Record Straight on Prius Convertible

Cool! Think you could make it to Hybridfest this year to show off the car?

 

I love the theory, but not the actuality of a ragtop convertible...on any car.

Yours is lovely, though!

 

A fool and his money..... IMHO only of course!

 

Don't be a hater

 

Very nice but I have a problem with the basic looks of a "4-door" convertible" Since it was done from scratch with everything removed was there a reason not to cut it down to a 2-door? Price I suppose. Once again very nice but if you do another one try rescuing a Junk yard dog and turn it into a true convertible with 2-doors. IMHO

 

Props for having a convertible Prius. I notice the doors look untouched. Was there any consideration for removing the frames for the windows and shaving down the B-pillar cover and extending the roll bar in place of the pillar. IMHO, would make it look a lot better.

I don't think I could dump in 17k+ for that kinda modification. I'd be more tempted to by a used convertible sporty car with that money, and have enough leftover for the stereo.

 

Those are the same decals I bought here from this site.

 

Does this mean the factory warranty is voided?

 

First, Welcome to P.C. !!
Wow! Talk about joining the group w/ a bang ... what a great post. I admire all the work your shop put into your rig there, exproducer. Being divorced (and remarried decades ago) I've produced an 'ex' myself on one accasion.

If I could toss around cash like that, I'd have switched the Prius to CNG, flashed the hardware to run higher than 40mph (maybe 50mph) on pure electric, and added an extended battery pack that'd get me 40miles ... but we all have our dream. Glad to see you got yours fulfilled. Are you satisfied with it?

In my turbo cabriolet Porsche days (1990-1993), I discovered there were many who "chopped" the roofs off their 911's to end up with a convertable, the 'cheep' way. My mechanic showed me pictures of some of these that had literally fallen apart. The roof added strength, he explained. Without it, and the appropriate support ... BOOM ~ sagging to the ground, in some instances. He explained the the Porsche Cab has a lot of extra floor stiffening metal installed in order to give its chassis the strength of a standard car. I don't see any coment about that on your mod. Did your shop do that most important thing?

 

Absolutely Cool. Infinite thumbs up! I want to drive it.
Welcome and Thanks for the post. Those pics should go into the gallery.

 

My last 3 Cars were a 01 miata ,a 03 s2000 and and a 06 mx-5 miata .I love a good soft top .I see this and it does look strange but i do know if i was in the drivers seat with the top down either in the streets of NYC,Upstate NY or on Ocean Parkway on Longisland I would be loving it .

Just maybe your efforts will push Toyota in that direction .Yet i have to think with the top down so goes the mpg down way down .Yet a rear cover may help that situation .The tonneau cover youhave i'm not really feeling .Also the extra weight and the increased drag has tobe more that 2 mpg just with the weight of the top alone

Your took a chance and it seem to have worked out .Most cars look real bad with the top up this one does not .I do understand the window fram
issue and having to keep them .

I do have a question has the windshield been reinforced? I do know the s2000 and other have been in case of rollover .

FYI I went with a sunroof of course the the price was alot less but
coming from the cars i had .I had to do something .

Good luck and enjoy enjoy enjoy .

 

Am I the only person who doesn't buy the posted FE numbers?

2 mpg decrease with the top down, 4 mpg increase with the top up?

-It seems to me like the enormous drag increase from removing the roof would hurt more than 2 mpg, especially because the the aerodynamics of the front of the car were not designed for the convertible application.

-How can making this mod possibly IMPROVE the fuel economy of the car? The roof itself does weigh less, but overall the car must be heavier than the stock model.

 

Hmmmm.....nope, they look exactly like mine...put on by me in my driveway, bought here from this site.

 

Sorry, I just don't like the way it looks...
I would never spend that much money for a car anyway, defeats the purpose of being economical...

 

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, I guess...IMHO, it is different, but does not look good at all. The window frames and B-pillar are detracting from the look. If they could be gone, it would look much better, but I don't know that it would look that great. Kudos to you for trying something different.

 

I <3 opinions, so here's mine
1. looks stupid with the window frames.
2. You win over any mod ever done
3. Stupid investment for that amount of money.

How much higher did your MPG go with the lost weight?
How much lower did your MPG go with the lost aerodynamics?

 

I just am not feeling it. maybe if it was a 2 door minus those window frames, and it cost less.
I too don't believe the gas mileage reflections.
Props to having the best mod though, but it's one I wouldn't get.

 

Though I'm not crazy about its look (especially the plastic rings on the wheels), I must say this is the baddest mod of them all. And you deserve all the credit for having the passion (not to mention the wherewithal) to make such a bold statement.