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Jerry's Citicar Project · 30 March 06

Jerry's Citicar

No, I’m not starting a third EV project…this is the other Jerry…well, one of them. ’:^)

This is Jerry “Humanfuse” Schneider’s Electric Vehicle. It’s a Citicar, which, according to some accounts, was the most popular EV ever produced.

First a little background, from Jerry:

I’ve been EV’ing since 1991 and started with my first, out of college job developing high power switch mode battery chargers for GM’s EV1 (then called “Impact” in proto phase). I bought an old, dead, citicar and put it on the road with various homemade controllers, cheesed brakes, etc. [JH: humanfuse, cheesed brakes, what?? ]

I put about 5K miles on it over 3 summers before I “put it down” for a rest. I have since switched jobs at my company (after 10 year in the EV, now called the hybrid group) GM also spun us off as Delphi but got the EV itch again.

Citicar with original body shell, dinged up.

Last week, I pulled the tarp off the Citicar and started its second restore. This time, I have the money to buy a modern controller, charger and monitors. This time, I can be a system integrator instead of a component designer. I think I going with AllTrax for my citicar controller with a new 60 volt pack.

Jerry's Citicar with shell off

The abs plastic body was very brittle and cracked. I decided to ditch the body and make a “jeep” looking car out of it. I’ll narrow and sheet metal the nose, make a frame for the original windshield and leave the top, back, side roll cage exposed. I’ll make a small removable vinyl top to keep some of the rain out. I live in Indiana, so winter driving is not practical due to known battery issues. :(

Uncovered Citicar back

The attached pictures are of last weekend’s work. Next, I’ll buy the controller, make a throttle pot, and start cleaning up the cage. I need to get a plan for the brakes. Seems like there are rebuild kits for the citicar bakes, but I need two new calipers due to pitting. May start over with a modern small car brake set up.

I’ll send more pix and stories as it develops. Goal is on the road <$1200 (pack controller, misc.) and 2 months shop time (w/ wife approval ;)

Thanks, Jerry. We’ll be looking forward to seeing your Citijeep take shape.

For more background on the Citicar be sure to check out Frank Didik’s History of the Citicar, the Wikipedia entry, and a list of Citicar owners.

Comments 10
  1. jcwinnie    Mar 30, 2006 20:02 PM    #

    Ground clearance looks to be an issue for jeep-like performance. Some ideas, maybe, from John Deere Gator and Kawazaki Bayou.

  2. — Humanfuse    Mar 30, 2006 20:49 PM    #

    jcwinnie, sorry for the confusion, I have no intention of taking it off road. I just want that open air feeling. I’ll send more info as the project progresses. :-)

  3. darin    Mar 30, 2006 22:15 PM    #

    citijeep – that’s awesome.

    I’d love to have a citicar instead of a forkenswift. (not yet!) i’d be happy with citicar/comutacar specs.

    good luck with the project!

  4. — Peter Wing    Jul 25, 2006 10:14 AM    #

    Drove one three days ago,, would like to purchase a citicar, reasonable good shape if possible, do you know of any , or where would one advertise to locate one? anyway thanks for any input,, Peter Wing ,, Millbrook NY 845 677 9085

  5. — Peter Wing    Nov 28, 2006 22:03 PM    #

    Got a citicar on ebay needs some help but not that bad,, looking forward to driving it next summer

  6. — James May    Nov 29, 2006 09:04 AM    #

    exciting! you can put it on evalbum there are lots of citicars there.
    http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/type/CCCC

  7. Anastasiya Dudko    Jun 04, 2007 05:35 AM    #

    Ladies and gentlemen

    Is it possible to order a client-specific car body in plastics or in aluminium?

    Thank you for your answer

    Best regards

    Anastasiya Dudko
    Purchasse

  8. — Ray    Jun 04, 2007 08:06 AM    #

    Anastasiya
    you can get some from:
    http://www.usbodysource.com/

  9. — Terry Heitzenrater    Jul 30, 2007 20:52 PM    #

    My Brother is restoring an old citicar and was wandering where you can get replacement contactor points .he told me that the ones that are in his car were made by HB electrical .70b1200 di-875 and 9b1200 di 781 thank you.

  10. — rimzan    Dec 31, 2008 08:24 AM    #

    i need some ideas in make a car