[M_a_t_t]

For some reason I made a bet with some friends I could get 60 mpg highway (55 mph, or speed limit) with my newly acquired 95 Mercury Tracer. Some requirements have been made, but not everything has been agreed upon.

Biggest restriction is that it must be done by January 13th. The first day of spring semester.

This may not be very feasible, but I am definitely going to try my best.

The car:

• 95 Mercury Tracer
• 1.9l I4 SOHC
• Automatic Transmission
• 4 Door sedan
• Moderate rust, self tapping screws welcome
• Does have alloy wheels (pictured below)
• Speedometer/Odometer doesn't work
• Tank has a leak above a certain level

Not the actual car:


I have only driven the car for 2 days, so I don't know a whole lot about it. So far I have left it on empty with only 1-3 gallons in the tank. I have a GPS speedometer app on an old phone. It has an ODO function, but I haven't used it yet.

Stipulations that have been set already:

• Car will be warm for the test
• Let the car run out of gas
• Add 1 gal of gas
• Drive until it dies
• Coasting only allowed when car dies at end of run
• Must follow speed limit or faster
• No alternate fuels
• Fuel grade up to me
• Will repeat test in other direction
• Testing will be agreed upon the week before the test
• No drafting

I know I will need a lot to get there. Mods I will be looking at mainly:
Boat tail
Belly pan
Wheel skirts and smooth covers
Mirror delete for test runs
Wiper delete (maybe)
Hood height (think Aerohead's truck)
5th wheel or powering a single rear wheel

So, what do you guys think? Is this possible?