Beater '96 Corsica conversion to hypermiling beast.

[Playslikepage71]

Hey all, it's been a while since I've posted around here.

Quick update for background: I've since gone to college and am pursuing my degree in mechanical engineering. I passed my '03 Alero to my dad and took his '96 Corsica just to drive back and forth the 450-odd highway miles between school and home on breaks. It still runs like a champ and it seems like it has potential for some serious modding. Mostly because it's old and free I don't care too much about the thing.

TL;DR - I have a beater Corsica and I want to mod it for an ongoing project between here and next year.

Here's a picture of it for perhaps a few ideas.
It's basically that but maroon and it looks like its 14 years old.

[SVOboy]

Boat tail!

How deep are you willing to go?

[Playslikepage71]

Haha I don't know about boat tail... Maybe a kammback conversion.

As of right now, I'm not looking to do much work because I don't have too much time and it's starting to get cold as crap. Eventually, like come summer, I'm willing to spend a lot of time.

I was looking at an A/C delete because the damn thing doesn't work anyways, but the stand-in pulley is $40. I need to figure out a cheap fix, so essentially I need to figure out the smaller belt I need. I also need to figure out the workings of getting the system out in the first place.

[MetroMPG]

I'd start with the mods that help winter performance...

Partial grille block

Engine block / coolant heater

Synthetic lubricants

Keep an eye on tire pressure as ambient temps fall

Got a ScanGauge or MPGuino?

You'd definitely benefit from a Kammback and any other aero mods you're willing to slap on there since you're going to be using it mostly on the highway.

[Playslikepage71]

The thought of ecomodding came to me mostly because the weatherstripping and panel gaps are atrocious so I wanted to tape up some seams. The ride down here was so loud I could hear it through my earbuds (the radio is just a radio; I needed my music).

I'm willing to do sheetmetal work and other things once summer comes around so I think it'll get radical then.

An MPGuino is something I'm really interested in for the summer because I have a little gadget obsession as a sidedish to my auto obsession. I plan to get that done at some point too.

I wonder if I can make my car amphibious as well as aero...

[discovery]

take the rear seats and all the trim around, cut the A/C and one of the wipers, put just half a tank of gas, don't top off. Use only $10 or $15 saves wight easy on thegas pedal.

[wagonman76]

I would just keep the AC, unless the clutch is dragging. With the clutch off it is just an idler pulley.

What engine and trans does it have?

[busypaws]

Go get the A/C refrigerent drained first before you break any lines. Save some ozone. I deleted A/C and PS and got rid of one whole belt. A/C & PS saved almost 100 lbs. Other belt has waterpump and alternator. Like the site preaches: If you drive highway spend your energy on aero. If you drive city spend your energy on lightweighting.