There’s a lot of weird stuff out there on Craigslist and FB Marketplace, but this takes the cake, at least for today. CC’s dman sent me the link to this ad, for a 1964 Renault Dauphine converted to an EV. But at this stage of the game, since there’s no battery, maybe the best solution is to hook up the Ducati motorcycle engine (that’s jammed in the front passenger seat) to the (unsprung) golf cart rear axle; just needs a chain or a belt. Or maybe hook a generator to the Ducati engine to drive the electric motor? But hey, it’s got some awesome rear wheels attached to that golf cart rear axle; are those genuine spokes? It’s starting to look like a real bargain.
As is so often the case, it’s better to let the author of the ad speak for himself, as it’s much more eloquent and understated than anything I could say:
Clean Vermont title and plates. Rolling chassis, will need tow. Has new brake master cylinder, has only front brakes, they work well.
Nice to know that it at least has front brakes; beats doing a Fred Flintstone brake maneuver (feet against the pavement).
Doesn’t have a Prius battery anymore but if you put in a 48v battery it will scoot around. Has a rear axle from a golf cart.
Hmm…given that a Prius traction battery has 201.6 Volts, something’s a bit off here. Golf cart motors are designed for either 36 or 48 Volts, so this thing must have really flown with a 201 Volt Prius battery. Dauphine were a popular choice for these EV conversions back in the ’60s and ’70s because they were light and had more room in the back for the bank of 6 Volt golf cart batteries that energized them, for maybe 25-35 miles, in ideal conditions. Their major deadly fault was that folks tended to run down the lead acid batteries too far, resulting in their premature demise. Range often shriveled away down to 5-10 miles, all too soon. And let’s not even talk about their speed capabilities.
Static suspension.
Now that’s an oxymoron if ever there was one. But yes, this is a rigidly mounted golf cart axle (and motor), so those deadly original swing axles are gone. Good riddance! Who needs a suspension anyway?
Motor controller and charger on board.
You see; this really is a bargain.
Have rear lights, front bumper and some trim.
But no front seats. Minor detail; I’m sure your local junkyard will have some in the vintage French car section.
Comes with half a Ducati because I have nowhere to put it (also has clean Vermont title and plates.)
Aha! Now we get to the really good stuff. You’ve always wanted half a Ducati, right? Too bad he doesn’t tell us which half is jammed in there.
But it looks like it includes the famous Ducati V-2 engine. The exposed cam drives makes for an educational experience, as I’ve never seen these before, but it might not be a very positive indicator as to the health of this engine. Looks like a few other key parts are missing too. So it really is half a Ducati with half an engine. But that shouldn’t be an impediment to a buyer, eh?
Come on, you need to get off Youtube and actually do something meaningful, useful and real. Here’s the perfect little project to immerse yourself into reality.
That is simultaneously intriguing and terrifying.
I think rather than the golf cart / Prius / Ducati drivetrain I’d patch in the front of a Honda Fit and make it a mid engine conversion.
Could have been a good project for JPC but sadly he already gave his Fit away.
As for the Ducati, even if it has a title procuring the other half would likely be more expense than just buying a fully assembled example, and certainly more trouble. The toothed belt cam drive is cool, but Ducati’s old bevel gear design is even cooler!
Ducati cam drive trivia: The old bevel gear setup required end play adjustment with shims. When Ducati switched to the belt design, they sold a dealer-only belt tension measuring tool. However people quickly found out that, at least on the original single cam (per cylinder) engines, a 5mm hex key inserted between the belt and the idle wheel provided the right tension. That’s what I’ve always done on mine, though I’m not sure if it’s as easy with these newer twin cam V-twins and their longer belts. But technology has arrived, in the form of apps that use a smart phone microphone to measure the frequency of the belt when it’s plucked, like a guitar tuning app. I haven’t tried it.
Note that while it has a clean Vermont title, this, uh, vehicle is being offered for sale in California. Which begs the question, how did it cross the country? Presumably trailered, and not under Renault, electric, or Ducati power. That couldn’t have been cheap. And what about that Yellow Cab sign snuggled inside the Ducati’s signature steel trellis frame?
Vermont (used to?) have a program where pretty much anyone, anything from anywhere could get a title. Last I heard that loophole has closed.
Vermont does not issue titles for vehicles over 15 years old. The seller may have a transferable VT registration – I think the state allowed out-of-state registrations in the past.
Ah, that’s maybe it. I don’t recall the specifics of it but I had a few moped friends use this loophole in the past. Others states got wise to it and I don’t think many recognize this Vermont process anymore.
The “Vermont loophole” was closed a year or two ago. There may be a time limit to get this thing back on the road since VT is now going through a process of issuing titles to 15+ year old cars physically present and in use in the state.
That thing in the front is a Prius battery module, which if I’m counting right has 28 cells for a nominal 34 volts. It is pretty common to break the pack into the individual modules when repurposing a Prius or Escape Hybrid battery pack for use in other uses.
Aha! So is that not part of the sale?? Why would he still have it in the trunk and not include it?? Never mind… Maybe he killed it.
Well it would require more than a single module to have any hope of some sort of range. I’m guessing if it was ever capable of going farther than to the end of the block they had several modules in parallel.
Interestingly there was a US buil/converted electric version of the Dauphine built back in the day, the Henny Kilowatt
Where is the nearest junkyard?
FWIU there was a lot of leftover stock of Henney Kilowatts which were refurbished and sold some 15 years later by Miami-based Tiffany Coachbuilders who normally did stretch limos.
That’s the raw footage, whoops. Here’s the test with commentary as aired;
Can’t believe Mayer would call it a ‘Ren-ault’. Geez.
Has a ’70’s ‘back to basics’ simplicity lifestyle vibe.
Ah, the old trick of loading something automotive too big to get rid of, but either shorn of its VIN or not properly registered, by loading it into something larger that might or can be sold.
I used to get rid of all sorts of extra engine or driveline assemblies and bulky/heavy parts, by sending them away in either sold project cars or cars taken to the scrapyard. I think the scrapyards might be more picky about this sort of thing these days, as it was a long time ago.
No thanks, I have a French car already with zero electronic issues and an old British car Ive just put another wiring loom in all the original Lucas smoke escaped and things stopped working, a half built Renault with feeble golfcart parts isnt worth anything.
Oh the dream (or nightmare) of an electrified Dauphine. It failed for those who supposedly knew what they were doing (Henny Kilowatt, Tiffany, Feel Good Cars) and it looks as if this guy was in way over his head.
I guess I’m crazy but, impractical as it may be, I’ve wanted a Henny for a long time.
With a modern battery, motor, electronics, and far too much money you could really have something.
It is “semi standing”.
$3k for this? This would be iffy at a tenth of that.
Someone’s smoking the good stuff.
Have fun with the seller and offer some weird stuff to trade. My aging garden goat that will clean up brush and bramble in a yard or hillside in a day, perhaps? A porch swing believed to have once been owned by a famous Hollywood cowboy actor?