MG ZA Magnette EV Restoration

MG ZA Magnette EV Restoration Australian restoration and EV conversion of a MG Magnette 1955 model ZA - Kustom Bitz Croydon VIC I was the guy you called when most didn't have a clue.

Many define me as a petrol head, which is true, I am a hot rodder and drag racer of sorts having built many cars for myself and for customers from my business in Croydon VIC, Kustom Bitz Pty Ltd. However there is another side to me, an electrical side, having been in the Electrical industry for 30 years working on and designing motor control centers over much of that time as a sub-contractor. A la

rge amount of the work was with variable speed drives. Specifically IBGT technology which is what the modern EV conversions are based on ..... IBGT transistors and AC induction motors. The other side was factory automation, programming PLC and HMI interface to electrical motor control centres that ran the variable speed drives etc. So I am well placed to do an EV conversion on this 1955 ZA MG Magnette down to level that I can diagnose and repair the technology if need be. The controllers that sit on top of the motor and batteries require programming to set them up to match delivered torque to what the gearbox, diff, etc. can handle. So mechanical knowledge and programming set up ... tick that box too. Join me on this interesting journey to implement new tech into a classic car, but the first step is to strip down and repair the body so this will be some journey, are you ready ...................

Now that the dust has settled on the business move I have gotten back on track with the MG. The cardboard box represents...
27/03/2026

Now that the dust has settled on the business move I have gotten back on track with the MG.

The cardboard box represents the battery pack. So battery box mounting frame is sorted and the mount for the brake booster and master cylinder is done. Some inner guard metal massage will be needed to clear the booster.

A vacuum pump will run the booster, this set up works great on my hot rods so I figured use tried and proved components. Yes you can get electric boosted brake systems but they are relatively new and a precedent hasn't been set for after market components in that feild so I wait and watch what happens rather than end up with odd ball parts on my car. The vacuum pump doesn't run all the time, it pulls and hold vacuum in an accumulation tank, which only drops when you press the brake pedal, then the pump kicks in again on the vacuum drop, to maintain vacuum.

Back in December we got some 2 pack epoxy sealer on the body before shifting the MG to the new place.
27/03/2026

Back in December we got some 2 pack epoxy sealer on the body before shifting the MG to the new place.

Getting the components mounted. The black box is the throttle control, the smaller box fins up is the charge port contro...
10/05/2025

Getting the components mounted. The black box is the throttle control, the smaller box fins up is the charge port control [brackets not finished] and the bigger alloy box fins down is the battery management box.

All are in the air path whilst keeping a clear air path direct over the motor from the front grill.

The idea is to get all the fab work done so I can get the body in epoxy.

Roughed in the new gearbox cover for the trans tunnel yesterday. The trans tunnel was quite butchered, see pics, thankfu...
10/05/2025

Roughed in the new gearbox cover for the trans tunnel yesterday. The trans tunnel was quite butchered, see pics, thankfully the butchered area was where the new cut out had to go so another problem solved 😉

I shapped the cover from one piece of metal, mainly using the sand bag, with some English wheel, shinker and various banging it over home built flat anvil stands and dollies.

The pop up sphere on the top is there to clear a gear box breather fitting and hose.

I'll finish it off when the motor comes out, the trans tunnel needs to be tapped up into a bit better shape yet.

The HV cables cannot run through the cabin and there is no space left in the trans tunnel, so they have to run under the...
07/05/2025

The HV cables cannot run through the cabin and there is no space left in the trans tunnel, so they have to run under the car.

You really don't want these damaged, so I made up conduits and a skid plate to run the double insulated cables in and tucked it up close to the floor.

These cables will connect the front battery with the rear battery. The battery packs are able to supply over 1000Amps in a dead short circuit situation, hence it needs to be over engineered like this when there is no chassis to run them along.

Tail shaft with centre bearing support mounted on a new plate but picking up the original stiffening plate mounts. That'...
07/05/2025

Tail shaft with centre bearing support mounted on a new plate but picking up the original stiffening plate mounts. That's that's the driveline fabrication done. Move onto the other parts to make it go.

Netgain Hyper9 motor and TorqueBox gear box is in. Nothing about this MG trans tunnel is square, even or parallel so it...
03/05/2025

Netgain Hyper9 motor and TorqueBox gear box is in. Nothing about this MG trans tunnel is square, even or parallel so it was hard to get a datum line to work to. The rear mount morphed couple of times into what it's end up.

It's sitting good, nice and high, so makes for a nice geometry for the tailshaft.

This was the tricky part, glad it's out of the way it frees up my mind to tackle the rest of packing parts into it.

EV motor and gearbox mounts are roughed in utilising the original gearbox crossmember bolt fixings and the front bracket...
30/04/2025

EV motor and gearbox mounts are roughed in utilising the original gearbox crossmember bolt fixings and the front bracket picks up from under the suspension arm brackets.

I used 3mm wall tube so as to tie in the front torque box of the monococh subframe. Tube transfers torque, this makes for a nice rigid frame.

It would have been easier to make from flat bar or angle iron but you're carrying that weight for no gain in chassis rigidity.

Positioning the electric motor and reduction box. Middle pic shows if I wanted to use the original gearbox it would requ...
30/04/2025

Positioning the electric motor and reduction box. Middle pic shows if I wanted to use the original gearbox it would require front crossmember and steering rack alterations, that would have been a bit stupid, even if it were possible.

I could modify the gearbox tunnel higher, and lift it all up 4", a better solution but alot of work and its structural so raises engineering concerns and might tip the car into the ICV category for rego and we don't want that route. I would also loose interior space and end up with a higher centre of gravity as it would push the front battery up that 4".

So by using the reduction box, I save more weight, the motor and box now can slide back into the tunnel with no mods, and the gearbox puts the motor torque right in its sweet spot for blasting around the burbs.

It looks like it may need an intermediate bearing tailshaft so I don't need to alter the original centre tail loop, which is a heavy wall structural torque box in this case, so best left as it is.

The weight saving gets the car closer to it's original tare weight and thereby be safely below its GVM maximum. I am only 5kg heavier on the front axle and 100kg heavier overall.

So with an acceptable tare weight, a suitably sized motor, and no structural changes the car now fits nicely into the Section LV of VSB 14 NCOP. Thus making the car easily registered when it's finished.

Still alot work to go but the planning has come together nicely.

Talking EV at Easter in Flinders, that's me in the thongs, or more commonly known as welders safety boots 😀
19/04/2025

Talking EV at Easter in Flinders, that's me in the thongs, or more commonly known as welders safety boots 😀

Starting to mock up the EV parts, the cardboard represents the front battery box and it shows I need to offset it in the...
15/04/2025

Starting to mock up the EV parts, the cardboard represents the front battery box and it shows I need to offset it in the car to clear steering shaft and brake upgrade components.

Original 12V battery position can stay, main control sits on top, it needs service access and the rest goes underneath in the area that is to become the cooling duct.

So I need to fabricate mounts and a fair amount of panel work to keep splashing water off the underside components etc. and creat the cooling duct for the high power components.

Most of the components need to be in close proximity to each other, so it all has to go in the front, apart from another battery box in the boot.

It will be tight but I reckon I can make it serviceable and a neat install.

Old fuel filler is now redundant so I've removed it, much cleaner lines, I like it 👌
08/04/2025

Old fuel filler is now redundant so I've removed it, much cleaner lines, I like it 👌

Address

1 / 22 Jesmond Road Croydon
Croydon, VIC
3136

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+61407818511

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when MG ZA Magnette EV Restoration posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to MG ZA Magnette EV Restoration:

Shortcuts

Share

Category