Free your mind

A bonus entry today. On a topic I was not going to discuss in too much detail. But I will touch on it briefly, since it does come up. The topic is: "The concept of the electric car project; what it is, what it is not, and why". Big enough for ya?

I was going to let readers just sort of figure it all out for themselves as the project progresses. And I still think that's the most interesting and instructive way to go. If I just tell you everything that's going to happen right at the beginning, the story is over; why keep reading?

So I will go this far: Yesterday I had a car-person-friend over the house briefly, and this person was looking over the '55. I had previously told him in great detail about the project, and indeed the whole concept, and my various motivations behind it. Finally he says: "it's a shame you're going to convert this nice truck into an electric vehicle".

Normally I would be highly insulted and angry. But I'm on great medication now. So instead, I blame myself that I have not conveyed my grand vision effectively. I know this project is out of the ordinary. That of course, is one of the prime motivations. And the concept itself is multi-faceted and complex (also what I dig). But I have a vision. I am looking way out there; years into the future. And I think this project will be appreciated eventually.

I definitely don't see this project as the desecration of a classic vehicle. I see it as an elevation, a tribute to this vehicle's heritage, to bring it into the 21st century, as part of a revolutionary way of looking at personal transportation. It was selected in part for it's potential to get attention.

I know that this person (and there have been others) would have been more satisfied if I had said I was going to drop a 500hp big block gas motor into it and burn up the roads. And I well understand that has been the accepted paradigm for decades.

Sigh. Couldn't have missed the point more. Build a hot rod? Been done thousands of times before. I hope I'm not being condescending when I ask: What's interesting about that? What's in it for me? I know, it's the essence of hot-rodding. Nothing against it. Love it. Probably do it again myself someday. But it's just not where I am right now.

So am I a visionary, or merely a crackpot? We will see when, as they say, the rubber hits the road. 'Nuff said.

photo: unknown