yes Robbie, thats how its looking.
I have decided to onsell my 4 Door Rally Pack project that was underway before the van, and use that to part fund going electric.So rather than stripping the running gear out, that will live on with someone else.
 
The hardware mud map is roughed out, just need the concept nod from the engi before we go too far.
 
I Bit the bullet and bought some rally 'bucket list' love:
 
 
 
 
 

Awesome im not losing it then, Electric is a great idea, which state are you located? i love the charged garage mk1 cortina!

Im in Geelong Robbie.
Yes, the Charged Garage Mk 1 Cortina on youtube actually was part of the inspiration initially. 
See it  on the vid accelerate at the lights is amazing.
So I spoke to James from CG who did the build, and I plan to pretty much replicate the same install with all hardware from him: A Hyper 9 Permanent Magnet Ac motor, regenerative braking, same controller etc, 5 x Tesla batteries, and keep the gearbox and clutch. A challenge will be to make the underbonnet area look reasonable, but the 2 batteries have to go in impact proof battery boxes, so they are hard to get away from in a small chassis like the Escort. Its probably just difficult as to put a duratec in, except its different concepts.
To think, no fuel pumps, induction, throttle bodies, bias boxes, exhaust, ecu mapping etc, or worry about EPA, but you still have to have a 12V battery for the old systems plus a radiator and water pump to circulate cooling fluid around the batteries, some way of getting brake vaccuum, a heater to demist plus all of the safety gear, fuses and an interlock so you cant start the car if its got the charger lead still fitted. And thats just for starters.

Good work Deano.
Yes that link you put through a while back with the Electric Corti was great. He kept it so authentic.
I think that was why I was a bit reluctant to start something on my build, its been done to death.
 
I am really interested to see how the whole package comes together. Not so much aesthetically (though if its anything like the Corti it will be fab), but the logistics of having the electric motor marry in with the running gear of an internal combustion engine.
 
Go for it son.
 

Ya know Deano , if you pull this off convincingly, this might just tip me over the line and go the same way on the Escort ute project . I'm still around 12 months away from starting it so I'm putting no pressure on you at all 🤔.
Is there a rough cost outlay on a battery bus not including engineer etc

ha, Im not so sure on that one Marty.
You have a much more practical skillset and wealth of ICE knowledge that shouldnt be underestimated or ignored. If I went the duratec route in the end, I could not see it happening in practice.
But the EV doesnt seem to have as many pitfalls once ironed out.
 
So here is the link for all good components from an Aus supplier, James who I mentioned before.
https://tractionev.com/
I just mocked some cardboard Telsa batteries up, to see how they would fit in the small Escorts engine bay.
You will laugh when you see the pics: they fit so well they did not need fixing and suspend straight across the inner guards. We need 5, 2 fit in the engine bay.  You can even just about mount then North South, save for the grill inner support brace, shift that forward slightly and 2 batteries could be made to fit.
Im hoping to make the install something to look at, not just a black battery box.
 
You know the space behind the front seats under the load floor? One fits there easily, if the floor support brace could be made removeable and refitted. Or a double pack would go there, with the floor raised abit, leaving one more to go behind the rear diff, tilted.
The motor Netgain Hyper 9 is about $8,200 inc. , approx $4k from US.
Used Tesla batteries vary in price, there are alot of salvage cars coming in from the Qld floods, on Manheims, etc. and people buying written off cars are after the batteries also for home made power walls.
I will just get a few parts at a time, leaving the battery pack until last.

That roof vent is the iconic rally spec one from the 90s, we used to make them at Velo seats in fibreglass. Nice and slim.

That space under the deck behind the seat is a great stash spot.. if the batts don't fit you can adjust the floor to accommodate the packs..
I'm picking up my new car tomorrow (smacks forehead) !!

before Marty accuses me of not updating, I'll get in early.
Albeit without much of an update, more an excuse.
We've just come back from some time away, overdue by 2 years thanks to Covid.
I'd forgotten my CF login, so spent some constructive downtime rereading the yellow loadlugger van build, and others, mainly to confirm how things should have been done.
Anyway, after spending time up past Len in FNQ, we came back appropriately less white, but also it seems accompanied by CV, we all got it.
Im in day 4 now, and playing around having no taste or smell, which is totally weird when you make up red cordial with the wrong ratio, and know you are drinking pure sugar syrup but still cant taste it.
 
Car wise, my gold plated, ally plate came in for the adaptor, and also the oldscool rally roof vent.
Both are utter tings of beauty, and I cant wait to get outside again
Thats it brain is dead after about 7 minutes typing.

and one more, anyone see the dakar updates?
Audi is running Ev's this year, which would be a full on test bed.
Also, dont they do weight balancing of vehicles any more? I saw al least 3 wiped out going forward roll after jumping some relatively tame dunes.
Need to take some tips from the Irish rally guys on how to set the cars up to jump fleeter??

I won't dob you in for non posting mate...I been scanning the world for Focus bargains, the dining table is loaded with repair parts/upgrades and misso is again going low brow about it lol. Must've spent over 2k on stuff so far ..
Hope you get back to health again soon 👍