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2005 Prius to Light Duty Pickup Truck Conversion

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Ruudh, May 23, 2016.

  1. Ruudh

    Ruudh Member

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    I am finally ready for prime time with my recently completed (2005 Gen II) Prius pickup truck conversion . I wanted a serious hybrid light duty pickup truck. Although Toyota has designed and built one, they won’t mass produce it because the market (low gas prices) will not support it. And in that, they are probably correct, but that doesn’t help me.

    My personal interest is not so much the incerase3 in fuel mileage (52 mpg) but more in minimizing my “carbon footprint”, and a light duty hybrid PU will do that for me. I set out in November 2015 with a design, and in May 2016, after many technical, structural, electronic obstacles solved, it is a fact, and freshly painted, sitting in my garage ready for action. So please get with it Toyota !!

    This vehicle is a 2005 Toyota Prius, a survivor of 4 accidents. The conversion has hopefully vindicated her sordid past. It is otherwise in good mechanical condition and I intend to drive it until some manufacturer finally comes out with the hybrid PU I need. IMG_3465.JPG IMG_3475a.jpg IMG_3479.JPG
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    wow! well done!(y) she's beautiful, do you have a catalog of pictures detailing the remake?
     
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  3. Ruudh

    Ruudh Member

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    Who is the beauty, the girl or the car. Thank you for the compliment. Yes, I have an extensive picture library of the process as well as structural analyses, necessary electrical changes, table of changes in weights and moments. etc. It has been a 5 1/2 month fairly intense effort.
     
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  4. S Keith

    S Keith Senior Member

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    Nice. My only concern is that you gave sufficient consideration to battery cooling.
     
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  5. William Redoubt

    William Redoubt Senior Member

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  6. Ruudh

    Ruudh Member

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    Yes, that has been a major issue. I have had to relocate the cooling fan and use plastic tubing to route the cooling air to the battery intake manifold. Also the battery sits 2" below the (black) cargo bed, and if the PRUCK is parked in the Florida summer sunshine and heat, it gets hot down there. Pretty much the cooling fan is working at maximum capacity. I have a Scangauge II hooked up (for the time being) to monitor the HV battery temperatures. So far so good,,,,,R
     
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the pruck of course! i would never comment on someone's looks, but yes, the woman is as well.:p

    will you allow us access to your transformation detail? you should check out 'bill the engineer' he has quite a project going on as well.
     
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  8. mmmodem

    mmmodem Senior Taste Tester

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    I think TRIUS is a better name.
     
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    less offensive.
     
  10. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Wow that's really cool. Well done! Thats a pretty cool looking pickup. I bet they would have sold a ton of those. For in city deliverymen.
    Looks like your right around the corner from me too.
     
  11. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    So well done. Thank you!

    XT1585 ?
     
  12. S Keith

    S Keith Senior Member

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    Prickup Truck?

    (all in good fun)

    :D

    If you have an air gap around the battery case, filling that volume with an insulator like polystyrene foam would go a long way to fighting heating due to ambient conditions.

    A simple removable white coroplast sheet fixed with hook and loop fasteners would go miles towards reducing bed heating. I know it's not the look you're going for, but I'm way more concerned with utility than aesthetics.

    Regardless, that's quite an accomplishment.
     
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  13. bzbee

    bzbee Junior Member

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    Wow, that is a very nice conversion. Great job.
     
  14. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    don't use spray foam on cars. It holds moisture against the metal and will rot it out.

    XT1585 ?
     
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  15. Ruudh

    Ruudh Member

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    I will provide whatever detail anyone wants. I am currently exploring magazine article opportunities so I want to sit on the complete construction detail log for a while. In the meantime, I can and will be happy to answer any specific questions.

    Actually the battery temperature is staying within normal limits. I have several other options that I can use if it becomes a problem. One is to install an additional "puller" fan in the battery air exhaust duct. The other, since there is no longer a back seat, is to route air from the AC floor duct under the driver seat into the compartment where the battery fan now sits, thereby feeding it colder air. Here in Florida we pretty much run the AC full blast all the time anyway.
     
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  16. magnumrtawd

    magnumrtawd Member

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    Great Job! I want one!
    Reminds me of the old Dodge Rampage only,nicer!
     
  17. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    I have been wanting to do this to my gen 1, either that or transplanting the driveline into an echo, yaris, mr2,...
    I have the skills and hybrid/EV expertise. I sold my Toyota pickup and miss it. Do you have a link to an album where I can see some of the build? Would you be interesting on something like franchising the idea, or selling a "kit"?

    XT1585 ?
     
  18. Ruudh

    Ruudh Member

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    I'll see if I can find a venue where I can post my construction log, technical problems and solutions and about 100+ pix. As for franchising the idea or selling a kit, no I don't think so. Anyone is free to do something like this. I would recommend the approach I took, buy a wrecked Prius really cheap, and do the conversion. Then if it works out OK, do the remaining body and paint work to restore the car. Be sure to get one with a clear title. I think transplanting the hybrid machinery into another vehicle would be technically, if not electronically prohibitive.
     
  19. tony2ltr

    tony2ltr Member

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    Ha-ha... I can transplant just about anything into anything else. I build EVs (conversions) not antique brush motor and lead ones, Lithium and VFD 3 phase ones with heavy regen. I have no fear about making stuff fit. I just squeezed 26 KWh worth of Lithium (500 pounds) into a VW Cabrio. It wasn't easy, but the car will do 95 with the top down, and has about 100 miles of range with EV driving habits and a line of pissed off drivers behind you.lol. Otherwise it's about 75-80 miles with normal driving.

    XT1585 ?
     
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  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    tony, we would love to see your albums as well!