I would like for anyone who has any spare parts (parting out from an accident, blah yada) to contact me and we can work something out. My email addy is nick.benninghoff@comcast.net. Thanks.

1999 Camaro Z28 6-Speed
2002 Honda Insight CVT Sold
AIM - PHeNoM Z28

I assume you've been watching ebay. One seems to come along every so often. They seem to go for a fair amount of money, though. What have you got in mind?

Eric Powers

MHG Organizer - www.MadisonHybridGroup.com
Hybridfest 2008 - A Hybrid Electric Car Show and More! www.hybridfest.com
Madison, WI July 19 & 20, 2008

Above all, I want the Toyota synergy drive system and fabricate it into my Z28 and make it an AWD system (having the syngergy drive system driving the front wheels).

1999 Camaro Z28 6-Speed
2002 Honda Insight CVT Sold
AIM - PHeNoM Z28

I presume you know this is NOT a "trivial task"?

After all, it's not "just" the synergy drive that is the issue here!

Seems like an awful lot of work may have to be done. Not impossible, mind you, but not the most trivial of tasks either.

Amongst many things, my first concern would be the relative torque out of teh Z28 engine relative to all the drive components up to and including the PSD. I would bet one hot launch attempt and that little thing is toast.

Jack

Eschew Obfuscation
Avoid pompous prolixity
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.

I'm with JackC on this one. I wish you luck on it, but I wonder....

How do you propose to connect the ICE transmission of the Z28 with the drive shaft(s) of the CVT and MG1/MG2?

And even if you're successful at that, how do you propose to get the drive power routed from the middle of the car (whether before or after the traditional tranny) to the front wheels? Remember, a Z28's engine is longitudinally-oriented, and the HSD needs a laterally-mounted engine.

Plus, the computing requirements are all different, what with a higher horsepower engine using the Otto combustion cycle....the engine in the HSD uses the Atkinson/Miller cycle. Are you an engine/chip designer/programmer in your spare time?

You may have better success at leaving this a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, but with added hybrid components.

I'm optimistic. But only very cautiously so. <_<

But y'know, if you do it, I want to meet you and see it, so that I'll be able to tell all my friends I met a true genius!

I would imagine the Camero (or any similar Priustoric vehicle) would better benefit from a method more like Honda's approach - an electric "Assist" to the normal ICE implimentation. I haven't looked into it, but my impression (Honda experts welcomed to blast me if I am wrong!) is that this is essentially a "Standard configuration" engine with a rather large "starter motor" implimented in the tranny area.

Seems to me this would be ideal for a Z28 (or other) mod - everything else being basically the same.

Now I know what I have refered to as a "starter motor" is really anything but, however schematically, that seems to be how it presents itself.

The Hybrid system on the Prius is so different, in terms of implimentation, that it really doesn't apply in any such "retrofit" as CITA suggests. BIF points out many additional items I failed to even consider, the basic idea being so problematic.

However, I commented that a "hard launch" would probably shred the PSD - I later reconsidered my comment on that.

If we presume (big assumption) that the HSD could be integrated to the Z28, we would also have to assume that the power management system could likewise be integrated, and this could presumably manage the torque applied to the PSD so as to not damage it. I have to believe though that this would result in the most totally gutless, uninspiring, silly Z28 to ever exist. One wonders why, other than the sheer perversity of the doing, one would ever want to do such a thing.

However, consider a properly designed, matched and computed system of equivalent power - both in the electrics and in the ICE - maybe the Volta is such a system. This could be a truely awesome car!

But a retrofit? I can think of much better uses for the time and money!

Jack

Eschew Obfuscation
Avoid pompous prolixity
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.

Don't forget, you'll have to handle the frequent starting and stopping of the gas engine. You need to be able to spin it up without compression, fuel, and spark, then apply those to one or two or three cylinders (in a 6 or 8-cylinder engine), to start the engine. And don't forget, the Prius cuts cold-start emissions by saving engine coolant in a 3-litre "thermos bottle".

So out with the starter, and flywheel, and...oh, you say those are already attached to the block and/or flywheel and/or crankshaft? Hmmm.....

Remember too, that your Camaro still drives the AC off of the engine belts. When the gas engine stops, so does your AC. Hmmmm...could get hot at those traffic lights...

Where will you put the battery? In the trunk? I had a Trans Am once. There's really no trunk as it is. Maybe the back seat? Roof?

You know, on second thought (and third, fourth, and fifth thoughts, too), I'm losing my cautious optimism. I think Jack is right, there are better uses of time.

The more I hear opinions and look into it, I think the assist way is better. I was just using the alternate drive as an idea. It seems almost impossible, not only because of what you guys said, I would also have to place in a drive shaft going from the trunk area (where the motor would be) to the front axle...I just don't think theres enough room under there for all of that, plus I'd have to totally customize the fittings...blah...

I need a lot more understanding of the HSD system before I get started, but I'm a hands on kind of guy. You can't simply go out to the local dealership and ask for one either...

If any of you guys have links to good sites about it, please post. I did some google searches and didn't really come up with much <_<

1999 Camaro Z28 6-Speed
2002 Honda Insight CVT Sold
AIM - PHeNoM Z28

This is the type of science project that people do for doctoral dissertations. You're treading on really new ground, so I doubt you'll find any useful "I did it and here are all my secrets" type of information in the public domain.

But good luck, nonetheless.

If I had lots of extra money I'd like to buy a wrecked hybrid, remove the "guts" and put it up on a test bench just to tweak and tinker with.
Mabe in a few years that would be possible.
Steve

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT