1946 Chevy pickup truck is world’s oldest Prius hybrid. Really.1946 Chevy pickup truck is world’s oldest Prius hybrid. Really.

There are countless tales of classic cars and trucks receiving new life via parts from a completely different automobile.
Whether it’s an engine swap, a new platform, or a mix of a few different vehicles, project cars make for some of the greatest stories.
This 1946 Chevrolet pickup truck is something very different, however, and it’s a labor of hybridized love.
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Joe Winter, an Ohio contributor to the Ecomodder forum, has documented the build process of his 1946 Chevrolet pickup—in which the old internal-combustion engine was replaced with the hybrid powertrain from a Toyota Prius.
In a clash of two very different worlds, the owner worked diligently to preserve the looks of the classic Chevy truck, hiding every piece and part of the Prius.
Winter says the idea came to him after he realized he had a thing for odd automotive creations. With a Chevy pickup and a donated first-generation Prius on hand, he set out to make something different.
1946 Chevrolet pickup Toyota Prius conversion
The process involved more than just a powertrain swap: the truck is now quite literally a Toyota Prius under the skin.
The sub-frame from the Prius has been used and the Chevy pickup now sends power solely to its front wheels, after plenty of planning and some careful execution on the builder’s behalf.
The Prius digital dash display even remains hidden behind the glass of the original instrument cluster—that’s dedication.
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The final product speaks for itself: the old Chevy truck looks as if nothing has changed
Winter took great care to preserve the exterior dimensions and design of the truck.
In fact, he comments that he was shocked how well things simply bolted up or cleared various portions of the 70-year-old truck while he was figuring out how to install various Prius components in his 1946 Chevrolet.
1946 Chevrolet pickup Toyota Prius conversion
After months of hard work, the owner and Chevyota Priuck (the build’s running name)  set out on a maiden voyage.
His destination was a classic-car lawn event, which can be seen in the video above.
The truck glides slowly into its place with only the hum of electric power, from the Prius nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, to motivate it.
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There, Winter says the truck garnered plenty of attention and praise alike—though he’s also ready to take on any negativity surrounding the build if it comes his way.
For his hard work, we commend Joe Winter.
At his diligence in making his dream build come to life and seeing it through to the perfectly concealed end, we remain in awe.
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