[Sean Nelson]

You do have to find a way of reversing the motor drive.

Just because the motor is in the back doesn't mean it has to be installed backwards. There's no reason why the part of the motor that's on the right side in a Bolt installation can't be installed facing the right side in the back of the Vanagon, thus allowing it to turn in the same direction.

The battery has been bolted on back to front. Why? The orange 'plug' in the last picture is the MSD (Master Service Disconnect) located under the rear seat of the Bolt. The black, bail lock is usually on the right in a Bolt. Here it is on the left against the refrigerator/stove cabinet. So the battery is facing backwards.

The battery is actually installed in the same orientation as it is in the Bolt, with the MSD at the back. My guess would be that the MSD plug is reversible - since it's basically a just a big fuse I don't see any reason why you'd have to enforce some sort of polarity. If it's in fact not reversible then the orientation might be because the owner disassembled the battery pack and then reassembled it with the socket in the opposite orientation just by chance.

 

[ZoomZoom]

• There appears to be some genius in making the control system believe it's still in a Bolt. I do not believe that the artist used the power steering from the Bolt nor the Bosch electronic ABS braking system. Yet from other posts (https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/p...eads/pulled-abs-sensors-test-top-speed-here-is-what-happened.33945/#post-520731) there may be driveability issues. Was the decision to live with the issues or was there a clever solution?

In the owners blog, he has a picture of the Bolt dash powered up and it looks pretty much like every warning light is on. I know, impossible to tell what is really going on but it makes me dangerously assume that the Bolt has to some degree figured out it's missing some pieces and is just alerting the driver as such.

 

[GJETSON]

It is from Quebec.

 

[Pike Bishop]

@Sean Nelson I stand corrected. The Bolt EV drive unit faces forward even though it is in the rear of the VW.

That's not as direct as it might seem because access to the electronic modules would be very difficult if these were mounted 'facing forward'. Yabert, the creator of the Wesphalia/Bolt has solved the problem with a lot of engineering skill and grit. It's worthwhile looking at his (17 page) forum description to learn about all types of Bolt EV secrets. https://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/westfalia-t3-chevy-bolt-drivetrain-198653.html

Yabert has no fear in welding, machining, and generally rewring any part of the Bolt EV system to make it believe it's still a Bolt. Dissecting out all of the Bolt harnesses is no problem (added handicap-do this in during the Quebec winter in a plastic carport):

As for the drive unit, new mounts and new frames to hold the electronics, charging, and auxiliary power modules so that they may be serviced using the rear hatch of the VW:

The drive unit faces forward, but for us Bolt drivers, we are seeing the back. Now add the modules on newly fabricated frames.

Then patient wiring

You are also right that Yabert mounted the battery in the forward facing orientation with a good amount of frame welding.

It also seems that much of the ABS system was carried over, as were the electric parking brakes. All of it was integrated to make the Bolt think it was still a Bolt, even though living in a VW body. For example, I did not know that DCFC would be limited if the air-conditioner sensors were not reading correctly in order to prevent battery overheating. Yabert figured out how to do it. There are also clever hacks for the wheel speed sensors to get the Bolt brake system to work.

If you have time, it's worth a read.

 

[John2080]

My first thought was ice hole or Bolt hater but no that is quite the conversion job. I hope he used a crashed donor Bolt!

 

[ZoomZoom]

@Sean Nelson Yabert has no fear in welding, machining, and generally rewring any part of the Bolt EV system to make it believe it's still a Bolt.
.....
All of it was integrated to make the Bolt think it was still a Bolt, even though living in a VW body.

I applaud this guy's abilities. I want him on my team during World War Z and any last standing survivor situation but I'm puzzled by your frequent use of statements that this thing thinks it's still a Bolt. Surely if he installed the camera, it can see for itself it's not a Bolt and based on this guys pics, Home Depot has been trying to call him to use his dashboard as an Xmas lights display based on all the error lights he has ...... He still gets an A+, we have a curve here in America, but .....

 

[Vinsuz]

Boy, that’s some impressive camouflage. The designers are REALLY trying to keep things under wraps, eh?

 

[Edchris]

I strongly recommend clicking the link to his build. This was one **** of a project, the owner posted many photos, & answered many questions.
He also is driving a round Canada/USA road trip.

 

[BodyElectric]

I have a few questions:

1) Did he install a Pedestrian Growler Speaker? Because if he runs someone down, with all the safety equipment in that thing, he's just going to be handing over the keys to his house if he didn't.
2) If he needs to take it in for service, do you think he's going to get his panties in a bunch if he gets an ICE as a loaner (or will he modify the ICE to be a BEV and return it as such?)
3) Is he in a state where there is emissions testing, and if so, did he reclassify the original VIN of that thing as electric, and if so, how easy was that? And no, legally, he can't use the VIN of the Bolt ..... I said legally, not that he didn't pull it off with the don't ask don't tell philosophy that I personally believe in. I live in a country where the loophole, no matter how 'wrong' it is, is the correct answer.
4) How do the chicks react to it? The Bolt style as it is .... is a c-o-c-k block. Except all your wives here, I know they think you guys look cute in yours. I get it. Denial is huge here.
5) Does he wave to a Tesla driver like I do? When I wave, it's envy. For him, it's got to be a grin of a whole different level.
6) How is towing?
7) He clearly solved the uncomfortable seat issue, but does he have a spare? If he has a spare, that's a game changer. I may want this mod. I want a spare.
8) What exactly does the car identify as? If he's on the west coast, that opens it up to a ton of other directions too.

CHICKS?
Any man driving a Bolt is more attractive than a man who calls women “chicks.” Trust me on this.

 

[Coastal_Cruiser]

I love that the vehicle is a sleeper. That paint.

And it's poetic because the weakest link on those Vanagon/Westies was always the underpowered gas motor.

I'm so impressed with this project I've decided to declare my 2019 Bolt stolen, collect the insurance money, and convert a Eurovan (the preferred platform suggested by the artist) with my Bolt parts. The cops will never check for them in a VW van.

 

[ZoomZoom]

CHICKS?
Any man driving a Bolt is more attractive than a man who calls women “chicks.” Trust me on this.

Hahahaha, said no man ever. The chicks who drove VW's with the flower vase on the dash will like a guy in a Bolt, but no, it's not the vehicle to pick her up in until you've mesmerized here first. You're too old to understand.

 

[Edchris]

OUCH! The donor Bolt.

The most intimidating part of the thread was this, with the builders caption,
“The wiring harness, motor, charger, inverter, dc-dc and battery inside our house for debuging the all system during winter.”

 

[Edchris]

It seems he has all bases covered, bicycles if everything else goes to ****.

 

[Terry Hancock]

Everything about his project is perfect...except for where the van operates. In the SW USA, we have VW vans of that age with absolutely no rust and perfect paint...but still old and cheap. So, now you know where to look to, in order to obtain the van.

 

[Edchris]

Earlier on the builder posted that good vans were expensive, & this was what was available.
It would be slick to have a 9/10, but, you have to admit, there is some cachet in driving what looks to be a Rat Van, then getting silently passed on a steep grade in the B.C. mountains.
He has stated the suspension needs work, front springs are near bottomed, & he has only about 6” clearance.
As of a day or so ago, the builder was in Bryce, has done 10,000km so far.

 

[hatchy]

I love that the vehicle is a sleeper. That paint.

And it's poetic because the weakest link on those Vanagon/Westies was always the underpowered gas motor.

Yep 4x the hrspwwwrs and 5x the torks as the rolling roadblock of a factory van.

 

[California]

Sounds like he's in tourist country. So he's going to see some of those flawless Southwest (and California) Vanagons there, that he probably didn't believe exist.

 

[Pigwich]

4) How do the chicks react to it? The Bolt style as it is .... is a c-o-c-k block. Except all your wives here, I know they think you guys look cute in yours. I get it. Denial is huge here.

It's got a car seat in it. Mine is full of car seats, and at one point, these women weren't our wives. Also, and I will assume this is a guy, because no mom with a baby in that style car seat would ever have the time, but this guy has an awesome baby-mama for giving him the credit and license to take on such a radical project, not to mention willingly stuffing their baby in it for a family vacay. I salute this family.

 

[hatchy]

Nothing better than this van will ever posted on this forum. EVER.

 

[Pigwich]

Yeah but I wonder about the heat? Weren't those things horrible with a gas engine heater?