For many years, a part of the motoring community has been concerned with how to save old cars into the future with electric powertrains that can be installed without problems. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of businesses have been built on this business, arguments and counter-arguments are pouring in from both sides – there is no objective truth in this matter, so perhaps the simplest thing is to let everyone do what they want. And if someone wants to convert their old car to an electric one, they will soon be able to buy a drivetrain from Mopar.
Mopar is a member of the Stellantis group and as such supplies the brands of the former Chrysler group (Dodge, RAM, Chrysler and Jeep) as well as the brands of the European association Alfa-Fiat-Peugeot-Opel-Citroën with accessories and tuning solutions, therefore theoretically, the development is not uninteresting for Europe either – in practice, it is not at all certain that the brands of the once independent Fiat and PSA groups were also taken into account in the development, but let’s not immediately rule out the possibility.
The prototype presented at the SEMA tuning exhibition contains four 100-kilogram packs of batteries with a total capacity of 73 kWh, as well as a 400V, 250 kW (340 HP) electric motor. The range is approximately 400 kilometers, but this obviously depends on the characteristics of the use, as well as the number of battery packs and the power of the electric motor can be varied (in principle, since the conversion kit named Mopar e-Crate does not exist as a product for purchase yet, it is only an idea at the moment.)
Dividing the battery into four parts allows the builders to install the packages according to the available space and the desired mass distribution – in that 1967 Plymouth GTXwhich was built by Mopar to demonstrate the hardware, three packages were placed in the trunk, in attractive aluminum casing, while the fourth was hidden in the engine compartment.
If it’s tuning, it should also be optically fine, which is why the sedan originally equipped with a 7.0 or 7.2 liter V8 was comprehensively modified.
The protruding parts were cut off, the corners were rounded, and the originally chromed elements were painted black. The bonnet is a carbon fiber composite panel adorned with double black striping and functional air vents.
The front and rear spoilers are also made of carbon fiber, and of course the age-appropriate gas cap, which naturally hides the charging connector, is not left behind.
The chassis was dropped, and Pirelli P Zero tires were put on forged magnesium wheels. All four wheels are slowed down by disc brakes, which is a reasonable precaution in light of the significant extra weight resulting from the electric drivetrain.
In the passenger compartment, we get an analog speedometer, which has been generously scaled to 260. The instruments display values such as the battery charge, the instantaneous current flowing to the electric motor, or the temperature of the battery and electric motor coolant.
Instead of the original steering wheel, we get a steering wheel similar in style, but flat at the bottom, with colored leather, the middle part of which recalls the former Plymouth solution. The three-spoke design is also reminiscent of the design of 55 years ago. The blue and bronze color of the steering wheel is also echoed in other parts of the passenger compartment.
The windows have to be rolled up manually for style, but the old seats without headrests have been replaced with modified seats from the Jeep Wrangler. In the back, the seat was definitely designed for two people, the seat belts are three-point in the front and two-point in the back.
The Dodge Durango rotary switch on the center console is used to change direction, the cup holder was carried over from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The armrest is a completely anachronistic element, but it is comfortable.
You can watch the Plymouth GTX restomod equipped with an e-Crate power source in the video below:
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Source: www.vezess.hu
