‘Chevyota Priuck’ Melds ’46 Chevy with Prius Hybrid Drivetrain
Unique Franken-truck is a fascinating and skillfully crafted blend of old-school metal and modern-day mechanicals.
Whether we like it or not, hybrid and full-on electric vehicles are the future. We’ve already got a host of quality options available, like the award-winning Chevy Bolt. But what we don’t have, at least outside of California, is an electrified Chevy truck option. So, if you want to join the ranks of the environmentally friendly without giving up your beloved pickup, you’ll have to wait.
Unless you choose to build your own electric or hybrid Chevy truck, that is. And this is exactly what Ohio resident Joe Winter decided to do.
However, instead of simply taking a newer Chevy Silverado and adding hybrid electric power, he chose an entirely different (and more difficult) route. Winter took a classic 1946 Chevy truck and swapped in the entire drivetrain from a Toyota Prius.
Blasphemy? Maybe. Impressive? Most definitely.
Watching Winter cruise around in his truck, dubbed “Chevyota Priuck” is somewhat of a surreal experience, mostly because the darn thing is silent in EV mode. And though it retains the look of a well-worn classic Chevy truck, there’s nothing vintage underneath its weathered sheet metal.
As you can see in Winter’s build thread over at EcoModder, the old Chevy now uses not only the drivetrain, but the subframe from a first gen Prius as well. This, of course, means that power now goes through the front wheels.
Although the ‘Chevyota Priuck’ retains the look of a well-worn classic Chevy truck, there’s nothing vintage underneath its weathered sheet metal.
Also, the craftsmanship here is incredible, especially when you spot details like the Prius digital dash display hiding behind the stock 1946 instrument panel cover.
Joe has already taken the hybrid Chevy truck to at least one car show. And so far, reactions vary from simple awe and admiration to downright anger. But no matter what side of the fence you’re on, you can’t deny the incredible craftsmanship that went into this unusual build. And isn’t that what hot rodding is all about?
