The Firebrid Hybrid Convertible Project (Prius platform swap)

[eco_generator]

Excellent. I can bring down my Prius right down 71 to race it when it's driveable.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

A few days ago while I was taking some days off with my mother and my grandpa I caught me thinking about this thread after a short talk with the old gramps about some old Toyota HiAce vans that still roam around the city where he lives. Even though I'm quite conservative when it comes to cars, after taking a look at the specs of the HiAce and comparing it with the Prius range (not just the regular liftback and the v but also the c), caught me thinking about trying to fit a Prius drivetrain into a HiAce.

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

A few days ago while I was taking some days off with my mother and my grandpa I caught me thinking about this thread after a short talk with the old gramps about some old Toyota HiAce vans that still roam around the city where he lives. Even though I'm quite conservative when it comes to cars, after taking a look at the specs of the HiAce and comparing it with the Prius range (not just the regular liftback and the v but also the c), caught me thinking about trying to fit a Prius drivetrain into a HiAce.

Go for it! that would be a cool project.

Bill the Engineer

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

Go for it! that would be a cool project.

Actually, apart from my rather conservative stance toward drivetrains, it's not so easy to find a HiAce to do such a conversion in Brazil, and I still didn't see a Prius at a local junkyard.

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Actually, apart from my rather conservative stance toward drivetrains, it's not so easy to find a HiAce to do such a conversion in Brazil, and I still didn't see a Prius at a local junkyard.

But you do have so many interesting variations of VW's and Willys there!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

But you do have so many interesting variations of VW's and Willys there!

Sure. BTW since you mentioned Willys, reminded me that 11 years ago I saw a Rural (local version of the Willys All-Steel Station Wagon) body adapted to the frame of a 5th-generation Toyota Hilux. About the local Volkswagens, I guess you have already seen pictures of the SP2 and the Karmann-Ghia TC.

[Bill the Engineer]

Having more time to plan and scheme in the cold weather can pay off. All the comments about the length of the nose extension kept gnawing at me, since deep down inside I also thought it was too long. After some gymnastics on the CAD system, I have come up with a way to shorten the nose extension from 10.5" down to 4.5", while still using modified versions of the brackets that I already have made. That's as short as I can make it since other things start crunching together if it gets any shorter.

Existing on left, modified on right.


As it will be installed for the 4.5" extension.


Now I REALLY can't wait for Spring to arrive!!!

Bill the Engineer

[Galane]

Something that bugs me is why you're keeping as much of the Firebird's structure as you are?

Looks like a fairly large issue is the height. Top of the Prius cowl area, bottom of the windshield is the fixed point to work from. How hard would it be to reshape the area where the bottom of the Prius windshield was to fit the bottom of the Firebird windshield?

Were it my project, I'd be 'skinning' the Firebird and grafting the outer panels onto the Prius, shaping and welding in filler pieces of sheet metal as needed. Either the Prius seats could be kept or I'd build adaptions for the Firebird seats to the Prius mounts.

Ho does the Prius door sill height above its floor compare to the Firebird? A common tactic in lowering custom cars is "channeling", which often results in the bottoms of the doors being raised to fit over the top of the frame while the outside of the door extends farther down so it looks normal when closed.

Whatever you do with it. It only takes time and money to get it how you want. I bet with enough 'massaging' of the Prius parts you could get it all stuffed within the stock body length of the Firebird.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

Having more time to plan and scheme in the cold weather can pay off. All the comments about the length of the nose extension kept gnawing at me, since deep down inside I also thought it was too long. After some gymnastics on the CAD system, I have come up with a way to shorten the nose extension from 10.5" down to 4.5", while still using modified versions of the brackets that I already have made. That's as short as I can make it since other things start crunching together if it gets any shorter.

Existing on left, modified on right.


As it will be installed for the 4.5" extension.

Now I REALLY can't wait for Spring to arrive!!!

Bill the Engineer

Awesome!

I think this will make a huge difference, aesthetically. At 4.5", your average person will likely not notice it isn't stock.

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by Galane

Something that bugs me is why you're keeping as much of the Firebird's structure as you are?

Looks like a fairly large issue is the height. Top of the Prius cowl area, bottom of the windshield is the fixed point to work from. How hard would it be to reshape the area where the bottom of the Prius windshield was to fit the bottom of the Firebird windshield?

Were it my project, I'd be 'skinning' the Firebird and grafting the outer panels onto the Prius, shaping and welding in filler pieces of sheet metal as needed. Either the Prius seats could be kept or I'd build adaptions for the Firebird seats to the Prius mounts.

Ho does the Prius door sill height above its floor compare to the Firebird? A common tactic in lowering custom cars is "channeling", which often results in the bottoms of the doors being raised to fit over the top of the frame while the outside of the door extends farther down so it looks normal when closed.

Whatever you do with it. It only takes time and money to get it how you want. I bet with enough 'massaging' of the Prius parts you could get it all stuffed within the stock body length of the Firebird.

I'm going to use an old graphic from a year or two ago to explain.



While the wheelbase, tread width and tire diameter between a 1967 Firebird and a 2014 Prius v are about the same, the layout of almost all of the mechanical parts and body parts is completely different. In the photo below, the rear axle centerlines (the project "0" point) are aligned between the body of the Firebird and the Prius v before I cut-off the windshield area. The locations aren't even close.



As for the body height, a number of factors come into play that led me to mount it the way I have. The body of the Firebird was rotted down low, so the structural integrety was compromised. I left an inch of the original Firebird sill to be welded on top of the side rails of the Prius v "sled." This makes up for the loss of stiffness from the Prius v roof.



The second crucial point is that a large portion of the Prius v structure around the front suspension has to remain in order to maintain the stability of the front of the car. This means that the Firebird front fenders need to pass OVER these parts to keep their proper appearance, Look at the area where the cut-off fender passes over this strut tower. There is no more room for things to go lower.



My intention in keeping as much of the seat supports from the Firebird as possible is twofold. I want to use as much of the stock 1967 Firebird interior as possible. The car is to look as much as it can like a stock Firebird from the showroom, with appearance modifications only where I need them to fit over things. The seat supports also provide stability from side to side in the body, keeping things in alignment as I work on the car.

Finally, as to the height, yes the body is riding high where it is for the reasons above. However, it has been my intent to make the transition between the bodies at the sills resemble an aero package of sorts. I plan to use lowering springs available for the Prius v all around that will bring the height of everything down closer to the stock Firebird height, which should also gain me a few mpg on the road. The final result should look pretty cool.

Bill the Engineer