Advertising:

This ain't no April Fools joke! This here is a 1-of-a-kind, custom built 2008 Toyota Prius powered by a Harley Davidson and it's currently registered and insured to drive on the street. Yes, you could drive this bad-boy to work if you've got the jewels.*

Features:

2 Cylinder air-cooled engine with rock-and-stick technology that replaces the overly-complicated crap that Toyota spent bazillions of dollars and dozens of years designing and I spent a couple hours with a 10mm wrench and some wire cutters undoing.
4-speed manual non-syncronized transmission with push/pull sequential shift replaces that electro-mechanical slushbox that Toyota calls a "transmission"
Points ignition: Because it either works or it doesn't. Spend your OBD-scanner and volt-meter budget on beer instead.
1.75x.095 DOM custom-fitted rollcage with "NASCAR-style" driver's doorbar, and "FIA bars" for additional A-pillar reinforcement. Allegedly this is what you get when you bring your Prius in for the "unintended acceleration" recall**, but I can't swear to that.
Unmuffled, straight-though big bore exhaust designed by Basset, because loud pipes save lives and you'll need to drown out the sound of the Earth crying every time to stomp the throttle that controls your S&S "bug-sprayer" carburetor.
Oh yea, the throttle: The pedal comes from a 1960s Austin Mini Cooper because I don't trust that "drive by wire" nonsense (see aforementioned "unintended acceleration recall")
While we're on the subject of pedals: The clutch pedal is a totally bad-ass chrome job and the cable was replaced in Dec 2013. Some call the pedal a "finger lever". Whatever.
Kill Switch: In case removing all of the Toyota electronics, drivetrain, interior, and soullessness wasn't enough to exorcise the factory glitches. It's a total CYA move.
Side view mirror "handlebar whips": Because that's how you roll.
Sissy bar: It is a Prius, after all.

Boring details:

Engine is from a 1986 Harley Davidson Sportster 883 that's been bored to 1100cc and uses Harley Davidson factory flat-top 1100 pistons. Engine work completed in October 2013. Transmission is stock. Clutch is brand new Barnett extra plate clutch with heavy duty spring and installed less than 2 weeks ago. Car comes with a complete spare 1200 cc, 5-speed sportster engine and trans from 1994 (needs heads reinstalled) that's also belt drive and will need a chain drive conversion spacer installed because the car is chain-drive to the front wheels of the Prius using the original (but modified) Prius differential, cv joints and axles. The differential is suspended using a custom frame with pillow block bearings. Sliding mechanism allows for chain tension adjustments.

Also included are several cylinder jugs, some 883 pistons, some heads, gaskets, new chain and a whole bevy of other spares you may want/need. Why might you need them? Because, after replacing the clutch back on March 23rd, we can't get the currently-installed engine to fire up again.

BONUS: You'll get a 1986 Hybrid-Davidson pit bike (aka the original motor-donor). It's currently sporting a weedwacker motor that turns a lucas alternator via chain drive, which goes through some electrical do-dads to charge some batteries which in turn power an electric motor. Said electric motor then goes through a jack-shaft arrangement to drive the rear wheel of the motorcycle. "Ran when parked".

It's still parked.

Mostly because it won't run no more.

Kinda like the Prius with the Harley engine in it. I would say you could put the Harley engine back in the bike frame and drive it around, but in case you missed it above, we weren't able to get that 883/1100 engine fired up again after swapping in a new clutch. I'm done wrenching on it. Time for someone else to buy it and wrench on it. Put your own engine in it. Make it a 2-stroke diesel. Or fix the Harley setup and take it to Sturgis. The whole frame that supports the Harley drivetrain is bolt in. It connects to the stock Prius drivetrain mounting locations, front bumper mounts, and the front suspension cradle. It's 100% removable with some wrenches. Nothing was welded into the car's engine bay that would prevent you from bolting a stock Prius drivetrain right back into it.

Suspension is stock Prius. Brakes are more-or-less stock (with all of the abs and electrical stuff removed). All of the non-white panels (the ones that are accident-damaged) are bolt-on parts and easily replaced. The Prius was never in an accident-- the good panels were sold off to fit within 24 Hour of LeMons budget requirements and the damaged "free" panels used instead. The original rear hatch with hatch glass and spoiler, etc, is included with the sale. Currently fuel setup is a carter 2-4psi fuel pump sucking through the stock, unmodified Prius fuel tank. I'd recommend replacing this with a MUCH lighter fuel cell arrangement.

The Roll-cage is a couple of bars and gussets away from being FIA Rally compliant. The main hoop diagonal is installed so that it can be X'd, and so is the roof diagonal. I see no glaring reason it wouldn't be NASA or SCCA legal as it sits. Has passed technical inspection for 24HOL series several times. Car is being sold as 24 Hours of LeMons tech-ready with seat, harness, and hand-held fire extinguisher.

Lots of videos and pictures of it running. Google "ToyoHog" and Harley powered prius and you'll find them.

Car is located in Escondido, CA.

Email if you've got questions.

*check your local laws and regulations if you're a ninny.

**WARNING: This car is subject to a factory recall and has not yet had the recall work completed. You are HIGHLY ADVISED to have the recall work done prior to attempting the drive this. The inverter water pump and the steering shaft are both the subjects of the recall. (Please, whatever you do, post a youtube video of you taking this in to your local Toyota dealer for the recall work!)

Auto Services in California

Zenith Wire Wheel Co ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Wheels, Tire Dealers

Address: 818 Cristich Ln, Brookdale

Phone: (831) 425-7770

Yucca Auto Body ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Truck Body Repair & Painting

Address: 56132 29 Palms Hwy, Pioneertown

Phone: (760) 365-9410

World Famous 4x4 ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Restoration-Antique & Classic

Address: 75 E Palm Ave, Alhambra

Phone: (818) 816-0121

Woody`s & Auto Body ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Truck Body Repair & Painting

Address: 22920 Lockness Ave, East-Rancho-Dominguez

Phone: (310) 784-3820

Williams Auto Care Center ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Inspection Stations & Services, Auto Oil & Lube

Address: 18380 Highway 12, Sonoma

Phone: (707) 996-1056

Wheels N Motion ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Tire Dealers

Address: 961 E Holt Ave, Chino

Phone: (909) 622-1232

Auto blog

Minivan market not what it used to be, but margins make up for it

Thu, 05 Jun 2014

Residual values for last year's minivans are higher than they were in 2000.
Much like the station wagon was the shuttle of Baby Boomer generation, the minivan has been the primary means of transport for Generations X and Y. Just as the boomers abandoned the Country Squire, though, those kids that were toted around in Grand Caravans and Windstars are adults, and they certainly don't want to be seen in the cars their parents drove.

2015 Toyota Camry targeting 'more emotional' design

Sun, 19 Jan 2014

There are many ways to describe the Toyota Camry: "comfortable," "economical," "affordable," "reliable" and "dull as a bucket of mayonnaise" would all be accurate. It's this last one that the Japanese brand is seeking to change. While we aren't expecting it to suddenly sprout a high-revving V8, a rear-drive layout or razor-sharp handling, a report from Bloomberg suggests we should at least expect a more evocative design from one of the best-selling cars in the country.
The next Camry update, due for 2015, should have a "more emotional, more impactful design," says Kevin Hunter, head of Toyota's US design studio. That's according to Bloomberg, who caught up with the styling boss at this week's Detroit Auto Show. "Camry's taken some hits on styling, but it's still selling well. But we need to create better design for Camry in the future."
Toyoda wants to see waku-doki in his company's designs - heart-racing qualities

Toyota TRD Pro lineup coming next week

Thu, 30 Jan 2014

A mysterious Toyota commercial recently popped up on YouTube teasing a new TRD Pro lineup for the Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner, and now we're getting our first official word straight from the automaker on the matter. Courtesy of its Facebook page, Toyota is promising that the TRD Pro models will be introduced on February 6th, ready to "conquer the great outdoors."
This date just so happens to mark the first day of the always-truck-friendly Chicago Auto Show, so while Toyota isn't saying as much, we're almost certain the trucks will show up next week in the Windy City. It's not clear what sort of upgrades TRD Pro brings, but it definitely includes black wheels and a tweaked front end featuring a thick, single-bar grille and bold lettering in place of the stylized Toyota logo (shown above on the Tundra).
Scroll down to see the video, and head over to Toyota's Facebook page to see a teaser image of the 4Runner TRD Pro.

Toyohog! 1-of-a-kind Harley Davidson Powered Prius, Street Reg, Full Roll Cage on 2040-cars

Toyota Prius for Sale