In reply to Indy - Guy :
I don't know what most of that means but everything I know about electric vehicles I've learned from AgingWheels on YouTube and it seems all cells the same or really close = good. And I know 44 mpg for these isn't really possible unless the battery is in decent shape.
Thanks for doing the diligence to validate it works.
Functional AC in a Panhard is going to be awesome!
The green bar graph above is the Dr. Prius App.
Boy, I hate the scale they choose . The way they have done it makes the 1st and last cell have really short bars. More important is to look at the number themselves (which are in ridiculously small font.)
16.9, 17.1 and 17.2 are generally the same number. The bar graph doesn't show it that way but for this purpose 16.9 and 17.2 are close numbers to each other. There's really no need here to go down to the 100th of a volt. In whole numbers, 16.9 and 17.2 would both round to 17.
This App is Torque Pro $4.99 with Prius specific PID (or specific Prius reading capability, a function built into the software.)
This app only works with Android but it is very helpful
Its also not that one app was reading the car at 17's and the other app was reading it at 16's. These apps read "real time" and the above are screen shots. Normal for these cells is fluctuation from 15v-19v . The key here is the consistency across the 14 different cells (at that moment.)
In reply to John Welsh :
Yep. John deciphered it correctly while I was still tinkering around in the garage. Those screenshots were taken one before the test drive, the other after. I didn't want to send you off with a questionable/unknown pack. If for some reason this pack needs to be replaced, I've purchased the tools and acquired the knowledge to help you &/or do it for you.
But the tests point to a healthy battery pack with plenty of life left in it.
In reply to Indy - Guy :
Awesome thanks so much.
Another question first of many..
I'm going to be welding extensively on this chassis. What do I need to do to protect the Electronics and particularly the HV battery.
Obviously I will take normal precautions for heat and splatter damage but I mean electrically?
nocones said:In reply to Indy - Guy :
Awesome thanks so much.
Another question first of many..
I'm going to be welding extensively on this chassis. What do I need to do to protect the Electronics and particularly the HV battery.
Obviously I will take normal precautions for heat and splatter damage but I mean electrically?
The HV pack has a disconnect built into it on the driver's side rear of the pack. Pull that. The low voltage battery is in the back corner, passenger side, it grounds to the sheet metal just behind it, pull that ground. That should be enough, if you really want to be paranoid you can just pull the HV pack entirely in about 15 minutes.
HV disconnect in video format.
Make note that it is a 2 step closure.
Open= slide up and piviot/fold down
Close= piviot/fold up and slide down
This is AWESOME
nocones said:
Looking at these pics makes me wonder why no one has chopped one of these into a ute / pick up "truck". The battery pack would likely need relocating but other than that it looks like a fun project.
edwardh80 said:nocones said:
Looking at these pics makes me wonder why no one has chopped one of these into a ute / pick up "truck". The battery pack would likely need relocating but other than that it looks like a fun project.
NoCones, Seeing the above post sheds light on the text you sent me last night. 
I just want to note...
that looks like a Gen3 Prius you've got back there; but you're picking up a Gen2 Prius (afaik)... dunno how much that alters things
edwardh80 said:nocones said:
Looking at these pics makes me wonder why no one has chopped one of these into a ute / pick up "truck". The battery pack would likely need relocating but other than that it looks like a fun project.
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1111690_1946-chevy-pickup-truck-is-worlds-oldest-prius-hybrid-really
In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :
Good catch. Initial look says it should be the same. A-b-c Pillars and wheelbase look identical.
I will do a more detailed investigation in SketchUp tonight or tomorrow
Kendall Frederick said:nocones said:In reply to Indy - Guy :
Awesome thanks so much.
Another question first of many..
I'm going to be welding extensively on this chassis. What do I need to do to protect the Electronics and particularly the HV battery.
Obviously I will take normal precautions for heat and splatter damage but I mean electrically?
The HV pack has a disconnect built into it on the driver's side rear of the pack. Pull that. The low voltage battery is in the back corner, passenger side, it grounds to the sheet metal just behind it, pull that ground. That should be enough, if you really want to be paranoid you can just pull the HV pack entirely in about 15 minutes.
Technically should not be even necessary. No part of the HV system uses the chassis for a ground. Completely isolated. The system even monitors resistance between chassis ground and the HV system and will open the contactors if there is continuity found.
Still a good idea to open it up, just to be extra extra sure. Have heard stories of the wrong refrigerant oil being used, contactors did not open up as designed, car burned down. (Compressor has an HV motor swimming in refrigerant, must use fancy non conductive oil)
Beyond that, standard best practices of grounding your welder as close to the weld as practical apply.
The Pri- part of the Pri-hard is now in my possession.
It was awesome meeting Indy Guy and hanging out. Much discussion around the RX8 was had and he fed us. Much appreciated!
He showed me around the Prius and we took it down the street so I actually got to drive it. This is going to be exciting. Not onward to Michigan for the 2nd car purchase of the weekend this one not Pri-hard related nor anything particulary interesting. I am picking up the ex PimpinM3 Forrester challenge car because the motor currently in the LMP360 will resurrect it.
Obligatory gas station picture.
It was great meeting you last night, I was glad to have the opportunity to chat about challenge cars. Indy-kid #2 is really excited.
Here's a few pics of the evening:
In reply to nocones :
I expected to see some pics of this thing cut up already. Certainly you haven't changed your mind; have you?
In for updates.
In reply to Indy - Guy :
No but I did change my mind and leave it in Indy at Gumbys until the 7th. I thought it made more sense to get the Forester taken care of then hit the pri-hard hard ...
PRI has came and went which means I retrieved the PRI part of the PriHard.
The WRX left this week, but since parts didn't get here until Thursday the Forester still needs to be in the garage to get the EJ reassembled and installed. That means I can't quite take the Sawzall to the Prius yet.
But since Singleslammer was here for the PRI trip we couldn't resist pulling the Prius into the garage and pulling the front end apart to introduce the cars.
This may look like a disaster but I assure you it is not. The fenders when lined up over the wheels show a few things. Width should be roughly okay. The Panhard has a large tubular member that holds the back of the hood shape. I didn't want to cut that out so it runs into the Prius structure pretty bad but measuring it appears it's going to work pretty well. The struts have about 17" of vertical clearance to the hood. I only need to drop the hood about 15" so the struts should be okay. The radiator and AC coil are within the hood perimeter. The structure I am fouling on should be able to be reworked. Measuring from the hood rear edge it looks like the windshield will hit right at the seam in the dash. Width it looks like the dash will have to be narrowed some but it seems promising.
So overall not a ton of progress but it shows that the plan at least is sound enough to justify cutting the Prius.
Plan is to finish the Forester this week and hopefully start sawzalling by Friday.
Yesssssssssss yes a million times yes
And.. The forester is done which means back to the PriHard. But honestly I almost decided to not. I was very discouraged that I hadn't even gotten started by the 1st of the year substantially on the car. I had hoped that the Panhard would of been fully hatted during my long holiday break and that simply didn't happen at all. I nearly posted it all for sale as a pile but have decided to press on for now. I am hopeful that the next month will be fruitful on the build. If it is not this may get sidelined for a bit when LMP360 summer preps take over.
But since I was moving forward the first step was a gut check to put the cars side by side.
Observations: The panhard looks "regular sized" when it's by itself, but put next to a PRIUS which isn't a large car is is suprisingly tiny. But, The windshield and pillars still appear to line up, and it looks like overall height from the sills to the dash are wihin a few inches. I hope to avoid the ginormous flat sills that bodyswaps generally wind up with caused by modern cars incredibly high beltlines. The rear seat backs are a little further rearward in the prius then the panhard. The Rear seats may have to be fabricated to move forward some, however the rear bulkhead in the panhard may be "flexible" and might still work.
Either way, no mater what I saw enough.. Time to bust out the Sawzall.
I removed the rear of the interior, rolled down the windows, and grabbed a helper.
Core memory engaged. Remember that time we sawzalled a car dad?
*NOTE, He was stationary for this picture, when cutting I was right there beside him to ensure safe operation of the saw was occuring*
And after 3 long cuts the Toyota PRI-UTE was born.
I'll admit the looks for the roof would be a bit of a challeng but OMG why isn't this a thing?
The cargo area would easily be 40" wide at it's narrowest (the battery cooling fan ducts, could grow to 45" which is the wheel well to wheel well dimension). If you dropped a wall back from the seats which are adjusted comfortably for a 6' tall 240lb man the load floor to the hatch seal is 70" long. 45mpg ute? Yeah okay.
Obviously next steps for me are remove the doors and take the rest of the roof and windshield off. I just couldn't resist the chance to mock up a Pri-ute.
I'll put together the budget for the next post. This car is shockingly rust free. I haven't snapped any bolts off yet. I would feel bad except it's living on for good.
Car still runs and drives, I've grown a Airbag Light (of course since the side curtain bags are gone) and it will no longer lock because the hatch is missing which can be fixed easily.
If anyone needs any prius interior trim I may have it FOR SUPER CHEAP. I also have good tailights and a good rear bumper.
+3.5Hrs = 5 Hrs total less car retrieval time.
Somethin' bout a Prius truck with autocross tires...
Went to pull the car out into the sun and found a dead 12V battery. I charged it for a bit and it runs/moves but now it is angry with all the lights on. I will continue to charge the battery and see what gives. The only thing I unplugged was the hatch wiring, and side impact airbags. Maybe after a full charge it will all come back to life like normal.
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