Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > General Efficiency Discussion
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 03-18-2010, 10:16 PM   #1 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Another car for MetroMPG: convertible 1991 Pontiac Firefly (Geo Metro)

Why? Because it was there!

(Actually the truth is I've been biking / walking past this car several times a week for about 15 years, and thought if it ever went up for sale, I'd be interested. The sign went in the windshield on Tuesday afternoon and I got it Wednesday morning.)

1991 Pontiac Firefly convertible...

I don't have any pics of it, but captured this from Google Streetview:



Feel free to snoop around more, if you like: Streetview link.

Note the awesome Miami Vice era original vinyl decals! Cringingly awesome! (I'm looking for a good razor blade...)

Specs...
  • 3-pot, oil changed every 4 months (says the owner)
  • 5-cog
  • 109,000 km / 68k original miles
  • mechanically very good - only problem I spotted so far is a loud right front wheel bearing
  • recent new top
  • good engine - I haven't compression tested it, but it runs smooth, pulls strong, and doesn't burn oil
  • good trans - no "2nd gear crunch" at all
  • solid control arm mounts, but significant floorboard rust (footwell area) from convertible top water leaks accumulating puddles. It's already been patched once - nothing that can't be fixed again
I need another car like I need a hole in my head. But 800 bucks seemed OK to me for a relatively efficient toy in need of someone who can tend to it (floor).

Besides, (I rationalized), it's not going to lose any value, and I recently got a spot with extra garage parking, so I've got somewhere to keep it out of the weather.

Mods!

Yes I'll mod it too. Imagining an aeroshell style removable soft- or hardtop is fun.

The car has the worst (ie. shortest) final drive of any of the 3-cylinder Metroids, so that will have to be fixed at some point, or I have to limit my top speed to 60 km/h.

I'm picking up a set of GT side skirts this weekend from a friend who for some reason has kept a dead Swift GT for years, and I may have a lead on some lightweight (10.5 lb) 14 inch Suzuki rims too.

I am looking for some used OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE92's to put on it ... if you know of any, let me know!

No immediate plans to put it on the road though. I have a pile of other things to do. So I'll park it until later this summer, or maybe until next year. Then use it a couple months a year ... at least until Barrett Jackson comes knocking on my door demanding I put it on the block for the throngs of deep-pocketed collectors clamoring for classic Geos.

---

Specifications 1990-1994 Geo Metro

2-door convertible / 2-door hatchback

Wheelbase, in. 89.2 89.2
Overall Length, in. 147.4 147.4
Overall Width, in. 62.7 62.0
Overall Height, in. 52.0 52.4
Curb Weight, lbs. 1753 1650
Cargo Volume, cu. ft. 6.4 29.1
Fuel Capacity, gals. 10.6 10.6
Front Head Room, in. 39.6 37.8
Max. Front Leg Room, in. 42.4 42.5

source: http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...eo-metro-8.htm

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	google-streetview.jpg
Views:	1413
Size:	34.8 KB
ID:	5793  
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 03-18-2010, 10:43 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
roflwaffle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,490

Camryaro - '92 Toyota Camry LE V6
90 day: 31.12 mpg (US)

Red - '00 Honda Insight

Prius - '05 Toyota Prius

3 - '18 Tesla Model 3
90 day: 152.47 mpg (US)
Thanks: 349
Thanked 122 Times in 80 Posts
Iono meng. I always dig period correct decals from whatever time period, they add so much character to a car. Sooner or later most people remove 'em so they're kinda rare on top of that. Not worth anything, but neat to have IMO.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2010, 10:48 PM   #3 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
I definitely hear what you're saying. I can appreciate them too... but on other people's cars.

As a compromise: I could take lots and lots of detailed photos. That way if I ever regret the decision to remove 'em, I can have a fresh set made up. (They're far from mint - the whole car is far from mint.)
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-18-2010, 11:42 PM   #4 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
robbiewt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boo Town, MD
Posts: 129

Yaris? - '08 Toyota Yaris LB
Team Toyota
90 day: 41.87 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts
Send a message via AIM to robbiewt
19 year old decals! That will be quite a pain to remove. I would just sand them down and start painting. But, I would probably end up with something more embarrassing.
__________________

  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 01:07 AM   #5 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
Blades? Sanding?

Finger nails, heat gun, and goo gone and that decal is outta there with no damage to the paint.

Now you can (relatively) easily do this!!!

__________________


  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 03:16 AM   #6 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,688

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,266
Thanked 718 Times in 455 Posts
I can't wait to see that new Metro with an aero-hardtop. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!!
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 09:59 AM   #7 (permalink)
Hypermiler
 
PaleMelanesian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,321

PaleCivic (retired) - '96 Honda Civic DX Sedan
90 day: 69.2 mpg (US)

PaleFit - '09 Honda Fit Sport
Team Honda
Wagons
90 day: 44.06 mpg (US)
Thanks: 611
Thanked 433 Times in 283 Posts
Aeroshell was my very FIRST thought when I saw the word "convertible". Do It!
__________________



11-mile commute: 100 mpg - - - Tank: 90.2 mpg / 1191 miles
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 11:00 AM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Leadville, CO
Posts: 509

Maroon Ballon - '98 Chrysler Town & Country LXI
90 day: 26.42 mpg (US)

MaEsTRO - '95 Geo Metro 5spd hatch, 3 cyl
Thanks: 47
Thanked 54 Times in 38 Posts
15 years? Your power of suggestion is inspiring!

Now that I look at the graphics, they're not nearly as horrible as you described. If you remove them there will be a shadow from sunfade underneath.

Without having a roofline dictated, an aeroshell with boat-tail and skirts incorporated would be awesome. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 11:37 PM   #9 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Wonderboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 674

The Fruit Bat - '01 Honda Insight
Last 3: 54.26 mpg (US)

Current - '21 Subaru Impreza Wagon
90 day: 34.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 40
Thanked 39 Times in 27 Posts
Did someone say MIAMI VICE? That's right, if you didn't have anything better to do, here's 27 action-packed DVDs. Looks like it was priced to move at 40 bucks cause it sold out faster than than one of Don Johnson's marriages. Too bad MST3K box sets don't sell for that much.
__________________
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2010, 11:37 PM   #10 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
Now you can (relatively) easily do this!!!

Yeah - too bad about my pesky windshield!

Quote:
Originally Posted by thatguitarguy View Post
the graphics, they're not nearly as horrible as you described. If you remove them there will be a shadow from sunfade underneath.
That will be an issue. The paint is fairly oxidized though, so it's in need of a good compound/buffing treatment anyway. And fortunately, the paint differences are best hidden by white.

Quote:
Without having a roofline dictated, an aeroshell with boat-tail and skirts incorporated would be awesome. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.
I'm looking forward to playing! But not in the near future - tomorrow the car is going into storage for a couple of months at least.

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread bennelson Fossil Fuel Free 1499 12-22-2019 07:24 PM
Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift MetroMPG Fossil Fuel Free 1041 07-28-2014 09:19 AM
WANTED: Turn signal switch for a 1991 Geo Metro convertible 90metro For Sale 2 02-25-2010 04:11 AM
Geo Metro XFI Convertible Project Finished Coyote X EcoModding Central 227 11-14-2009 10:31 PM
XFI'd Pontiac Firefly LE ..Convertible! canhonkey EcoModding Central 5 11-06-2008 05:07 PM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com