The manual covers this rather well so I won't bore you with the details. However, I did take this pretty picture of some parts. The MT-2109 motor from EV parts includes the sprocket, key & motor mount bolts. It fit the motor mount perfectly. The motor isn't too heavy but watch your back anyway. The red box is the drive chain that is included in the Bluesky light & control kit. The other flat bolts were also from the main kit and will be used to securely mount the battery tray to the frame.

POST CONSTRUCTION NOTE:
In the instructions, the motor cover is supposed to be held on to the swing-arm only by Velcro strips. While Velcro alone may work for a few weeks, eventually, the motor cover will vibrate off. In my case, when I hit a pothole. So, my motor cover now has an additional bolt & nylock nut that passes through the top of the motor cover and the rear wheel swing-arm. Since doing this modification, I've had no problems with the motor cover being lost.


My kit came with the large gear already on the rear wheel. Pictured is the rear wheel assembly. Just like the front wheels, the rear wheels have drum brakes too. The axle is also included. When putting on the wheel, just be careful that the brake slot fits with the tab on the frame. When putting on the wheel, it sometimes wants to slip out until the bolts are tightened down.

Now that the rear wheel is on, you need to connect it to the motor gear. To make the chain the proper size for doing this, it's just like how you would do it on a bicycle. Just use a block of wood and a hammer to force the rear wheel in on the frame. Then put on the chain & mark the link which would give the desired loop length. Grind off one side of that link so the chain is shorter. Then put in the provided master link so you have a loop. Then, use a block of wood and a hammer to force the rear tire out so the chain has some tension on it. I'm not sure how much chain tension is good nor the torque values on any bolts so I've been going on "feel". Providing torque values on critical parts such as the rear bolt would be a nice addition to the kit instructions.

The motor cover and mud flap should be mounted last since they need to be removed to provide access to other parts if mounted earlier. When installing the mud flap and motor cover, I found I had to trim both to fit properly. However, they were both very easy to modify using a Dremil cutting wheel. Then I put on Self adhesive Velcro in various spots to hold these parts to the frame. Later, I resorted to an 8-32 bolt and a bent coat-hanger to hold the plastic piece against the motor wall. This solution is not too elegant, but it is effective.

Since I'm doing the reversing motor option, the supplemental instructions show an image of two chargers stacked on top of each other instead of on either side as would be the case for the forward only motor plan. However, there is a problem with the instructions. I found the units included in the deluxe EVparts BugE kit were much larger than the ones pictured in the manual! So, I'm resorting to using a 48V external charging port instead and the shelf will now be used for mounting a DC-DC converter.

That's all for now.

Frame, suspension and steering.

While the cowl paint is drying, other things can be done.

First, the shock is installed on the frame. The default shock strength is set to a reasonable setting straight out of the box. No need to buy the bolts and nuts as they are included. The bolt holes were just a pinch too small so I had to use a rat-tail file to make the holes just a bit bigger. Note, the photo was taken with the old paint job. It was at this stage when I found the first hint that the old paint job might need to be stripped off. When I started adding on other parts, the paint started chipping and it was clear I had to redo the paint job. However, when the new paint was applied, the parts went on the same way.

The rear swing arm assembly was reassembled as it was when it was shipped. Since some bolt threads were slightly damaged when I pounded it out for painting, I had to repair it. A jewelers file was good for doing this. Otherwise, the swing arm assembly went together just as it came apart. I added a pair of 12mm washers to the outside swing arm bolt assembly so the paint job is protected a bit more than it is in this photo. The swing arm and bumper bolts stick out but are harmless to leave in that state.

The frame was then turned upside down. The brass bushings for the steering spindle were gently tapped in with a hammer and then attached to the front of the frame. The tie rods and the stabilizer rod (below the tie rod) were then installed. On steering arm, some 5/16 washers were added as spacers to allow free movement of the tie rods.

Post construction note: I originally had a stabilizer bar. However, the shock mount needed additional clearance. So, I could no longer use the rod. Instead, I created a retrofit that uses sliders instead. To date, this design change has worked well. The refit can either be installed at this time or at a later time in the assembly process. The upgrade can be seen HERE.

Put the front wheels on the steering spindles
The kit wheels and brakes parts are made by Tomas, one of the largest moped manufacturers in the world. The wheels come as a unit which includes a drum brake setup for each wheel and an integrated wheel bearing. The rear wheel also has a custom sprocket attached for the chain drive. Replacement wheels used to be available at http://www.tomasusa.com/. However, TOMAS A35 5-spoke mag wheels are still available HERE (both front, back and used ones). Replacement brake pads take an EBC-525 shoe. Another part number that would work would be a H302 which fits a Honda sports bike. The tires are moped tires that measure 2.50" - 16". The first measurement is the height off the rim. The second measurement is the rim diameter. Another acceptable tire is NR21 300-16 UNIV REAR STD from http://motorcycleproshop.com/ .

When putting on the front wheels, a tire adjustment will be needed. This is because a three wheeled car, using two wheeler parts, will have one wheel tread “backward”. (the “arrow” on the side of the tire will be going the wrong way & tread will be backwards). Although it is possible for a person to change this with hand tools, having it done at a motorcycle shop is much easier since they have a special machine made just for that. However it is done, the tread needs to be reversed, then the tire re-inflated to 35 PSI.

Another issue is that the wheels are secured to a bare axle with a castle nut (and cotter pin). I noticed that the hole for the cotter pin on my kit was rather far down the bolt on the steering spindle. So, the eventual solution is to drill another hole closer for a cotter pin. However, the spacer method using washers is used for now so a wider wheel can be easily tried later. The last photo shows this temporary modification of the wheel hub using washers as spacers. As for play, the tightness of the bolt is 1/6 rotation less than snug. (so wheels freely rotate w/o much wobble)

Once the tires are in place, it's time to adjust the tie rods. The recommendation is to have toe-in of about 1/2" so the tie rods don't bend. (that is, the front of the tires are 1/2" closer than the rear of the tires. After this is done, it will be time to mount the rear wheel and motor.

If you are wondering how long this is all taking, I've itemized it below. However, time estimates for this project will vary dramatically from one individual to another. Three things extend time more for me. First, I'm blogging as I go so everything takes longer since I'm deciding on photos & verbage. Second, I'm keeping track of every part purchased and used plus adding notes as I go. So journaling all that takes time. Third, there are some pauses for decisions. For example, do I install a fan, two fans, 5 fans? How many coats of paint should I use for the frame? What shock mount position should I use? Should I drill out another cotter pin hole (and cut off the excess bolt) or do I use spacers? Do I use the DC-DC converter or an extra 12V battery or both? (and if I use an extra battery, what kind do I use and how do I mount it? All these little decisions and debates take time. If I was to do this again, I'm sure this vehicle would take much less time to assemble.

Time used

Re-assemble frame - 2 hours to assemble and cut off any excess bolt lengths & fix threads.

Installing steering spindles, tie rods & stablizer arm. Then align. - 2 hours.

Taking wheel to motorcycle dealer for retread, research & order extra brake parts - 2 hours

Keeping track of parts & ordering additional items needed later - 1 hour.

Installing fan & painting (previous posting) - 1 1/2 hour

Blogging - 4 hours.

Additional materials not specified in the kit

(8) washers of 1/2" ID for wheel mount modification

(2) 12MM washers for rear swingarm

(1) pair of EBC-525 pads for front wheels for spares - $14.95/pair

More painting & installing a vent fan.

In the plans, there is a step that mounts one or more fans in the cowl. The default placement is a single fan placed in the middle of the cowl. On hot days, the fan might be able to provide some small relief from heat in traffic. On cooler days, this fan, combined with anti-fog and RainX should keep the winshield clear.

To install, note the arrow on the fan that shows direction of air flow. Then, take off the exhaust grate. Then, use the metal grate as a template to mark out holes in the cowl. Use a PENCIL, flexible measuring tape and some geometry to get it 12” from the front & placed in the middle. Then paint the grate black so it doesn't reflect in the winshield and while it's drying, do the other steps below.

Use a DREMEL tool Drill BIT on HIGH to carve out the basic shape & drill holes for the screws. Since this is one of those one-shot moments, go slow. Just follow your pencil marks from the previous step. Try the tool in the middle first to see how the tool works. Then, work your way out. I found the drill bit was good for rough cutting in addition to drilling the fan mounting holes. The DREMEL drum sander worked well to smooth the edges.

Mask with tape and newspapers. Then gently sand, then paint. In addition to the cowling, the area that could be an instrument console has been painted too. Initially, surface mounted insturments will be used. This will allow for easy adjustment as various ergonomic placements are tried.

Since the fan is on the bottom of a curved surface, ¾” long, 9/64 diam. screws (and nuts) are used to secure the fan instead of the recommended sheet metal screws. Pictured here, the image shows the longer screws & nuts on the left that were added so the fan could be installed easier.

Next, the outside of the battery box was painted gloss black. Since it's not very visible, gloss or matte black can be used. As for more finishing, the inside of the body needs to have a finish rather than just the reddish fiberglass color. The finish should look nice, be water resistant and not be too expensive. I'm thinking stone although rubber undercoat has been suggested as well.

Enough hype - how much money would I save?

There has been a lot of hype when it comes to how much an electric vehicle costs. Such false claims make it so people have much higher expectations of an EV than they should. Some cite figures as low as a penny a mile, which may be true if just counting JUST the electricity but that does not cover all the costs.

So, here are the true costs I anticipate having for my EV

ENERGY COSTS
The cost of electricity is really quite inexpensive. The often cited figures of $0.01 a mile that electric car owners often cite are probably not that far off. For a full charge, the BugE is rated for around 1.5KWH. My electric cost is around $0.08/KWH, so that's $0.12. To put things into layman's terms, to charge the BugE, the charging unit takes around the same energy it takes to leave a porch light on at night.

OPERATING COSTS
What some people forget when citing EV operationg costs is that lead acid batteries are "used up" with every discharge cycle.For example, for the BugE, a full set of Optima D34M-950 batteries should be around $760. They are rated for 300 full cycles (or more partial cycles if I don't discharge them as much). I'm expecting a full discharge could give as much as 20 miles at 30mph under ideal conditions. If I go half the distance before charging, I may not do as much damage, so I may be able to go more miles. If I go faster, wind resistance becomes significant so I can't go as far. So, analysis is rather difficult unless some standard of performance is assumed. So, let's assume a full cycle, 20mi at 30PH. So, assuming 300 cycles, that would be 6000 miles before I would replace my battery pack. If we assume a new battery pack (with shipping and/or taxes) costs $800 and divide that by 300 trips, we get$2.66 per trip. Adding in the cost of electricity for the trip, we get $2.78. So, it would be like I had a car that got 20mpg paying at least $2.78 for petrol. I qualify that figure since hills and irregular speeds would decrease the range per charge by quite a bit.

What this shows is that a BugE might save money if gasoline starts going above $3/gal but it's hardly a revolution in doing so. Plus, I'm giving up quite a bit of performance to get the cost savings. However, if I did a full size conversion, I get more performance but per-mile costs go up too since I'm hauling around more vehicle as I go each mile. So, if I was to do a full size ev-conversion using 4x the batteries, that would mean roughly 4x the cost to go the same number of miles. No wonder we don't see many EV's on the road!

Of course, different packs have different costs. Lithium is more expensive but also has a longer service life with better performance. My personal favorite is the Edison nickle-iron design. Those cells are pricey but they have better performance per lb than lead and boy are they are tough! Some nickle iron batteries used in the railroad industry have been in service for over 30 years! Using those batteries would make the BugE significantly more favorable as a transportation solution. Unfortunately, I am aware of no nickle-iron pack in a size suitable for the BugE.

REPAIR COSTS
So, if I'm not saving money by using lead acid batteries, why bother? The repair costs are where I anticipate big cost savings will be. This is because several systems such as exhaust, cooling, climate control, transmission, ignition, airbags and other expensive accessories do not exist (if they don't exist, they are totally reliable). I'm accepting that more little tune ups for the BugE may be needed, especially in the first few weeks of operation. However, the fixes will be rather simple and inexpensive compared to maintaining a petrol car. I am also expecting that the maintenance cycle will be different than on a regular car. For example, I would expect tire lifetime to be similar to motorcycle tires which tend to be replaced every season. Since the BugE extends the season, the tires may need to be replaced twice a year. Although this is more often than automotive tires, the BugE tires are only $20/ea. and of course, I only have three of them. I may also have more wear on the rear tire since that is what propels the vehicle. I'm assuming the wear on the brake pads would be similar to a motorbike, which should probably last around 10,000 miles.

INITIAL COST
I have been tracking my expenditures rather closely. So far, I've spend $8100 in materials and anticipate spending close to $9500 when I'm done. This includes all materials, batteries, & additional tools I had to purchase for the project (such as the tool chest). I am also including materials that I lost to mistakes (such as the expensive galvanizing paint, stripping & repaint materials). As for trips to the stores, I'm satisfied claiming $5/retail trip. So with 20 trips, that comes to $100. If an online purchase was done, the shipping cost was included. If purchased via retail, sales tax is included. I am NOT counting tools I already had such as screw drivers, pliers, socket set, a 4" grinder & small Dremel set. (I think all tools I've used so far would be safely less than $300 - especially if shopping at places such as Harbor Freight.) If building more than one BugE, I'm sure there are significant savings that could be had by buying materials in bulk and splitting the cost across many units.

LIFE EXPECTENCY
There are lots of unknowns in this area. Hopefully, the BugE will be driven in the rain more than a regular motorbike. It also can be driven in the winter on days where there may be no snow, but where salt may be on the roads. So this may lead to more corrosion problems than I would see with a regular motorcycle. The canopy, could become scratched over time with multiple applications of RainX. The controller electronics, although simple, will be in a cold moist environment so they may not hold up too well. The motor in theory should last a long time.

Seemed like a good idea at the time....it's not.

George Washington said, "Experience enables you to have good judgment. Experience comes from making bad judgment." Such is the case with my paint job. Lots of effort and expense, only to strip it off. I started noticing a problem when I mounted the shock. By the time I got to the steering, it was really getting bad. It turns out that the base coat of galvanizing compound is very weak. Little specs are flaking off, taking the top coat with it. So, I have the opinion that it was better to deal with it when I can get to the entire frame rather than taking it apart later.

So I made another trip to the hardware store to say goodbye to around $100. This is for two cans of stripper compound, scraper, metal brushes (large and small) and disposable respirator. In addition, I bought more primer and paint for a second try. All this, with drying time, took two days to strip and another two days for drying time (although paining itself only took 15min per coat).

Hopefully, you won't need to take paint off metal. However, if you do, using paint stripper gives good results. Paint stripping compound is amazing stuff - but very dangerous! Within a few minutes of spraying it on, I found the paint and undercoat turned into a goo that could be scraped off after a few passes. Just don't scrimp on the safety gear! Wear safety glasses, mask and spend a few bucks to get the special stripping gloves (rubber dish washing gloves are NOT good enough). I would also recommend wearing nitrol gloves underneath these too. Why? Just one tiny splash of that stuff burns! I found when I splashed just a tiny particle of the stuff on my arm, I had to wash it off quickly due to the pain. Fortunately, I had a working garden hose handy to flush off the occasional drop that would land on me - and I used it several times!

So far, doing the paint job again has cost around $100 in chemicals and disposable tools plus
1 hour shopping
3 hours stripping rear assembly. 7 hours stripping main frame. Prime and paint take 15 minutes per coat - but drying time is over 6 hours. So, that's a minimum of two evenings and mornings.
After repainting the bug, I found that the paint looks about the same but it's much more durable. I do wonder if undercoat material would do even better. Ah well, perfection is the enemy of progress.

Time out for better inventory control.

I know I'm obsessing about parts, but I want to track them better. So, I now I am using parts drawers and a labeler to go along with the database. Now every time I check a small part, it goes into it's own clear plastic drawer with a label. Large parts still go in the big toolbox. I've found that checking in parts slows things down, especially since I need to make the database agree with the receipt from the store (which isn't always clear) and finally the label on the drawer. However, it hopefully will save quite a bit of time later when I can just grab a part rather than make a special trip to the store just for being one part short.

This system also provides a method of keeping track of substitutions where used and difficulties getting parts (eg, Perhaps a store carries it, but they are out of stock and a substitute may be available from an alternate supplier). Many of the substitutions are for more robust versions of a part (eg using #12 instead of #16 wire). Others may have bigger consequences (eg. The somewhat experimental galvanizing treatment I'm using). For each part, the database notes where it was used, how many ordered, unit cost, unit packaging (eg. 6pack, box of 20), sales tax, shipping paid, steps the material or tool is used in and if it's a substitute from the original specification. Later, I'll be editing the database as I find a trade off between the expense of collecting info for each field and the cost or time saved by having it.

Entering the remaining small parts plus labeling took about 16 hours (over two full days) to represent them correctly in the database as well as being categorized so I can pull them quickly. Blogging took about 2 hours. Naturally, when I get faster at knowing what parts look like, this time will go down. I'm sure at the end of the project, I'll find some efficiencies. Time will tell if these efficiencies are worth the effort to get them. (it may not be - in the case of small nuts, it's less expensive to just buy a quantity that is known to be more than enough) I might be short a bolt or two but it looks like most pieces and tools except for the Optima Blue Top batteries are now on site!

Further parts should come to about $500. I think a blanket $500 statement should be more than enough to account for materials I may have forgotten and parts I may already have in my shop - which I'm also tracking.

Tracking resources used.

One of the most important items in my shop is a new roll away tool chest that acts as a mini office. It is used to store all the parts, paperwork and revised instructions having to do with the bug. Every screw, nut, material and accessory is checked in as if it was being stored in the cart. Should I decide to build another BugE after this one, the second one assembled would go quite a bit quicker since I'll have records to allow me to easily combine orders and compare supplier pricing!

I'm also revising the manual to be more complete and that takes quite a bit of time and effort to do right.

If you are going for a tool chest, don't bother with the cheap ones at Lowes. Get at least a Craftsman tool chest. If you get one, spend a bit more for ball bearing or "quiet glide" drawers. The price may be only be slightly more if you catch a sale (and there's always some sort of sale at Sears). In my opinion, not hearing the cheap drawer slider noise and the convenience of the rear lock bar is worth the extra bucks. Plus, they seem to be made better and have large casters that can go over most anything.

Currently, my system is to take a guess on the materials needed for each step. (parts are listed, but there is always SOMETHING missing, even if it's something like a paintbrush). Then, I keep all receipts and using a custom MS-Access database, I check items into the figurative tool box. Then, when I have enough materials for a step, I'll try to do it. Any additional items I put in, I record and check in just as if I bought the items beforehand.

At this point, entry is not too efficient since I'm not sure what's important to track and what's not. I'm recording everything I can, even alternate suppliers and possible substitutions if I see the item available elsewhere. The database is relational so it's very easy to add/drop features to it. I'll have more news on that later.

Establishing the database was made easier by modifying a template from MS-Access. Time to modify the database, I would estimate would be about 8 hours to get it right for my use. Fortunately, I'm not in too much of a hurry so I don't mind spending some time thinking about my needs, then modifying a database to record them.

Unpack and paint some parts

Finally! Time to start! The first task is to paint the chassis and rust proof it so the vehicle doesn't rust away during the winter time when salt is applied to the roads. Unfortunately, the garage flooding was rather hard on the EV to be. A mild coat of rust was forming outside (and probably inside too) so I felt that simply coating the frame with paint as per the assembly manual was not an option. Doing so would just seal the rust in. So, I decided that a zinc based compound should be applied in the hopes that the zinc would rust before the steel does. The compound of choice was a product made by LPS (1-800-241-8334). It's an aerosol can product called "cold galvanize corrosion inhibitor" that claims a zinc purity of 99%. Using this coating is an experiment. However, I'm willing to try most anything to prevent roadway salt from eating my bug!

So, to paint, the first step was to unpack the bug components. The upper supports on the shipping crate were quickly sawed off with a portable reciprocating saw and lifted off. Then, the fiberglass body was lifted off. The shell isn't too heavy but I feel it's beyond one person to lift it off safely. Fortunately, with two people, it's easy and only takes about 5 minutes. After that, the other parts were unpacked and rear fiberglass housing and battery tray were then taken off. The last component to be taken off the pallet was a two-piece steel frame which was attached to the pallet with two giant wood bolts. Once all the parts are separate, they can all be moved by one person.

The two piece steel frame was detached from the pallet, then taken apart. This was not easy. I found that the large bolt holding the two main frame pieces together needed to be hammered out with a railroad spike. Then, a 1/4" drill bit was used to drill holes in various places under each frame piece so zinc spray could be applied via a straw. To do so, the aerosol nozzle of the zinc compound was replaced with a different spray nozzle that can accept a small plastic straw. Note, a WD-40 nozzle spray top has the wrong spray can "gender". Fortunately, I had a key lock lubricant which had the correct gender and straw. Painting was done in a low cost kiddie pool to catch drips from the zinc compound. After the paint straw was removed, 1/4" rubber grommets were applied at each access hole. Hopefully, each access hole will allow water to drain so rust doesn't form as quickly from the inside as it would without treatment.

Since there is quite a bit of visible but mild rust on the outside of the frame, a chemical approach was used to remove it. The chemical of choice was naval jelly, available in most auto stores. It dissolves rust but not the rust-free steel. As the rust is dissolved, it can be scrubbed with a wire brush and then the compound is washed away with tap water leaving bare metal. The parts look great after doing this but they are very vulnerable to corrosion so they must be coated immediately after washing off. The parts also had oil left on them from drilling holes for anti-corrosion steps so the parts needed to be washed further. The parts were set in the kiddie pool located in the driveway and lacquer was applied by brush. Some internal galvanizing compound broke down when exposed to the lacquer so the parts didn't look too clean. However, the parts were clean enough to accept the galvanizing compound. Disposal of the lacquer was not a problem. It was a hot sunny day so the used lacquer just evaporated on it's own.

Next, I put the frame parts back on the pallet, put on the respirator and started spray painting. Since I ran out of galvanizing compound, I finished the job with Rustolium's corrosion inhibitor product. I found the Rustolium product didn't cover as well and tended to run more. Also, I've decided to use a different color primer rather than gray so I can tell I've entirely covered the gray anti-corrosion layer. I've also decided to go with a shiny finish on the frame instead of the matte black color since I suspect it will repel roadway grime better. The matte black spray paint I already bought will now be used for the console area instead.

For painting, I was originally going to use spray primer then coat with spray paint after. However, after reading the labels on the cans I had a problem with that approach. Turns out, many primers don't bind to galvanized metal! I didn't want to take the chance the galvanized paint would act like galvanized metal (in terms of paint retention) so I looked for other alternatives. Fortunately, Rustolium made a black enamel paint for appliances that didn't have the galvanized metal warning. As a bonus, it even recommended that the paint be applied direct with NO primer! The finish looks OK. Hope it is as durable as it seems!

There is something more I should mention about painting for any would be bugE builders. Since my neighborhood has a homeowner association, they have rules on keeping the neighborhood tidy. So, with the assistance of a home made dolly, I just wheel the whole pallet out of the garage to paint, then wheel it back in to dry!

Step Summary:
1) Take off cardboard. Check in parts against packing list. 1/2 hour
2) Detach bug parts from crate & set asside parts that don't need to be painted. Then take apart frame for painting. Document (or take photo of) tie rod ends & rear shock - 1 hour
3) Drill 1/4" holes, apply anti-rust compound squirting compound inside holes, swishing around compound inside frame, then apply grommets - 3 hours (and overnight to dry)
4)Apply naval jelly to remove rust from exterior. Then rinse to remove 1 hour.
5) reapply naval jelly again, grind & scrub if rust is severe 1 hour.
6) Set in kiddie pool and apply lacquer thinner to all exterior surfaces to prep metal for treatment 1 hour
7) Apply zinc corrosion inhibitor to top side 45 mins (then wait > 3 hours to flip)
8) Apply zinc corrosion inhibitor to bottom side 45 mins (then wait 8 hours)
9) Apply black enamel spray paint to exterior on top. 45 mins (then wait 8 hours to flip)
10) Apply black enamel spray paint to exterior on bottom. 45 mins (then 8 hours dry time)
13) Reassemble bug frame & parts according to images taken before disassembly & put on sawhorses. (haven't done yet)
14) Blog about it - Est. about 8 hours at various points during the week.

Tools used so far...
Reciprocating saw
Socket set (for detaching frame from pallet)
Screw gun (for detaching bug from pallet)
Drill (and 1/4" bit)
Respirator, safety glasses, earplugs
Screwdriver, hammer, railroad spike
sawhorses, kiddie pool
paint brush and a throwaway container for jelly and thinner, coat hangers & rags.
Shipping pallet & home made dolly

Purchases - HOME DEPOT - Tax not included:
1 - box Nitrinol Gloves 2.99
2- Rustolium 12oz primer spray paint 3.97 ea. - 7.94
2- Rustolium 12oz matte black spray paint 3.97ea - 7.94
1- pt. Lacquer thinner 6.69
2-sets respirator filters 15.49ea - 30.98

Purchase - Toys-R-Us - tax not included
1 - kiddie pool - 7.99

Purchase - Radio Shack - tax not included
2- Vinyl Grommt Kit assortment (Part 64-3025) - 1.99ea - 3.98

Purchase - Home Depot - tax not included
1 -Rustolium Corrosion inhibitor
3- Rustolium 12oz black gloss enamel spray paint 3.97 ea. - 11.91

ACE Hardware (Suburban Hardware) - tax not included
2-LPS galvanize spray 12.49ea - 24.98
1-Naval Jelly 3.99

AutoAnything.com (free shipping)
2- CIPA Lighted Euro Sport Side View Mirrors - 49.95

Scavenger hunt...

It rained last night. However, my secondary dike behind the garage door retained the water! Yay me! I really wish I had some "before" photos to show how much my work area has changed. At this point, I'm taking a look at the instructions and getting the most obvious hard-to-get items on their way to my house. For me, since I live in a sort of rural area, the cost of the item is mostly the transport. Basically, if I need to get something, even the smallest screw, I have a $10 premium of petrol and my time that I mentally add onto the cost. When taken in that context, shipping to my door doesn't seem that expensive given what gasoline prices are. Thank goodness for online ordering!

Here are today's items (including shipping):
JigSaw, Blades, 1/2" wire wrap, 1/4" wire wrap - from Harbor Freight - $44.16
Headlights (going with the standard choice) - NV-503W from TruckAndVans.com, $48.03
(Just one set for now, but I may eventually a second set for high beams)
Seat rails (optional, but I want to do it) - from NorthernTool.com, $22.98
Metra Tsunami Premier Gn604-75 Ground Cable #4 AWG, BeachAudio.com, $82.99
Power cable lugs (25) for #4 wire, 3/8 connector, Ebay, $14.50
Speedometer (illuminated/wheel pickup/odometer) Koso XR-SA from dynotunenitrous.com, $136.90
Items from Salina Electronics (a local retail electronics store)
1- 470Ohm 10Watt resister (10W_470Ohm 5% 10W147-nte) $1.19
1- Suppression Diode (1n4004-NTE) $0.05
1- 6 Amp Diode (R-100PRV_6A 5812-NTE) $1.84
1- 5 Amp Fuse (AGC-5A-BUS 3AG-5A 312005-LIT) $4.80 (5pack)
1- Inline fuse holder (150145-LIT - or whatever matches the 5A fuse) $2.95
3ft (or package) of Wire wrap 3/4" diameter $3.78
1 roll 3M electric tape $1.89
Shipping (car trip) about $3 in gasoline.

Whew! Other items such as the handlebar and mirrors I'll wait on for now. I'm still searching for a decent mirror and turn signal combo. However, with the exception of the batteries, I'm now down to items I can get from the hardware stores in my area. Although fasteners such as bolts and rivets tend to be inexpensive, the trip to the store isn't. So, I'm spending some extra time to come up with an accurate pick list so I can combine trips whenever I can.

Total time ordering (and blogging to tell about it - around 10 hours)

POST CONSTRUCTION NOTE:
This is not a recommended shopping list, just what I happened to buy. Some of these items such as mirrors and lights have since been upgraded to meet DMV requirements. Buying too much expensive #4 cable also drove the overall cost of the vehicle up since I bought a whole spool rather than the lengths needed. If anyone is building a BugE, let me know. I have enough cable and ends to make up several several cable sets for the standard BugE motor & controller with reversing option.

Finally...let's get this party started!

When I ran across the Bluesky website, my biggest concern was that my expectations of the kit would differ from the reality. Fortunately, the website had some links with contacts on them. After researching all I could online, I finally called Adam Clarke, another BugE owner who built a kit. The conversation I had with him was overwhelmingly positive.

Finally, the day came to tally how much I had and order what I could. To give myself the best chance of success, I decided to buy all my materials in "kit" form whenever possible. So one check went to BlueSky for the vehicle body & control kit. Another purchase was for a BugE propulsion "kit" from EVParts. (I decided to go for the deluxe kit rather than the basic one since I wanted my vehicle to have reverse too) I figured even if the parts had slightly inflated prices, I would still save money since I could consolidate shipping charges and I would be spending less time and petrol scrounging the local area for parts. I figure by the time I assemble the vehicle, I'll have saved up enough to buy the batteries for it (around $800 for lead-acid batteries) An unexpected bonus was when the manual arrived before the rest of the kit. This enabled me to review the assembly steps while I prepared my workspace.

It's my opinion that the assembly area should be clean to reflect the cleaner nature of the electric car. Unfortunately, my garage suffered from chronic concrete and sawdust. So I decided that I had to clear out the work area and resurface the floor. It took around 160lb of materials to refinish the floor! It also was also cluttered with 6 van loads of junk. Cleaning it out became a major project!

Meanwhile, the main kit was going to arrive earlier than I expected. I originally paid for it, then wanted to delay shipping until my work area was cleaned up. However, I decided to take an early delivery since the price of fuel (and therefore shipping) was going to go up if I waited! Once the kit was shipped, it took about a week to make it across the country. Turns out, when FedEx specifies arrival date, the estimate is for when the package arrives at the Depot, but NOT when the item arrives at my door! The delay at the depot was due to needing a lift gate truck to be used to deliver to my residence. When the BugE box finally arrived, the driver just pulled out a pallet jack, put the package on the lift gate, then wheeled the whole pallet into the garage. Took about 5 minutes! After he left, I did an inventory of my package. No damage was detected on the major body parts or the canopy (which was a relief) and the parts were grouped together so taking inventory was easy.

I then went through the manual and did a listing of materials that I needed. A few parts like headlights and mirrors need to be ordered online and should arrive about the time I need them. Most other parts such as nuts, bolts, connectors, paint and that sort of stuff should be available locally. Some materials I already have from previous projects. So, the next few days will give me time to revise the manual to include some optional steps I want to do such as putting in an adjustable seat, undercoating the frame, adding a reversing circuit and laying out the control panel better.

After a last re-read of the manual, it will soon be time to layout the first parts and do the first procedure. However, it's close to Memorial Day weekend so I'm going on one last petrol fueled holiday binge before I dive into to this project.

Components purchased so far...
$3400 - BlueSky body kit
$325 - BlueSky lighting kit
$610.61 - BlueSky FedEx shipping
$1450.24 - EVParts - BugE electric kit (motor, controller & other parts itemized on website)
$48.67 - EVParts shipping

Est. $150 for floor refinishing supplies (some materials I already had)

Materials used so far (mostly just finishing up my garage floor)
High quality face mask, safety glasses, Floor refinishing supplies, push broom, cardboard cutter, water hose, bucket, trowel, drill & paint mixer bit for concrete, concrete leveling tool, screwdriver, lineman's pliers.

Time used so far
Web research & interviews with BugE owners - several days.
Blogging (this site) - 4 hours+
Reading manual & generating list of additional parts needed - 3 hours.
Floor refinishing & garage cleanup - 3 days
Web shopping & vendor correspondence involved in purchase - 2 hours.
Checking in parts & inspecting contents (EVparts & Bluesky) - 45 minutes

Post construction comment: Repairing the garage floor before I got started was definitely worth it. The garage used to generate concrete dust that would get on (and into) EVERYTHING. By using concrete sealer and painting the floor, I practically eliminated that dust.

EV shopping

Well, I felt I wanted an alternative energy vehicle. I had around $7000 cash but felt I could go as high as $15K if I could finance it (meaning it had to be turnkey). So I looked at my choices. Here's what I found:

Getting a new EV was one route I investigated. During my search for a NEW vehicle, I found quite a few artist conceptions, lots of promises and some waiting lists (most requiring deposits). However, I did not find any new car models that were ready to go in my price range. I'm sure this will change soon. However, I didn't feel I could wait for the market.

So, I considered the lower cost (and lower performance) cars. Vehicles in this category include golf carts (that aren't street legal) and vehicles from EZGo and Cushman. These "Near Electric Vehicles" are, in my opinion, an almost useless category of cars. They may look like normal cars, complete with standard lights, standard looking body, license, insurance and even seat belts. However, the speed is limited by legislation to be 25MPH. Since all but a few streets are 30MPH or higher, the NEV's of today have severe limitations on where they can be driven. For this reason, it was easy to eliminate this category of car from serious consideration.

Converting an existing car to be an EV was another option to consider. There are lots of motivational sites on this topic that show what kind of activities are involved. One good site on this is Jerry's EV conversion that show what conversion involves. There is also a good series of videos on YouTube called Gav's EV conversion. If I was to do a full size conversion, the simplest kit would probably be for a chevy S-10. However, the cost of the conversion kit and a full size donor car and batteries makes the conversion option rather pricey.

At the same time, there were some interesting 3-wheel alternative vehicles available. These include the Aptera, the Sparrow, the T-rex and the Carver one (or venture one) and several offerings from ZAP. However, all were expensive, had waiting lists, or were otherwise unavailable. However, there was one low cost electric vehicle that looked hopeful. It's a kit called the BugE. It was available either in kit form from Blue Sky Design or assembled from a company called Harvey Coachworks. Although it was VERY tempting to buy a ready-to-roll model, I opted to assemble my own instead. It wasn't so much to save money as it was to say I build my own car!

Decided to just do it.

So, here's how it all started. My car was getting expensive to operate and I need a reliable transportation solution to replace it. At the time I was deciding on my next car, I was taking an automotive course on how to fix them (which I highly recommend since fixing automobiles costs quite a bit if you can't do the work yourself). During the course, I was struck by how many systems there are to correct for the failings of an internal combustion engine. In my opinion, the internal combustion engine is at the point where the whole idea should be abandoned. It's just too complex!

If you don't believe it, take an inventory of the systems needed for any present day gasoline engine powered car. First, the engines get too hot, so they need liquid coolant, oil & transmission fluid systems that all have their own reservoirs, hoses, filters and pumps. These systems, being mechanical, are all prone to failure and need periodic replacement of their toxic fluids. Four cycle engines are noisy and vibrate so they need a muffler, pipes & anti-vibration measures. They spew toxic gas so they need a computer, fuel injectors, spark plugs, numerous sensors and electric cables to deliver fuel in just the right amount to regulate proper combustion. They don't operate well at all speeds, so they also need a transmission gearing system and it wastes energy when the vehicle is at a stop. The combustion cycle doesn't even work on it's own! It needs a separate electric "starter" system with motor, wires & battery. All this extra weight makes cars very HEAVY so they need a large chassis & lots of energy just to cart the system around! If a HYBRID vehicle is considered, there is all the above, PLUS an electric system and a large battery system too! In my opinion, the approach has just become TOO COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE!

Even if engines weren't so complicated, there is always the fuel issue (which has turned into a blood-for-oil issue or food-vs-fuel issue). If my workplace was closer to me, pedal power would be something I would consider. I also have other energy alternatives too. I've signed up for power from a renewable power company. In addition, I could easily generate electricity (via solar panels) or possibly grow my fuel. This, in my opinion, could potentially enhance the reliability of my transport system a great deal.

I drive a regular motorcycle (Harley 883) and I've noticed that over the past few years, the savings over my summer driving season has been significant. In addition to using less gasoline (the Harley gets 50-60mpg) I've noticed the maintenance and insurance were less expensive too. What I don't like about the motorcycle is the convenience. Riding the bike is weather dependent. Because of the wind chill, I won't ride in cold weather (below 40 degrees F) nor do I like riding in the rain. I also need to wear a helmet and earplugs due to the noise and need to suit up in a rainsuit or extra leathers depending on the weather. Then, there is the issue of being covered with tiny bugs at the end of the trip. Plus, on every trip, I need to wait a few minutes for my bike to "warm up" before use and "cool down" before I cover it for the night. Of course, with a small fuel tank, I also need to find a gasoline station quite often. I don't live too far from a gasoline station but those miles out of my way do add up. All these issues should be non-issues with my EV.