Red Adaptor Plate Kit Discovered in Canada (Thank You Nick)

I attended the 2009 Santa Monica EV Parade organized by "Plug In America." This event inspired further expenditures on the EV project.

With much excitement, I stumbled upon Nick Drouin's similar EV project out there in Montreal Canada. His cobalt blue 1972 Ghia conversion features the same motor as I had planned to use, which makes me feel much better. This discovery prompted me to hurry to Home Depot and purchase a crescent wrench to attempt to remove the 36mm "Gland Nut" that holds the flywheel to the gas engine. Had I read Nick's blog more carefully,

"...Ha! We spent the next hour and a half trying to get the gland-nut off the clutch / camshaft. After numerous futile attempts and one bent wrench, we stopped for lunch and to collect our thoughts. After lunch, Richard pulled out the welding machine and welded a 5 foot long 3"x1/4" metal bar to the 36mm socket we'd been using. It was out 5 minutes later...."

I would have realized that my attempt was futile. The Ghia Gland-Nut is torqued at ~254 ft-lbs and at least a 4' bar with a 36mm socket (and flywheel lock) are required to remove it. I've ordered the flywheel lock and 36mm socket.

Thanks to Nick's detailed postings, I happened upon a Canadian supplier of 1972 Karmann Ghia adaptor kits named "CanEV". Rick Holmquist at CanEV quoted $825+45 for the adaptor kit, which I ordered on 9/2/24. CanEV's adaptors are cherry red and will match the red Ghia and red Warp 9" motor, which should make a splash at the 2010 EV parade in Santa Monica. Speaking of the Warp 9" motor, here is another look at the specs,

9.25" x 15.93 Body
72-144VDC
190A Continuous
1.25" x 5 Keyed
0.75" x
1.75" Keyed
32.3HP Continuous
156 lbs

Note of caution: I will need to remove the rear apron of the Ghia before attempting to install the electric motor. The clearance is insufficient with the bumper attached. In addition, it is time to begin work on an update from the 1972 to the 2009 electrical diagram. For reference, Nick's detailed online electrical diagram.

I even got a good lead on a VW shop named "Jims" near Cherry and Del Amo Blvd in Torrance, CA that can do the coil over shocks install work.