Jeepster Commando Ev Back To Stock

My journey began in fall 1993 with my first 1982 CJ7 when I was 18,


Then I pickup up my buddy's 1978 CJ7 for parts to make the 82 last, a few years later both Jeeps meet their end as the engines were tired and I did not have the place or resources to keep my 82 CJ7, a car or two later I was lucky again, around 1997 another buddy's, father had a 1984 Jeep Grand Wagoneer in near mint condition that he could not get to pass emissions in NY, so I got it for a steel at $900 Thanks Grandma for the loan which I paid back over the Summer, Greatest Jeep I have ever owned, power, comfort, always started, well until an eighteen wheeler sideswiped and ran over the left corner of the hood when I was waiting to make a right turn.


Fast forward to 2014, Wife told me to find a Project and to get out of the house and go into the garage!! I always Liked the 1966-1971 Jeepster Commando and started looking, hard to find anything in the North East not rotted out, I started bidding on one in Delaware on Ebay and lost it. My co-worker found a Craig's listing in NY's Hudson Valley / Western Connect that said Jeepster Commando engine, but it was a 1966 CJ5 with V6. I bought it because the Odd fire engine was so cool sounding and it had a solid frame and engine, it needed a ton of work but I was able to get him down to $1200. When I was trailering the Jeep home my transmission in my SUV began to over heat, I had to leave the CJ upstate NY at a friends yard. The CJ5 sat their for 4years and only a little work was done to it, as life moved by, another child and buying a house took all of my time.


Now 2018 with a job relocation, we have moved to GA this summer and the question was what to do with the CJ5 that was still in Up State NY, shipping for a none running jeep without brakes or steering was not economical and I happened to be looking in the local Craig list for Jeepsters and came across an "Electric 190v 5400amp" 1970 Jeepster not running but could be easily returned gas". My wife asked "is this the one" It was a no brainier, we made the deal over about month of back in forth and I now have it in my driveway.
I was able to get the EV Jeepster to run with 46 of the 54 batteries. A little de-tunning and perseverance. I needed to replace the battery packs, this would cost $8,000 plus shipping from China and this only gave me about 30 miles of range, to double the range would cost $12,000 plus shipping so I made tough decision to sell the EV parts and pull the Dauntless V6 from my NY CJ5 and ship it down to GA.


I know this is a long introduction, yet I feel this has been a long road and there are not many project Jeepster's that return to like original, My plan is to bring her back as original as I can starting with the wonderful Buick oddfire V6.

Updates to follow

 

Great story! Looking forward to your seeing your project.

 

Warp 9 electric motor removed

Driver side battery bank removed, three banks total, two banks with 13 batteries under driver & passenger side seats and a 28 battery bank in the rear where the gas tank should be

Prepping EV parts on a pallet for shipping to buyers in NY for new life in a Porsche 924

Lots of work numbering and labeling every wire

 

EV is cool and I wouldn't mind it for a daily driver, but I'm sure the character of the odd fire feels much better in this

 

When I got it running it was very cool, and quite, even the 4x4 worked. Yet with no range and once I discovered the true cost to replace all the batteries it was very difficult to keep it EV knowing every 5-7 years they will need replacement.

 

Ah yes, the dirty little down side to electric vehicles that no one talks about or just chooses to ignore.

 

You buy new batteries with all the money you save from not having to buy gas haha