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Toyota Prius Morphs Into 1969 Ford Mustang Coupe, Don’t Expect Any Burnouts

Electrifying an old car isn’t uncommon. There are plenty of aftermarket solutions out there, and even automakers such as Jaguar have treated us to the likes of the E-Type Zero. A few individuals, however, prefer to make their own EVs.
1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney 8 photos
Photo: David Phinney on Facebook
1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney1969 Ford Mustang hybrid conversion with Toyota Prius underpinnings by David Phinney
David Phinney from Florida is one of them, and his pride and joy is a Toyota Prius with the body shell of a pony car. What comes as a surprise is that the Frankenstein hybrid in the photo gallery “goes faster than a stock ’69 Mustang.”

When asked on Facebook about the wheelbase difference, David replied “about one.” This explains why the two-door coupe body shell fits so well on the Prius chassis. According to David, “I had it registered and insured for about six months on the road as a 1969 Mustang just like this.” One of the most notable challenges of this build is the steering wheel’s location. The owner had to extend the column out, and sooner rather than later, the pedals will be extended a little too.

As the headline implies, don’t expect this blast from the past with hybrid propulsion to slay at the strip. The Prius from this generation relies on a 1.8-liter engine that develops approximately 90 horsepower. The e-motor levels the output to 134 horsepower, and lest we forget, that’s a front-wheel-drive chassis.

David hasn’t given any estimates for completion nor did he mention what’s next on his to-do list. Ford, on the other hand, is hard at work developing the S650 Mustang which is going to offer a hybrid option with V8 levels of power at the very least. Up to this point, there are two possible outcomes for the electrified pony.

Raj Nair once let it slip that the Mustang Hybrid will feature “electric motors” and an “EcoBoost-type engine.” But more recently, Ford has filed a design patent for a Coyote V8 with two e-motors affixed to the sides of the oil pan. Whatever the future may hold, the S650 will roll out in 2022 for the 2023 model year.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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