Removing the seat didn’t feel like a milestone, but it was a thing I did this weekend. It didn’t feel like a big deal until I was done and realized that the car was now empty of all the things that made it a car. It was just a shell. I also got the batteries and adaptor plate in the mail this week–and it’s starting to feel like a real project now.

Today I took a closer look at the Beetle’s 12V electrical system. Using a bench power supply with 12.5V and 8A (also tested at 12.8V), I ran a preliminary test to see what would come alive and to check for any unexpected current draw. Even with nothing on, the system drew only 0.060A, which is within normal limits and indicates no major shorts.

With the legal stuff out of the way, I could finally start working on the car itself. The first step was to remove the gas tank and engine–and buy car-tools! Keep in mind, I’m not a car guy, so follow these steps at your own risk. I’ll cover what I did to the car and then the decisions and early purchases for the electric conversion after that.

After a long first week back at work after the holidays, I woke up Saturday morning feeling cold. It wasn’t just me–the whole house was cold. The furnace was out. Winter this year has been uncommonly warm, but Saturday was a cold day.

I bought a VW Beetle with no title–it was a parts car that the previous owner was going to use for a different project, but never got around to it. I didn’t know the process until I saw the listing, but I figured out how to get a title for it and made a plan before I picked it up. Hopefully this helps someone else in a similar situation.