1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort electric conversion) on the road
#1
04-13-2007, 10:22 AM
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 1,430
1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort electric conversion) on the road
This is a very cool story. That's one lucky high school gurl........
http://renewnorthfield.org/?p=239
http://renewnorthfield.org/?p=239
Beth Langer, Northfield High School class of ‘07,
is the proud owner of this rare 1981 Jet Electrica. Another Jet owner, Dave Anderson (no relation to yours truly) of Corvallis, Oregon, writes of his similar car “Th[e] Jet Electrica was originally manufactured by Jet Industries of Austin, TX, which produced about 3,000 EV conversions while they were in business. Most Jets were based on Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx chassis purchased new as from FoMoCo as “gliders” (body and chassis without engines). To convert the Escort to electric, Jet mated a Prestolite 96v traction motor to the original Ford transaxle, fabricated battery boxes front and rear, and added a speed controller and an on-board battery charger.” Beth has been driving her Electrica, which was re-manufactured from a Mercury Lynx body and chassis, since the last day of school this spring. She and her father Linus purchased it with 13,900 miles on the odometer from a battery dealer in St. Paul, who had garaged the vehicle for the past 15 years. She’s using it daily this summer to commute the eight miles (one-way) from her family’s home to work in Northfield. She reports the range is about 35 to 40 miles (she tested the limit once and ran out of juice!) when the rig’s 16 65-pound batteries (front and rear) are fully charged. Beth says that, while acceleration is not great, she can keep up with traffic on Highway 19.
is the proud owner of this rare 1981 Jet Electrica. Another Jet owner, Dave Anderson (no relation to yours truly) of Corvallis, Oregon, writes of his similar car “Th[e] Jet Electrica was originally manufactured by Jet Industries of Austin, TX, which produced about 3,000 EV conversions while they were in business. Most Jets were based on Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx chassis purchased new as from FoMoCo as “gliders” (body and chassis without engines). To convert the Escort to electric, Jet mated a Prestolite 96v traction motor to the original Ford transaxle, fabricated battery boxes front and rear, and added a speed controller and an on-board battery charger.” Beth has been driving her Electrica, which was re-manufactured from a Mercury Lynx body and chassis, since the last day of school this spring. She and her father Linus purchased it with 13,900 miles on the odometer from a battery dealer in St. Paul, who had garaged the vehicle for the past 15 years. She’s using it daily this summer to commute the eight miles (one-way) from her family’s home to work in Northfield. She reports the range is about 35 to 40 miles (she tested the limit once and ran out of juice!) when the rig’s 16 65-pound batteries (front and rear) are fully charged. Beth says that, while acceleration is not great, she can keep up with traffic on Highway 19.
Last edited by lars-ss; 04-13-2007 at 12:23 PM. Reason: spelling
#3
04-14-2007, 07:47 AM
Re: 1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort electric conversion) on the road
That is cool.
It was definitely moth-balled for a while. Look at those whitewall tires! Kinda outta style these days.
This 1981 custom conversion shows just how little progress has been made in the EV world by our auto manufacturers. They are still "hoping for technology advances" to allow them to build a "state-of-the-art" EV that has barely longer drive range. Ridiculous. The technology HAS to be here by now. Build it, already!
It was definitely moth-balled for a while. Look at those whitewall tires! Kinda outta style these days.
This 1981 custom conversion shows just how little progress has been made in the EV world by our auto manufacturers. They are still "hoping for technology advances" to allow them to build a "state-of-the-art" EV that has barely longer drive range. Ridiculous. The technology HAS to be here by now. Build it, already!
#4
08-27-2010, 10:45 AM
Re: 1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort electric conversion) on the road
I have the 1981 Escort version of this car, and I find her quite useful around town. I've never run her down below 30%, but I have gone up to 52 mi. on a charge, much in 4th gear at 60+ mph, drafting SUV's on 101 on the San Francisco Peninsula (level road). I usually use the wagon in the background if I'm going more than 10 miles. Groceries, soccer teams, property and insurance sales, all very local travel, are perfect for this vehicle. I plug her in overnight after I use her. She is also very suitable for a young driver, with 23 hp., and a range within boundaries. My son has outgrown her, starting college next month. So I intend to sell her. She has around 12,000 miles, and she's very clean. She has a name, "Woodstock" a-la-Charles Schultz. Next year, she turns 30, making her a true collectable, and her condition warrants preservation. That's another reason I'm selling, she needs a new garage as a wooden boat has taken hers.
How many cars have you bought that went UP in value?!!! She's probably rare enough to be worth upwards of $5,000, but I'll listen to reasonable offers.
How many cars have you bought that went UP in value?!!! She's probably rare enough to be worth upwards of $5,000, but I'll listen to reasonable offers.
#5
08-28-2010, 03:42 PM
Re: 1981 Jet Electrica (Ford Escort electric conversion) on the road
Wow! that is great. I am also wondering the price she paid for it, hmmm...Anyways, it is worthy because it's very nice and surely some people gets curious about it.
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