(Theoretical) Repurposing of electric elevator motor

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Benson2104
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Greetings,

I am writing a Fan Fiction for someone and had a technical question. I like to do as much research as possible and have my "work" be as accurate/realistic as possible, so here I am. I know this might not be the place to ask it, but if you know of any place more suitable I wouldn't mind you pointing me in the right direction =)

Okay, getting down to it.
I need one of my characters to build an electric vehicle, but he/she is under some restrictions.
1) The setting does not allow for store purchases, everything has to be scavenged.
2) Anything used in the construction needs to have existed pre-1950.

What I was thinking was repurposing a scavenged electric elevator motor from a building (Do not worry about how they will remove/transport it) to drive what will be roughly a 7 tonne vehicle, excluding load and the motor itself. Luckily, the setting provides convenient (and very strong) power sources. I know the motor in question doesn't work on the principle I'm proposing, but it's the only thing I can think of with more or less the power required for the size of the vehicle I have in mind and also meets with the restrictions. Could this be done? Keeping in mind I only have basic knowledge of electrical engineering (10 minutes on Wikipedia =P): How? What tools and/or additional components would be needed to get it done?


Additional notes:
1) I won't be able to read / reply to any inquiries for a few days, don't have internet at home.
2) No, this is not how I write when I'm serious =P
3) I usually ask questions like this, then figure it out a while later myself, look back and think: That was a stupid question. Here's hoping its not one of those cases.
 
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Working under the assumption you have access to electricity, and assuming the character "scavenges" the gear reduction while he is "scavenging" the electric motor there is technically no reason a 5hp to 200hp electric motor could not move a 7 ton vehicle, though you aren't going to get it moving very fast with motors from the low end of the range. A 35hp tractor can move some incredible loads, and the source of the horsepower (electric vs ICE) is unimportant.

So, you can write about the elevator motor w/o fear of improbability, just make sure the HP and the speed are "reasonable".

Fish