Anyone see this 3 wheeled Metro?

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

As noted, I had been thinking along the lines of a 5-passenger car application with little reduction in payload capacity.

THAT probably won't happen with a standard swing-arm... or with a standard car tire.

Even if you could reinforce the swingarm enough to make it work, you'd have to put stiff as hell springs on it to compensate for all the weight (3 people) that would go in the back... which means it would bounce when those people weren't back there, at least without some GREAT suspension engineering and leverage tuning.

That's not including the fact that one single car tire probably wouldn't be able to deal with the stresses associated with the entire rear end of the car, plus the 3 people sitting back there. You'd have to use a load rated tire, like those used on trucks and large vans. In that case, maybe using the actual car's suspension (reinforced, even) would be optimal.

Personally, it would be my perogative to build the swing arm to whatever specs I needed, for the vehicle I was using for the project. I most likely wouldn't use a "normal" part, unless I felt that it was safe to use, and would be optimal for the project. I'd also still most likely reinforce it, and use dual shock/springs, one on each side, progressive rate.

I would chance a guess at the beginning of the project to just use it the way it comes though, for the sheer sake of seeing if it would work. It's easier to envision what needs to be fixed AFTER it breaks LOL.

[Frank Lee]

Good point, but the 185/75R14 tires generally have a load rating around 1300 lbs, which is enough.

[metromizer]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

mizer: good thoughts, that's kinda where my enthusiasm to hack up my car lost it's momentum. My calcs showed less than 100 lbs weight loss, and I'd expect some reduction in rolling resistance simply due to the elimination of tire scrub on one end as the suspension works. But those factors, nice as they are, probably don't amount to a significant increase in fe... and they definitely amount to a significant compromise in utility.

I missed the fact that the 3 wheel metro pictured now enjoys motorcycle status.

It's been a long time since I owned a motorcycle, 1980 or so, here in California, the registration I paid for my motorcycles was a lot lower than my cars at the time. A savings of up to $75/yr on registration? In California, a motorcycle used to get away from the required for cars semi-annual emissions test, ~$45/yr. Insurance savings? Even if there is no FE avantage, There is potential saving you could use to buy maybe 3 months/yr. worth of fuel...

[order99]

I don't understand why the designer went to all the trouble (and $) of making the Metro a 3-wheeler and then not finish tapering the body for better airflow and less weight overall.

My main concern with that mod isn't the weight or handling (the Metro's a Front-wheel drive with a decent amount of weight up front) but I hope he seriously reinforced the brakes on that single wheel as it now has three brakes total...

[Frank Lee]

I hope the guy pipes up sometime with more details, driving impressions, fe, and whatnot. I admire that he went out and did it.

Yes, re: motorcycle status: there are a few bennies, like the lower registration. Also, you ought to be able to remove the bumpers, install plexi windows, and do things the gummint might frown upon if it had 4 wheels. Getting insurance on it could be a problem unless you simply keep car coverage. Er, in some states would you have to wear a helmet?

[Christ]

LOL.. You said "gummint". Win.

Technically, it wouldn't need bumpers, All the glass in the car could be replaced with Lexan or polycarbonate (it's not a car, it doesn't need safelite glass.)

You could throw most of the emissions requirement out the window, although not suggested.

Obviously, the owner opted to replace the rear floor with an access panel, which, quite obviously, could be made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, or any lightweight composite/material.

Weight savings occurs more than just with the obvious when doing this swap... my only concern is fuel tank placement... I believe that moving parts might interfere with tank placement on that vehicle, and most definitely would with a CR-X... so where's the tank?

[MetroMPG]

Fuel tank is in the original spot. Look @ photo 3 - you can see the fuel filler tube going into it: Shutterfly

[Christ]

Always the observant one :P

Seeing where the wheel is placed, maybe it wouldn't interfere with a CRX's fuel tank either.

The CRX's fuel tank is almost placed like the Metro's is, right in front of the reinforcement that goes across the rear of the car, under the back seat. (The centerline of the wheel well is the rear-most portion of the back seat... the fuel tank is directly under the "seat" of the back seat)

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Thanks for the link Johnny... did I ever tell you you're my hero?

If you only knew me during the PC Gaming revolution of the late 90's

Seriously, I am trying to get some information on why this mod was done to this car, but I guess it's up to the owner to do so.

[bikin' Ed]

Originally Posted by metromizer

Why would this particular <very cool, I like it> three-wheeled contraption get better FE than the same Metro with 4 wheels?

Thinking out loud here, one less wheel bearing, and one less rotating mass, a little less overall weight <maybe>, perhaps less friction between the road and rubber contact patches <although, psi on the now single rear tire goes x2, so friction goes up by some amount, maybe 1.5?>. Is the sum of all that enough to where you'd expect an improvement of 20%-25% over an OEM Metro?

BTW, I love your electric single rear wheel idea, you'd just need to make the motor passive when engaging the ICE. Although still alot of work, the body mods you are talking about get easier if you aren't going to enter it into a car show... IMO crude is good enough to prove the concept, the 2nd gen can be 'purdy'

The tapering I suggested (in all dimensions) starting at the rear edge of the B pillar would decrease the Cd, as well as some other body mods --like we talk about on every other thread-- belly pan, grille block, etc.