Geo Metro XFI Convertible Project Finished

[Coyote X]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Meas...t-of-your-car/

doesn't take much to do the experiment other than some time and an empty road. Be interesting to do it two times, once top up and one top down.

But then again it would totally suck after I do all this work if I end up with a worse cd than stock

[dissimilation]

So I just drive the car and video record the instrumentation of it coasting from 70km/h to rest three times each direction, then repeat with the top down? I should be able to do that sometime, you can do the math after I post the videos.

[Coyote X]

Yep doing the calculations will be no problem, if you can get the videos to me or one of the others who are willing to calculate the numbers that would be great



Got a bit more done today, rear suspension is done. I just need to do some finish welding and turn the car to the other side so I can cut away the last of the rear unibody.



Check out my new digital camera, it does great. Kodak Z712 camera with really nice optics so it takes great pics

[MetroMPG]

This thread is astonishing to me. I've honestly never seen anything like this. Maybe it's common among tubular chassis builders, but I'm not one!

Do you have any idea what the weight savings might be from doing this?

[SVOboy]

I agree with darin, beyond my idea of cool, keep it up!

[Coyote X]

When the car was a stock shell I could pick it up by grabbing the bumper and using my legs. It was heavy but not impossible to lift. Now I can lift the back end as it is now using my arms. And I only have one side of the unibody cut away

I should get the rear end done this weekend unless something comes up. Once I get it I can put it back on the wheels. I'll pick up some bathroom scales and weigh it to see what I have now. I am really hoping to get the car to 1000lbs when it is done. I don't know if it will happen but that is what I am trying for.

[Coyote X]

Woohoo the back is finally done. Bet it won't rust out now

[Coyote X]

Cut into one of the front control arm mounts today to get a look at it.



The place circled in red is where the water and mud gets into the cavity. There is a hole in this one that I am not sure if there is a bolt in it and I just took it out already but it can also let water in.

I recommend everyone who has one of these cars as soon as it gets warm either drill a hole in the cavity and squirt oil in it or use the bolt hole that is shown on this picture. Put lots of oil in there to make sure it coats everything inside. It probably won't run out since the area is sealed at the bottom. Once you have it oiled up good get some silicon sealant and go around that seam on the top and seal it up really well. Also plug the hole if it is empty. Just put a bit of silicon in there so you can dig it out and oil that area once a year or so. Maybe fit a grease plug in there and give it a few squirts of grease every so often might work.

In that lower hole there is probably a 1/2 inch of rust and mud sitting on top of the mount. At least they didn't have 4 layers of metal 1/8 inch apart to make it worse. But with it cut open maybe everyone can see what would be involved with repairing that area for those that are curious. There is a 1280x960 image on my site for anyone that needs a good look at it.

[MetroMPG]

That's going to be really good info to explain to other Metro owners what happens to this mount.

I still think another big contributor to the problem - maybe the biggest contributor? - is the drain hole in the floor immediately behind the front tire. It opens into a cavity at the base of the firewall which is also connected to the control arm mount. Water entering that drain hole from tire spray can pool in the mount, if there's enough volume.

[Coyote X]

I haven't cut that part away yet so I didn't notice that drain plug But if it is open to the cavity it needs sealed up with silicon as well. I will be cutting a lot more away next weekend so we will see if there are any other hidden areas that let water in there.