Le Rule of Hour

"this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata" (fantastic-mr-foxbody) 12/09/2014 at 03:36 • Filed to: None

3

12

One of my dreams is to build an electric restomod DS. It was never meant to be loud and raucous, and it's one of the most aerodynamic cars ever made so it would be efficient. The simplicity of an electric drivetrain might help with any reliability issues, and you could rig a small electric motor to pressurize the hydraulic systems.

It would finally be the perfectly silent space ship it was always meant to be.

E. Julius > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 12/09/2014 at 03:42

1

Well done! I was planning on making a Good Morning from France/hour rule post, and you posted this as I was searching for a fitting DS image. Hopefully you'll get your electric DS someday! I imagine electric restomods will become a lot more popular in the next 20-40 years.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > E. Julius 12/09/2014 at 03:51

0

France? We have French Europponauts?

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > E. Julius 12/09/2014 at 03:52

0

Please feel free to jump on board the DS love train this morning, I can't ever get enough.

As for electric restomods... I really don't get why it's not big a thing already. Converting to a simple electric drivetrain is 1000x simpler than doing an engine swap. It's also a great way to save classics that you're never going to find parts for, and to make a classic into something cheap and reliable to run everyday.

But I guess I get it. I lust after a barely-muffled V8 and three pedals as much as the next opponaut.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 12/09/2014 at 04:03

2

Soo....

...like Gattaca?

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut 12/09/2014 at 04:08

0

Exactly! Except with fewer retina scans, hopefully.

E. Julius > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish 12/09/2014 at 05:10

1

Alas, I am an American temporarily living in France. I'll be here until June though, so if there's any cool europpo events going on I'd gladly attend!

E. Julius > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 12/09/2014 at 05:18

1

There's also the consideration that electric cars are far from a mature technology. You can definitely do a practical electrification today, but the technology is developing quickly enough that you could stand to benefit substantially by waiting a few years. OEMs are putting more and more resources into EV development, and in 10, 15, or 20 years we'll have far superior electric drive trains.

I do agree though that more people should be doing this sort of thing, especially if the car wouldn't have any other chance to run.

kanadanmajava1 > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 12/09/2014 at 05:43

2

How about electifying a Citroën SM instead? That would solve the problem of their non-reliable Maserati V6 engine. SMs with broken engine are quite affordable.

Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish > E. Julius 12/09/2014 at 06:24

0

If anything exciting is happening I will definitely make a post about it.

E. Julius > Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish 12/09/2014 at 06:54

0

Excellent!

twochevrons > this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata 12/09/2014 at 08:39

0

I like this. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of restomods, since to me, a car's engine is often what gives it an awful lot of its character.

But, and I say this having driven one, the DS's engine definitely detracts from its futuristic vibe. Even the fuel-injected engines fitted to the late DS feel very agricultural, and entirely unbefitting the car's futuristic vibe – it was meant to be powered by an air-cooled flat-six! Electrifying one sounds just right. Keeping the hydraulic system is a must, though – in my eyes, the hydropneumatic suspension, high-pressure brakes and crazy variable-assist steering are as much a part of the DS as its out-of-this-world looks.

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > kanadanmajava1 12/09/2014 at 12:54

0

An SM would also be very cool. But to me, somehow, it doesn't quite have the same purity of design as the DS.

Mostly though, I just want to roll up to valet park, in the middle of a sea of grey Audis and Mercs, in a space ship from half a century ago, with nothing but a gentle whirrrrrrrr to herald my arrival, pull to a stop in silence and drop the car to the ground.