1932 Ford EV Conversion
The Original Hot Rod
One of the first things Brian at Current LA says about the Deuce: “this car is really fast” and you can hear the excitement and healthy respect in his voice. If you are looking for a dose of nostalgia with a powerful and modern kick this hot rod from Current LA is your fix for sure. This EV conversion of a 1932 Ford "Deuce" captures the spirit of performance while retaining the look and feel of an original. Manual brakes, wood chassis, power nothing except for the pull of an electric motor and supporting electronics.
Webb Crate Motor
Front and center to the the car is the Web Crate Motor, which looks like an engine block but in reality has electric parts stuffed inside. Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), Battery Management System (BMS), batteries, relays, and wires are all cleverly tucked away out of sight for a clean final product.
Imagine how a transmission is typically mounted to a V8, but for this build it is the electric motor taking that place. The motor outputs to a Torque Trends gear that then connects to the 9” Ford rear end with positraction and Wilwood disk brakes.
Old School Hot Rod Converted to EV
Typically Current LA will update their cars with things like power steering and power brakes, but in keeping with the old school vibe they have kept all those manual.
The interior has also been maintained as much as possible, retaining the stock interior (with only a single AEM screen in the dash) and using the original shifter as the F/R switch for the motor. You can even see the wood and leather roof, something that was done in old cars because they lacked the ability to easily manufacture a roof panel out of metal.
EV Restomod
Like any restomod there are challenges to navigate, but instead of wrestling with engines and oil Brain and team were chasing integration gremlins between the hardware and software they added to the car.
The end result speaks for itself: 300 HP in a 2300 lb coupe and a 60 kwh battery pack good for a 150 miles of range depending how heavy your foot is. No matter what era is your favorite, the Ford Deuce shows that the hot rods are still alive and well.