"Big Daddy” Don Garlits has an electric dragster that he has been playing with for the last five or six years. After setting several records, he has opened up the eyes of NHRA, and now we have an electric vehicle class running down the strips with the big boys. This new category will give manufacturers a spotlight to flex their EV muscles and showcase new innovations. When you think that V-8 engines, jet engines, supercharged engines, rockets, fuel injection, exotic fuels, turbochargers, and diesels have all been tested on NHRA tracks, this next step just makes sense. I am sure that we will see a lot of one-off vehicles sponsored by big industry giants along with backyard engineers and innovators. It’s exciting to see something in its infancy take its first tentative steps forward. I hope that in a few years this gathers as much attention as some of the other classes because I think that it could possibly be something more accessible and relatable to a younger audience.
The Lightning Cruiser Or Electric Revolution
The world is changing. The Automotive Industry is changing. The Hot Rodding industry is changing...
Wait!!! What!!! Yes, Virginia, the Hot Rod Industry is changing. The days of free range, no holds barred Hot Rodding are slowly shifting. I don’t mean there will no longer be Holly Double Pumpers and Cut-Out Exhausts. These icons will be around far longer than imaginations can see into the future simply because that is our heritage. That is where we came from; Ford Flat Heads, Straight Sixes and Blown 350’s, Wide Rears, Skinny Fronts and Speed Shifters. My significant other says that when I talk about these things I sound like I’m talking dirty, but I’m not. I’m just remembering; adjusting valves on a straight six while it runs, timing lights, vacuum meters and feeler gauges. I still keep these tools around for some reason, but nowadays my car and both motorcycles have PCMs and require very little daily mechanical input like the classics that I have owned in the past. They adjust themselves depending on the altitude and weather on that particular day. That being said, brakes and A/C will always need attention along with steering linkages and suspensions. But even these are becoming more and more linked and controlled by computers. They adjust and compensate in microseconds. So Hot Rod builders are changing too. Laptops and scantools are the norm and are must haves today, but even the engines are changing. Crate engines are no longer exclusively internal combustion.
The electric car is the future, and it's coming soon, whether you want it to or not. Traditionally, car enthusiasts are a bit hostile to anything that threatens elements of their passion, and suggesting that the internal combustion engine is a secondary option on a custom is a surefire way to make the typical gearhead question your friendship, not to mention your sanity. Yet, a significant number of enthusiasts seem willing to embrace electric propulsion. This might seem to run counter to their perceived values, except for one thing. Electric vehicles offer some serious forward thrust. That’s it. That's the underlying truth of electric vehicles that’s going to keep car people interested rather than repulsed.
The Electric Crate Engines have hit the market, and electric engine swaps made a pretty good showing at SEMA last year. General Motors displayed its iconic Project X car with a new electric powertrain. Project X has seen many engine swaps from Hot Rodding Magazine and GM over the years. Going from a fully-blown 327 when it was in the movie “Hollywood Knights”, to a 502, back down to a 427 and now the electric powertrain from a Cadillac Lyriq. Project X has remained beautiful and fast in every iteration. Swapping out the supercharged big block with an electric was a travesty of justice to some and a brilliant move to others, but it will always be an iconic test bed for new innovations. Not to be outdone, CanEV brought their stunning electric ’57 Chevy convertible. Electric GT dropped one of their motors into a Porsche 911 that develops some serious wheel spinning power, and Stealth EV provided the giddy-up for a Kincer Chassis Ford Bronco, and the list goes on. So, as you can see, the electric Hot Rod is making the impossible seem normal.
Several big-name manufacturers have started offering electric crate motors including Ford and GM. These kits can range from the low end of just a few thousand dollars on up to crazy money, but the idea is gaining traction at an incredible rate. Both Ford and GM are looking to expand their offerings in the coming years. Borg Warner recently acquired several electric motor companies and innovators and formed Cascadia Motion LLC. Then there is Electric GT, EV West and Stealth EV to name just a few. Then you have Kit Car manufacturer Ve-Zero. Just like the prices of the electric crate motors, so goes the horse power ratings. From the modest 200 horse power from the GM Chevy Cruise crate motor to the face-melting power from Stealth EV. Now, don’t get me wrong. These crate motors do require some expertise. I would, however, love to acquire this information, but I can’t remember why I went into the kitchen half the time. Would I own an electric Hot Rod? I would own any Hot Rod, but just look at some YouTube videos of electric hotrods and what Ve-Zero produces as kits. Wow!
Community colleges and trade schools are continually increasing their offerings regarding electrics, and I regard this as a step in the right direction. Electrics are not going away. Some people, however, continue to be skeptical of electric vehicles. Evidence that electric vehicles offer a better alternative to gas-powered vehicles in some applications seems to be growing, but range anxiety, charging, and cost are just a few of the hurdles that have to be overcome. Making electrics a viable replacement for traditional vehicles is still a ways off, but having powerful electric motors available and relatively affordable for the hobbyist is a giant step in the right direction towards increasing awareness and acceptance. The electric crate motor also gives enthusiasts and builders a new platform to work with which improves knowledge and awareness of electric powertrains across the automotive community. Seeing the possibilities and the work it takes to achieve them is a great way to generate enthusiasm and interest in electric motors. Stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on a project with a completely new component could seem a bit frightening, but seeing the end results at shows like SEMA makes these fears almost seem trivial. As they say “With knowledge comes power”.
Jeff Bogue
Diesel Engine Performance Trainer
Model 650D
NACAT Recap
We enjoyed hosting the NACAT Conference this past August. It was great to get back to in-person instruction for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to everyone who came out and attended. It was an honor getting to host and we are looking forward to next year’s NACAT Conference.
Congratulations Thomas Pipkin!!
Congratulations to Thomas Pipkin for winning the gold medal in the Automotive Service Technology section at the SkillsUSA. Thomas Pipkin is a student at Warren Occupational Tech Center in Lakewood Colorado where he is instructed by Thomas Millard.
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Good Luck to Thomas Pipkin at the WorldSkills Competition! The 2022 WorldSkills Competition will take place October 12th-17th in Shanghai China.
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