√Dear Drive…Can you retrofit an old car with a modern drivetrain?

Restoring old cars to include a modernised drivetrain is one thing, but converting an internal-combustion engine vehicle into an electric car is another. But, it can be done.

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We’ve been asked:

Can you retrofit an old car with a modern drivetrain?

Classic car restorations might be a time consuming exercise, but for many, restoring old cars is a thrilling pastime that can be incredibly rewarding.

Whether it’s a weekend project or for financial benefit, rebirthing iconic cars adds years to their life span, a lot of the time for something that might otherwise be confined to a garage collecting dust.

The simply answer to this question is, yes you can, but it will cost you.

To give you an example of a classic car conversion, the Drive team visited Evolution Australia for this week’s TV episode. The Melbourne based company tackles incredibly unique electric car conversions – all of which entail older vehicles.

Trent Nikolic managed to get his hands on one of the more novel conversions in the workshop – a DeLorean DMC-12. This car is an innovative, rear-engine two-passenger sports car, produced in 1981 by the DeLorean Motor Company.

Commonly referred to simply as a DeLorean, it became widely popular after being featured as the time machine in the Back to the Future films.

The Evolution team spent a year on this particular project, with the average conversion wait time at around six to 12 months, and three months if they’ve mastered the model before.

The DeLorean presented various challenges throughout the process. One main roadblock was the coding and support for the drive system, which due to unforeseen circumstances, underwent a rewire and was reworked immensely.

The team faced several other obstacles, namely due to the fact that technology in the electric realm is advancing so rapidly. Therefore, a good decision made today might turn out to be a bad decision in six to 12 months.

Restoring the car was an arduous process, involving a laundry list of tasks. For example, the battery enclosures were rebuilt, along with the wiring system, motor mounts and instrumentation. Elements such as the gear shifter, air conditioner and seat trimmings were also redone.

This car originally packed a 2.85-litre V6 PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) engine. It now sports a Tesla motor, paired to a battery pack from a Renault Zoe.

Keep in mind that the batteries are a costly item. If this is something you’re thinking of undertaking, then patience might just be your best virtue. Finding a wrecked electric car is no easy feat, and often when an electric car is damaged, the battery might be compromised.

The company sources these elements from a combination of local and overseas wreckers, and has now standardised the batteries, employing LiFePO4, which are more cost efficient and easier to locate.

EVolution’s converted vehicles typically offer anywhere from 150–200km of range on a full charge at a minimum, up to about 500km. The DeLorean sits around the 300km mark.

The owner will go home with a pubic charging pack, along with a portable charger for power outlets and a MyEnergi Zappi wall unit, which is a product that allows you to charge your car from excess solar from home.

When you take all of these factors into consideration, along with the custom hand-made elements that went into this build, you can only imagine the price tag (which the company won’t disclose).

However, a standard electric conversion from the team will kick off at around $70,000.

After touring the worksop, it’s clear that you can indeed convert all manner of things, but it’s timely, costly and you need to be cautious. Undergoing a conversion like this one shouldn’t be taken lightly, in fact, the best thing to do is leave it up to the experts.

General Motors released its own conversion kits back in 2020, which include a 147kW electric motor and a 60kWh battery, as well as an AC-DC inverter, DC-DC converter, wiring harness and components for the battery air conditioning.

The company recommends enthusiasts enlist certified specialist companies, who have the high-voltage training, along with capabilities to undertake the transformation of safety-relevant parts.

If you missed Trent’s episode piloting the electric DeLorean, then be sure to catch up on 9Now.

Have a question about your next set of wheels or just need some car advice? No query is too big, small or obscure! Call in to the radio show (Trent on 2GB Sydney 1:30pm Monday and 9:00pm Wednesday, 5AA South Australia 1:30pm Tuesday, and James on 3AW Melbourne 9:00pm each Thursday), or contact us by email here: contactus@drive.com.au.

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