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Convertible BMW E30 Gets New Life With Volt Battery, Tesla Motor Swap
The double kidney grille with the right size can become a neat charge port.
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo 
By: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Sep 23, 2019 at 8:09am ET
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Some people love to work on their own cars. Some others think that this sort of pleasure is going to end for good when EVs dominate the market, but this is an incorrect assumption. Jon Volk is proof of that. He has managed to keep his BMW 3 Series convertible, an E30, with the help of a Tesla motor and two Chevy Volt battery packs. Not only that: he has done all these changes with style.
Just have a look at the charging port for his new EV. Where would you put it? Volk has placed it under the double kidney grille. And it looks fantastic there. Perhaps also because BMW cars had them with the right size about 30 years ago.
What about the dashboard? Instead of the fuel gauge, he placed an analogic battery level gauge that looks original. Tasteful, for sure.
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Volk explains all the changes he has done to the car. With two Chevy Volt battery packs, he has a car with 32 kWh of capacity, and it is still lighter than the original. He also mentions how much all the changes cost him, weight distribution, and other amusing technical details. Find them out watching the video.
Gallery: Convertible BMW E30 Gets New Life With Tesla Motor Swap
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When you do, ask yourself: Would you spend that much money on a car that will turn 30 in 2022? Remember that we are not talking about merely getting a car to work. Volk has an undeniable emotional connection to the E30, and working on his vehicles is a hobby.
What do you think?
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Whatever your answer is, you will probably wonder with us why Volks has decided to give his car a license plate that reads “bad idea.” Was it? We do not think so. If it does not stand from a financial perspective, it does pretty well when it relates to fun and learning more about EVs. And on how to deal with them.
Video Description Via The Drive On YouTube:
This 1992 BMW 325i Cabrio looks like a standard build, but it's got a secret. Owner Jon Volk swapped in a Tesla powertrain and now it's an instant-burnout machine. Pretty ludicrous, Jon.
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