Ford broaches the e-crate fray with F-100 Eluminator concept

[Hagerty]

Ford is charging headlong into the silent, torque-rich arena of electric crate motors. Meet the F-100 Eluminator concept, an electrified take on a classic 1978 F-100 pickup with Mustang Mach-E GT Performance running gear stuffed under its workmanlike body and frame.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/ford-broaches-the-e-crate-fray-with-f-100-eluminator-concept/

[Gary]

I'll still take my 289 in my 67, however, I did put a 5 spd. , electronic ign. , and power disc's on all four.

[Inline8OD]

Another press release in place of real and novel article. Hagerty gets paid to run these, and doesn't have to pay writers. Keep gobbling them up and you'll get more.
Or you could just read Motor Trend and the usual schlock.

[Islander]

The engineers seem to be stepping up but the designers are doing a face-plant, and the politicians are ignoring the fact that they're trading one problem for another - emissions for toxic waste and it all leaves a footprint of some size. The juice needs to get generated and any manufacturing must convert from raw material to finished product. Nothing is free.
It hardly matters to me, the only time I'll drive a plug-in is if I have to rent one because that's all there is available.
If I ever buy another car (and I may not), it will likely be 40 yrs old and will have an ICE.
Someday car ownership won't be necessary, just click your device and a ride shows up.

[BMD4800]

“ Someday car ownership won't be necessary, just click your device and a ride shows up.”

Maximum Bob said the same. Autonomous cars will take you where you need to go.

That’s just it. Where you NEED, not want, to go.

[SilentBoy741]

Looking at the pictures, it suddenly struck me that there just isn't any reason to photograph cars with the hood up anymore. Popping the lid and finding an oversized can-opener motor is just so incredibly boring.

[TG]

Its right up there with an LS with cadillac valve covers

[MikeK]

Yawn, boring. No interest in electric 'crate' anything.

[Hymie60]

Nope!

[br427]

I'd like to see that electric motor in the garbage right alongside autonomous, electric and self driving cars where they all belong. I will burn gas as long as I can get it, even if it becomes the Road Warrior days.

[MAXTHEAX]

I keep electrical appliances in the kitchen. While I'm still allowed a choice, I will not drive a toaster.

[TG]

The one thing that is always missing from this conversation is range. I get that most folks aren't going to drive their classic to California and back, but considering that a lot of EVs are struggling to eek out 200 miles on a day's charge, how far is a lead sled F100 with a bolt-on battery pack realistically going to go?

[Bostwick9]

And cost of replacement. And how often. And rate of degradation from new.
How many years can one eke out of a battery pack driving 500 miles a year when batteries die from lack of use?

[mrbill428]

Minor detail. The truck is a 1979. F100's didn't get the rectangular until then. In 1978, they were part of the high end Ranger packages. No electrics for me. I'll stick with the 400 cu.in. torque monster.

[GP1]

Electricity ?
Fukushima Electric Power Disaster has been pouring out radio active isotopes into the atmosphere and Pacific Ocean for 10 years now, with no end in site.
Say NO to Electric until it is a cleaner source of energy.
And yes, i'll still take the thunder (and consequences) of a V8

[Rider79]

What a bastardization.

[jaysalserVW]

I shall be awaiting the news of blackouts, inability to charge the batteries and high electric bills.
Have fun, Guys! But, remember that having electricity takes a LOT of fossil fuel--lots more than staying with ICEngines. LOTS more! Wheeeee--aren't we having fun!

[Chrskj87]

I like my classic cars, well, classic. Let the new cars (performance or not) be electric and leave the classics alone. Sure, If you don't like the "complexity" of an ICE-vehicle, but you like the classic styling and don't care what noise it makes (or lack there of), then go ahead. Each to his/her own.
Yes, EVs are quick and relatively simple (if you don't take into account all the electronics needed, or wanted), but I don't really care about the numbers. It's all about how my classic car makes me feel.
I'd rather invest in synthetic fuels and do mods to make a gas burning V8 burn synthetics rather than EV-ing it. I need my V8.
I daily an EV (i'm Norwegian, I sort of have to) and I like that car (no, I love it) for what it is and what it does. It's a Hyundai Ioniq in blazing yellow with some custom touches. It was cheap (fully loaded for 35k), I think it looks good, and it drives great. Quick off the line, comfortable and sporty when I want it to be. Super efficient and cheap to own. I bought it not only because I like it, but also because it made sense. What I paid for gas pr. month on the Mondeo wagon it replaced finances 50% of my monthly payments (We've had 8 bucks a gallon for years, now).
It's a great all around commuter. and it was ment to be an EV from the get-go.
Do I want the same thing from my '70 Ford Torino? No. Ok, I wouldn't die if it had a little less wind noise (please, can someone remake some weatherstripping for 4-door hardtops!?), but it's a completely different animal. It's supposed to make noise. even if it's a 4-door (most of you will disagree) it is a muscle car. And it does what a muscle car should do. And makes you feel alive in doing so. So what if a Camry will outrun it 0-60? I don't care, as I'm having a blast driving!
It's not about the numbers, it's the sensations. It feels powerfull. Driving 50 mph on winding roads feels like doing 150. It's both fearing for your life but also laughing, because it's such an involving process. And that's a key part in why I think some people even think about EV-ing a classic. They don't want the involvement, because they are not used to it. It's work. It's not easy, and most people of my generation (I'm 34, so I'm a millenial) seems to want it the nice and easy way. I'll admit I'm a bit guilty on that is some other regards.
I'm sure I'd be thinking "this is too much work" were I to drive a Model T. "Planetary gears and hand-throttle aren't for me" 😛

What ever floats your boat. I'll respect your EV-conversion as long as you'll respect me clinging to my dead dinosaur-juice burning V8.

[farna]

An electric conversion of a classic is easier in some ways than an engine swap. Something as mundane and relatively common as the F-100 truck I don't mind, or a kit-car Cobra. A real collectible classic is a different story!! From what I can gather the Ford motor basically mounts like a typical transverse mount engine/transmission, but more centered so the half shafts are more or less equal length on each side (depending on the chassis). So it would take the place of the differential in a rear drive IRS type setup, and you'd have IRS, of course. Intriguing... but I'm not in line to get one for a build.

[GL70]

They could have picked a nicer color, rather than graveyard grey. The only thing worse would have been ,Parks Department green.

[Uniquecoaches03]

I do like that technology always seems to be pushing forward and cars like the Tesla are impressive with their staggering 0 to 60 times. That being said, I have a very strong dislike for EV conversions on classic cars. The EV conversions just dont have the same 0 to 60 times. They dont have the range as I like to drive my vintage cars for many hours on summer/fall weekends, not just 120 miles and then have to plug it in for 8 hours. I absolutely hate what HotRod did to Project X. Yes, I know that Project X has been changed many many times and the last change was a roots style blown LSX and I loved that setup. Something so awesome about an American muscle car that you hear a block away with its big profile cams, excellent flowing heads and tons of fuel being exploded violently within the confines of each piston cylinder. Its that sound that makes you turn and watch in awe as it violently idles by. The sound that hits you in the chest and makes you wish that you are the one behind the steering wheel, with a hand on the shifter, hunting for he weaker muscle car to embarrass. I just cant get passionate about a classic American muscle car that goes EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE all the way home.

[milo2021]

As a taxpayer I am suggesting that if electric cars require govt subsidy and are required at sometime in the future it is govt interference deciding what we have to buy. I prefer having the free market determining what we purchase as govt has never had a good track record directing our lives. I wonder if our electric grid as it is today could supply the power to charge large numbers of these cars....Elon has said No. Battery production is where we see environmental issues . The Green Energy Deal has many pot holes in its future and 57 Chevys should be gas powered regardless what anyone else thinks.

[Jocko]

I added a rather polite dissenting opinion, yet it didn't post. Wonder why...🤔

[Sajeev]

I am sorry that happened @Jocko and I checked the spam filter to see if the software grabbed it. It did not, and I don't see the message in my logs. But nobody removed your message.

Again, I am sorry that happened because I encourage polite opinions of all kinds. 

[40Ford]

No electric motors for me, I'm going to keep the SBC in my 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe.

[DAY]

And Nowhere did I see the price of the Batteries and electronics and How and Where they plan to put those EXPENSIVE Batteries! And the fabrication of placing those batteries so they are safe from damage has to be added. Way too expensive with all that included! Tesla battery packs are around 20 grand I hear. Why the misleading price quote of ''$3,900 bucks''?

[Tinkerah]

People! No one is forcing these on any of you. It's just an interesting alternative. And if you don't want anyone else doing it you need to buy up all the old classics and preserve them.

[Sajeev]

+1 to this

[MATTMERICA]

Whoever does this with a classic* should have their a$$ removed. Yes, we get it - the 'lectric future is coming, blah blah blah. Gas is NOT going away anytime soon though. Like 75-100 years soon. And last time I checked, despite the auto displacing the horse, you can still get horse feed today....

[Bostwick9]

I'll say this, it's pretty clever.
But...if a guy does this conversion and keeps it for say 15-20 years like old car fans do.....how much to replace the battery packs every 8-10 years ? And at what cost?
Dead battery pack, that truck has negative "value" financially or utility wise.
I've only replaced the engine in my Valiant once in 40 years of ownership. How many battery packs at XXX # of dollars would that have totalled?
How will this work? Not trying to be a 7wa7, these are legitimate questions. I mean, before everyone goes out and converts a beloved old car to electric propulsion, once you've done it, what then ?.
Batteries degrade from lack of use when they sit, as old hobby cars do.....and then what ?
Plan on the cost of expensive new battery packs every 8 years and.....2000 miles [or four or possibly 6000... you get what I'm asking, I hope]. Will five hundred miles a year be enough to keep the battery packs healthy ?
Yes, it's neat. But I do have questions. A lot of them.

[Johnsfolly]

Now I just have to find an old F-150 that has not dissolved in rain water. 😞

[warrene]

My friend drove up to my farm in his hew Tesla, from south Minneapolis it's 85 miles, we went for a short test drive, then he said he'd take me to dinner in Mora MN, 22 miles away. Then, he got to figuring, said it might be a bit much, he might not make it home. So we went to dinner, in my '36 Ford with the 221 V8, I had just returned from Montana with it, we had little problem going to dinner.
Goes to show, newer isn't always better.
warrene

[flowney]

The future will see those humungous screens go the way of the Dodo. Instead, we will wear head gear (helmets?) that overlay data atop what you would normally see out the windshield. Yes, the windshield and the rear and side-view mirrors will also be eliminated and subsumed into this heads-up display that responds to our verbal commands. Got a dead battery? You will be blind and dead in the water, pretty much like today.

[Mike_B]

I think the big failure on Ford's part was putting their Eluminator in an old truck instead of an old Cougar.
A blah-gray electric pickup? Meh.
A competition blue (aka grabber blue) electric '70 Cougar ELUMINATOR? Hell yes!

[janedon]

I Do wonder If it's fewer headaches putting an electric into long term storage--I'm trying to get my old futura going after 10yrs in storage & it's one problem after another-

[Spookysgarage]

THIS IS SOOOO COOL!

[LoneWolfnoClub]

The Communist Chinese minerals and explorations and chips, etc. will run these pretend retros. Will they have pretty birds sounds so that the silence doesn't run over Fido laying in the driveway?

[AreJay]

I’m planning to LS my ‘06 Solstice but maybe I’ll wait for the ecrate package!

[hyperv6]

I note most of these. Inversions are trucks a El Camino and a Blazer at Chevy now this from Ford .

Converting is not easy in older vehicles with no place to put the batteries and the lack of Aero to support range.

GM did Project X and never really covered range accept it would work for an evening of cruising. No Hot Rod Power Tour for it.

I’m mot anti EV but I am anti converting. The days coming these will be special because they are not EV.