Category: Build an EV

Al D’inzillo, one of the original founders of the Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Association, passed away during 2017. His family graciously donated Al’s 1970 FIAT 850 Sport Spider to the LVEVA to restore and make roadworthy again as an EV conversion project. Al and LVEVA co-founder Bill Kuehl originally designed and built the “Omanyd” electric car project (“dynamo” spelled backwards) during 1996.

From the 21st Official Newsletter of the LVEVA July 1996 (Gail Lucas, Editor):

“Thanks for the opportunity to tell my Omanyd story. It was a gratifying moment for me when arriving for last month’s Thursday meeting at D.R.I., in my new born Omanyd Electric, to be met by an unexpected mini accolade of applause by member friends. I thank them much, the moment is as much theirs as mine, for it was their encouragement to me and commitment to the environmental worth of the Electrics that led this 76 year young man to break down a 1970 classic and convert it to a 1996 Electric; Thanks to Al Sawyer, Jan Himber, Bill Yule, Bill Kuehl, (non member Bob Guthrie), Frank Timbers and my understanding wife Mary.”

“With prior arrangements made, on April 6, 1996, I drove my 1970 Fiat 850 Sport Spider for it’s last I.C.E. ride to Bill Kuehl’s excellent facilities in North Las Vegas (some 200 ft. above downtown). His shop includes a deep working bay and keeps a well fed family of wild rabbits and bunnies in the grounds, they are a pleasure to watch.”

Al and his FIAT 850 Sport Spider were featured in the online EV Album database of electric car conversions:
http://www.evalbum.com/401

LVEVA members Lloyd Reece, Stan Hanel and Jim Katzen were able to arrange transportation of the vehicle to Lloyd’s house, where new tires were installed. The LVEVA is currently seeking sponsorship for ten 12-volt deep cycle batteries that can be used to provide power to the Advanced DC Motor and Curtis 1221B Controller that are part of the original electric drive train that Al designed.

To fit the electric motor and batteries into the small trunk section, Al D’Inzillo designed and custom-built a belt drive system, where the DC motor was inverted and mounted vertically above the transmission and drive shaft. The Curtis 1221B controller was modified by Stan Hanel during 2002. The original electronic components were replaced with more powerful MOSFET transistors and fast-recovery diodes that allowed more current to flow to the DC motor.

Al also experimented with his own designs for battery charging regulators, developing prototype printed circuit boards and capacitor modifications for the 120-volt DC battery system.