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31
C5alive Information / C5 Shop
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:36:43 »

What happened to your shop? You only seem to be selling t-shirts now? Or am I clicking the wrong link?

You could be selling loads of stuff!! From cleaning kits, to replacement parts, to decal stickers, to replacement batteries+chargers etc.. conversion kits.. I was hoping to see a huge store with everything you could possibly need for the C5 in one place.. !
32
C5 Support / Re: Cleaning body work
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:34:00 »
It sure is!  WOW looks brand new like it rolled off the production line yesterday... great job!!

I'm been reading all the tips on this old sticky thread, some great tips..thanks guys.. I'm about to roll my sleeves up and clean a C5 that hasn't been touched in 30 years...it's not too bad about average level of dirt and only minor scratches and scuffs in the usual places...

I cleaned up the front-wheel covers last weekend..OMG they were absolutely FILTHY black and covered in several mm of dust. I was astonished how well they cleaned up (almost like new!) just from soapy water, a sponge and a cheapo Morrisons kitchen spray cleaner with has a very low concentration of bleach. It was great to see the Sinclair logos inside..you couldn't even see them before!!   :D  Also the reflective decal material was not affected by my really "going at it" and using a lot of water and scrubbing. It cleaned up just as well and didn't bubble or peel off as I feared it might.
33
C5 Support / Re: 24volt and 12volt accessories
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:22:32 »
Hi

I have a C5 that I wanted to convert to 24 volt power, but also run a horn, lights and indicators from (which are 12 volts).

I removed the original wiring loom; bought a 24 volt Lifepo battery; connected it up to the motor; and bought a 24v/12v converter with a view to wiring that in to run the accessories off the 24volt power.

I also bought a handlebar switch control to run lights, indicators and horn from.

The good news; on 24 volt power the C5 ran great.
The bad news; before many minutes, on each run the power either blew the in- line fuse I had fitted, or actually melted the battery connectors.

I feel I am totally out of my depth now and am putting out an honest SOS. Anyone free to help me finish this project and get my C5 running under 24 volt power with working accessories? I have undertaken the brake conversion to manage the extra power (steel wheel at front and updated rear disc brake).

I am Wigan-based so ideally someone local to the North West? (but I will take help and instruction from anyone anywhere - I would say my skills and knowledge in electronics are LIMITED)

Maybe a silly question from a total n00b to C5 world but...

I see a lot about this 24v upgrade... what are the advantages to this, and what does it involve?

Is it basically adding TWO 12v car batteries to provide redundancy power to the existing motor (but leaving all the electrics intact with their hill climbing limitations)... or is the 24v upgrade more involved and designed to overcome the under-powered short-comings of the C5 on hills etc?



34
C5 Support / Re: Wing mirrors
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:20:04 »
bumping my own post...

I've been watching on eBay and it's rare to see original C5 wing mirrors come up for auction... like most things in the weird and wonderful C5 world, wing mirrors are one of the oddities...one of the most expensive things on a C5 to replace!!! £180 I've seen original ones in mint condition going for. It seems anything plastic, and unique to the C5 is very expensive (even the flimsy 2 front wheel covers can set you back £40-£80!!? and £70 for a set of original indicators!!) Yet things you would expect to be expensive like the charger, the motor, electrics etc, tend to go very cheap.. I guess it's a case of easily replaceable parts (with modern equivalents) are cheap, whilst injected molded original parts, hard to replicate are very expensive with such a limited supply and high demand for those parts.

Coming back to the wing mirrors question..

I've seen a LOT of electric car wing mirrors off all kinds of cars being sold cheap on eBay (many with indicators on the back and electric adjusting). Some are similar design/size to the original C5 and wouldn't look out of place. How would you fix them to the C5 though? Has anyone designed or discovered any fixing brackets which clamp onto the C5, rather than having to bolt on and drill holes in the C5?

35
C5 Support / Re: USA C5 is Finally Finished!
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:14:08 »
Thank you to everyone for all the help and advice.  I drove the C5 to work yesterday for the first time and made a 10 mile round trip without issue.  Everything worked as expected and I could not be happier.  :D   I will make sure to post more pictures very soon of the completed C5 to share with you all.     - Adam from the U.S.



Old post but... wow great to see a restored a C5 in USA!! I hope it's still running..I bet it's a crowd drawer over there and everyone asks to have a ride on it ;-) You could charge a buck a ride and become a millionaire in a country like USA!!  ;D
36
That was a crazy idea on reflection. For start that bicycle is a CHILDS bike. Although it's roughly the right width, it's probably not strong enough to support the weight and stresses the C5 has on it. Also the steering is all wrong, and probably the rear wheel base doesn't fit the C5's body housing! :P
37
C5 Support / Which battery replacement?
« Last post by Paul Langton-Rogers on 15, May, 2016 - 14:11:00 »

This has probably been asked a zillion times already so apologies but...

I've heard it said the C5 can take any suitable car battery as a replacement, with so many different types of car batteries available, I'm somewhat confused on which to get, or whether I should be looking for anything in particular? Are some standard 12V 36-40Ah car batteries not suitable for the C5? The original battery was specially designed wasn't it, which suggests it has unusual properties different to a normal car battery? I'm thinking the ability the withstand frequent deep discharge cycles (down to 80% as I recall) which normally would ruin an ordinary lead-acid battery before long if done regularly?

So does anyone have any suggestions on what I should look for, and what I should avoid in a 12V lead acid battery on eBay?

Also, couple of quick questions to your techies who done restorations:

1) How important is keeping a replacement battery within the original size dimensions? Is it imperative to fit the space, or is there some flexibility? If there is limited flexibility on oversize, where is the flexibility (perhaps height? rather than width and length?).

2) The original C5 had a battery mounting cover as I recall. Is replacing the battery just a case of removing that (due to it not fitting a new replacement battery), and making a new suitable high-current wiring fixture onto the car battery?

3) What about charging? I have the original C5 charger, but I assume that is not safe/suitable to be used to charge a new car battery? Where do people buy car battery chargers, are they cheap and readily available and is there any make or type people recommend for the C5?

Thanks in advance guys!!

P.S. I'm hoping to order a battery+charger (if needed) this week and test a C5 which hasn't been powered up for nearly 30 years!!! I've been told it was in full working order prior to going into 30 years of storage..so it will be interesting to see if it does spring back to life with a new battery (the old battery is missing, but the charger is in boot, and all the wiring is intact and looks perfect). I will film the occasion and upload for those interested!  :)



38
Surprised I haven't had more replies or feedback/comments on this!

After giving it much thought and discussing with my e-biking community friends, I've decided not to modernize or upgrade the C5.

I want to do a simple restoration of it, keeping it as original as possible. As others have pointed out, it's a piece of British automotive and manufacturing history that needs to be restored and preserved...it would be a pity to change it or alter the appearance of this iconic vehicle.
39
For Sale - Sinclair C5 Parts & Accessories / C5 for parts on eBay.
« Last post by Jim on 01, May, 2016 - 20:06:56 »
One of my c5s that i'm never going to get around to doing anything with is currently on eBay. It is not complete and due to being a garden ornament is very rusty underneath. useful for parts or could be restored if you already have all the parts you need?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272229031550?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

40
For Sale - Complete Sinclair C5 / Re: Very good condition C5 on Ebay
« Last post by BrooklandsC5 on 26, April, 2016 - 19:13:45 »
Is it your C5? Looks really nice condition and well kept, I reckon it will go up to £500 or more!

Yep! I've had the C5 for about 7 years - been extremely well looked after and cleaned and cared for very regularly. Once that chain tensioner's fixed, she'll be almost pristine - I hope to get around £500 too!
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