5 minutes ago, Luis Hernandez said:

If that's the price for getting a classic and to keep them as a daily driver, I could consider it. Two cars for just me is too much for my liking, but I'm sure I'll need a current car as a backup.

A "classic" Porsche flat 6 engine rebuild cost (today's value) is about $25K US. An EV West electric conversion "kit" is about $32K. (The ECC electric conversion kit, landed in Canada, would be about $90K US...available from a distributor in Calgary.) I'm guessing in another 10 years, the cost benefit of an electric conversion will be less than a restoration of the existing ICE...assuming classic Porsche parts will even be available at that time.

There are much "cheaper" options for electric conversions where an electric drive is mated to the existing (manual) gearbox. The Tesla conversion, as sold by both EV West and ECC for the Porsche 914 is a much cleaner, drop in, conversion.

When I'm actually at the point for a potential conversion of my existing car, I'm hoping battery technology will have improved (more compact and/or higher range). The current 100-150 mile range (I hope) gets boosted up over 200 miles. But that's tomorrow's ambitions...  🙂

Since we're on the subject of classics...attached are a couple of YT videos of my car during body restoration about 5 years ago (I've had this car since 2002...and it's been a "slow project" ever since!):

 

 

Back when I was still alive I would drive from Denver to the east coast on vacation and I would go 150 to 200 miles before I had to stop for a 'Betty Break.'  By myself 300 miles before I would stop to refill the coffee cup and buy a fresh bag of chips.

Noel

21 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

Wellington where I think you are, Mathew...

 

 

Huntly Power Station is the base power supply for the north island and uses Gas and Coal, the windmills and geothermal are secondary supply, most power grids in the world have not been able to make renewables a base supply. the two islands are connected by underwater powerlines so they can distribute the national grid from top to bottom, but Huntly is the core generation for the country

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntly_Power_Station

 

Edit: Also of note the Huntly Power Station of the filming location of the Potato Chip Factory in the new Minecraft Movie, therefore its now famous 🤣

Edited May 30, 20251 yr by Matthew Kane

8 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

Huntly Power Station is the base power supply for the north island and uses Gas and Coal, the windmills and geothermal are secondary supply,

 

Nope! 

 

Quote

Wellington's electricity supply is predominantly renewable, with around 80% of its power coming from renewable sources. Specifically, hydro provides around 57% and geothermal energy between 16 and 17%. This is due to New Zealand's strong reliance on renewables like hydro, geothermal, and wind. 

 

• National Grid:

  Wellington receives its power from the national grid, which is a network of transmission lines that interconnect major power stations and cities across New Zealand.  Which includes a a lot of renewables.

   

   

  Wind Generation:

  Wind energy plays a role in New Zealand's overall generation, and Wellington's grid also benefits from wind generation in the region, supplementing the power drawn from the national grid. 

   

   

  Hydroelectric Power:

  A significant portion of New Zealand's electricity is generated by hydroelectric power stations located in the South Island, contributing to the national grid and, therefore, Wellington's power supply. 

   

   

  It's clearly stated that Wellington relies heavily on renewable sources. Primarily you rely on your national grid, you might be forgetting that your nations grid contains a lot of renewables. 

   

  "Wellington, New Zealand relies heavily on renewable electricity sources, primarily hydropower, geothermal, and wind. The city's electricity supply is largely sourced from the national grid, which generates a significant portion of its power using these renewable methods."

   

   

Edited May 30, 20251 yr by martin-w

On 5/29/2025 at 10:37 AM, CO2Neutral said:

Its all about fuel costs, shipping is by far most efficient, then rail.

Something we agree on - rail.

It is shameful that the USA doesn't have better and more rail transport infrastructure.

We only have one high speed rail line, Amtrak Acela, which only gets up to 160mph and is a paltry 50 miles in length.

The interstate highways are choked with huge tractor trailer trucks, which is frustrating, dangerous, and inefficient.  Yet our fearless leaders for decades have done nothing to improve the situation.

Dave

1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

Yet our fearless leaders for decades have done nothing to improve the situation.

It's not their job to do anything, Union Pacific's job to address the situation.  UP hasn't attempted to add rail lines in over 40 years yet they keep increasing rates but not their infrastructure.  I guess the government could force them out of a monopoly.  But apparently walls and military parades are more important that building a US infrastructure to move all the so call "manufacturing" jobs output that no one wants.

2 hours ago, CO2Neutral said:

It's not their job to do anything, Union Pacific's job to address the situation.  UP hasn't attempted to add rail lines in over 40 years yet they keep increasing rates but not their infrastructure.  I guess the government could force them out of a monopoly.  But apparently walls and military parades are more important that building a US infrastructure to move all the so call "manufacturing" jobs output that no one wants.

Wow, a free market guy you seem to be.  Yes, Union Pacific and other railroads should address the infrastructure, but govt. does have a role.

High speed rail would need govt. subsidies, just like the interstate highway system.  I would propose something like 35% federal govt., 25% State and local govts., and 40% private investment, as well as tax incentives.  High speed rail between large cities would reduce traffic congestion and increase safety.  It would be hard as Americans love their cars, but it's honestly getting to be increasingly dangerous and a real pain in the neck to drive on the freeways.

As far as the "manufacturing output that no one wants', well, the US exported 2 trillion of goods and 1.1 trillion of services in 2024.  Looks like somebody wants what we make and produce.  We should actually be exporting more, but some other countries engage in protectionist practices to make that difficult, yet they're more than happy to export all they want to us.

I suggest that you do some research on certain subject matter before making inaccurate statements.

Dave

Edited May 30, 20251 yr by dave2013

13 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

Nope! 

 

 

• National Grid:

  Wellington receives its power from the national grid, which is a network of transmission lines that interconnect major power stations and cities across New Zealand.  Which includes a a lot of renewables.

   

   

  Wind Generation:

  Wind energy plays a role in New Zealand's overall generation, and Wellington's grid also benefits from wind generation in the region, supplementing the power drawn from the national grid. 

   

   

  Hydroelectric Power:

  A significant portion of New Zealand's electricity is generated by hydroelectric power stations located in the South Island, contributing to the national grid and, therefore, Wellington's power supply. 

   

   

  It's clearly stated that Wellington relies heavily on renewable sources. Primarily you rely on your national grid, you might be forgetting that your nations grid contains a lot of renewables. 

   

  "Wellington, New Zealand relies heavily on renewable electricity sources, primarily hydropower, geothermal, and wind. The city's electricity supply is largely sourced from the national grid, which generates a significant portion of its power using these renewable methods."

   

   

Government Dialogue, reality is the grid is dysfunctional as are all, and at the core for the supply chain is Huntly  

4 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

Government Dialogue, reality is the grid is dysfunctional as are all, and at the core for the supply chain is Huntly  

 

So it's all  big lie. 😁

Numerous resources tell us the same as I quoted above Mathew. 

Don't getting me wrong, nothing wrong with you buying a cheap petrol car and squeezing as much out of it as possible. Looks like I'm going to have to do the same when I move in a few weeks. Won't have enough dosh for an electric. Or at least I don't think so, will have to investigate. Would have to pay for a charger too, if the landlady is okay with that.

14 minutes ago, martin-w said:

So it's all  big lie. 😁

but that's how a power grid works, the reservoirs do run out of water, which increases demand on Huntly, right now when I look out of my window the wind turbines are not spinning tonight, there is no wind, that means they increase output on Huntly as well. The renewables are not producing the majority of the grid sometimes they are productive but not always, wind and water are never a constant, that is why it's not used as base production

Edited May 31, 20251 yr by Matthew Kane

3 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

but that's how a power grid works, the reservoirs do run out of water, which increases demand on Huntly, right now when I look out of my window the wind turbines are not spinning tonight, there is no wind, that means they increase output on Huntly as well. The renewables are not producing the majority of the grid sometimes they are productive but not always, wind and water are never a constant, that is why it's not used as base production

 

That's not how the figures are derived. It's percentage over a given timeframe. You may not see turbines spinning NOW but it's the total contribution of renewables over an extended period. For example, you get 80%+ renewable power...  that's over a full year. 

You got...

80% in 2022

88% in 2023

88.1 % in 2024

NZ is aiming for 90% and 100% by 2030

It's not about the peaks and troughs. 

 Above is just primary electricity. Of course. If you look at total primary energy, it's still almost half. Better than the UK, actually.

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 20251 yr by martin-w

49 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

That's not how the figures are derived. It's percentage over a given timeframe. You may not see turbines spinning NOW but it's the total contribution of renewables over an extended period. For example, you get 80%+ renewable power...  that's over a full year. 

You got...

80% in 2022

88% in 2023

88.1 % in 2024

NZ is aiming for 90% and 100% by 2030

It's not about the peaks and troughs. 

 Above is just primary electricity. Of course. If you look at total primary energy, it's still almost half. Better than the UK, actually.

 

 

 

If I wanted to know what’s currently on the grid I would ask my partner, she works for one of New Zealand’s largest energy providers for over 10 years, you copy and pasting things isn’t reality, her logging into her work is reality of what is currently online or offline. You don’t live here
 

New Zealand is an island so our rivers are only a couple hundred kilometres long if that, not like continents with thousands of kilometres of river systems, so that resource of hydro for power generation is limited. The reservoirs run out far more easily, that’s why Huntly is vital to the grid and is the base source when the renewables go offline, and they do

the most reliable renewable is geothermal but it’s not producing enough to replace the coal and gas at this time

3 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

you copy and pasting things isn’t reality

 

Yes it is. Official statistics. Numerous sources.  😁My cat works there, feline electricity generation consultant. 

 

3 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

You don’t live here

 

Yes I do... Lower Hutt. 😳 Or maybe not 

You don't want to agree with official figures Mathew. That's okay, its your choice. 👍It reminds me what Nietzsche said about "the truth."

I suggest we move on while we are still bosom buddies. 

 

Back to classic car conversions.

 

And this looks very nice!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 20251 yr by martin-w

59 minutes ago, martin-w said:

Yes it is. Official statistics. Numerous sources.

You might post the actual live data to back it up. As of this post, geothermal and hydro are producing far more than coal (not producing anything currently) and gas.

https://www.transpower.co.nz/system-operator/live-system-and-market-data/consolidated-live-data

https://www.transpower.co.nz/system-operator/live-system-and-market-data/generation-fuel-type

Looking at the chart showing the past ~6 months in the page below, coal and gas generation has been less than hydro and geothermal.

https://app.em6.co.nz/?stackedgwap.filter.gridZone=15&stackedgwap.filter.interval=30minute

Now back to electric conversions.

https://kindredmotorworks.com/models/kindred-chevy-3100/city-cruiser

 

The issue with electric conversions and why I don’t particularly like them is they are limited to frame/body work design to accommodate big clunky ICE engine, transmission, and accessories.

The beauty of electric cars is that component placement, CG, etc. can be accommodate by significantly better aero designs and without many of the heat limitations associated to ICE.  This opens the door for a massive range of vehicle design and flexibility.

For example there is no need for a Transmission and drive shaft tunnel down the center of the car wasting very usable space.  No need for fuel tanks and all the safety attachments, venting requirements, and placement (and CG doesn’t change as fuel is consumed).  With EV it’s much easier to lower the CG and balance the weight 50/50 at design time.

Kudos to those trying to convert ICE to EV, but I really don’t see the point in it.  EVs are the future ICE is the past and let it rest in peace, change will happen as oil is eventually depleted in 97 years (includes unproven reserves).  The generation of electricity has many forms (solar, wind, hydro, nuclear, geo, etc.) and is why ICE is ending it’s useful life cycle.