Transplant the hybrid guts into a non-hybrid

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by Optimus

Has anyone tried (and/or succeeded) in transplanting the Prius drive system into an otherwise non-hybrid?

I think it might be easier to strip the Prius body shell, and install a kit car body on top, like a dune buggy on the old VW chassis...

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by GatorJZ

You can't be even remotely serious.

For you, no,I'm not serious. But otherwise, yes, I am remotely serious.

[MagneticGrayIndy]

for what it's worth, I think you'll absolutley see someone attempt this at some point.. people do EV conversions of just about everything on the road for one reason or another. Why not take a totaled Prius and put it into a 65 Rambler American hardtop???? hey.. now THERE'S an idea!

[Optimus]

I agree. Someone will likely end up buying a totalled Prius (or more powerful hybrid) that still has a good drive train, and they will put it in something else. I've seen enough salvaged G1's for under $4000 and G2's under $8000 that it isn't that "expensive" considering you'd get a full donor car. Call it pioneering or just a crazy idea, but someone will do it eventually if it hasn't been done already.

I've seen Porches converted to run solely on electric forklift motors and batteries, Chevy 350's stuffed into suzuki samari's, jet engines installed on Semi trucks, and then some. I don't think it's terribly far-fetched at this point that someone is going to build something out of a salvaged hybrid. Especially with $4 gas.....

[hiremichaelreid]

There's a place here in Ontario that specializes in fixing up wrecked Prii. I've seen their ads on autotrader.ca and I imagine business has picked up lately.

I'd be pretty leery of a fixed wrecked Prius for daily driving, but for making a customized super high mileage vehicle, a body wrecked Prius would be ideal.

[patsparks]

My sons 1986 ST162 Celica is 300kg lighter than a Prius, nice slipery shape and plenty of room under the bonnet for a Prius drive train. I like the idea.

Engine swaps aren't about more power, they are about more performance. The Prius drivetrain outperforms the Celica drivetrain on a miles covered per gallon basis, and that is becoming more and more important these days.