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Old 02-14-2016, 12:10 PM   #21 (permalink)
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How does the Prius V do in terms of MPG? While the firebird sheet metal might make for substantial weight reduction, aero might cancel the weight losses. I'm too much of a purist to accept a front wheel drive 1st gen F-body rolling on Prius wheels. I'm all about doing your own thing and would love to see more of a Tesla approach to the car or a giant electric motor strapped to 6spd and the engine bay filled with batteries though.

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Old 02-14-2016, 12:58 PM   #22 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pgfpro View Post
WOW!!!

I'm also very interested in how you are going to make the floor pan more rigid?

IMO I would build a tube chassis floor bars and also add pillar foam to the rockers. I would also take some measurements from a stock Prius at the doors aperture (front to rear) and then make some temporary upper bolt in bars to set them to spec.

Very cool project!!!
Glad you like it! Good questions. Kind-of jumping ahead in the story...

First some diagrams:





I have made strategic measured cuts in the Firebird floorpan so that it keys into the Prius V floorpan like a jugsaw puzzle. The transmission tunnel and driver's seat supports will have numerous areas where the two car floorpans are welded together. The Prius V floorpan is unmolested and retains its full strength. The Firebird structure will just add to it. It is easy to see where the white areas protrude into the Firebird's sheetmetal. I am doing a similar thing between the two firewalls and in the rear of the car.






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Last edited by Bill the Engineer; 04-11-2018 at 09:34 PM..
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Old 02-14-2016, 01:00 PM   #23 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spacemanspif View Post
How does the Prius V do in terms of MPG? While the firebird sheet metal might make for substantial weight reduction, aero might cancel the weight losses. I'm too much of a purist to accept a front wheel drive 1st gen F-body rolling on Prius wheels. I'm all about doing your own thing and would love to see more of a Tesla approach to the car or a giant electric motor strapped to 6spd and the engine bay filled with batteries though.
To each their own...

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Old 02-14-2016, 02:40 PM   #24 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Tele man View Post
...but, the GM Firebird drive-train does NOT employ "power recovery" regeneration capabilities (wink,wink)!
Do you mean this one? The hunk of rusted iron that hadn't run in years?



BTW, I kept the wheels and tires. I should be able to use them with bolt pattern adapter rings. If not, they make replica Rally-II wheels now that fit over disk brake set-ups and use more modern tires.

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Old 02-14-2016, 04:18 PM   #25 (permalink)
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Continuing my story, even though I've jumped ahead a bit answering questions...

I had made the decision to use a Prius V as the basis of the conversion of my Firebird to a hybrid.

My friend Steve at AutoBeYours.com was very helpful in my efforts to bid on Prius V's in the salvage auctions, although I never seemed to win. Then one day he told me about a client of his who had a roll-over 2014 Prius V with only 4,500 miles on it. The front of the roof was crushed and the right front suspension damaged. Steve had repaired the suspension and temporarily installed a new windshield, but the roof turned out to be more damage than the client was willing to fix.



Since I did not care about the roof damage and other sheetmetal wrinkles, Steve mentioned me to his client. We arranged a visit to the shop in Indiana for me to inspect the car. As expected, it was perfect for my project. It had been sitting in auction lots for almost a year, but with the suspension repaired it still drove line a new car. We came to a three way agreement where I would buy the car from the client, and then Steve bought any of the body and interior parts that I didn't need for the project. We stripped the parts from the car at the shop...



... and loaded the running car shell onto a trailer for the trip home.



Once we arrived at my house I DROVE the car into the cul-de-sak across the street using a metal folding chair as the driver's seat.



The driver of the trailer bought the old Firebire front end and rear suspension from me and loaded it up for the trip back to Indiana.



Once he had left, I drove the Prius V shell into the garage and parked it next to the Firebird's body.




Next chapter: I buy a Sawz-all...

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Last edited by Bill the Engineer; 04-11-2018 at 09:45 PM..
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Old 02-14-2016, 04:49 PM   #26 (permalink)
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This is my new favorite thread of all time.

Seeing the V's chassis utterly devoid of interior pinnings puts me in mind of a homebrew pickup truck, like these guys make.
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Old 02-14-2016, 06:57 PM   #27 (permalink)
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ECO MODS PERFORMED:
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Second: Grille Block
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...e-10912-2.html

Third: Full underbelly pan
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...q45-11402.html

Fourth: rear skirts and 30.4mpg on trip!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post247938
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Old 02-14-2016, 07:52 PM   #28 (permalink)
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Elhigh, I would then want to see an aero topper on that Jetta pickup!
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Old 02-14-2016, 08:22 PM   #29 (permalink)
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This thread is too much fun.
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:29 PM   #30 (permalink)
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Quote:
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Elhigh, I would then want to see an aero topper on that Jetta pickup!
I should get off my butt and make one for my truck. It's been dragging around the same cap for 28 - make that 29! - years now, maybe I could fab up something both lighter and sleeker.

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convertible, firebird, firebrid, hybrid

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