ICE or EV? Thinking about our '55 Bel Air Project

[Larry Callahan]

ICE or EV?


The current drivetrain plans for our ’55 Bel Air project is the twin tubro SBC that was in MotiV8r. It has a new Holley intake manifold and a number of changes to cure the drivability issues that it had in the past. Since MotiV8r now has a Chevrolet Performance LSA E-Rod crate motor and a T56 Super Magnum I decided to put a paddle shifted 4L80E automatic in the Bel Air. It would have a Holley ECU and a boost control knob that would make it safer for anyone not comfortable with the twins being allowed to run free. This plan was decided on after I started down the sequentially injected, distributorless and supercharged 5-speed manual inline six route. Regardless of how much power the inline six makes it will never make me giggle when I put my foot in it.

No matter which path the car takes it will be modernized with ABS, power everything, air conditioning, rear window defroster, vent window delete, a decent sound system, lots of sound insulation, 3 point seat belts and many modern amenities. It will also have a Racepak Smart-Wire power control module instead of an old school wire harness with fuses. All lights will be changed to LED and the goal would be to make it like Chevrolet was building it today.

For a few years I have been kicking around another plan and I think it’s time to give it some serious thought.

In line with the Pro-Touring theme is modernizing older cars. What would be more modern than going all electric? The Bel Air will eventually become the daily driver/grocery getter and the weekend getaway car. With the current state of batteries this seems like a perfect match. I think it would not be all that difficult to make an all-wheel drive version that would out accelerate the twin turbo rear wheel drive version and still handle well enough to autocross once in a while. Going all electric isn’t without it’s challenges and I do enjoy a challenge. I know that it’s not as easy as bolting up parts and dropping in batteries. It would mean grafting in a complete Tesla Sport rear suspension, a complete front drive system with a FWD suspension from some other donor. I would need to deal with electric power steering and power brakes. It would also require cooling and maybe heating the batteries and a different cooling system for the controls and inverters. I could sell off all the ICE (internal combustion engine) parts and make a good dent in the cost of the parts needed to do the conversion.

What would you do?

Go for the more visceral experience of turbos spooling up or the instant torque and clean quiet ludicrous power of a salvaged Tesla?