The Firebrid Hybrid Convertible Project (Prius platform swap)

[Doc Joe]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

You need a 3D printer

Bill,

Check with your local high school or Tech college. I am attending WATC and we have 28+ 3D printers and most would love to help you out. Our school is always looking for cool projects to do and us students are always making cool stuff. You will need to buy a roll of plastic and that only cost about $31.00 a roll for a 1000' feet of the stuff and yes it goes a long way.

Doc.

[Bill the Engineer]

Got the steering column added to the AutoCAD layout and discovered that there isn't enough room for the Prius v brake pedal system AND the Prius v steering column under the old Firebird dash panel. Well darn...



Onward to Plan B then! What WILL fit is the Firebird brake pedal assembly in its original position and the Prius v brake pedal assembly in ITS original positin. I will be adding a 4-bar kinkage link between them. Fortunately, I taught the college course on linkage design for 8 years, so making one that does exactly what I want it to won't be tough. The Prius v pedal iteslf and the lower arm will be removed below the link so that nothing can fall against it and jam the pedal.



Where there's a William, there's a way.

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

Twisted my knee while doing yard work Saturday. This weekend will be a wash-out as I hobble along. On to next weekend I guess.

Bill the Engineer

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

Twisted my knee while doing yard work Saturday. This weekend will be a wash-out as I hobble along. On to next weekend I guess.

Bill the Engineer

bill, call on one of us to do the yard work..
your mission is TOOOO important to be jeopardized!!!

[Xist]

Why were you working in the yard when you should have been working on your contraption?

I am sorry you got hurt. I hope you feel better soon. Please take care.

[Bill the Engineer]

Knee is improving quickly. I'm looking forward to a nice garage weekend!
While I was out of commission last weekend, my wife and I had to hustle out to the garage to cover the car again. Downpours were overrunning the gutters and leaking into the garage again. Welcome to climate change.



The knee didn't slow down my AutoCAD work on the brake system though.




Almost ready to submit more drawings to the fab shop.

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

Making some progress in the garage. I made a wooden block to simulate the bracket that will hold the steering column in place (although it is about an inch too thick.) That allowed me to mark the brake pedal support and firewall where some metal needs to be trimmed away. The final position will look much cleaner once I can rotate the power steering parts up under the dash. At least I am certain now that the steering and brake systems won't interfere.






Looking forward to more progress tomorrow.

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

Cut-outs in the Firebird firewall and brake pedal support completed. The Prius V steering column fits much better now.






I also cut off the bottom of the Prius V brake pedal lever in preparation for mounting it to the car. The lower part could have jammed the brakes had I left it on.



On the plus side, this now gives me a spare brake pedal cover in case one of my daily drivers needs one someday.

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

Mid-week update. Moved on to a third shop to quote my custom parts. The second one was going to farm out the parts to the first shop to quote them. (Roll eyes here...) The latest shop does waterjet cutting and shows street rod parts in their on-line gallery, so chances are much better I'll get my parts done (I hope!)

Bill the Engineer

[Bill the Engineer]

Hot and humid today, so I mostly did easy stuff in the garage.
I measured both front fenders for the front end stretch and drop. When finished, the front bumper will be 10" further forward and 1.5" lower than before using additional parts I plan to buy at local Pontiac shows. This is necessary for clearance around the Prius V cooling system.





I also started making the template for the filler panels between the firewalls.



We'll see what I have time for tomorrow...

Bill the Engineer