The Firebrid Hybrid Convertible Project (Prius platform swap)

[Bill the Engineer]

Cardboard mock-ups of the brackets that will hold the Firebird front bumper to the Prius V frame are done and mounted to the car. Next weekend I will hold up the Firebird radiator support in place to make some more measurements. Maybe not exciting for most folks, but this is a key step to making the bumper, fenders and hood fit properly on the car.





Hydraulic line clearance is just the way I planned it.



I have also sent the drawings out to a fab shop to get quoted.

Bill the Engineer

[mcrews]

no, keep it coming.....I'm applying for my associates degree in engineering when this is all done

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

Maybe not exciting for most folks, but this is a key step to making the bumper, fenders and hood fit properly on the car.

I, for one, look forward to your updates on Monday. Seems like you do most of your work on the weekend and post about it the next day. But, I'm an engineer too...

I don't know if I speak for everyone, but I certainly appreciate the detailed drawings and intricacies of how you mock up various aspects of the car. Please keep it up!

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

... Maybe not exciting for most folks, but this is a key step to making the bumper, fenders and hood fit properly on the car. ...

Wow, but don't those mockups demonstrate training. I hope the firebird critics of this see and appreciate the detail you are attending to. Most of us are eco rat rodding at best. The Firebrid is eco hot rodding for real.

[Bill the Engineer]

I had some spare time today. First I did a layout and part drawing of the adapter plate needed to mount the Prius v wiper motor on the Firebird firewall. Interestingly, the motor will be in an interior part of the firewall once all is said and done.




Then I did a preliminary sketch of the mounting extender for the Prius v brake pedal assembly. This is the structure that connects the Prius v firewall at one end, and the Firebird firewall at the other end. It is a first concept view that will be fleshed out once I take more measurements on the car.



Bill the Engineer

[ME_Andy]

You need a 3D printer

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

You need a 3D printer

I'd love one if I could afford it!

BTW, the first shop to quote the bumper brackets came back way, way too high. I'm now on to getting quotes eslewhere.

Any of you out there own a machine shop?

Bill the Engineer

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

I'd love one if I could afford it!

BTW, the first shop to quote the bumper brackets came back way, way too high. I'm now on to getting quotes eslewhere.

Any of you out there own a machine shop?

Bill the Engineer

One-off parts are always high.... but how high was it? We have a lot of suppliers at work that we get good prices at, but only because we buy in quantity. The trick is finding some small shop with low overhead who has the right equipment but specializes in one-offs and prototypes.

Are you just having them cut the parts and you weld them up? Or are you getting complete brackets back from them?

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by darcane

One-off parts are always high.... but how high was it? We have a lot of suppliers at work that we get good prices at, but only because we buy in quantity. The trick is finding some small shop with low overhead who has the right equipment but specializes in one-offs and prototypes.

Are you just having them cut the parts and you weld them up? Or are you getting complete brackets back from them?

Same situation at my work. Prototype runs get expensive at high quality shops.

The parts will be cut out and in two cases bent. I will be welding them myself now that I have the equipment and the power available.

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

While I am waiting for quotes to come in for the bumper bracket parts, I have moved on to the brake pedal mounting. The Prius v pedal assembly needs to be used because of the various sensors tied in to the regenerative braking. It will be challenging, but stimulating to design the interface.



Bill the Engineer