February 18, 2007 by Rob.

Another minor update is that I may have found a supply of the elusive MDO board that I need for mounting the controller and other electronics.  MDO is used in fine work work (read not at Home Depot) or on outdoor advertising.  My friend Luci at Miller Blueprint spent way more time than I expected hunting it down for me.  With some luck, she has lined up some scrap MDO that I can pick up for free!  Wow, people have been so generous helping with this project: thanks Luci!

I’ve also contacted Leo about helping with some of the car mechanicals.  Leo is the mechanic who removed and now owns the RAV’s ICE.  He is willing to get the brakes and other non-EV parts working with me.  For safety’s sake, I want those things done 100% right.  It should also help me get the car on the road faster.  Laura’s pretty happy about both of those points.

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February 18, 2007 by Rob.

My big plans (grinding down the mounting plate) for this weekend ground to a halt because the adapter and alignment tool did not arrive. On top of that, the friend’s grinder has gone missing from my garage! Since I’ve turned everything upside down, the most likely explanation is that it “walked” off. Chalk up another $80 for the project cost.
I still managed to do some prep work: I stripped out the rising elements of the bell and built a stand to keep the transmission upright. The stand is essential because it is impossible to work on the 40+ pound transmission unless it is stable.

Note: The photo includes my new EV mascots: T-Rex is for the fossils saved by the EV and the Car America is for EV innovation. What’s an EV project without some campy mascots?

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