The Firebrid Hybrid Convertible Project (Prius platform swap)

[bwilson4web]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

First... I am OK save for some sore ribs from where the airbag hit me in the chest.
. . .

Bill the Engineer

I hate identification of the Prius generation by seeing the coolant tank hanging from the engine compartment. Best of luck. Just don't repeat my mistake.

Walk around the car looking closely and say, "Oh I don't know. $150 in parts and we could fix it."

She who must be obeyed nearly killed me over that one.

Bob Wilson

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

You're extremely lucky you weren't driving 31 MPH!

(More specifically, your passenger is.)

I think of that every day and count my blessings!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Bill the Engineer

The driver who hit me showed no concern whatsoever about any of the people he hit once he was out of the car. I suspect that he was either drunk or high, or so amoral as to have no empathy for anyone else.

Being involved in a road-rage incident might already sign clear enough that something is wrong with the guy.

[Bill the Engineer]

It's Spring!!!






The Firebrid got quite dusty, but otherwise slumbered well over the winter. No apparent surface rust anywhere beyond what was already there. Let's see what kind of progress I can make in the next couple of weeks...

Bill the Engineer

[Phinzor]

Hey Bill what kind of MPG do you think we are going to get in our conversions. I think my mustang will weigh a bit less than the prius did originally but way less aerodynamic. Ive driven it around the yard a couple times but not on the street yet.

What have you done with all the airbags? I removed all the side airbags and cut and covered the wires for them but now im getting a pesky P3107- 214 Airbag ECU Communication Circuit Malfunction code that triggers the big yellow triangle and keeps beeping "check hybrid system"

[Bill the Engineer]

Originally Posted by Phinzor

Hey Bill what kind of MPG do you think we are going to get in our conversions. I think my mustang will weigh a bit less than the prius did originally but way less aerodynamic. Ive driven it around the yard a couple times but not on the street yet.

What have you done with all the airbags? I removed all the side airbags and cut and covered the wires for them but now im getting a pesky P3107- 214 Airbag ECU Communication Circuit Malfunction code that triggers the big yellow triangle and keeps beeping "check hybrid system"

Good questions! The Firebrid will be heavier than the original Prius v due to the extra weight of the convertible parts. Aerodynamics will be much worse, but the mpg's compared to the old Firebird powertrain will be double at least!

I am still deciding whether to keep the steering wheel airbag. The others have no place to mount (especially with the top down.) I WILL be adding a simple roll bar with base reinforcements behind the front seats to hold the shoulder belts I will be adding. (See earlier discussion some pages back.) The diagonal bruise across my chest from my recent accident has driven home the point that the shoulder belts are a must-have even though the original car did not have them.

The wiring for the airbags that are no longer there will get shunted with a resistor at the connector.

Bill the Engineer

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Phinzor

Hey Bill what kind of MPG do you think we are going to get in our conversions. I think my mustang will weigh a bit less than the prius did originally but way less aerodynamic. Ive driven it around the yard a couple times but not on the street yet.

In low-speed driving, you should see similar MPG to the Prius. An eco-driver familiar with the way the drivetrain works would be able to get 50-70 MPG pretty easily in my local driving environment in mild weather. (Your mileage may vary.)

That assumes you're running LRR tires to maximize engine-off glides.

On the highway, it'll suffer compared to the Prius due to the higher drag body.

====

Phinzor - You should start a project thread and keep us updated. You'll have a lot of people following along here!

[Phinzor]

Decided to test it. 55.1 avg mpg over 11.3 mile trip from my house down some back roads. 7.2 miles of the trip was cruising at 60mph getting 42.2 mpg.

Ill start a thread of my own if you can tell me how or where to host the images since photobucket isnt free anymore

[MetroMPG]

55 MPG is great! In a classic Mustang, it's amazing. Congrats.

You can attach up to 10 images to each post you make here, but they must be uploaded individually. The forum will resize large images down to a more manageable size.

You can also use your EcoModder Photo Album.

See this thread for more, with details about:

1. Linking to images,
2. Including images as attachments and
3. Including images in your albums.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...der-18279.html

[Phinzor]

OK, I created a thread for my mustang. Ill get more pictures uploaded later. Maybe we can get some good ideas from each other in the future
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ion-36343.html