I would like to install the 2 wd tahoe hybrid drivetrain into a '57 chev. Hot rodding is all about doing something different and this would make a potent, green, and interesting hot rod. I know the hybrid system is very integrated into the vehicle and connects the drivetrain to the braking system, cluster, and who knows what else.

W/ late model fuel injected engines you can get simplified harnesses to make them work.

I know this doesn't exist for the hybrid, but is there anybody out there who is familiar enough w/ this technically that could tackle this project? I need to know exactly what components (minimumum) I would need from the donor vehicle and for someone to modify the wiring harness so that it would work. I know this is a tall order, any input, or suggestions on finding this would be appreciated.

thanks, Matt

 

I personally havn't been involved with the swaps, but have followed the progress of others doing very modern engine swaps to older cars. There are a number of items that will be required to just get the engine to run. I am not too familiar with the GM stuff, but a guy doing the 3.6l engine from an 08 VW Passat into an old Golf ran into many issues. That ECU required almost everything from the donor car to work. What it didn't need were things like window switches and dome lights.
In this case, with a system that isn't even readable by anything other than dealership diagnostic computers it would be most simple to get a wrecked car and just retrofit everything into the older car.... newer locks and ignition, make the instrument cluster fit (these are required for new cars to work), find a way to use the factory fuel pump, etc.

 

You'll need one of the powertrain guys on the board to chime in. A subscription to alldata for the wiring diagrams and parts info is a good idea, also.
Basically, there are a lot of computers, all communicating with eachother over the CAN bus (ok, not positive the actual PHY is a CAN bus, but something similar). There is a hybrid controller under the hood, the engine and trans, the hybrid battery pack under the middle row seat (very heavy) and you would probably need the body control module and gauge cluster along with the shifter and electronic throttle and brake. The brakes themselves are hydraulic, but are pretty tightly integrated into the regenerative braking system, so you would want to lift them completely.
Thinking about it, the easiest way is to fit a '57 body over the Tahoe 2WD chassis...

Good luck, the project sounds awesome, and I really don't want to discourage you. Hopefully one of the GM guys can give you a more detailed answer and tell you what parts can be safely eliminated from the swap.

 

Not really my area of expertise, but I'd think a promising mod would be to replace the electric motors in the transmission with more powerful ones, then add additional battery capacity to make sure you had enough juice to really drive them hard off the line. That could give you lots of torque off the line and give you some advantage until the ICE comes into it's sweet spot to really put all 6 liters into the vehicle.

 

One more item, you will need whichever computer has the accelerometers in it. I think it is under the seat and controls the airbag deployments. It should have gyros and accelerometers to determine which & when to deploy the airbags, but the hybrid controller would probably be using this info for controlling the regen and engine demand along with battery management routines. I'm just guessing here, but very likely.

 

I would like to a v6 or small block would an electric motor for acceration. I thinking about this for my 78 vette. The L48 is weak, but an electric (bolted on like a supercharger) would give great accelleration. Putting a tall rear gear would make the car drivable for long trips and decent fuel economy. any old car could benifit. With an auto trans, the electric could be controllrd by a hand throttle. anyone have thoughts on this? Many of the parts are around. Picking the right motor and design from there.

 

Unless you have access to a cheap battery pack, the cost of doing electrification is much more than the cost of adding in the motor. Yes, it is easy to stick an electric motor in (your method is what GM calls "eAssist" in its new cars). The hard part is putting a good sized battery pack in (and the added 1,000lbs of weight on a light vehicle like a vette').
Unless you have unlimited money, and want to do this "just because", I would suggest you could achieve your goals cheaper and easier.
I just bolted an LLT (312hp/278lbft 3.6l V6 from a 2009 or newer CTS or Camaro) into my 1961 Cadillac last night. Yes, it took some fabrication, but it is lighter than the V8 it replaced and it came with a six-speed automatic. Now, I'm adding two turbos, so the HP should be up in the 450 to 500 range.
Compared to the L48, without turbos it adds 132hp and has the same torque. Now, remember that the LLT is tested to a more rigorous standard, so it actually makes more torque than the L48.
This, plus 30 or more MPG in that light little 'vette. If you add the turbos, you may see a drop in mileage, or an improvement, depending on how much boost you add. Either way, the power will be up even higher. With the six speed trans, you will get better accel and lower revs on the highway than the three speed slushbox in there now.
All this would still cost you less than any batter pack worth putting into your car, along with the controller for the motor/generator.
Anyway, food for thought (and I'm thinking a lot about my Caddy today).

 

Do you have any pics posted of the Caddy? I would lik to see how that fits in. I have a lot of room in the Vette, I always thought a Buick GN 3.8 would fit nice. I was thinking about electric, but with a very small battery pack - lighter and cheaper. I am not lookingfor huge power just something very drivable, but can accellerate when needed. There are places to drive that fast on Long Island anymore. Other engines options might work also. I want to be somewhat clean and environmental friendly.

 

A lot of pics, some may not be relevant. Most important one is where the engine is "fully seated" into the frame. You'll notice the harmonic balancer actually sits in the k-member. There are some pics where it is still sitting too high. That is where we are measuring and figuring out how to fit it in place.
It is not easy to see what is engine and what is frame, as everything is the same color, but download the pics and zoom in, you will figure it out. This LLT is a small engine, very narrow down low, but pretty tall, so I had to mount it low. It actually turned out to be lower than I needed, I was a little extreme, but I figured since the body was off I would err on the side of caution. I placed the bottom of the oil pan level with the bottom of the k-member, which is as low as I could safely go. I probably could be two inches higher.
Anyway, it would probably fit any muscle car or sports car from 1930 to 1990 without issue. If you really are going to do this, let me know, I'm thinking of helping people do this conversion.
BTW, that is not me in the pics, I'm holding the camera.