RE: (ET) ETs After Bill Gunn

["Elie, Larry \(L.D.\)" <lelie ford com>]

Bill almost gave up 5 years ago.  He didn't quite.  I think giving him 
time might be a good idea.

Second, Bill MIGHT be willing to sell a Wheel Horse distributor or some 
other organization the list of 
suppliers, prints and LIST OF USERS, because he knows that eventually that 
is going to be needed.  He can't 
sell his technical knowledge.  Although his NEW parts stock is small, he 
does have significant used 
parts.  I asked his plans for them and he didn't know yet.

Third, yes, although the ET is useful, it is indeed obsolete.  A new 
design is warranted.  By far the best 
part of the ET is the motor designs were very efficient for 1970, and 
still very good today.  That's also 
the down side; nobody I know could afford to produce this quality PM motor 
today at a low cost.  Maybe 
the Delphi Magnequench is close for cost, but it isn't there for size.  I 
work for Ford Research, and there 
are some things on the near horizon that may make cheap efficient motors a 
reality.  There are some bearings 
used on new Prestolite alternators for heavy truck that can replace 
brushes with high-conductivity low-wear 
grease, which would cut cost and help heat dissipation.  There is a 
winding technology that I won't describe 
as the patents aren't out yet.  But the big change, and the only real 
enabler of battery vehicles that I 
will see in my lifetime is the emergence of low cost (projected) very high 
capacity ultra-capacitors that 
now exceed lead-acid batteries in capacity and can be charged very fast.  
But these are all 5 years from 
any sort of volume production.  If one were to design the ET today, it 
would look a lot like an E15 (unless 
one went zero steer) for cost.  But if you did it in 5 years, it would 
have no transmission, and be lighter 
and cheaper to build than today.  Perhaps you could use the same mounts?  
No, There are 3 front and 3 back 
adapters I know of for different attachments; you only need one.  The ET 
was a compromise.

The ET just became more of a hobbyist/collectors item than it was 
yesterday.

Larry Elie