[RIZOBIZERT]

I'm not all about speed. I'm trying to find a compromise on a variety of issues. Yes, the K swap is expensive and with regards to money, I'm going through the Dave Ramsey "Total Money Makeover". So, yes, I do care about money. There's a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to me. Yes, I want to go fast on occasion, or stick it in a turn, but 90% of the time or better it's just me in that steel box cruising along. As for the motorcycle, I agree, but again it's not all about that and if I were to add various aerodynamic items to that bike wouldn't it make it faster or accelerate quicker potentially? This is where ecomodder comes in. I know how to make my car faster, I know how to make it stop better and I know how to make it turn faster, but I'm not real familiar with making it more efficient or aerodynamic. So, back to one of my original questions:

Has anyone used a Kpro for fuel efficiency as well as power when going to wide open throttle?

Has anyone put a Kammback on an Integra? Yes, the roof line on the Integra slopes, but then there is all that dirty air around the tail lamps and the rear bumper. On my particular car I have a class III hitch from a Ford F350. It's on the car in place of my rear reinforcement. I was thinking of making a Kammback that is removable via the hitch. I could plug in the tail lamps to the trailer wire harness and remove or install the entire thing in a matter of seconds (hopefully, again it's just an idea). As for choosing the Integra over the hatch: My hatch is the SI and weighs 2400 lbs. stock (or about that), the Integra is 2650-2700 lbs., so I'm taking on 300 lbs. Some of you guys add batteries so the alternator won't have to work, so for me the 300 lbs. difference is worth it from the aerodynamic standpoint. I'm not sure at what speed or how they measure fuel efficiency from the manufacturer, but I don't think they do it at 70 mph, perhaps 55. This is a huge difference in drag and force on the vehicle and as a result fuel usage. Let me put this a different way, my friend had a stock Integra Type R and I raced him with my K20 (more horsepower, better gearing for acceleration and lighter) hatch. I was able to pull on him until about 70-80 mph and then the Integra was even with me and at some point would have passed me due to the aerodynamic factor I'm sure. My car is a 6 speed, his is a 5, mine weighs about 200 lbs. less and probably has about 20-25 hp more. But again, I would probably lose on a racetrack due to the aerodynamics. And yes, as for the lip on my car, it's going away when I swap to the Integra. The Integra already comes with a full size radiator and I'll be installing a block on the front grille. I never thought about this until reading ecomodder (again, this is where you guys come in). As I've read, but never thought about, the radiator was designed to keep the car cool when at the extremes (driving through the desert, pulling a boat and having the A/C on). I never thought about it like that. So, Kpro allows me to see my actual coolant temp and turn my fans on at the temperature I choose. By the way, I tow a 16' box trailer on occasion or a car hauler trailer (yes, with a car on it) with my Civic, so it's my pickup as well as my commuter, so no motorcycle for me, besides, I like having a little steel around me in the elderly state of Florida where the blue hairs roam. So, get this, one day a guy in a stock F350 turbo diesel was racing me in my Civic while I was pulling my flatbed trailer. I beat him in a 0-60 run. Fairly impressive for a Civic. That's where I want the best of all worlds. When I do tow a car (mostly highway) I get about 25 mpg. Show me a pickup that does that. Now, all I do is unhook the trailer and I've got a more eco-friendly vehicle. Doesn't all that make sense? Why should I drive a gas pig 100% of the time when I only need it 10% of the time? Again, I want the best of all worlds.

I'm going to build an under body tray, rear diffuser, grille block, and some aero fittings for my wheels....perhaps even a kammback at some point. I know I'm not going to have the fastest, best handling, fastest stopping, or most fuel efficient car, but I want to push the limit in these areas if I can and make the car better in all areas. Some are contradictions to each other and I have to determine what I'm willing to sacrifice to get where I want to be. As for all of you who have an ecomodder and a pickup (just for the times when you need one), get rid of it. Put a hitch on your ecomodder and buy a 5 X 8 trailer. This is as large as any pickup bed and I'm sure a 70hp Civic or Geo Metro should pull a trailer of this size with no trouble. Now you don't have to insure, maintain or pay for that pickup. Oh, one more question I didn't get answered: do any of you modify your suspension to maintain higher corner speeds there in using less fuel? Shocks, springs, sway bars and bushings? I know you'll lower a vehicle for aerodynamics, but how about making it stick in a turn a little better?

Thanks again for your constructive input.