My Father Built this Electric Car for Mr. Jascha Heifetz

Revolutionary Electric Car (1970s)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Heifetz
• violin
• violinist
• auto
• car
• electric
• vehicle
• battery
• power

[tsoilihoi]

The Electric Car transaction was straight forward. Jascha Heifetz approached a Car Collector named Bud Cohen and asked where he could find an electric vehicle. Bud set up the deal, my father converted the Renault for him ... and the rest is history. Heifetz was pleased and gracious.

[moldyoreo]

In an interview he said he bothered your father for almost two years until he gave in. Is that true?

[opus4]

I remember seeing this car when I was a student at USC and my sister studied with Jascha Heifetz. However, it seems to me he usually drove his Bentley to Clark House, where he taught on campus. I thought it was a first class thing: Heifetz promoting, driving an electric car. Thanks, too, for posting the shot of Heifetz playing ping pong which he really enjoyed, and congratulations to your father for his contribution.

[eelectrobob]

You got it. He traveled from home to hollywood. The car did 45 mph for 45 to 70 miles depending on how he conserved the energy. (Allegro ma non troppo!)

[ztefieh]

That's very interesting.

[TomBarrister]

Heifetz spent $5,000 to have his Renault (a car that cost $2,000 at the time) converted to run on batteries. Heifetz was also one of the first to lobby for a nationwide "911" system.