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Podcast 195 - The wheelbase hour (Patreon)

Published:
2024-01-28 18:00:18
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

After last week’s podcast, we’ve been inundated with suggestions for interesting cars to splice with a Tesla Model 3 floorpan. This week we read out some of the suggestions while also discussing retro vans made by an Austrian pop star, the strange theft of a Ford Flex, Jonny’s thoughts on the Polestar 4, Richard’s brief review of the Volkswagen ID.7, the fate of the Honda e, things that look like the latest Golf, and the uselessness of metal roof cabrios.

Comments

Ed Nicholson

Ford Flex was a nice vehicle, but Richard is correct, not big sales. Shared chassis with Taurus & Explorer of fhat era. Roomy inside because of the boxy shape. The higher spec ones were available with the 3.5 EcoBoost V6, would do a 14.8 quarter mile run from memory so reasonably quick. Many Ford dealers including the ones I’ve worked at used them as service customer shuttles (pre-COVID) because of their spaciousness. Also, that was an awful lot of car talk this week … you’re going to drive away listeners if you keep that up! 😁

Simon Turner

Following Richard's mention of the Tesla 'pan tang' - do make sure you check the boot of any Tesla for 80s cumbersomely-genred (NWoBHM) band, the Tygers of Pan Tang, just in case they've snuck aboard.

Simon Edwards

Regarding the first generation A8, I’ve parked my Mk1 TT roadster next to one today and commented on how really I need an A8 and an A2 four a proper collection of early 2000 Audi!

Declan Berridge

From memory, Albert Finney's character drove an Alvis TD21 in the BBC's A Rather English Marriage (1992), and John Alderton's character had a TE or TF21 in ITV's Forever Green (1989).

Chris Kane

Magic - just magic! And you’re worried you might not be car-y enough sometimes? One technical note - Model 3S have cast aluminium front and rear subframes- so go ahead with that A8 swap…yummy!

Alex Packer

Project Corrs needs to happen. Hopefully with a title not dissimilar from ‘What Can I Do (to help you start it?)’ ps. I found out today that a misheard song lyric is called a mondegreen (via Susie Dent)

Brad Scott

The wheel base is irrelevant because Teslas are monocoque so it's a case of custom subframes and battery box

AL Dickens

Richard - Stephen Fry drove an Alvis in that dull ITV show - Kingdom. Didn’t make the show any more watchable. Think the TV pitch meeting was clearly coming off the back of Morse.

Declan Berridge

All this talk of wheelbases has got me thinking about which production car has the highest/lowest ratio of wheelbase to overall length - or to put it another way, the shortest or longest overhangs. So far my best candidates are the Mitsubishi i (whose wheelbase is 75.11% of its overall length) and the 8th generation Buick Roadmaster station wagon (53.24%). If we broaden the field to include microcars and quadricycles, the Peel P50 manages an astonishing 92.57%. And as a wildcard, the Mercedes-Benz 'Blue Wonder' car transporter comes in at just 45.19%, but that's neither a car nor a production vehicle.

Nathan English

I live in Ireland 🇮🇪 and if I’ve found the right photo of said Lexus off of The Corrs. They’d only have to wait another few years before it qualifies for classic tax of €56 per annum. Which would be a grand total tax saving of about €1750 😂 dunno why am telling you this but anyways. As you were.

Martin Rawlings

The cosy Sunday night drama you are thinking of is Kingdom starring Stephen Fry, repeated on ITV3 during the daytime for people with not much better to do, including my dad which partly explains why my parent's latest rescue cat is named Alvis. She is not in the right wheelbase zone though and is definitely not available for any sort of Tesla body swap. On the subject of Sunday night dramas they also blew up an (supposedly very crusty) Alvis in an episode of midsommer murders once

Brewbuster

I almost commented last week regarding the Tesla swap. I too was thinking XM, because that’s a long time dream of mine, electrically and silently gliding down country roads on the magic carpet ride - and something I’m going to do one day - but that’s the point isn’t it? Wouldn’t taking out the wonderful hydropneumatic suspension and replacing it with the Tesla skateboard also be taking away 90% of the XM charm?

Scott

According to Wikipedia, the Austin 3-Litre has a wheelbase of 2908mm, which is pretty close… that would make an interesting sleeper 😄

Brendan McAleer

The Flex did have a strong fan base, and as mentioned, the 3.5 Ecoboost was decently quick. Same underpinnings as the Ford Taurus Interceptor, so maybe not a crazy pick as a getaway car. I liked that one of the big ideas Ford had with it was to put a functioning fridge between the front seats. Of course, the only company capable of making a decent folding metal roof is Mazda, first with the NC and later with the ND RF. It doesn't add much weight, and is maybe handy for some extra security if you have to street park.

26west

We've seen as low as 82 range on honda e, but it does a max of 22 miles a day as a second of 3 cars and can be charged both at home and usually free at work

DrivingForever

Business name and slogan idea: eCorrs - the most exciting move to electric since Dylan!

Matt Stanford

I was in this episode! I tried turning off the underline AND italics (I'm a graphic design for godsake) but my email app was having none of it. Oh well.

Matt Stanford
>>128178986

That was my thinking with the CX/XM/C6 - surely you could keep the hydro suspension? More than likely you're gathering the battery bits into the floor of the boot and engine compartment, hacking the floorpan of the Citroen to make space for the motor(s) and then keeping the brains of the Tesla so it THINKS it's still a Tesla. I'd be willing to bet the suspension could stay Citroen, even if the hubs need to wind up Tesla-y?

Brewbuster

The mk 8 and mk 8,5 Golf both look like a carbon copy of Kenny the Tiger (if you don’t know that one, let’s just say he’s a very special tiger)

Alex Miles

I think a spreadsheet of potential body swaps and their respective wheel base dimensions is in order.

david marden

Ford Flex wheelbase 2994 mm you'd need a Model S pan (2964) for this one.

Brewbuster
>>128178986

I must admit that I do not posses the required knowledge to confidently answer this, but maybe one of the lovely engineering folks around here could give us an answer?

Oliver Burden

“I’m in love with a ghetto Boxster, I once bought in a barn” (To the tune of The Passions “German Film Star”)

Jon Parry

Not sure if anyone has suggested it- but what about a Vauxhall Omega? 2730mm. Perhaps a bit short??? Or an E39 touring? BMW quality at its best? Ford Mondeo 3 is 2754mm. Really enjoying the podcast, mostly listening while at work.

Andrew Armstrong

On the subject of screens instead of mirrors, having not used them, I worry there's also no depth perception in a screen. Especially for HGV reversaring moverments.

Darren B McLellan

My late brother had a Flex. A cool 'longroof' for sure. Had the biggest A-pillar I have encountered in years. I had a friend in the 80's who drove his mother's AMC Hornet wagon. He had drove into the RF wheel of a 70's era Cadillac. He drove the AMC for another 6 months but the Cady was totaled!

iain leake

Can you get a tesla with a mojo swoptops body. https://amzn.eu/d/baxrRDl and I've no idea why its that much other than I'm going through my attic later to look for mine from when i was a kid...

Adam

I WANT A RELIANT KITTEN!! ahem, sorry.. I would like a Reliant Kitten converted to EV, always thought they were cool

David H

Every time I hear ghetto boxster my brain starts playing Tupac and Elton....