Firebrid: The Prius v Powered Hybrid Convertible

That would spoil the triple meaning of Hybrid Drive. I own 3 you know. The Firebrid is only 1/3 of the fleet!

 

If I were in the market it would be interesting. Once the Firebrid is done and I have electrified a BMW Z3 for my wife, THEN I'll look around for another project. Sort-of fond of the little 1961-63 Pontiac Tempest these days. That would be restored to showroom stock should it ever come to pass.

 

7-1/2 weeks to go before I get the Firebrid out of storage. It's sort-of like waiting for baseball season to start...

 

Well yeah! The first thing I am doing in April is welding the body onto the chassis. I want it moving under its own power this year. Cosmetics can be done any time after that!

Bill the cabin fever sufferer.

 

Amazing what you find in old boxes. This is the original newspaper ad for my Firebird that my dad excitedly called me about. I bought the car the same day.

 

Think I'm getting anxious?

 

Garage season starts in 3 weeks!

Already thinking about what things I need to do this year once the body is welded to the chassis. A recent Priuschat posting about bullbars got me to thinking. The '67 Firebird front bumper is sort-of like a bullbar in its design, but it is going to leave the lower portion of the cooling system totally exposed. I am considering hiding a bullbar / skid plate behind the valence below the bumper to protect things from the stray curb and parking lot concrete wheelstop. Considering I'll be using the lowering springs I bought for the car, extra protection down there would be a good thing, and it should be fun to design something that will be totally hidden.




Bill the Engineer

 

Life is getting a little crazy. Details later.

 

Fingers crossed!

 

Not to worry. However, I might get very busy for the next few weeks if things go the way I hope. Garage season starts Sunday, you know. Things need to be prepared for what may come to pass.

 

First... I am OK save for some sore ribs from where the airbag hit me in the chest.
Thank GOD my passenger and I were wearing our seatbelts. I won't let the car move without everyone buckled. My passenger was in the hospital briefly and released. The police told me that we were the innocent victims of a road-rage incident between the occupants of two other cars. I was doing 30mph at the time. The other car must have been doing 60mph when it hit me. I honestly never saw it coming.
Also thank GOD for Toyota's engineering. All of the impact was absorbed by the front of the car. The passenger cabin was undamaged. The car is totaled, but two of us are still here to talk about it.







Bill the Engineer