1987 Oldsmobile 442 Electric

Status
Not open for further replies.

G Cutty

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 21, 2022
13
39
13
I’m currently in the process of converting my 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 to electric. It still has the original 307 that came with the car, and I’m keeping it in the car until the new motor and batteries arrives. Just so that the car is still enjoyable and not just sitting off to the side.

The first thing I swapped out in preparation for the ev swap was the original Saginaw style steering pump for an electric pump out of a Volvo it was the cheapest and easiest to get in a junkyard.

Some hot rodders who want to save hp and not run a belt driven steering pump also might find interest in this swap.

The swap was pretty straight forward, I only had to fabricate some brackets and make some an6 lines. I read somewhere the Volvo pump generates about 900psi so you need a pressure line that can withstand that, I used some ptfe line and it worked fine.

I filmed the whole swap and posted it on my YouTube page, I’m planning on making a series of episodes that document the swap.

This being the the first episode, I’d definitely appreciate some pointers or advice for future content.
 

Attachments

  • D1F38031-D07C-464D-9519-0823DC61851E.jpeg
    D1F38031-D07C-464D-9519-0823DC61851E.jpeg
    3.2 MB · Views: 83
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users

Injectedcutty

G body LS mafia
Nov 24, 2014
6,057
22,807
113
Louisville, KY
Electric power steering, dangerous! That sh*t damn near got my wife in a bad wreck a couple years ago when her car decided to lose the electric assist and went full manual. Luckily it was recalled and we got it fixed for free.
In regards to full EV swap, just because you can doesn't mean you should. Alot if not all of us are trying to keep a hobby alive with aftermarket support, and the harm that EV production causes far outweighs the benefits in regards to environmental and ecosystem sustainability. Do you're research, look at the energy exhausted to mine the materials for the batteries, its mind blowing. The stupid box on the wall, or in our hands tells us that EV is so green, great, etc. Dumb politicians say it too because they're lining their pockets with the profits off of investments with the mining and battery companies. Always follow the money.
Hotrods and classics lose the designation once EV is introduced, just another jelly bean on the road with a masked guy whose had 4 jabs driving it.
 
  • Like
  • Winner
  • Agree
Reactions: 18 users

G Cutty

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 21, 2022
13
39
13
Electric power steering, dangerous! That sh*t damn near got my wife in a bad wreck a couple years ago when her car decided to lose the electric assist and went full manual. Luckily it was recalled and we got it fixed for free.
In regards to full EV swap, just because you can doesn't mean you should. Alot if not all of us are trying to keep a hobby alive with aftermarket support, and the harm that EV production causes far outweighs the benefits in regards to environmental and ecosystem sustainability. Do you're research, look at the energy exhausted to mine the materials for the batteries, its mind blowing. The stupid box on the wall, or in our hands tells us that EV is so green, great, etc. Dumb politicians say it too because they're lining their pockets with the profits off of investments with the mining and battery companies. Always follow the money.
Hotrods and classics lose the designation once EV is introduced, just another jelly bean on the road with a masked guy whose had 4 jabs driving it.
For the electric power steering I’ll only be flipping it on when I’m in a parking lot or making a u turn, a majority of the time it’ll be off so hopefully it won’t burnout too soon.
For the EV swap I’m not doing it because of performance or the environment, I have a 1969 Oldsmobile that gets 12 mpg. I’m doing it to challenge my fabrication skills and do something different. But I’m definitely going to miss the v8 growl and shake.
 
  • Like
  • Winner
Reactions: 5 users
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
7,746
113
Melville,Saskatchewan
Electric power steering works fine. No issues on our 2017 Dodge Challenger GT other than overheating it after burning multiple donuts. I like the dare to be different. Hopefully you don't have to cut it up much to install it, being a 442.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,831
2,568
113
Galaxy far far away
Be sure to have a master kill switch in the passenger compartment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

G Cutty

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jul 21, 2022
13
39
13
Looking forward to watching this swap unfold. It's not getting an LS...
YES! Definitely not another chevy motor in an Oldsmobile, no ones done that before ;)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: 1 user

gbodytoys

G-Body Guru
May 1, 2014
501
646
93
Detroit, MI
I am in 100% support of converting Gbodys to E/Vs, as I've never seen it. The cheaper Teslas get, maybe it will be pretty affordable to get a drivetrain and I might do the same thing to a project.

Please keep this thread updated.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor