NASA retiree makes his own electric car out of rusted VW

By DIANA NORTH CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
Feb. 16, 2009, 4:39PM


Diana North For the Chronicle
NO GAS NEEDED: John Hendrickson stands by his converted VW Beetle, which runs on electricity.

Manvel resident John Hendrickson remembers racing Volkswagen Beetles in his younger days.
Those days are long gone, but he still drives a VW, and this one is different that all those others. That’s because he never has to fill it with gas.

It was while filling his Cadillac at a gas station in 2007 that Hendrickson first thought about building an electric car.
“I thought gas stations were ripping us off, so I decided to just go build my own electric car,” Hendrickson said.
He asked a neighbor if he knew of any VWs for sale. That’s how he learned of another neighbor’s rusted 1972 Beetle that hadn’t been used in over five years. Hendrickson bought it and parked it in his garage.
“It wasn’t much to look at,” he said. “It was full of snakes and fire ants. We had to cut small trees that were growing up through it, and drag it out of the woods.”

The car had no fenders or wiring and the body needed a complete overhaul.
Hendrickson had never undertaken such a project before, but the 74-year-old retired electronics engineer, Air Force veteran and former Air National Guard member was no stranger to learning new skills.

After retiring in 1992 from a 29-year career with NASA, he took up engine building as a hobby by reading books and doing research on the Internet.
He built five working engines that took from one to several years to complete. Two are displayed in his home, one in a nearby shed and two others in his garage.

Using the Internet and more books, Hendrickson worked daily on his project. After a disappointing experience with his first gel batteries, he found Houston battery distributor Randy Risner, who was willing to help.
As a result, the car got all 12 of the new gel cell batteries it needed for free. Each battery costs about $300 plus tax.
“Randy is now a personal friend of mine,” Hendrickson said.

The car sports an Interstate Battery green-and-white paint job and matching advertisement decals.
The paint job and bodywork were donated by local businesses. Hendrickson said he’s grateful for the generosity.
He completed the car last October.

The car is very economical, getting about 50 miles per charge and two to three days between charges. Hendrickson says it costs about a penny a mile to drive.
“The neighbors have all had rides in it. They think it’s great,” he said.

He can go as fast as 55 miles per hour if he eases into it. But, he usually just uses it for getting around Manvel.
In November, he entered it in a Pearland auto show where it took first place in its class. A second show in Alvin garnered another first place. The last show, a Toys-for-Tots benefit in Pasadena, won Hendrickson not only another first in its class, but a best of show trophy and a $100 cash prize.

Not satisfied to own a prize-winning vehicle, Hendrickson is currently working on what he affectionately calls a “homebrewed air conditioning system” for it. He has already insulated the car’s interior and tinted the windows.
In his effort to promote electric cars, he became a member of the Houston Electric Automobile Association, where he met another Manvel electric car enthusiast.
Together, they are planning to build a hybrid car out of a 1992 Isuzu Amigo.
“That car will have an electric motor, batteries, a gasoline system and a generator to run it all,” Hendrickson said.

Candidates File

By John Lowman
The Facts
Published February 16, 2009

One week after filing began, candidates have signed up to run in more than half of Brazoria County’s 18 municipal and seven school board elections.

The filing deadline for on-ballot candidates is March 9 and it is March 16 for write-ins, Brazoria County Lead Elections Clerk Susan Cloudt said. Election Day is May 9.

While there remain many uncontested — and candidateless — races, that likely won’t last, Elections Director Janice Evans said.
But if a political subdivision has no contested races, an election is not necessary, and that could potentially save thousands of dollars, Evans said.

“If only one person files for each seat, they can cancel,” Evans said. “We’ll start pulling it all together when filings end. That’s when we’ll know who will have elections.”
In 2007, local officials agreed to have elections on a countywide system, and that format will be used again this year, Evans said. There will be 10 early voting locations this spring.

CITIES
The Angleton mayor slot held by J. Patrick Henry is up for election in May, along with Positions 2 and 4, represented by John Wright and Bonnie Church, respectively. Wright and Church have filed to serve another two-year, unpaid term, City Secretary Shelly Deisher said.

“You have some people who like to wait until the last minute to see who has filed,” Deisher said. “That may leave a position where no one’s running against them.”
So far, only Surfside Beach and Alvin have contested races. With three at-large seats up for grabs, incumbent Georgia Keeney, Linda Manning-Bedward, Gary McBeth and Sully Griffin all are running for a two-year, non-paid term.
In Alvin, incumbent Charles Batty faces Ramiro Mondragon for at-large Position 1 and incumbent Jim Landriault has filed for

District C. Alvin members serve two years without pay.
In Holiday Lakes, Positions 3 and 4 lack candidates, but Disa Schulze has filed to keep Position 5, City Secretary Donna Brown said.
Lake Jackson voters will choose three council members to serve two-year terms. They are paid $37.50 per meeting, not to exceed $75 per month.
Current Position 1 Councilman Joe Rinehart has reached the three-term limit and cannot run again. Retiree Charlie Golden has filed for that spot. Position 3 Councilman Gerald Roznovsky and Position 5 Councilman Vinay Singhania have filed for re-election.

Clute voters will decide on a municipal court judge and two council members. Judge Randy Smith’s term is up, as are those of Wilbert Bonner in Ward B and Travis Quinn in Ward D. Council members serve two-year terms and earn $200 per month.
In Sweeny, Mayor Rodney Weems has filed for a new term. Neither Dale Lemon, who was appointed to fill the unexpired Position 2 term of his father, who died in December, nor Neal Bess, who sits in Position 4, have turned in paperwork to keep the spots, but no one else has come forward to seek the two-year, unpaid terms either.
“No one has filed for council yet,” City Secretary Reatta Minshew said.

In Freeport, slots held by Ward B Councilman James Saccomanno and Ward D Councilwoman Norma Garcia — who represent the council minority bloc — are coming open, along with the seat of Mayor Larry McDonald. There were no filings for the two-year terms as of Friday. Freeport council members and the mayor are paid $100 per month.
Quintana voters will fill three positions in May. Mayor Rocky Morgan’s term is up, as are Position 1, held by Jerry Masters, and Position 2, held by Wallace Neeley. Council members are not paid for two-year terms.
Richwood voters will choose a mayor and two council members. Mayor Sandra Boykin’s chair will be up for a vote as are Position 2 held by John Pitts and Position 3 held by Lee Bryant. Richwood council members serve a two-year term and are not paid.

In West Columbia, incumbent Position 1 Councilman Robert Thomas, Position 3 Councilman Randy Gilbert and Position 4 member Jamie Walker have filed, City Manager Kelli Kuban said. Members serve two-year terms and are paid $25 per meeting.
No one had filed for Brazoria City Council Position 1 seat Friday, but Position 3 member Gary Kersh and Position 5 member Terry Brown have filed to keep their spots for the unpaid, two-year terms.
Plenty of other local governments still remain without a single candidate for the offices, including Richwood, Quintana, Oyster Creek, Danbury and Iowa Colony.

SCHOOLS
Angleton ISD has four positions on the ballot — three at-large, three-year terms, and one to fill the remaining two years of an unexpired term. Trustees are not paid.
School Board President Steve Hazlewood’s seat will be open along with positions held by Charlyn Rogers and Sherry Dotson. Rogers was appointed to serve out the term of former member Regina Beiri, and Dotson is finishing a term left open by the resignation of Nancy Gayle.

The unexpired term was left when trustee Frances Chalmers died in December. Former band director Don Hood has filed for the remaining two years and Rogers is seeking a full term in her current position.
Brazosport ISD voters will choose three board members in May. Bobby Sharp in District 1 and Joe Welch in District 3 have filed for re-election, but the District 2 seat now held by Jay Grable has not attracted a filing. Board members are not paid and serve three-year terms.

Last year, only incumbents filed, which led to cancellation of the election, Brazosport ISD Financial Director Dan Schaefer said.
“If it’s like the last election, the school may not have to have an election this year,” he said.
In Alvin ISD, Pete Vincent is looking for his fourth term in Position 1, Earl Humbird filed for Position 2 and Mark Patterson filed for Position 3, district spokeswoman Shirley Brothers said. Alvin trustees serve three years and are not paid.
Current Columbia-Brazoria ISD board member Billy Jenn has filed to keep his Position 1 seat for another three-year term, but no one had filed Thursday for the Position 2 seat.
No one has filed to run for positions on the Sweeny, ISD, Danbury ISD, Pearland ISD of Sweeny Hospital District boards.

Facts reporters Katlynn Lanham, Nathaniel Lukefahr, Erin McKeon and John Tompkins contributed to this story.

Senior Center Murder Mystery Dinner

Rescheduled Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Tickets Now On Sale:

The hurricane may have made us postpone this hilarious event but we are now pleased to welcome The Die Laughing Mystery troupe featuring some of the “wittiest, most experienced improve actors in Texas”. This evening of fun includes a show to die for, dinner and dessert. Tickets are $30 per person. The mystery begins Friday, March 13th. Doors open at 6 PM and the show will begin promptly at 6:30 PM at the Alvin Senior Center, 309 W. Sealy. Seating is limited so get your tickets today. For more information call 281-388-4298.

FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center in Alvin is closed

AUSTIN, Texas -- The FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Center in Alvin is closed, but residents can continue to register with FEMA through Feb. 6.

Though this center is closing, FEMA is still here and serving Texans. People affected by Hurricane Ike can register with FEMA or follow up on their applications by telephone, online or by visiting another disaster recovery center," said Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen M. De Blasio Sr. The deadline to register with FEMA is Feb. 6.

Residents can register for aid or follow up on their applications by going online to www.fema.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired. Both numbers are available 6 a.m. to midnight daily.

A listing of recovery centers is available at www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/pages/dr1791_drc_list.htm.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

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