Podcast 194 - In a police convertible
Added 2024-01-21 18:00:04 +0000 UTCJonny has learnt of a bizarre misheard lyric. Also in this episode, long distance Tesla travel and floorpan bop, what retro car to drop onto a crashed EV chassis, a strange French shopping centre and the poo bouncer, having a dismal time in a low quality hotel, a suggestion for the Eurotunnel, throwing apple cores from cars, letting your kids eat in the car, Richard’s wife and the Starbuck’s filter coffee conspiracy, the Dutch police and their 911 Targas, dogs in nappies, lust for Porsche 912s, men at cars and coffee events looking like Build-a-Bears, and belated happy birthday to Sade.
Comments
Way back in the last millennium I bought a red mk1A Sunbeam Tiger, ran it around for a while, loved it. One weekend at a family gathering my uncle, an retired Sgt of the Met Police strode over (as they do) and declared that there was something wrong with my (perfectly functioning tiger), turns out he was referring to the colour because this very car was one of 2 owned by the met (based in surbiton) and was an old patrol car (he recognised the reg) of his and should, of course been in white. Glad to say that the next owner has recreated it back to Cop Spec complete with bumper bell etc.
Stephen Barker
2024-01-29 11:57:52 +0000 UTCSurely the only car for the Tesla Body swap would be to improve the only car anyone ever needs - the Skoda Octavia Estate.
Stephen Cooper
2024-01-29 10:38:38 +0000 UTCW124 Estate is 2800mm, great family bus,, bags of room
Mike Taylor
2024-01-26 07:47:38 +0000 UTCBeen daydreaming about an electric Citroen C6 earlier in the week and the wheelbase is only 25mm longer and car is 10mm wider overall. Not necessarily a classic but I'd love that. Biggest issue is I'd prefer a drivetrain swap into the C6 for the suspension and interior
Ollie Rix
2024-01-26 06:32:33 +0000 UTCCan confirm Jonny's Tesla baking tray suspicions. The entire subframe of my friend's Tesla flexes when it's pre-heating and just after fast charging; it's very disconcerting. It also seems that pre-heating batteries is entirely unnecessary and a waste of energy, unless it is freezing cold. The only point is to be able to charge a few minutes faster.
Tailen
2024-01-25 12:08:49 +0000 UTCAs others have said, a LWB Jag XJ series 1 or 2 would fit nearly perfectly! Characterful as the XJ engines are, I reckon an EV conversion would suit the car really well. I recommended getting a donor from southern Europe as they are much cheaper and a made of much less oxidized steel.
Fabian
2024-01-25 10:15:33 +0000 UTCGood shout - came here to type that! Grotty, old, Munich cab spec diesel donor would be perfect
Stu Morris
2024-01-25 07:35:26 +0000 UTCLoved the fact about the mirrors on the moon. Is it true that they plan to continue setting up mirrors on the moon and lasers at this pace until the end of the millennium. Ready to party like it’s 2999, with the biggest ever mirrorball! Sorry just tickled me picturing it dazzling half the world, though we might need to find a way to set it spinning!
Peter Grogan
2024-01-24 18:50:35 +0000 UTCAfaik one such conversion has already been done in the form of a sensible Swedish tank, a Volvo 960e wagon, seen running around north Cheshire complete with the ride height that of a badger's belly. I say afaik, as it presented itself quietly outside the Roberts Bakery traffic lights before taking off like a scalded rat with the synonymous e-hum, but I guess the real give away would be the 17" tablet on his dashboard, after a quick googl' is 50mm shy of a (M)3 wb.
Mr Bean.crom
2024-01-23 19:41:29 +0000 UTCMy wife had to be poo bouncer last year in Yellowstone National Park. We got somewhat lost and drove into bear territory. There was no way of driving back to the lodge without stopping. The only toilet we could find had no lock. I was busy inside, the wife was on guard for bears. Have never gone so fast before...
Dee Sherman
2024-01-22 22:16:21 +0000 UTCPS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_bTOEuMRg
Ken Haylock
2024-01-22 19:09:54 +0000 UTCI just joined here to post about that - it's an amazing project! There's a full video on the 'Boostedboiz' youtube channel, involving a crashed Tesla Model-S Plaid & a Honda Odyssey People Carrier, which shares the same wheelbase give or take...
Ken Haylock
2024-01-22 19:09:39 +0000 UTCThe wheel base of the Tesla doesn't matter. They're not old fashioned bodie on chassis you'd just have to have custom subframes and battery box for what ever car you want to put the guts into. My sister in-laws Zoe was just writing off and I've asked her to get a price to buy it back from the insurance because I want to swap the EV bits into MK1 Clio
Brad Scott
2024-01-22 16:57:55 +0000 UTCAs a rule of thumb, Formule 1 and Ibis Budget hotels are either the last places you hit before rock bottom or cheap spots for encounters with people that are not your spouse.
Christophe D.
2024-01-22 16:39:39 +0000 UTCIt's just occured to me that the excellent guitar-ing that now features over the merch song makes it sound a little bit like the theme tune from Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld off of the 90s...
Paddy Harvey
2024-01-22 14:54:46 +0000 UTCYou know what comes in nearly perfectly, at 2860mm? First-generation Toyota Century, at least in pre-'89 "standard" length. Or if you want an even more leftfield antimacassar-equipped, wool-upholstered Japan-only massive saloon with curtains in the rear window to electrify, the Nissan President was 2850mm until 1990, and 2880mm until 2002.
Matt Kimber (Timberwolf)
2024-01-22 14:24:50 +0000 UTCBisforBuild tried putting a Murcielago body on a Tesla Model 3 - they gave up when they realised that not only was the wheelbase different, but the drivinf position was so different, you'd sit with your head outside the windscreen of the Lambo
Stephen Hollingsworth
2024-01-22 14:24:48 +0000 UTCAlso a Citroën XM is at 2850mm so just a 2.5CM fiddle
Vincent Grey
2024-01-22 14:00:52 +0000 UTCAnd the Lexus LS400 is at 2850mm
Vincent Grey
2024-01-22 13:58:03 +0000 UTCAlongside a Crown Vic at 2903mm, a Jeep Wagoneer at 2794mm is only 8cm or so out
Vincent Grey
2024-01-22 13:56:13 +0000 UTCMay need a bit of a wheel arch fiddle but a Ford Crown Vic has a 2903mm wheelbase so only a 28mm discrepancy
Vincent Grey
2024-01-22 13:49:04 +0000 UTCA LWB Series 1 XJ has a wheelbase of 2864mm. I read it on Wikipedia so it must be true
Peter Norrish
2024-01-22 10:02:09 +0000 UTCThe dog with the nappy may have been in season - on that side of things.
Quentin James
2024-01-22 09:48:17 +0000 UTCYour dreadful Hotel experience reminds me of the Formula 1 hotel I stayed in on a school trip. 3 lads to a room, toilets in the corridor. Cheap foam mattress.
Robin White
2024-01-22 09:32:50 +0000 UTCAs soon as Jonny said the words ‘Ibis Budget’ I knew we were in for a treat
Stgls
2024-01-22 09:07:48 +0000 UTCDo an image search for "2cv politie" and you'll see your Dutch Police 2cv suggestion's not as whacky as you think. Or maybe it was just an April Fool...
Jonathan Holmes
2024-01-22 06:55:25 +0000 UTCAn American has done a Honda mini van with a Tesla model S swap Plaidessey I think it's called
Wayne Wilkin
2024-01-22 00:27:49 +0000 UTCAs for Wife Spec Car Debris. We have the XC60 Landfill Edition that I refuse absolutely to clean out unless I want to use it to go to the tip... in which case I have to go to the tip first to empty all the crap out so I can fit in the stuff I want to take to the tip.
Duncan Hamilton
2024-01-21 23:08:02 +0000 UTCThat wheelbase is surprisingly long. Think you're into old 7er and the like. If you can save 10cm out, then you're into Senators, Omegas, Granada, and so on. A fully leccy Senator would be a thing
Duncan Hamilton
2024-01-21 22:57:05 +0000 UTCMy Vauxhall brava is about 20mm longer than a model S but that’s workable 😂
Alastair may
2024-01-21 20:35:51 +0000 UTCI believe (may need some verification, can't be bothered to Google it, will trust my inner nerd) that the one millionth Porsche built was a 993 supplied to the German police. Once it left service it went back to Stuttgart and now resides in the Porsche Museum... OTSOT. Perhaps one for BCT5 Richard?
Gregg May
2024-01-21 20:11:28 +0000 UTCJonnie - Mercedes w123 estate wheelbase is bang on for your floor pan swap
AL Dickens
2024-01-21 19:51:59 +0000 UTCDaimler SP250 was a convertible used by the police
David Wilson
2024-01-21 19:47:26 +0000 UTCJust checked through some observers books of cars/automobiles for the wheelbase. Jag series 3 and XJ40 are very close. An early 80s Peugeot 505 estate is also apparently within an inch.
Stephen Archer
2024-01-21 19:47:24 +0000 UTCmatra rancho
StokeyNick
2024-01-21 19:39:40 +0000 UTCA crown Victoria is pretty similar wheelbase and dimensions overall, apart from longer overhangs, so US police car has to be the go.
Chris Oxford
2024-01-21 19:33:14 +0000 UTCA Towns Lagonda is within 40mm or so, and there is a turquoise one here owned by a skilled electrical engineer… I will also point out, on that side of police convertible things, that the Tokyo Imperial Guard has a small fleet of 1990s Mitsubishi convertibles that were used as recently as 2019 for the ascension of Naruhito.
Brendan McAleer
2024-01-21 19:31:23 +0000 UTCMy choice for the Tesla body swap has to be a Citroen CX safari.
John Hammond
2024-01-21 19:15:11 +0000 UTCThe Channel Tunnel car cleaning service needs to be called Eurotrash
John Hammond
2024-01-21 19:11:26 +0000 UTCA Ford Flex is the perfect car but it's about 200mm too long. 117.9 in (2994mm) Hello, hello (hola) I'm at a place called Vertigo
david marden
2024-01-21 18:49:07 +0000 UTCAccording to what I could find, the 1992-98 Prev is within 15mm on the wheelbase and 24mm on the front track, 34mm on the rear. The Tes wheels would be inboard, so slim spacers are a possibility. With all the weight down low we could be talking EV Espace F1 equivalent here... Edit: Coin Op Henry is definitely a Peel session.
Matt Tester
2024-01-21 18:23:23 +0000 UTCAn interesting challenge. But with a bit of a Google I discovered this site: http://www.body-swaps.com Put in the dimensions of the car and it comes up with ones with the same wheel base! For a Tesla Model 3: There are some Mazda and Mercedes cars!
Steve Morton
2024-01-21 18:19:14 +0000 UTC
