12 February 2009 Battery racks! I've finally got the last bits of the fuel system out, including all the fuel lines, so it's time for the battery racks!  The steel frame of the front tray is done - those batteries aren't gonna be going anywhere I don't want them to.  It's a very tight squeeze - there's around 1/4 inch clearance between the brake servo and the batteries, and a similar 1/4 inch gap between the front slam panel and the batteries. Designing the upper frame to help hold them all in will be fun, I might have to replace one or two of the servo brake pipes with Aeroquip hosing & banjo fittings, just to get enough room!

09 Feb 2009 High-voltage contactors! I've managed to score a pair of Kilovac EV250 contactors on Ebay, they arrived today!  So now I can go high-voltage  if I dare....288 V... (gulp!) They've got 24V coils, which is a slight problem, but I've also got a small 12V to 12V Vicor DC:DC module that can generate a 24V supply just for the contactors, with the Zilla switching them on via a relay.  Also found on the 'bay were a pair of Heinemann 400Amp DC circuit breakers - woohoo!

01 January 2009 Happy New Year! I've finally got the motor & gearbox in! The metalbashers sent through the new flexplate just before the office closed for Christmas - many thanks go to Stephen at D&D Fine Limits, especially since this was a freebie! They'll be doing the final motor mountings as well from 4mm steel sheet, all laser-cut and bent to shape on their CNC machinery.... I've spent the past few days in the freezing cold, getting the gearbox ready & filled with fluid, then figuring out how to get the heavy combo into the car. Eventually I decided to lower it in from the front, resting the back of the gearbox on a trolley jack.  I had to re-jig the crane a few times, as it doesn't really reach far enough in... Now I just need to weld up the motor mounts, and install the propshaft. Then it's ready to rock-n-roll !!

21 November 2008 I finally got some more pics up, of the motor and gearbox. More importantly, the motor & box are now bolted together! (isn't Ebay great? Got both the shoulder bolts and reamer on the 'bay) I just need to finish the new flexplate to attach the  torque converter onto the motor, then I can power it up and get the SupraStick gearbox controller working! I also need to finish the front motor mounting - this is mocked up in cardboard, but soggy cardboard won't hold up the weight of a Warp11...

24 October 2008 Added some frames and new pages to the website.... hope everyone likes it! Taperlock couplers arrived from Grainger.com in the USA I've discovered the hard way that there is a difference between the US and UK standards for imperial keyways The Netgain Warp11 has a US spec 1/4 inch keyway (of course, since it's made in the US).  All the Taperlock bushes I've tried here have UK spec 5/16th inch keyways... AARRGGHH!! Luckily, Grainger came to the rescue, as they are happy to ship to the UK.  Phew! The new adaptors fit perfectly! My friend in work is making progress with the adaptor plate too, so it shouldn't be long now before I can bolt the motor to the tranny and try it out with a couple of batteries...

20 October 2008 I've finally started a website, something I've been meaning to do for ages on this project! Please bear with me as I slowly add stuff to it - I'd rather be spending the time on building the Supra project, not coding websites...

24 August 2008 Yikes!  I've gone and spent a fortune on a Zilla controller for the Beast...  now I just have to sit around and wait 6 months for CafeElectric to build it! (they have a big waiting list)