Vibe mods: One man's quest to better 40mpg.

[4more]

Tango- I just joined and its nice to see a local on here. i enjoyed your thread i read it the other day before joining . Every vibe i see i look for the grille block to see if its you ha. I live in Middlebury but work and used to live in Goshen. i hope the job hunt is going good.

[Tango Charlie]

Hey, thanks 4more. I've been doing some mobile aircraft maintenance out of the back of Olivia. But it's been sparse. Today the wife and I have to go in for an IMPACT interview, some kind of lame government-run employment training thing. I'm real excited about it.
Keep looking for me, I'm out and about the Goshen and Elkhart area. I don't get over to Middlebury too often. I've still got the grille block in place, 'though it could use another coat of paint. A little chipped up around the edges. The interwheel strakes are still on, too. Haven't had a bit of trouble with them.
I'm saving my pocket change for a 4x8 sheet of coroplast. Bellypan, baby!

[Daox]

If you came to one of the EV build days I could probably just bring along the bellypan from the Matrix. You could have it. I'm sure the next owner wouldn't appreciate it.

[Weather Spotter]

I built a belly pan after reading Daox's thread over at MO
(03 Matrix Mpg Build Thread - Toyota Matrix Owners Forum).

My first one (pictured later in the thread) got damaged by a tire in the road. I used it as a guide for a new one. I still have it in the garage if you are interested in it, or I can make a CAD drawing of what I did.


2006 Matrix, 1.8L 1ZZFE 5 speed manual!

[Tango Charlie]

Daox; thanks for the offer. I would love to make it up to an EV build day, but I just can't justify the four hour trip at this time.

Weather Spotter; I felt kinda weird registering on a Matrix site, but we're cousins, right? Took a look at what you had posted, and it's pretty much where I want to start. Could you cut the old damaged panel into mailable sizes? Heck, you wouldn't even need to package it. Just tape the pieces together and write my address on it. If this is something you'd be willing to do, let me know. I'd be happy to pay the shipping if it's not too much. Sure would save me a lot of time cutting and fitting a cardboard template.

On a related note, I found a local supplier for coroplast. I chased them down by going to the Authorized Distributor page on the Coroplast website. I'm fortunate enough to have a SABIC branch in town, about 15 minutes away. They sell 4x8 sheets (of white only), for 12 bucks a sheet!

[Daox]

Wow, thats cheap. I think I paid double that at the local sign shop.

[Weather Spotter]

Weather Spotter; I felt kinda weird registering on a Matrix site, but we're cousins, right?

There are lots of vibes on MO, the cars are almost identical, so join up!



Took a look at what you had posted, and it's pretty much where I want to start. Could you cut the old damaged panel into mailable sizes? Heck, you wouldn't even need to package it. Just tape the pieces together and write my address on it. If this is something you'd be willing to do, let me know. I'd be happy to pay the shipping if it's not too much. Sure would save me a lot of time cutting and fitting a cardboard template.

I can look into mailing in, on second thought why not just make a paper copy and mail that? can you use a CAD file (I can draw out what I made then email it to you)?

[Tango Charlie]

Yeah, I thought $12 is cheap, too. They stock only white, but being a distributor, they can order any color for me. But white is fine for a belly panel.

Weather Spotter; yeah, I don't see why a paper template wouldn't work. You could fold it up and slip it in a manila folder. I'll PM you my address.
I don't have CAD capability. Wish I did.

[Tango Charlie]

Well, Olivia and I continue to soldier on. The landscape has thawed and summer gasoline has returned to the pumps.

Last week I wheeled through a Taco Bell drive-through...(don't judge me. I know rule #17, so don't quote it to me. Ha ha!)
As I was pulling out, I didn't see their huge Arctic Ocean Icebreaker-sized curbing. I heard a sickening scraping and cracking as Olivia lurched sideways. So now the strake on the passenger side is cracked almost halfway back. Dangnabbit! I guess that's what you call Instant Karma. Stupid Taco Bell. They sure do make a mean Bacon Ranch Tortada, though. *sigh*

I'm leaving in the morning for Memphis, TN for a week-long training class. I've got a two month contract job with a small regional airline. I think the strake will hold together for the trip there and back.

...A Vibe barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild her. We have the technology. We have the capability. Better than she was before. Better...stronger...faster...
*whazshonk onk onk onk*

I haven't put a mod on her for so long, I don't even feel like an ecomodder anymore. Here's hoping that will change in the near future.

[Tango Charlie]

Methinks it's time for new tires.