At this point you should talk with the CEO to extend this series and develop the van further. You are so into it and I could really see a bunch of talented and invested people bringing this back to life. What could it do with more cells? Buying a 3D Printer and build you own packs with 21700 cell etc. I would love to see that jouney
Even same newer LiFePO4 packs could bring it up too a decent range on Electric power and a newer power management system could solve most of the problems Oh and ad a light and latch in the cargo space that well maby taking a newer electric motor but well even a 20years old electric motor has descend efficiency
Just a tip from my aircraft airframe training days. Stagger the cutting of your wire splicing so your solder joints are not on top of each other. Much safer. Awesome video content as usual!
Just want to add that this depends on where the splice is, the size of the wire, and on if your splices are shitty or not. I stagger mine for 14 awg wire (and bigger) but I would never bother with it for something small like 26awg wire. Also using heat shrink wrap and not electrical tape makes it just as safe as the insulation you stripped off. I double heat shrink wrap wires if the original insulation is thick To me a shitty splice is one that would fail if you pull both ends of the wire BEFORE soldering the splice together. His are shitty splices because of that. I really hope no one uses his splices as an example in the future
want that solid butt connector crimped on and buttered with flux soldered solid and double layer adhesive heat shrink up on er just like your 230v submersible well pump gets wired on.. a connection so solid you can haul the pump up by the wires. lol.. the little thin solder tubes are kinda weak
Great job so far Alex. The issue I have with the former CEO is the guilt trip he is playing on you. You do not need to sell it to him. The fact that you are entertaining the idea is great but DO NOT let him play the guilt. Just because he was the old CEO does not mean he is entitled to get it back.
I was really hoping that the CEO that wants it back would show a lot more appreciation and thankfulness for your time, no one else would’ve taken it and brought it back to life. The way you did, it would’ve remained a paperweight and probably scrapped, so he really needs to show you a sincere amount of appreciation for you to sell it to him for a fair price, his gratefulness and attitude should definitely be one of the determining factors you’re asking price
This series is one of my favorite. By way of comparison, I love the Grand National, but fixing up a mostly running barn find is very different than restoring and upgrading a one-off concept vehicle that became a paperweight years ago. Alex has really upped his game with the Space Van.
Yup, and he has saved the CEO a ton of headaches getting it driving and sorting things out. If I had been CEO of that company I would want it too. If they had got all that government money instead of Tesla we would be seeing loads of these on the roads now. So it is a very important vehicle in the hybrid/electric development story.
First of all thank God for Josh being there, looks like he really knows his stuff for EV batteries. And big props to you Alex for going outside of your comfort zone and still getting it done. This is probably your best video in terms of achievements. I don't think people realize how hard it was to get that space van back up and running the way you did. You took a very step by step systematic approach and it worked, as it should.👏🏻👏🏻such good work.
I was a lineman for several years before I had to stop working and those are actually considered low voltage gloves. The ones we used daily were twice as thick as the ones you have. I was told by one of the older guys that I worked with that when I could pick up a dime wearing them that's when I knew I was used to them!
EV batteries only go to about 800V while high voltage power lines start about 7,000V. I can’t even imagine how it is to work on the high end which approaches a third of a million volts, you look at it funny and you’re toast.
Maybe a auction to see how much he really wants it back and to realise its full potential!? You buying it and restoring it is definitely worth a pay day. Great series.
The main wires that you put back to the original position is the 3phase connection that change back probably corrected the clockwise & counter clockwise (forward/backup) D&R issue with the selector. 😊
Amazing work, i can't stop thinking about it though, did you clone to van's hard drive? You say it's slow to start and seeing it's windows XP it's definitely an old drive which could fail at any point, once that happens it's gonna be very expensive to recover the system, cloning can be done in any IT repair shop, and you could also replace the hard drive by an SSD to have it boot faster as well as be more reliable as SSD's don't have moving parts
Yes, definitely take *multiple backups* of the drive immediately - fabricating parts is hard, but not as difficult as fabricating an operating system! 😂
How satisfying is this! The engineers were far ahead of their time when they designed and built this, but limited to the tech available. That van is truly a piece of automotive history. It should be shown at EV events on display. The new battery tech tells you how far they have come with the batteries. Good on you Alex for bringing it back 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thing is a pile of rubbish 🗑 isn't worth anything except to the ceo that wants it back it was canned for a reason everything these youtubers get isn't gold 😂
@@gezzuzzful you should better educate yourself on Grants. That’s how they work. Waste is throwing money at overseas wars. This was r and d for achieving 80mpg that the grant provided and big 3 auto makers also contributed to for exploring Hybrids during the Clinton admin. The van is a historical piece and should be celebrated as such.
Yeah, IMO if they really spent 2 million dollars developing it, they were wasting a lot of money on something. The engineering is half assed, the wiring is a mess - as per other comments, I suspect they were burning investor money with the hope they'd somehow continue to get funding.
@@S2NAZThis thing is 10 years old - there were already loads of commercially available PEV's from European, Chinese & Japanese manufacturers by that time - most with far greater EV range than this - and probably better real world fuel efficiency not to mention practicality. Not a single bit of this thing is revolutionary for the 2010's. Given how back-yard garage every single piece of this thing is, it's pretty clear it was an investor cash-grab. Governments & corporates waste piles of money on this kind of junk every year, just for sheer ignorance.
It’s one of the most rare vehicles on the planet, so in working order it’s gotta be worth strong money. I understand it’s going “home” but without your hard work and dedication this would have never been possible. Therefore I think the price needs to take all of this into account. I’m not saying be greedy but don’t undersell yourself. Well done on getting this far!
I actually just got the same spot welder! It’s only rated for 0.15mm nickel strips and doesn’t really care for copper. Fantastic for small diy batteries, terrible for space vans.
They are designed for and work great on building packs using the the 18650 type cells. Definitely wouldn't be sufficient for those massive connectors on those battery packs. Would love to see the welder that they used to build the original packs tho.
@@Full_Throttle_no_Brakes it might if it’s thin enough. I wouldn’t recommend it though if you need to weld copper tabs. Nickel, nickel plated steel, and steel strips weld beautifully though.
Be very careful using those clear pre-made solder connections. They're incredibly fragile to temperature changes. The solder has a tendency to fracture. It's really not a good application for that.
@@nolanbeerollin1756it’s not - if the connection becomes unstable (like from vibration or other stress) and the resistance across the joint increases, the connection will heat up, further weakening the joint and possibly resulting in a positive feedback loop until the solder completely melts. Physical crimping, done correctly, is the superior connection method.
@@nolanbeerollin1756 that solder is incredibly fragile. It does not respond well to any kind of mechanical motion. It also doesn't like wide temperature changes so going from hot to cold or from cold to hot. It especially does not like to be cold becoming very very very brittle if it gets cold. It's just a very brittle temperature sensitive solder. The reason they use it in those connectors is because normal solder only melts at a temperature that would destroy the shrink wrap. I've used these in vehicles before and they always fail within a year or two
Lets not forget that without Josh's help there would be no video, and probably a lot of smoke! He just introduced us to how mechanics of the future will work with EVs
You should look in to a strap gun. We use them in HVAC to secure the ducts to plenums. It tightens the zip ties wayyy tighter than we can pull and then it cuts them for you after wards. It’s pretty nifty.
I got back from taking my son to Kung Fu and I realized I had a bunch of pots and pans that needed to be washed. Then I realized it's SATURDAY time for LSC + dishes! I really look forward to these videos!
I used to work in a store where we recycled batteries, even a small battery from an iPhone can cause huge problems with thermal runaway, if the pouch is punctured by accident! Quite apart from the explosive potential, the flames and heat, and the extremely toxic smoke can fill a building very quickly, and takes ages to clear!
I'm no EV fan and sure, it's kind of a crappy design execution BUT this has been some really good LSC content. Plus I think some Lightning content with balance it all out! Great work Alex. Long time subs like me are thoroughly enjoying it.
I'm sure that you'll work out a good price for the work and stuff you put into it. I think this one specifically is more like a proof of concept rather than a real consumer level vehicle. Awesome work getting this piece of history working again. Very amazing.
Wow I was getting a nervous thinking I wasn’t going to see the space van ever again so happy is not dead for ever and I know that you are going to get it running
Alex, you make even mundane tasks interesting with your enthusiastic, humorous presentation. Like the outtakes too. Well done. Look forward to the next one..
Heck yeah dude. You need to get this van running good and get that engine to kick in. Like any PriusHybrid is should kick in when you smash the throttle and you get both the engine and electric motor to accelerate the car. You got this dude come on
That's exactly what's wrong with it, it's not meant to drive entirely on electric, but using the electric to save fuel at low speeds. Just like most modern hybrids, EV mode is limited to low speeds and will kick over to hybrid mode when you floor it.
34:36 Alex: There could be something wrong with it, but what else is new It's the space van. Space van: would you like an a pillar trim piece in this trying time? Alex: 😐 uh... well designed. Space van's comedic timing is impeccable 🤣
It's no longer the "taking up space" van. It's doing van things. Okay, maybe not van things, but it's moving on its own and not thrashing itself to pieces.
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When you used the Harbor Freight spot welder to weld the battery tabs, you welded 4 tiny spots of connection compared with the original spot welds. This is likely causing a current limit from each cell you replaced and limiting battery performance. Please check these replaced cells and ensure you are not creating excessive heat buildup (and a fire hazard).
the surface area of the 4 spot welds are greater than the tiny spot welds originally used. The current isn't running just through the spot welds, hence why they filed them flat.
I have not read all the comments but I have what is essentially the future of this van. That is the Mercedes GLC350e . It s plugin hybred that merc brought to market in 2016 or 17. Great vehicle and works as you described the space van. When we keep in town and uses it as the daily driver we will get about 600 miles on a tank of gas. Highway requires the gas engine but we still get double the mpg as my 2014 GL450. It is really quick when fully charged in sport+ motorcyclists are shocked to see me passing them when I "race them " light to light.
I have enjoyed watching the challenges that the van has presented and how you have progressed through each and every one. One question I had, when the gasoline engine didn't kick in, was if the "headlight switch" under the hood might have anything to do with it switching. If the switch is in the incorrect position, would it possibly not start the engine? I also listened to the noise you were hearing early on in the drive and think that it may have been the brakes dragging a bit. Between rust buildup, sticking pads, and age, it is likely the rotors were a bit warped and the calipers may not have been sliding freely. Brake drag, along with the age of the older cells, could equate to the more rapid decline in SOC. As you drove, the sound reduced, which would also make sense if the brakes were dragging. Between the brakes were used every block or so, and friction from rubbing, surface rust would be scrubbed off and the pads would eventually free up, and the calipers might begin to slide better.
This is such a different project to your usual ones but so interesting at the same time. It's great that you keep an open mind and are seeing this space van through to the end with amazing help.
Great Job Alex … What tenacity, well done. EV’s are as familiar to most of us as aftermarket EFI was when first introduced, you have given us a great EV base knowledge to build on. Some of the Toyota EV hybrid vehicles in the UK would max out at 30 MPH before requiring the ICE to go faster. Looking forward to the next update.
Fantastic video, the value of this van is worth what the market is willing to pay. $1 mil is probably the right place to start. All the best, I really hope all the best for you. Also, maybe it’s not the full mil, maybe another vehicle from the CEO’s garage?
I really enjoyed seeing you restore the space van and get it driving again, a very interesting and educational investigation on EV battery technology. All your videos are very well made and provide real insight and expertise on a wide variety of vehicles. The space van is actually a nice looking vehicle and when you get the gas engine functionality restored it will be very useful and practical. When you get the space van functioning at peak performance and reliability a suggestion would be to donate it to a good cause such as senior citizen organization to provide transportation and delivery services. If you do decide to sell it back to the Bright Idea CEO that you do ask $1,000,000 because: 1) it is one of kind. 2) you took the time and did extensive research in order to restore drivability. 3) you deserve it because you help people and have donated many vehicles. 4) you will use that money to help others in need
Awesome job Alex, hard work and dedication takes you long ways and you my friend, exceeds at both! This wasn't an easy feature but you made it! Thanks Max for another awesome edit!
Alex has certainly made Obama proud by successfully turning around the investment of a significant amount of tax money that had previously failed to yield results.
I should have just watched until the end, cuz you answered all the questions I had. In the interest of history, I would probably sell the van back to him for the cost of the van, the cost of the parts, any other money you have into it like the welding of that rear bracket and such, and maybe a number for labor although you are able to earn UA-cam money just having the videos I almost feel like it would be unfair.... but that's just me, I have no real sway with your business model, but that's my two cents worth. This has been an awesome project to watch you work on.
I see where you coming from but you also have to factor the revenue future videos would generate. Now UA-cam’s adds are no where near where a working concept could bring in at an auction or if an EV collector purchased it. A lot of variables to consider than just the cost of parts and purchase of the van the 1 million dollar price tag doesn’t seem to outrageous of all of a sudden. I Personally think anything less than 100k is unreasonable just to think what labor time cost now in days not to mention the risk involve with working on EV’s to the extend Alex did and still doing keep in mind he’s doing the work of 50+ people where we can assume the CEO was just the face. He’s handing over car that has gone thru R&D all over added some more up to date tech and im sure the gas engine will be in perfect working order in the end.
For your HMI, if you use a keyboard you should be able to hit the windows button and access the menu that way. Should be able to find a setting to calibrate your screen. I recommend calibrating from the drivers seat. It can make a difference.
The double plastic zip ties can be replaced with HVAC flex duct ties, they are longer and approximately 7/16 wide and hope you don't have to use this helpful hint.
I have been waiting a painful amount of weeks for this video! I can't believe you got the old beast running again! Can't wait for the next installment when I hope you have the engine-backup feature working! LOVE THE VAN SO MUCH!!
I'm pretty sure the 'capacity' number is a percentage as well. So 28% capacity might explain the ~10 mile range vs the advertised 30. You would probably need to replace the remaining original cells to improve that number.
About what you should charge this CEO who loves this concept van. . . First, to all the people saying you should charge him what you paid for it plus an hourly wage for your time. . . I disagree. You deserve far more than that. First, you showed good judgment in buying it in the first place. Obviously, the vehicle appealed to you because it is unique and because of what it represents: a bid for a better driving future. That good judgment deserves rewarding, in my opinion. Second, your joy in both repairing and driving the van are evident in this last video. Admittedly, you haven't put as much time and sweat into it as the original developers, but a good deal of its value to you comes from the same intangibles that make it so valuable to this CEO--even if it is to a somewhat lesser degree. You sweated and tossed and turned over getting it to run again using a unique set of skills, attention and persistence. It even took a little courage, at times, to deal with this battery pack. For me, what I would charge for it it would depend very much on how well off this man is. Did bringing this vision to fruition break him financially or emotionally? Has he been lost without it ever since? Or was it a stepping stone to greater things. Did he come out of the experience with more or less money than when he went in? If he's rich, then I'd think of compensating myself quite handsomely for handing it over--at least thirty or forty grand. Not too much to ask if this guy can easily afford it. On the other hand, if he's a pauper, I'd temper my asking price with compassion and gratitude for the sacrifice he made in helping to create the van. I have no idea how well off *you* are financially. But that would enter into the equation, too. Maybe 30 or 40 grand will make a huge difference in your life and the lives of your children. Or maybe it will make very little difference at all. Only you know that part of the equation. But that's my answer. What you paid for the van plus an hourly wage for your labor plus parts you put into it is well below the floor of what I would ask. The ceiling? Somewhere in the tens of thousands of dollars range. Depending on how rich he is compared to you. BTW, for those considering "market value" in their calculus, I say that market value doesn't enter into it. This CEO is your market. He's already told you he wants what you have very, very much.
Hey Alex, great job as usual. The gas pump clicking out like that, i think some Chrysler gas fill necks are weird like that. My 2002 Chrysler 300m does the same thing. It only fills up properly at gas stations with older pumps. So maybe thats the issue with yours???
When you cut cords with multiple wires you should cut the shielding off and snip them individually so you dont cross the connections and blow anything up.
Great job!! Been following along. Impressed you got it rolling again. Curious what happen to all those folks that worked for BI. Did Trey go on to another ev company?
Seeing that fire extinguisher on the table, I would say this may be the most intense and dangerous video that LSC ever produced… And still, great work Alex, respects!
I personally would like to see that it goes to a museum or local college in the town that it was built. If that town isn't known for high tech or mobility that's even better. School kids could see that something that advanced technology was built in their town and it encourages them to dream. Parking it in his garage to gather dust seems like a waste. Having pictures and interviews with the people who built it along with the engineering plans would complete the space vans journey.
Alex, I love this series. It’s fun to see the iterations of electro-motion that people have tried. Good luck bringing the the engine back into play. Of course I like the vroom-vroom too. Maybe you could install a cam and hot exhaust! A million sounds like a good start for negotiations. I’d ask him to sponsor your next car that goes to a needy person. 👍👍
Awesome. I’m a carrier for the USPS. Carriers that I work with, remember hearing about a new van that would run on electricity, back in the early 2000s. This may have been it, but then the recession happened and put a stop to it. Nice to see what could’ve been.
We all need a friend like Josh..someone who will help fix a very dangerous car with electric tape, dull pocket knives and an electrical extension cord.. 😂😂😂 Truly do what u gotta do type job.
Great vid yet again Alex!!... something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it... don't give it away, I'd probably start at 275k and go from there and see what happens.. if the ceo wants it that bad, he'll pay for it.. don't get sucked in by the sob story, everybody has one of them lol... good luck!!!
The only caveat to that is that while he is "enjoying" owning it, he has stated he doesn't want to keep it. Can't blame him too much considering how it seems to be actively trying to take him hostage. Over ask too much and he might be stuck with it 🤣
Good job getting it this far. Good luck finding and programming the engine switch. With the current technology one would think there are some off the shelf replacements to get it to work? I am looking forward to a functioning DeLorian driving to your house this coming Halloween 👻
I think you should keep it, upgrade the motors and batterys and legit street van it to a super fast van! Also doesn't the engine turn on to help with speed ?
for your consideration, cover connection points in Dielectric grease its stops corrosion but maintains contact for electricity. thought of it when watch you do the earth point "Dielectric grease is not an automotive necessity like oil or coolant, but it’s a popular product used in garages across the country. Most commonly applied on spark plug boots, lightbulbs, and battery terminals, dielectric grease is, in theory, a protectant like car wax. It’s not required, but it could help extend and maintain the life and quality of your vehicle and its parts."
I guess the price should depend on how much revenue you have been getting off the videos. Dont give it away or donate it. Nothing is free in this world and they didn't give the van to you nor would they ever think about it. I like the content and think it would be awsome to keep upgrading and make it better.
TIP. Next time you use the wire stripers, before you remove the bit of insulation use it to twist the wire braid. It then comes off easier and saves your fingers 😮
If you don't get a good price, donate it to the Museum of Science and Industry and take the tax write-off. Who knows, they may give you something for it.
If you look up Bright Automotive & GM's 5 million dollar investment, there's a picture of the van. It was designed as a commercial delivery vehicle for fleets & small businesses. 38 miles of electric range & 36 mpg in hybrid mode. Gas powers the front wheels & electric drives the rear. They were going to build 50,000 vehicles annually.
Thanks for letting us see you work out the bugs, getting it back on the road and enjoying the glory before handing it over to original builders… Good Job my fellow Chicagoan brother 💪😎👍
CEO trying to buy it back to hide how much grant and investor money they scammed. They spent 2M on that van but what were the officer salaries? They blew through millions and produced this?
Rightful owner? You're the rightful owner. You bought it fair and square. Don't take any less than 1 million.
For real! Get as much cash as you can for it.
Dam right I thought the same thing I think this van is kool af I wouldn't let it go for a penny less
It's yours fair and square
If he wants it then he has to pay much for it! I bet there are many collectors out there that would pay much more!
It needs to be in a museum
At this point you should talk with the CEO to extend this series and develop the van further. You are so into it and I could really see a bunch of talented and invested people bringing this back to life. What could it do with more cells? Buying a 3D Printer and build you own packs with 21700 cell etc. I would love to see that jouney
Even same newer LiFePO4 packs could bring it up too a decent range on Electric power and a newer power management system could solve most of the problems
Oh and ad a light and latch in the cargo space that well maby taking a newer electric motor but well even a 20years old electric motor has descend efficiency
Imagine if this series fate was to reignite the Bright Idea would be amazing !
Oh, maybe the ONE improvement left to add would be a latch on the inside of at least one of the rear doors 😂😂😂
Seriously! It's scary as hell that you can get locked in there. I'm sure he would have been ok, but thankfully he had his phone.
It's like a cop van kinda
That’s fixing a major safety flaw in the space van. I would do it.
Just a tip from my aircraft airframe training days. Stagger the cutting of your wire splicing so your solder joints are not on top of each other. Much safer. Awesome video content as usual!
The lines are also less stressed because they don't flair out as much as when you stack the connections in the same place.
Just want to add that this depends on where the splice is, the size of the wire, and on if your splices are shitty or not. I stagger mine for 14 awg wire (and bigger) but I would never bother with it for something small like 26awg wire. Also using heat shrink wrap and not electrical tape makes it just as safe as the insulation you stripped off. I double heat shrink wrap wires if the original insulation is thick
To me a shitty splice is one that would fail if you pull both ends of the wire BEFORE soldering the splice together. His are shitty splices because of that. I really hope no one uses his splices as an example in the future
want that solid butt connector crimped on and buttered with flux soldered solid and double layer adhesive heat shrink up on er just like your 230v submersible well pump gets wired on.. a connection so solid you can haul the pump up by the wires. lol.. the little thin solder tubes are kinda weak
This is exactly what I do when Im wiring "stuff" not to code. IE my solar panels with bigger gu wire!
Great job so far Alex. The issue I have with the former CEO is the guilt trip he is playing on you. You do not need to sell it to him. The fact that you are entertaining the idea is great but DO NOT let him play the guilt. Just because he was the old CEO does not mean he is entitled to get it back.
Don’t sell it to him; that’s the ultimate middle finger
No... that's too easy, the ultimate middle finger would be handing this van off to whistlindiesel
no that's the supreme fruck you@@Desolation_Nation
precisely. do not god damn sell it. it's yours, lsc.
@@Desolation_NationI'm disgusted by that guy. Cool he's got money by why destroy everything
37:46 Someone is looking to cash in exclusive photos a "NEW" prototype van never seen by the public :)
I was really hoping that the CEO that wants it back would show a lot more appreciation and thankfulness for your time, no one else would’ve taken it and brought it back to life. The way you did, it would’ve remained a paperweight and probably scrapped, so he really needs to show you a sincere amount of appreciation for you to sell it to him for a fair price, his gratefulness and attitude should definitely be one of the determining factors you’re asking price
This series is one of my favorite. By way of comparison, I love the Grand National, but fixing up a mostly running barn find is very different than restoring and upgrading a one-off concept vehicle that became a paperweight years ago. Alex has really upped his game with the Space Van.
It's not what its worth, its what someone will pay for it. 2.4 Million OBO
Nice job getting the Space van running. I would say what you paid plus time and parts and a little extra is what you should sell it to the CEO for.
Yup, I'm too honest, I'd do the same. If feel too shitty making too much of a profit off of someone's dream.
@@davidt3563 it's not like that CEO certainly made some millions already while working on it in the first place, ...
I think the million dollars is just meant to be a joke to get a reaction.
Yup, and he has saved the CEO a ton of headaches getting it driving and sorting things out. If I had been CEO of that company I would want it too. If they had got all that government money instead of Tesla we would be seeing loads of these on the roads now. So it is a very important vehicle in the hybrid/electric development story.
Every time Alex says that the old CEO asks "when is it getting back to its rightful owner" makes me think the guy is a self righteous, @55hat.
This thing belongs in a museum. Great job saving it!
First of all thank God for Josh being there, looks like he really knows his stuff for EV batteries.
And big props to you Alex for going outside of your comfort zone and still getting it done.
This is probably your best video in terms of achievements. I don't think people realize how hard it was to get that space van back up and running the way you did. You took a very step by step systematic approach and it worked, as it should.👏🏻👏🏻such good work.
just wanted to say thank you for the videos, I watch you nightly and thoroughly enjoy all your videos, thank you Alex
I was a lineman for several years before I had to stop working and those are actually considered low voltage gloves. The ones we used daily were twice as thick as the ones you have. I was told by one of the older guys that I worked with that when I could pick up a dime wearing them that's when I knew I was used to them!
EV batteries only go to about 800V while high voltage power lines start about 7,000V. I can’t even imagine how it is to work on the high end which approaches a third of a million volts, you look at it funny and you’re toast.
Maybe a auction to see how much he really wants it back and to realise its full potential!? You buying it and restoring it is definitely worth a pay day. Great series.
The main wires that you put back to the original position is the 3phase connection that change back probably corrected the clockwise & counter clockwise (forward/backup) D&R issue with the selector. 😊
YES, those wire strippers are a must have for the fine stranded cables.
Amazing work, i can't stop thinking about it though, did you clone to van's hard drive? You say it's slow to start and seeing it's windows XP it's definitely an old drive which could fail at any point, once that happens it's gonna be very expensive to recover the system, cloning can be done in any IT repair shop, and you could also replace the hard drive by an SSD to have it boot faster as well as be more reliable as SSD's don't have moving parts
I remember they did have some videos where they found the computer. I'm 99% sure it was still rocking a 7200rpm drive.
It was an old industrial ssd.
Yes, definitely take *multiple backups* of the drive immediately - fabricating parts is hard, but not as difficult as fabricating an operating system! 😂
@@dhillaz I can even "hear" that BackUp light flashing bright red !!!
Man I love a video that ends with outtakes. Please NEVER stop doing that.
How satisfying is this! The engineers were far ahead of their time when they designed and built this, but limited to the tech available. That van is truly a piece of automotive history. It should be shown at EV events on display. The new battery tech tells you how far they have come with the batteries. Good on you Alex for bringing it back 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thing is a pile of rubbish 🗑 isn't worth anything except to the ceo that wants it back it was canned for a reason everything these youtubers get isn't gold 😂
it was a scam. they just burned investor money till it ran out. if they got the grant. they would of burned it till it ran out
@@gezzuzzful you should better educate yourself on Grants. That’s how they work. Waste is throwing money at overseas wars. This was r and d for achieving 80mpg that the grant provided and big 3 auto makers also contributed to for exploring Hybrids during the Clinton admin. The van is a historical piece and should be celebrated as such.
Yeah, IMO if they really spent 2 million dollars developing it, they were wasting a lot of money on something. The engineering is half assed, the wiring is a mess - as per other comments, I suspect they were burning investor money with the hope they'd somehow continue to get funding.
@@S2NAZThis thing is 10 years old - there were already loads of commercially available PEV's from European, Chinese & Japanese manufacturers by that time - most with far greater EV range than this - and probably better real world fuel efficiency not to mention practicality. Not a single bit of this thing is revolutionary for the 2010's. Given how back-yard garage every single piece of this thing is, it's pretty clear it was an investor cash-grab. Governments & corporates waste piles of money on this kind of junk every year, just for sheer ignorance.
It’s one of the most rare vehicles on the planet, so in working order it’s gotta be worth strong money. I understand it’s going “home” but without your hard work and dedication this would have never been possible. Therefore I think the price needs to take all of this into account. I’m not saying be greedy but don’t undersell yourself. Well done on getting this far!
I actually just got the same spot welder! It’s only rated for 0.15mm nickel strips and doesn’t really care for copper. Fantastic for small diy batteries, terrible for space vans.
ahh yes I've wondered about that spot welder for batteries. thanks for confirming I'm gonna purchase it.
They are designed for and work great on building packs using the the 18650 type cells. Definitely wouldn't be sufficient for those massive connectors on those battery packs. Would love to see the welder that they used to build the original packs tho.
I didn't understand. Does it weld copper?
Yes. Wayyyyy to weak for this kind of welding.
@@Full_Throttle_no_Brakes it might if it’s thin enough. I wouldn’t recommend it though if you need to weld copper tabs. Nickel, nickel plated steel, and steel strips weld beautifully though.
BAD CELL is a good band name.
That being said, this van looks AWESOME. I do love the design, and it is a Bright Idea.
I really hope you get 1 million dollars for it! You deserve it for all you do for the car culture and the respect you've given to this concept Van! 🤞
Also invest in dilectric grease, no point cleaning off rust to let it grow again, but glad to see your making headway.
Yes! More Concept Space Van! I was wondering when you were going 'back to the future', lol.
Well played you for your perseverance and drive to continue in resurrecting the van, keep your positivity up 👍👍👍
Be very careful using those clear pre-made solder connections. They're incredibly fragile to temperature changes. The solder has a tendency to fracture. It's really not a good application for that.
Yeah my thought was like wtf don’t use that crap, solder it the old fashioned way!
Yeah, wtf
So its gonna change when its cold? Because that heat gun is the most heat that connector is gonna see.
@@nolanbeerollin1756it’s not - if the connection becomes unstable (like from vibration or other stress) and the resistance across the joint increases, the connection will heat up, further weakening the joint and possibly resulting in a positive feedback loop until the solder completely melts. Physical crimping, done correctly, is the superior connection method.
@@nolanbeerollin1756 that solder is incredibly fragile. It does not respond well to any kind of mechanical motion. It also doesn't like wide temperature changes so going from hot to cold or from cold to hot. It especially does not like to be cold becoming very very very brittle if it gets cold. It's just a very brittle temperature sensitive solder. The reason they use it in those connectors is because normal solder only melts at a temperature that would destroy the shrink wrap. I've used these in vehicles before and they always fail within a year or two
Good on you for having a expert in battery packs with you. Lack of knowledge can kill.
Lets not forget that without Josh's help there would be no video, and probably a lot of smoke!
He just introduced us to how mechanics of the future will work with EVs
Great to see the van on the move! Can I just suggest you add a door handle inside of the cargo area, so that no one will get trapped inside again.
major props to you for tackling this project
You should look in to a strap gun. We use them in HVAC to secure the ducts to plenums. It tightens the zip ties wayyy tighter than we can pull and then it cuts them for you after wards. It’s pretty nifty.
All right, my weekend dose of LSC is here!
Happy weekend all
I got back from taking my son to Kung Fu and I realized I had a bunch of pots and pans that needed to be washed. Then I realized it's SATURDAY time for LSC + dishes! I really look forward to these videos!
@@davidt3563
Oh cool, which form? There's so many different kinds.
The Space Van and DeLorean series are two of the best you've done recently, I can't wait to see the next episode.
I do not like EV - but this is awesome and have really enjoyed watching the progress on this. I am routing for the Space Van for the win !!!!
I love that people are filming you and taking pictures
I used to work in a store where we recycled batteries, even a small battery from an iPhone can cause huge problems with thermal runaway, if the pouch is punctured by accident! Quite apart from the explosive potential, the flames and heat, and the extremely toxic smoke can fill a building very quickly, and takes ages to clear!
Yup lithium batteries when they self ignite there is little you can since they burn around 5000 degrees, it's why fire fighters hate EVs
I'm no EV fan and sure, it's kind of a crappy design execution BUT this has been some really good LSC content. Plus I think some Lightning content with balance it all out! Great work Alex. Long time subs like me are thoroughly enjoying it.
I'm sure that you'll work out a good price for the work and stuff you put into it. I think this one specifically is more like a proof of concept rather than a real consumer level vehicle. Awesome work getting this piece of history working again. Very amazing.
That's awesome, I can't blame you for taking a chance on it. The story behind it is also great. Thanks for sharing.
Wow I was getting a nervous thinking I wasn’t going to see the space van ever again so happy is not dead for ever and I know that you are going to get it running
Hey Alex, you’ve done so much for people in need over the years, now it’s your turn, get what you can out of it.
How much should I ask the Former CEO for the van? It cost over 2 million to build and he really wants it back.
Its not worth a lot I believe. Maybe what you invested plus 10%?
10 million since you worked on it and fixed it to working order
Donate it back to them..good karma!!
30-40k maybe
Whatever you think it would fetch on the open market. Don’t cut anyone a break.
Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤
Alex, you make even mundane tasks interesting with your enthusiastic, humorous presentation. Like the outtakes too. Well done. Look forward to the next one..
Heck yeah dude. You need to get this van running good and get that engine to kick in.
Like any PriusHybrid is should kick in when you smash the throttle and you get both the engine and electric motor to accelerate the car.
You got this dude come on
That's exactly what's wrong with it, it's not meant to drive entirely on electric, but using the electric to save fuel at low speeds. Just like most modern hybrids, EV mode is limited to low speeds and will kick over to hybrid mode when you floor it.
34:36 Alex: There could be something wrong with it, but what else is new It's the space van.
Space van: would you like an a pillar trim piece in this trying time?
Alex: 😐 uh... well designed.
Space van's comedic timing is impeccable 🤣
It's amazing how you fix this. Congratulations man! You saved history
It's no longer the "taking up space" van.
It's doing van things. Okay, maybe not van things, but it's moving on its own and not thrashing itself to pieces.
@@Dwigt_Rortugal for that joke I say
* Plays bad joke drums*
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Limited Time Sale! Thanks so much for all the orders! Your support means the world to me.
you’re not chris fix
@@kneecap8614LOL
It's So awesome that you got this working. The last time I saw it running was when I worked for Bright. I didn't work on VAN, but I worked for them.
Dude, huge congrats. You should feel very accomplished! Huge daunting task and you whooped its ass!
daunting ? wow you must have had a real cake walk so far in life.
When you used the Harbor Freight spot welder to weld the battery tabs, you welded 4 tiny spots of connection compared with the original spot welds. This is likely causing a current limit from each cell you replaced and limiting battery performance. Please check these replaced cells and ensure you are not creating excessive heat buildup (and a fire hazard).
the surface area of the 4 spot welds are greater than the tiny spot welds originally used. The current isn't running just through the spot welds, hence why they filed them flat.
Ideally you should have charged each module to the same voltage because when you didn't, it rapidly discharged the rebuilt one to balance the others.
Outtakes are definitely my favorite part of these videos
Have to have patience that’s for sure. Bet it will get a lot of looks. Incredible work Alex! You melting the jacket on the wires brings back memories!
I have not read all the comments but I have what is essentially the future of this van. That is the Mercedes GLC350e . It s plugin hybred that merc brought to market in 2016 or 17. Great vehicle and works as you described the space van. When we keep in town and uses it as the daily driver we will get about 600 miles on a tank of gas. Highway requires the gas engine but we still get double the mpg as my 2014 GL450. It is really quick when fully charged in sport+ motorcyclists are shocked to see me passing them when I "race them " light to light.
I have enjoyed watching the challenges that the van has presented and how you have progressed through each and every one. One question I had, when the gasoline engine didn't kick in, was if the "headlight switch" under the hood might have anything to do with it switching. If the switch is in the incorrect position, would it possibly not start the engine?
I also listened to the noise you were hearing early on in the drive and think that it may have been the brakes dragging a bit. Between rust buildup, sticking pads, and age, it is likely the rotors were a bit warped and the calipers may not have been sliding freely. Brake drag, along with the age of the older cells, could equate to the more rapid decline in SOC. As you drove, the sound reduced, which would also make sense if the brakes were dragging. Between the brakes were used every block or so, and friction from rubbing, surface rust would be scrubbed off and the pads would eventually free up, and the calipers might begin to slide better.
This is such a different project to your usual ones but so interesting at the same time. It's great that you keep an open mind and are seeing this space van through to the end with amazing help.
Great Job Alex … What tenacity, well done. EV’s are as familiar to most of us as aftermarket EFI was when first introduced, you have given us a great EV base knowledge to build on. Some of the Toyota EV hybrid vehicles in the UK would max out at 30 MPH before requiring the ICE to go faster. Looking forward to the next update.
This thumbnail almost eluded me! I'm here for it. What a most excellent project!
Fantastic video, the value of this van is worth what the market is willing to pay. $1 mil is probably the right place to start. All the best, I really hope all the best for you. Also, maybe it’s not the full mil, maybe another vehicle from the CEO’s garage?
I really enjoyed seeing you restore the space van and get it driving again, a very interesting and educational investigation on EV battery technology. All your videos are very well made and provide real insight and expertise on a wide variety of vehicles. The space van is actually a nice looking vehicle and when you get the gas engine functionality restored it will be very useful and practical.
When you get the space van functioning at peak performance and reliability a suggestion would be to donate it to a good cause such as senior citizen organization to provide transportation and delivery services.
If you do decide to sell it back to the Bright Idea CEO that you do ask $1,000,000 because: 1) it is one of kind. 2) you took the time and did extensive research in order to restore drivability. 3) you deserve it because you help people and have donated many vehicles. 4) you will use that money to help others in need
Harbor Freight to the rescue! It saved me this weekend too.... You get a million for it, it's your payday ! And I'll always give you a thumbs up !
Awesome job Alex, hard work and dedication takes you long ways and you my friend, exceeds at both! This wasn't an easy feature but you made it! Thanks Max for another awesome edit!
Alex has certainly made Obama proud by successfully turning around the investment of a significant amount of tax money that had previously failed to yield results.
1M is fair. It’s one of one, looks good and is about to work like it should.
I should have just watched until the end, cuz you answered all the questions I had.
In the interest of history, I would probably sell the van back to him for the cost of the van, the cost of the parts, any other money you have into it like the welding of that rear bracket and such, and maybe a number for labor although you are able to earn UA-cam money just having the videos I almost feel like it would be unfair.... but that's just me, I have no real sway with your business model, but that's my two cents worth. This has been an awesome project to watch you work on.
I see where you coming from but you also have to factor the revenue future videos would generate. Now UA-cam’s adds are no where near where a working concept could bring in at an auction or if an EV collector purchased it. A lot of variables to consider than just the cost of parts and purchase of the van the 1 million dollar price tag doesn’t seem to outrageous of all of a sudden. I Personally think anything less than 100k is unreasonable just to think what labor time cost now in days not to mention the risk involve with working on EV’s to the extend Alex did and still doing keep in mind he’s doing the work of 50+ people where we can assume the CEO was just the face. He’s handing over car that has gone thru R&D all over added some more up to date tech and im sure the gas engine will be in perfect working order in the end.
@@marioga90 either way you look at it, it's a very tough position to be in and I don't envy him at all for it.
For your HMI, if you use a keyboard you should be able to hit the windows button and access the menu that way. Should be able to find a setting to calibrate your screen. I recommend calibrating from the drivers seat. It can make a difference.
Love the space van!! The Delorean and Space Van are my two favorite topics!!
Thanks Justin!
@@LegitStreetCars Anytime Alex. Keep up the great work, I'll see you in the next one!!
Just think you're the only one that could fix something that scientists couldn't figure out that's pretty cool love the channel Keep On Keepin On
The double plastic zip ties can be replaced with HVAC flex duct ties, they are longer and approximately 7/16 wide and hope you don't have to use this helpful hint.
I have been waiting a painful amount of weeks for this video! I can't believe you got the old beast running again!
Can't wait for the next installment when I hope you have the engine-backup feature working!
LOVE THE VAN SO MUCH!!
I'm pretty sure the 'capacity' number is a percentage as well. So 28% capacity might explain the ~10 mile range vs the advertised 30. You would probably need to replace the remaining original cells to improve that number.
maybe I should wait to comment until I watch the entire video lol. You basically said this in the video
About what you should charge this CEO who loves this concept van. . .
First, to all the people saying you should charge him what you paid for it plus an hourly wage for your time. . . I disagree. You deserve far more than that. First, you showed good judgment in buying it in the first place. Obviously, the vehicle appealed to you because it is unique and because of what it represents: a bid for a better driving future. That good judgment deserves rewarding, in my opinion.
Second, your joy in both repairing and driving the van are evident in this last video. Admittedly, you haven't put as much time and sweat into it as the original developers, but a good deal of its value to you comes from the same intangibles that make it so valuable to this CEO--even if it is to a somewhat lesser degree. You sweated and tossed and turned over getting it to run again using a unique set of skills, attention and persistence. It even took a little courage, at times, to deal with this battery pack.
For me, what I would charge for it it would depend very much on how well off this man is. Did bringing this vision to fruition break him financially or emotionally? Has he been lost without it ever since? Or was it a stepping stone to greater things. Did he come out of the experience with more or less money than when he went in?
If he's rich, then I'd think of compensating myself quite handsomely for handing it over--at least thirty or forty grand. Not too much to ask if this guy can easily afford it. On the other hand, if he's a pauper, I'd temper my asking price with compassion and gratitude for the sacrifice he made in helping to create the van.
I have no idea how well off *you* are financially. But that would enter into the equation, too. Maybe 30 or 40 grand will make a huge difference in your life and the lives of your children. Or maybe it will make very little difference at all. Only you know that part of the equation.
But that's my answer. What you paid for the van plus an hourly wage for your labor plus parts you put into it is well below the floor of what I would ask. The ceiling? Somewhere in the tens of thousands of dollars range. Depending on how rich he is compared to you.
BTW, for those considering "market value" in their calculus, I say that market value doesn't enter into it. This CEO is your market. He's already told you he wants what you have very, very much.
Hey Alex, great job as usual. The gas pump clicking out like that, i think some Chrysler gas fill necks are weird like that. My 2002 Chrysler 300m does the same thing. It only fills up properly at gas stations with older pumps. So maybe thats the issue with yours???
If it pumps too fast, it’ll trip the canister
When you cut cords with multiple wires you should cut the shielding off and snip them individually so you dont cross the connections and blow anything up.
Great job, love your videos. Whatever it owes you plus £10k sounds fair to me
Finally a big thumps up Alex Palmeri , a big fan from India literally watching your videos for a long time, please keep up the good work
Great job!! Been following along. Impressed you got it rolling again. Curious what happen to all those folks that worked for BI. Did Trey go on to another ev company?
Seeing that fire extinguisher on the table, I would say this may be the most intense and dangerous video that LSC ever produced…
And still, great work Alex, respects!
I personally would like to see that it goes to a museum or local college in the town that it was built. If that town isn't known for high tech or mobility that's even better. School kids could see that something that advanced technology was built in their town and it encourages them to dream.
Parking it in his garage to gather dust seems like a waste. Having pictures and interviews with the people who built it along with the engineering plans would complete the space vans journey.
"...dendrites growing within the lithium matrix." 1:10 - That was my favorite Deep Space Nine episode.
Alex, I love this series. It’s fun to see the iterations of electro-motion that people have tried. Good luck bringing the the engine back into play. Of course I like the vroom-vroom too. Maybe you could install a cam and hot exhaust! A million sounds like a good start for negotiations. I’d ask him to sponsor your next car that goes to a needy person. 👍👍
Awesome. I’m a carrier for the USPS. Carriers that I work with, remember hearing about a new van that would run on electricity, back in the early 2000s. This may have been it, but then the recession happened and put a stop to it. Nice to see what could’ve been.
Interesting content, and well documented vehicle history here! ❤⚡
UPS was smart for sticking with what works. They are running mostly gas 6.0 GM engines in their current delivery vans.
We all need a friend like Josh..someone who will help fix a very dangerous car with electric tape, dull pocket knives and an electrical extension cord.. 😂😂😂 Truly do what u gotta do type job.
39 yrs old in broken down space fan. Story of my life. 😊
Great vid yet again Alex!!... something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it... don't give it away, I'd probably start at 275k and go from there and see what happens.. if the ceo wants it that bad, he'll pay for it.. don't get sucked in by the sob story, everybody has one of them lol... good luck!!!
The only caveat to that is that while he is "enjoying" owning it, he has stated he doesn't want to keep it. Can't blame him too much considering how it seems to be actively trying to take him hostage. Over ask too much and he might be stuck with it 🤣
@@ermakers1297 His channel is about new projects, after all.
Bravo, this was a lot of work and whilst sailing uncharted waters; I really respect that!
Good job getting it this far. Good luck finding and programming the engine switch. With the current technology one would think there are some off the shelf replacements to get it to work? I am looking forward to a functioning DeLorian driving to your house this coming Halloween 👻
Incredible work getting that thing going again 🎉
I think you should keep it, upgrade the motors and batterys and legit street van it to a super fast van!
Also doesn't the engine turn on to help with speed ?
for your consideration, cover connection points in Dielectric grease its stops corrosion but maintains contact for electricity.
thought of it when watch you do the earth point
"Dielectric grease is not an automotive necessity like oil or coolant,
but it’s a popular product used in garages across the country. Most
commonly applied on spark plug boots, lightbulbs, and battery terminals,
dielectric grease is, in theory, a protectant like car wax. It’s not
required, but it could help extend and maintain the life and quality of
your vehicle and its parts."
I guess the price should depend on how much revenue you have been getting off the videos. Dont give it away or donate it. Nothing is free in this world and they didn't give the van to you nor would they ever think about it. I like the content and think it would be awsome to keep upgrading and make it better.
Couldn't agree more. Don't give it back without payment. stop giving into sob stories.
TIP. Next time you use the wire stripers, before you remove the bit of insulation use it to twist the wire braid. It then comes off easier and saves your fingers 😮
If you don't get a good price, donate it to the Museum of Science and Industry and take the tax write-off. Who knows, they may give you something for it.
If you look up Bright Automotive & GM's 5 million dollar investment, there's a picture of the van. It was designed as a commercial delivery vehicle for fleets & small businesses. 38 miles of electric range & 36 mpg in hybrid mode. Gas powers the front wheels & electric drives the rear. They were going to build 50,000 vehicles annually.
Dude, you have done more to showcase this idea than the company that built it, lol.
Thanks for letting us see you work out the bugs, getting it back on the road and enjoying the glory before handing it over to original builders… Good Job my fellow Chicagoan brother 💪😎👍
CEO trying to buy it back to hide how much grant and investor money they scammed. They spent 2M on that van but what were the officer salaries? They blew through millions and produced this?