A method of converting production hybrid motor vehicles into hybrid livery motor vehicles. In a preferred embodiment, a production hybrid sedan motor vehicle is extended in length to meet with livery requirements, wherein said extension can be performed either at the center section of said vehicle, thereby providing additional room for the installation of a partition in taxi applications, or by extending the rear door section, thereby providing additional legroom for limousine or corporate vehicle applications. The resulting extended hybrid sedan, possessing an augmented passenger cargo compartment, can be utilized as a hybrid livery motor vehicle comprising reduced carbon emissions and superior gas mileage and brilliantly suited for urban employment.
1. A method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment, said method comprising the steps of:
disconnecting a vehicle batteries; unplugging a service disconnect from said battery and removing said battery; removing the vehicle left and right kick panels; removing B-Pillar covers and upper Pillar covers of vehicle; removing a vehicle's seats; removing a vehicle's seat belts; removing a vehicle's shoulder harnesses; unplugging a vehicle's overhead and front vanity mirror; removing a vehicle overhead dome light; removing a vehicle headliner; removing a vehicle's carpet unplugging a vehicle's OEM wiring and repositioning said OEM wiring; removing a vehicle's rear deck; removing a vehicle's rear door panels; and, removing a vehicle's front step plates. 2. The method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment of a rear door's glass; a set of window chrome on doors; a front interior door panel, a dash; a hood; a set of fenders; a trunk; and, a complete front and a complete rear of car. 3. The method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment of lifting a vehicle onto a elevated rack; removing a vehicle's rear doors; removing a vehicle's rear tires; and removing a vehicle's exhaust and exhaust shield; 4. The method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment of installing a rear bracket in a vehicle's rear frame cross brace and center pieces of the rack, and; installing a side brackets to a vehicle. 5. The method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment of welding a vehicle frame onto the preloaded rack of said production hybrid motor vehicle; welding a vehicle body to the rack; installing a vehicle's inside racks in the rear and front of said vehicle; cutting a vehicle's fuel lines and cutting said vehicle's brake lines from front of bend in said vehicle's lines at rear floor; installing a floor support into a vehicle; cutting a vehicle; grinding a vehicle's welding surfaces; installing a vehicle's inner and outer supports; installing a 1″×2″×⅛″ tube in a vehicle's upper roof rail and welding said upper roof rail into place with 6⅛″ spacing; installing a vehicle's inner and outer roof rails; installing a vehicle's inner rocker supports; installing a vehicle's inner and outer rocker panels; installing a vehicle's floor panels; installing a vehicle's floor supports; installing a inner support plate and bow in a vehicle's roof; clamping a vehicle's assembly to maintain roof shape; and installing a vehicle's roof bow at drawing location. 6. The method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle to a hybrid livery motor vehicle having an extended passenger compartment of coating a vehicle's OEM fuel lines with rust prevention material; removing a vehicle's frame brackets; removing a vehicle from fixture; installing a vehicle floor tunnel piece; welding a vehicle floor tunnel piece in place; connecting a vehicle floor tunnel piece to extended said vehicle's floor panels; welding a vehicle floor tunnel piece to said vehicle's floor panels; seaming a vehicle floor tunnel piece to said vehicle's floor panels; installing a vehicle's exhaust extension to said vehicle's exhaust pipe; installing exhaust pipe; cutting a vehicle inner door with an air saw; cutting a vehicle door front section of said door skin; grinding a vehicle door's edges to a ½″; sliding two cut pieces of a vehicle door apart to 6⅛41 ; installing a lower and upper extension to a vehicle door and welding said lower and upper extension and grinding said upper and lower extension; installing a upper and lower outside door skin to a vehicle door and welding said upper and lower outside door skin and grinding said upper and lower outside door skin; installing a vehicle inner door channel extensions; installing a padding on a vehicle floor recesses; installing a vehicle OEM rug at rear and front of said vehicle; installing a vehicle's kick and step plates; installing a vehicle's pillar covers; installing a vehicle's seat belts; installing all fasteners to OEM torque specifications; installing a vehicle side air bags; installing a vehicle headliner; installing a vehicle's rear doors installing OEM door wires to a vehicle; installing a vehicle's glass window shields; installing a vehicle door panel; installing a 6″ door extension panel to a vehicle; installing a belt molding with extension to a vehicle; installing a vehicle drive battery; and, reconnecting all grounds and power cords to a vehicle.
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a method of converting a motor vehicle into a livery motor vehicle, and more particularly, to a method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle. 2. Description of the Related Art The livery industry is a multibillion dollar industry comprised of a plurality of motor vehicles, operators, as well as a plethora of passengers from across United States and around the world. The livery motor vehicle, with its extended passenger compartment, is a crucial component of this industry, and the method of converting production motor vehicles into extended livery motor vehicles is well known in the art. As a result of recent environmental concerns, government agencies as well as a number of private corporations have pushed for a reduction of carbon emissions. The livery industry, with its millions of motor vehicles across the United States and around the world is a major contributor of global carbon emissions. For this reason, as well as out of energy independence concerns, the livery motor vehicle industry has recently come under heavy pressure to make the switch toward a cleaner and more energy efficient transportation solution. The livery motor vehicle industry in turn has answered the “switch to green” call by experimenting with alternate fuel sources such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Propane, which the industry has implemented in their LINCOLN TOWN CAR™ and MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS™ fleet. Unfortunately, the reduction in carbon emissions resulting from implementing these technologies has come at a price of a roughly twenty percent increase in fuel consumption, and consequently this approach has proven ineffective in meeting the aforementioned environmental and energy independence concerns. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a low carbon emission, and highly energy efficient hybrid livery motor vehicle, by extending from three to twelve inches the wheelbase of production hybrid motor vehicles, thereby increasing the passenger compartment size, an essential requirement to meet the needs of the taxi, limousine, corporate transportation and other livery industries. The present method can be utilized on any production hybrid vehicle, and meets or exceeds: Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Standards, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), as well as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emission requirements. Additionally, the present method allows one skilled in the art to either elongate the vehicle in the mid-section, to produce a hybrid taxi motor vehicle, or to elongate the vehicle at the rear door, to produce a limousine motor vehicle. The instant invention, as described further herein, imparts a method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle, wherein said livery motor vehicle produces less carbon emissions, and provides far greater gas mileage than traditional, non-hybrid, livery motor vehicles. The instant invention as illustrated herein, is neither anticipated, nor rendered obvious or present in any of the prior art methods, neither alone nor in any combination thereof. A primary object of the instant invention is to provide a method for converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a low carbon emission and energy efficient hybrid livery motor vehicle. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method for converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle provides additional passenger cargo space. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method for converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle's additional passenger cargo space, provides passengers with an additional level of comfort. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method for converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle's additional passenger cargo space, facilitates the installation of a partition to be used in taxi motor vehicle application. Another object of the instant invention is to provide a method for converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle's additional wheel base provides enhanced handling and road stability during operation. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the method of converting a production hybrid motor vehicle into a hybrid livery motor vehicle in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are used for descriptive purposes, and should not be regarded as limiting. Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Below is described the method for standard conversion operations for and the standard operation description for design input/output and particularly a Hybrid L type vehicle as follows: 1. When designing vehicles interiors and exteriors consider the following standards must be met
2. When validating design results the following conditions must be met.
Process Sheet Strip Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Wash complete car in the car wash 2. Shammy car where not completely dry from car wash 3. Put all door windows down 4. Pull front seats forward 5. Remove key from ignition & disconnect battery 6. Cordan off the car with four orange cones 7. Drop rear seat back down 8. Unplug service disconnect from drive battery 9. Unplug remaining wire from drive battery 10. Unbolt drive battery 11. Remove drive battery, tag stock # and store 12. Remove the orange cones from around the vehicle 13. All nuts—bolts and screws to be placed in bin—put in trunk if not noted 14. Remove left and right kick panels—place in trunk 15. Remove −b—pillar covers (left+right)—place in trunk 16. Remove bottom of rear seat tag stock#—put in storage 17. Remove top of rear seat tag stock#—put in storage 18. Remove nuts from seats and seat belts 19. Remove all seats and tag stock# and put in storage 20. Remove nuts from shoulder harness 21. Remove upper pillar covers left and right—place in trunk 22. Remove bolts from shoulder harness 23. Remove screws from overhead grab handles 24. Remove screws from front overhead vanity mirrors—place in box 25. Unplug 2 rear overhead grab handles—place in box 26. Unplug 2 front vanity mirrors—place in trunk 27. Remove headliner complete through right front door—tag for storage 28. Unplug dome light harness—tag—place in electrical storage area 29. All nuts, screws, seat belts, grab handles, place in box and put in trunk 30. Remove carpet—tag stock# and place in storage 31. Unplug OEM wiring 32. Remove rear deck—place in trunk 33. Remove 2 rear door panels—left+right—place in trunk and put bulbs in box 34. Remove 2 front step plates—left+right—place in trunk 35. Tape, cover rear door glass 36. Using 3m tape all window chrome on doors 37. Use vinyl covers on front interior door panel+glass use 3m tape 38. Cover dash with vinyl cover using 3m tape 39. Cover hood, fenders and trunk lid with american biltrite auto wrap 40. Using vinyl—cover complete front of car with 3m tape 41. Using vinyl—cover, complete rear of car with 3m tape 42. Place wood cover over inside of rear window and seat back & tape around all edges to seal off glass & trunk Process Sheet Rack Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Center car on track 2. Remove key 3. Disconnect battery 4. Remove rear doors and door wires 5. Jack up car and remove rear tires 6. Unhook emergency brake 7. Unhook exhaust remove exhaust shield 8. Install rear ford bracket in hole in rear frame cross brace 9. Install center pieces of rack fixture 10. Lower car and align rear pin fully seated toward rear 11. Preload frame install 4 ford side brackets and adjust rack bolts
12. Weld frame preload body and weld body to rack 8 bolts 13. Install inside racks, rear first and tack. Add front floor support 14. Mark roof cut and index marks—mark floor cut (separate sketch) 15. Cover fuel lines and cut floor for fuel line access use template 16. Cut fuel and brake line from front of bend in lines at rear floor return 3½″ fuel 3″ brake 2½′ and 2″. 17. Record squareness readings before & after cutting 18. Cut car and grind welding surfaces 19. Install inner and outer supports 20. Install 1″×2″×⅛″ tube in upper roof rail 21. Weld in place with 6 ⅛″ spacing 22. Install inner and outer roof rail and weld 23. Install inner and outer rocker panel and weld 24. Install floor panel and floor support and weld 25. Install roof inner support plate and roof bow 26. Install roof and clamp assembly maintaining roof shape 27. Install second roof bow at drawing location 28. Grind OEM fuel lines and install fuel and brake lines+bleed system 29. Install fuel line clips (per notes for location) 30. Install rear tires and torque to factory specifications 31. Coat exposed OEM fuel lines with rust preventative material 32. Check for leaks—all lines 33. Install emergency brake cable extension and coupler. 34. Remove brackets. die cut preload belt welds 35. Remove main rack bolts. 36. Grind remaining welds 37. Clean off car—blow off dust 38. Remove vehicle from fixture 39. Place vehicle on lift 40. Install floor tunnel piece and weld in place 41. Hammer factory floor panels up to contact extended floor panels—weld floors together welding clamp location: The welding clamp is to be clamped to a similar material as being welded. (ie. welding frame clamp to frame—welding body clamp to body)
42. Blow off dirt and wipe floors and exhaust clean with 3812 43. Seam seal all welded areas 44. *Check emergency brake for proper clearance 45. Tape exhaust pipe and outside rockers 20″ past welded seam areas 46.Spray floors with sound deadening fuser 805 wheel house coating 47. Weld exhaust extensions to exhaust pipe and check alignment 48. Install exhaust shields and exhaust system Process Sheet Door Stretch Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description Option One—OEM Glass 1. Set door on table 2. Lay out cut lines from drawings inside and out 3. Install fixture bolt tack weld as needed 4. Cut door with air saw, grind all edges ½″ 5. Slide fixture apart 6⅛″ and install pins to locate 6. Install lower inside extension weld and grind 7. Install upper inside extension weld and grind 8. Install inside door shell extension weld and grind 9. Turn door over cut out front section of door skin 10. Install upper outside door skin weld and grind 11. Install lower outside door skin weld and grind 12. Glue front and grind all welds 13. Install inner door channel extensions 14. Fabricate new side intrusion beam using factory ends with HSLA steel tubing per drawings Option Two—Long Glass 1. Same procedure as option one less upper outside door skin and upper inside door shell extensions Stamped Door Skin 1. Install outside door skin stamped as one piece and installed on door shell with glue or welded Process Sheet Door Prep Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Put doors on stands with inside facing up 2. grind all burred surfaces 3. DA with 80 grit paper all 3 outside edges smooth 4. clean inside of the panel with lacquer thinner 5. rag until dirt and oil are removed 6. repeat operation with special metal prep (360-4) 7. blow off panels to remove excess dirt particles 8. spray one coat of epoxy primer on entire inside of panel (801-1871) 9. allow to flash off 10. seam seal all welded edges inside of panel Outside of Door—Turn Door Over to the Outside Face 1. Clean entire surface with lacquer thinner 2. Rag until all dirt and oil are removed 3. Repeat operation with metal prep (360-4) 4. Grind all welded areas on all edges and obvious dents (use 50 grit) 5. DA with 80 grit paper the rest of the ungrounded panel 6. Tape off body lines so the Bondo does not flow into them 7. Bondo all ground areas and allow to dry 8. DA with 40 grit paper the Bondo cut down to desired height 9. Hand sand with long board and 40 grit paper until straight 10. Hand sand with 80 grit 11. Finish Bondo work with 180 grit 12. Blow off panel and sand off any excess Bondo 13. Clean panel of any dust and apply a thin coat of epoxy primer (801-1871) 14. Allow to flash off 15. Spray on a quart (3 to 4 coats) of polyester filler (1006-23) 16. Panel can be baked in spray booth and ready to sand in 45 minutes 17. When dry, guide coat panels with dark grey lacquer primer (6021) 18. Use 220 grit paper on long board and sand all areas that will show 19. When the set of doors has been sanded, there are usually a number of small dents and dings that are visible—mix ever coat spot putty and fill visible dents and dings 20. Sand spot putty with 220 grit until flat 21. Blow panel off and guide coat again (6021) 22. Repeat sanding operation with 220 grit board sand paper 23. When completed blow off panels and check edges for smoothness 24. Tack cloth off panel and apply 3 coats of finish primer (DP-20) 25. When primer has flashed off, scuff until smooth 1. Spray on a guide coat of dark grey lacquer primer (6021) 2. Dry sand all areas that show with 320 grit paper on board 3. (Guide coat again with 6021) 4. Then wet sand same areas with 400 grit wet or dry 5. Repeat operation with 600 grit paper 6. Dry off with a paper towel Process Sheet Vehicle Prep Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Tape rear door jams and tape rear dogleg moldings 2. Outline tape quarter panels and doglegs 3. Tape quarter panel at top with 2″ tape and rearward 6″ 4. Paper and tape rear bumper at quarter panel 5. Paper and tape quarter panel from body line approximately 4 ft to rear taillight 6. Paper and tape upper quarter and carry 6″ to roof panel down to tire line 7. Cover complete rear of car from roof to bumper 8. Install inside rear window wooden cover 9. Tape using 2″ tape to seal off all openings to protect rear window from overspray 10. Tape safety belt latches 11. Install front cover from roof to front bumper 12. Cover dashboard 13. Install drop cover to protect windshield, steering wheel and lower dash 14. Fasten at top roof rail grooves 15. Tape upper cover to inside roof with 2″ tape 16. Fold drop cover over front of windshield and tape to hood cover 17. Tape off any existing holes to protect windshield from overspray 18. Install paper on front doors 1″ above moldings ½ way onto door 19. Wrap around inside and tape to front door cover 20. Install front door covers 21. Grind roof at front, rear welds approximately 2″ onto new roof and 4″ onto OEM roof with 36 grit paper 22. Grind rear pillar at upper weld to roof rail and lower pillar to rockers with 36 grit 23. Install 1 coat of Bondo on roof at ground areas approximately ⅛″ thick 24. Let set for 5 minutes 25. Sand areas with 36 grit until new roof is flush with OEM roof 26. Install 2nd coat of Bondo 1/16″ thick, 8″ wide. wait 5 minutes 27. sand with 36 grit to taper Bondo to OEM roof 28. Bondo roof rail at upper pillar and rockers at lower pillar at welded seams 29. Skim coat and let set for 5 minutes 30. Sand with 80 grit to match contours of OEM roof rail and rocker panel 31. Metal glaze upper, lower sanded areas 32. Sand with 80 grit forming to OEM roof rails, rocker 33. Check for porosity 34. Finish sand with 180 grit 35. Check for any porosity again 36. Repeat step 34 above as necessary 37. Scotch brite (red or gray) door jams 38. Blow out all dust and shavings 39. Wipe down inner roof, roof rails and floor with metal cleaner (901) 40. Cover rear tiers with green masking paper 41. Close doors fold paper over doors and tape 42. Prime all bare metal inside and out with epoxy primer (801-1871) 43. Prime all Bondo areas with epoxy primer (801-1871) 44. Let dry for 10 minutes 45. Rescuff rear door jams with (gray or red) scotchbrite 46. Blow off rear door jams 47. Wipe rear door jams off with 901 cleaner 48. Wet floor below rear door jams 49. Seam seal all floor welds 50. Tack rag rear door jam removing all dust particles 51. Paint from b pillar to rear dogleg 52. Paint rear door jams 53. Paint from top of door jam to b pillar 54. Apply 3 to 4 coats 22 line single stage paint and wait 7 minutes between coats (see mixing chart PM-1) 55. Wait 15 minutes and remove all covers previously installed Process Sheet Paint Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Apply 18″ masking paper to rear edge of front fender 2. Apply 18″ masking paper to front edge of rear quarter 3. Apply 18″ masking paper to windshield (3 strips)—adhere ends of paper with 2″ tape 4. Place car in spray booth 5. Cover deck lid with plastic—adhered with 2″ tape 6. Cover front fenders and hood with plastic—adhered with 2″ tape 7. Cover all tires with tire covers 8. Inspect all sanding and taping procedures adjust as necessary 9. Wet down spray booth floor 10. Remove dust from car with blow gun 11. Clean car with prep solvent (901) 12. Apply primer (EP-689) to all bare metal spots 1. See spray gun charts for proper usage (SG-1) 2. Apply 2-3 coats diamont base coat to car 3. Let set for 10 minutes between coats at 68F, final flash 20 minutes. 4. Using 1000-grit sandpaper—sand all blemishes 5. Wet down booth floor 6. Remove particles from car with blow gun 7. Using tack rag—remove all residues from car white cars 1. See spray gund charts for proper usage (SG-1) 2. Apply 3-4 coats diamond base coat to car 3. Let set up 10 minutes between coats at 68F. Final flash 20 minutes. 4. Using 1000-grit sandpaper—sand all blemishes 5. Wet down spray booth floor 6. Remove particles from car with blowgun 7. Let set 15 minutes 8. Using tack rag—remove all residues from car all other colored cars—paint entire side of car 1. See spray gun charts for proper usage (SG-1) 2. Apply 2 coats to vehicle 3. Let set up to 5 minutes between coats 4. Black cars—DC 5300 (see mixing chart PM-1) 5. White cars—DC 5300 (see mixing chart PM-1) 6. Blake car at 140 degrees for 45 minutes 7. Let cool 10 minutes 8. Remove all masking paper and tape 9. Remove from booth 10. Complete “quality inspection checklist” Process Sheet Assembly 1 Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Remove key from ignition 2. Disconnect (-) battery terminal 3. Review job order 4. Run all harnesses front to back putting all connectors and clips in their original location then lay down wire tracks 5. Add two wire harnesses for vanity mirrors 1. Test all electrical components for functionality Process Sheet Assembly 2 Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Install padding on floor recesses 2. Install rug from rear of front seats to rear seat base 3. Install OEM rug cut off at rear seat base 4. Install OEM rug front of car 5. Install four kick plates and step plates 6. Install pillar covers 7. Install seat belts and torque to OEM specifications 8. Install side air bags and connect 1. Install rear doors aligning gaps to standards 2. Install OEM door wires and relocate clips as needed 3. Install door rubbers 4. Install door glass 5. Install OEM door panel 6. Install 6″ extension door panel 7. Install belt molding with extension 1. Build headliner on bench add 6″ extension padding cover assembly 2. Install headliner with vanity mirrors 1. Reinstall factory drive battery 2. Connect all grounds and power cords to original connectors 3. Install all seats torque to OEM specifications Process Sheet Detail Stretch Length Hybrid L Standard Operation Description 1. Remove key 2. Disconnect battery 3. Review job order 4. Wash car 5. Remove excess glue from exterior 6. Remove excess glue from interior—caution should be taken with vinyl and leather components 7. Remove all grease pencil marks on interior and exterior parts 8. Vacuum drivers compartment 9. Vacuum rear passenger compartment 10. Clean windows exterior and interior 11. Clean ashtrays 12. Buff exterior of vehicle 13. Wax and polish exterior 14. Inspect exterior paint work check for overspray dirt runs and appearance 15. Install front floor mats 16. Install overlay carpet 17. Clean and vacuum trunk 18. Check spare tire and jack 19. Install exterior emblemsBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Inside of Door
Final Prep
Masking Procedure
Black Cars
Clear Coat Procedure
Electrical Department
Test