Firebrid: The Prius v Powered Hybrid Convertible

Another Firebrid Update:

Steering column reinstalled.
Pedal bracket reinstalled.
Hood Latch Support, fenfer support and forward front fenders bolted together and then attached to front bumper assembly.
Aft front fenders bolted to body, then forward and aft fenders tied together temporarily with duct tape to keep them from moving out of place. Working hard to get the car movable.








Bill the Engineer

 

NEWS!!!

My family and I are moving from Central Ohio to Southern Delaware in late July. I will be starting a new engineering job there and living in temporary housing until we can get the new house built. That also means that this weekend will be the last working on the Firebrid for a while. I will be reconnecting the brakes, and modifying the intermediate steering shaft to give me steering. That will make getting the car onto and off of the trailer that will transport it much easier. The car itself, plus all the parts and tools will be moving on the weekend before July 4th as part of our search for temporary housing. Between now and then I have 23 years worth of belongings in the current house to sort through and pack. Since I am also still working full time, my days, nights and weekends will be VERY busy.

All of this means that the Firebrid project will be on hold for an undetermined amount of time once I have prepared it for the move. I will still be on this site frequently, but the updates on the project will slow to a trickle intil the new garage at the new house is built.

Bill the Engineer

 

It is considered a street rod there.

 

Time is growing short for me to get the Firebrid ready for the move from Ohio to Delaware. Today I got the brake linkage connected between the Firebird brake pedal and the Prius v braking system. I also remounted the drivers seat temporarily. Next work session, I need to connect the modified steering shaft so it can be guided into its next garage, plus modify the Prius v parking brake assembly so that it mounts under the Firebird dash. Car moving weekend is now under a month away!




Bill the Engineer

 

Good point that I overlooked! The car is presently on wheel dollies. I'll just leave them under the front wheels and forget about reconnecting the steering. The person inside the car when I unload can brake with the rear wheels when needed.

Thanks, you just saved me some time!

Bill the (groggy) Engineer

 

The Firebrid is almost ready for the big move. The rest of the garage... not so much.



Bill the Engineer

 

Moving the Firebrid and the contents of both the house garage and a storage garage using a 27ft U-Haul and full trailer in a couple of weeks. (I will post photos.) Destination is a pair of storage garages in Delaware. Then the contents of the house in Ohio that we don't need short term will go into a series of PODS. Finally, the items that we will need in temporary housing will go into another U-Haul truck equipped with a tow-behind dolly for my 2014 Prius C while my family follows behind in the 2010 Prius.

This means that once the Firebrid is in Delaware, the project will go dormant for a time. My family and I will be in temporary housing until the new house is finished. I am expecting to break ground for the foundation in early spring, and anticipating completion in mid-to-late summer 2019. The wait will be hard, but the new garage at the new house will be so very worth the wait!

Bill the Engineer

 

A portion of the preliminary sketch given to the architect. There will be room for a 4-post lift.



Bill the Engineer

 

That depends on the slope that the architect puts on the joists in the final plans. The ridge beam will be about 3 feet above the 2nd floor ceiling in the rest of the house.


Left to right: 2010 Prius, 2014 Prius c, Firebrid and EZ3 (future project.) The old car garage will be open to the rafters. The garages will face north, which maximizes the exposure of the remainder of the house to the sun for the solar panels on the roof.

Bill the Engineer