1984 Voltswagen Rabbit Prius Gen 3 ZOMBIE

[Gregski]

Yeah - hard to come by here in the US yet - Outlander PHEV was only very recently released here, just starting to see them on the roads.

+1

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

I've got a combination suggestion that might be interesting (and by might be interesting I mean there are a few in a local junkyard that I'm thinking about finding a use for):

What about a Chevy Volt inverter and either the Volt transaxle or a Prius transaxle?

Or, if you want to really get crazy, Prius or Volt inverter running two leaf transaxles, and make it AWD. (ideas like this might be a reason my currently limited budget is a good thing)

[Gregski]

[Bratitude]

I've got a combination suggestion that might be interesting (and by might be interesting I mean there are a few in a local junkyard that I'm thinking about finding a use for):

What about a Chevy Volt inverter and either the Volt transaxle or a Prius transaxle?

Or, if you want to really get crazy, Prius or Volt inverter running two leaf transaxles, and make it AWD. (ideas like this might be a reason my currently limited budget is a good thing)

that definitely will not fit. these cars are small. you could fit a outlander motor in the rear tho

[Gregski]

The People have spoken (thank you to everyone who's voted) so here's the plan

[Gregski]

so it was...

[Gregski]

Pick-n-Pull 2010 Toyota Prius Gen 3 40% Off Sale

[Bratitude]

I highly recommend making stub flanges apposed to custom axle shafts. You’ll then be able to use the stock rabbit axles.

take the Prius cv joints, turn them down to a blank stub, press fit into a flange, then Get them tig welded.

you could even get some old flanges from an vw or audi to turn down instead of making them from scratch!

The rabbit will have type 2 (100mm) joints, it’s the most common joint size used in German cars.


if the zombie and Prius proves functional, I may just make stubs shafts for the trans axles…

[Gregski]

So just some pics from the junkyard where I got the "free range" TransMotor and inverter from a 2010 Toyota Prius aka Third Gen

2010 Toyota Prius Gen 3, Inverter Part # G9200-47140

[Gregski]

I just luv this pic !!!

Best Caption Wins ?

[Gregski]

EV Conversion Pop Quiz Time, EVCPQT

[rstevens81]

well done greg, getting the bits with the leftover bit of harnesses will save you quite a bit, its surprising how quickly the cost of those damn little plugs start to add up, plus the time taken for trying to find the Chinese knockoffs.
For the shielded HV cables for the motors, if don't get luckly grabbing one from the junk yard at reasonable cost, you can buy welding cable and put braid around it and then put heat shrink wrap over it (and finally orangish conduit).. got some pics from mine here viewtopic.php?t=1111&start=25

quite sure none of us here have white tesla's

[Gregski]

I wanted to transport these wet and dirty bits in my electric GMC pickup truck, but the wife insisted I use her recently detailed 2010 Honda Pilot:

The Transmission Transporter 3000

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

I wanted to transport these wet and dirty bits in my electric GMC pickup truck, but the wife insisted I use her recently detailed 2010 Honda Pilot:

[Gregski]

ha ha, Mathew who's side are you on? lol

[Gregski]

all costs are are listed in the first thread, here are just the highlights

• $750 BMW battery pack

• $200 Prius transmission (with electric motor inside of it)

• $50 Prius inverter (to take DC from the battery and provide AC to the motor)

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

• $750 BMW battery pack

• $200 Prius transmission (with electric motor inside of it)

• $50 Prius inverter (to take DC from the battery and provide AC to the motor)

Hey, you've spent $1000 on battery, inverter, and motors. You've got a $1000 EV conversion.

Everyone knows everything else is just "some other little bits" who's cost and effort round to zero.

Worse, it's your second conversion, so there'll actually be some accountability on all the tools you re-use and 20-packs you needed only 2q from and have the "extras" for the next project. Yes, we'll see how verifiable all that doesn't really count stuff is that you surely wouldn't need to purchase AGAIN on the next EV.

[Bigpie]

[Gregski]

Mini Update: Star Roof, Floors, Headliner, and more Rust

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

Sacred Rule:

Never do a restoration and a conversion at the same time.

Source: Everyone who warned me 5 years ago.
Source2: Me, 5 years into a "summer project"

...

Aww jeez. Holes in the floor are okay. Holes in the roof, or borderline not having a roof, a lot harder.

With pitting that bad, I'm sure you're going to find that that the amount of holes that are ACTUALLY there but hidden by structural rust is 10x the amount you currently see.

Just brainstorming:

Option 1 - Replace the whole roof. Not actually that difficult if you can find one. It's only connected at the pillars.

Option 2 - Cut out rusted section and replace. A lot more welding and it'll always look shitty.

Option 3 - Lie to yourself that you can fix this without fixing it. Cheapo rust converter that will do nothing, or splurge on POR15 ("Paint Over Rust") to encapsulate it in a ceramic coating thinking that you spend extra on a bad solution it makes it an okay solution. Bondo from the top after. Repaint it. Wait a few months and discover it's all falling apart and paint is flaking because you lied to yourself that you can fix it without fixing it.

Option 4 - You gotta get that rust off there and find out what it's actually got first. Aggressive wirewheeling, not that makeup remover you've got on there now.

Or ideally sandblasting. Upside down. That sounds like fun. But at least it's possible without flipping the car.

Once you actually get all the rust out, maybe POR15 (or skip it if it looks like you really did get it all) and bondo from under and paint from top.

Option 5 - Flip the car over, saran wrap the outside roof and hold it there with magnets, dump EvapoRust on it and like green fly maggots it'll only eat the rotten flesh. You should have a gallon of Evaporust anyways, you can re-use it almost endlessly. You might get away with using the gel and not flipping the car, but, gravity really needs to be your friend.

...

I wouldn't be too intimidated by replacing the floors. Your welding can suck, no one will see it. It'll be hidden by carpets.

[Gregski]

Once you actually get all the rust out, maybe POR15 (or skip it if it looks like you really did get it all) and bondo from under and paint from top.

you had me until you brought up POR15, Young Padawan, there are two types of restorers those that had it fail on them and those who haven't yet, POR15 has failed me three times on three different cars on three different projects: '68 Mustang engine bay, 74 Chevy C10 frame, 54 Chevy AD truck floors

[Bratitude]

Restorations are over rated, let the patina shine!

Make the wheels turn….

[MattsAwesomeStuff]

POR15 has failed me three times on three different cars on three different projects: '68 Mustang engine bay, 74 Chevy C10 frame, 54 Chevy AD truck floors

Having no firsthand experience, just knowing how well it's recommended, I'll hide behind the typical bodyshop excuses, that no coating will have successful adhesion if prep and installation is done poorly.

It's a ceramic coating, so, if you put it on too thick and the base material flexes, I imagine it'll shatter and allow intrusion.

Maybe it's more for show cars and not those actually driven.

Restorations are over rated, let the patina shine!

Well shine it does, right now the patina is letting the sun shine directly through the roof. Which definitely helps with Vitamin D but it leaves excessive hydration as a slight concern. No concerns with getting enough iron though.

[barracuda816]

I have used por15 a few times. It never held up that well even on sandblasted properly prepped steel. It's like powder coating. A hard coating but no adhesion. Eventually when it chips the rust start and it all flakes off. I moved onto epoxy mastic and never looked back. A far superior product that is used on off shore structures.

[marcexec]

I moved onto epoxy mastic and never looked back. A far superior product that is used on off shore structures.

+1 on that, just wish I painted more of our classic Mini with it. Still, underbody, floors, rear parcel shelf and subframe held up very nicely - small 1.25l kit.