Insight Pickup Truck?

[Cobb]

Ive seen photos of quite a few cars including a prius made into a small pick up truck, but not an insight.

Not too sure how to really approach this, but here is a shot.

I am guessing first all there will be no rear windows, so a back up camera is a must and a new mount for the license plate with light.

The rear hatch will be removed and the rear doors would be replaced with solid sheet of steel, unless the doors as is would be better?

Then cut off part of the roof to almost the dome light. Then to leave the original plumbing in place for the ima system, gut the rear interior minus the ima system and its cooling system.

Make a fiberglass tub insert to go in from behind the front seats t the floor to the back. It would over lap the rear sails and top where you removed part of the roof.

This way you got a weather proof seal from the outside. Then inside that tub insert that is glued and bolted in place is where a truck like bed is made, inserted. This will allow hauling gravel, dirt or larger and tall items and the bed will look like the ridgeline truck with the high sides.

I am not sure how tuff fiber glass is. I know bath tubes are made out of it and its tough as hell. I know corvettes are made out of it and you can use your finger to push a dimple in it.

A tail gate could be made from part of the rear hatch and a hinge and some hardware store slide bolt locks.

Just something to think about. I find I need a small truck more and more and my Insight is really only going to be a 2 seater at this point.

I guess we could by pass any cutting and just remove the hatch and insert the tub and bed liner and move the license plate, add light and camera?

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[Eli]

Originally Posted by Cobb

...I find I need a small truck more and more and my Insight is really only going to be a 2 seater at this point.

Buy a 1st gen already.

[isoErnie]

I would think that you might have a drainage issue with the tub concept...unless it will never see rain.

[Cobb]

If drainage is the only issue, then I better get to work.


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[samwichse]

Unibody cars really rely on the whole body for integrity... I suspect that removing a large part of the roof and especially the gutter rails would hugely decrease the frame strength. You're going to need to do some structural work underneath the car for sure (and some bracing where you cut through to make the front of the bed).

[firsthonda]

Wouldn't you also compromise aerodynamics by cutting the roof etc?

[firsthonda]

Originally Posted by Eli

Buy a 1st gen already.

They should have kept the first gen, just changed the body style a little and modernized the interior. I'm betting with a PHEV kit, it would be a 90-100 MPG car.

[Cobb]

Erik of Green drive expo would say its a 120mpg car with the enginer phev kit and mima.

The more I think about it, the more the tub idea makes sense. Just pop the hatch, insert tub and start hauling.

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