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Old 08-12-2010, 12:37 PM   #901 (permalink)
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That's true. He did seem a bit uncertain of what specs were needed for the wanted preformance.

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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



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Old 08-15-2010, 03:01 AM   #902 (permalink)
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i been a way for awhile had to move to Iowa so yeah....but u have made great strides from what i skimmed but ill read more in detail later when i have time
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Old 08-31-2010, 02:40 PM   #903 (permalink)
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Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
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Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

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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)
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The ForkenSwift recently became slightly more useful:




Picked up a lightweight trailer (for a small boat/dinghy) - only weighs ~160 lbs. Added a hitch to the car (~20 lbs). Now there's no need to fire up a gas car for those rare trips I need to move something (typically boat-ish) that won't easily fit in or on the car. I used to borrow a trailer and my brother's Ridgeline or my other brother's minivan to tow.

I'm also thinking of making a removable deck/box for the thing, so it can be converted to an occasional general utility trailer.

Haven't towed it yet - still need to make up a wiring harness for the trailer lights.

Another good thing is this hitch is definitely swappable to fit the ICE convertible Firefly too, in case I need to pull something beyond the ForkenSwift's range. Not sure if it will also fit the Blackfly.
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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
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Old 08-31-2010, 04:42 PM   #904 (permalink)
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Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
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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)
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Oooo - just had a thought: battery trailer! Double my range!

Or generator trailer...
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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
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Old 08-31-2010, 04:53 PM   #905 (permalink)
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Battery trailer falls under the laws of diminishing returns - you are pulling more weight, which means your car isn't as efficient, so you add batteries to make up for that, which adds more weight....

Generator trailer is always an interesting idea, and a relativly simple way to build a hybrid. It does make backing up and parking more difficult though.

For the Electro-Metro, I have considered adding a propane generator to a bumper hitch to make a Range-extended Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, which could also be called a REally cheap VOLT or RE-VOLT if you will.

One of my personal favorite transportation memories is from transporting bicycles on a bike carrier on the back of the Electro-Metro. I got passed by ANOTHER Geo Metro with a bike carrier on back. The guy was smiling and gave me a big "thumbs-up"!

Metros can move more than people give them credit for.
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Old 08-31-2010, 10:03 PM   #906 (permalink)
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awsome iideas man cant wait to see what u really do with her
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Old 09-01-2010, 03:11 AM   #907 (permalink)
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My dad had a box on his boat trailer most of the time, and it did many jobs well. AFAIR, it was a standard plywood sheet with 10" ( 250mm) sides and ends.
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Old 09-01-2010, 10:02 AM   #908 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bennelson View Post
One of my personal favorite transportation memories is from transporting bicycles on a bike carrier on the back of the Electro-Metro. I got passed by ANOTHER Geo Metro with a bike carrier on back. The guy was smiling and gave me a big "thumbs-up"!

Metros can more more than people give them credit for.
You guys keep forgetting that over this side of the pond, up until a few years back a Metro was considered an average sized car... There was people carriers, econoboxes and cars the size of Metro's... And that's about it... No big battleships like you guys had...
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Old 09-01-2010, 11:09 AM   #909 (permalink)
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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
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Tweety: I didn't forget. I was always sad about the ever expanding waistline of North America's fleet, when I saw what was available elsewhere. Even the venerated (on this forum) Geo Metro / Suzukiclones got ever larger and heavier through its 3 redesigns!

Bob: yup, sounds like the basic idea I had in mind.

Ben: I hear you about the added weight & drag = diminishing returns. Still might be fun to try. But I probably won't. Truth is, the car's current range (30 km, except winter) is more than adequate for the size of this town.
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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
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Old 09-12-2010, 11:30 PM   #910 (permalink)
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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
The ForkenSwift's fork truck heritage shining through. I think it really likes moving bulky items around in low gear.





I'll tell you: it's elegant launching / retrieving from a boat ramp with electric drive compared to internal combustion with either an automatic or manual transmission.

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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
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