Bonjour from Quebec.

[Frederick]

Hi there !
Just stepped in to say Hi!

I had many cars in this life, including some antiques that did something like 7 miles to the gallon. (Reo Wolverine....)
I had three favorites: an Austin Mini woody of 1961,
Austin America of 1971 and a Renault 16. all these could really move!
The most exhibitionist one was an MGTD 1951 vintage. Fun except no parts were available and boy did it cost money for the looks I got. I really made Snoopy proud wearing a white silk scarf and a leather Canadian Forces Pilot's helmet....with the window folded.....when I caught my alloted quota of bugs, I wore goggles. Looked real fast...at 50 mph.

I passed through bigger cars, diesel MB's had no fun...so I'm now completing the loop.

I obtained for free, thanks to my Master Card driver's Edge credit card, two (yes, two) Geo's. Both with less than 50 000 km on the meter. One a Chevrolet Sprint convertible that was sprayed every year with thick, gooey oil. It was an automatic. That did not do. I swapped the tranny with a 4 cylinder's tranny and now instead of doing 3500 rpm's at 100 km (65 m) she is purring at 2500.

As the cabriolet didn't cost anything I spruced up the inside with: real seats from a GT, tachometer, nicer radio, I even bought a nice canvas top ij blue with zipper window...not yet installed......My best milaege was 62 to the American gallon when I fetched her seats in Alma Quebec. I love the little beast. She sports some mighty fine 15 inch mag's from ASA. (would you believe that these initials stand for Artisan Spirited Alloy? ) Well, she is spirited and I obtained Suzuki Racing front and rear strut braces to maintain her that way. The front sway bar does wonders also. Her name is Vanilla Latte.

My second is a Geo Metro....found on E Bay. The first owner also owns an Oscar...won't tell....a 2 door basic model of 1994, black sedan, Espresso Nero is her name. So I have a white reflcting car for summer and heat seeking brougham for winter. She now has the original tranny and at 65 (100km) revs at 3000 even. This won't do.

First step: I found on another site a real XFi cam and I will emulate what my inspiration Metrompg did ! Espresso sports Bonneville Salt Flat hubcaps and this time around they will be screwed on ! I lost one, the front passenger side. There must be a place where all these hubcaps meet and have a ball....seems like it's always the same one. Anyway...Espresso was treated to an under body brace but beforehand every removable dismountable part was taken off and she also got a heavy oil treatment. Sway bar was added for added comfort and I swear it makes a huge difference on the potatoe highways of Quebec ! She inherited the 13" wheels of Vanilla Latte, but I had to find bigger nuts to be secure with the small thread size.

My aim is to at least reach 65 miles to the gallon with both cars. Of course a fancy accountant will tell me that the sums spent are not worth it compared to the length of ownership, true perhaps on a financial note. But the name of the exercise is the environment, doing an itsy bitsy part to save fuel and that mes amis, like Master Card says (I love these people) is PRICELESS.

Less is more is my motto.
Sorry to have kept you awake.

[MetroMPG]

Bonjour, Frederick - bienvenue a Ecomodder!

Il est evident qu'on a trouver quelqu'un qui aime vraiment ces autos!

And you have owned some very interesting ones indeed.

Looking forward to having you around & watching your progress.

A bientot!

[Frederick]

Gosh and gee whiz!
Thanks for the welcome and thanks for directing me here and thanks for all the tips that you have written here and there in air land!
I had other bizarre cars also...
For my business I have the Jelly Bean a very aerodynamic Chevrolet Lumina Van..I swear that at speed the whole front glass pushes down on the wheels. Great for highway...LOUSY Fuel Economy !
Best thing about it? Can't rust...unless you bend to look...Second best thing? Because of the factory tinted glass, two can fog up the rest of the windows parked on a VERY busy street and nobody can see inside what all the rocking is about.....trusssss me.

[Frederick]

The Bonneville Salt Flats racing hubs are now installed with stainless screws. They don't screech anymore. Espresso Nero also got the final gear from a 4 cylinder big block Suzuki. I had miscalculated my kilometrage and I now realise that my winter rubbers gave me a 6.2% advantage. So thus and therefore, even with a horribilis winter, I still managed around 68 miles to the gallon. That's 4.2 liters for a hundred kill-o-meters.
Thanks Metro MPG !

[MetroMPG]

Or 56 mpg (US) for those who don't speak British

Congrats on continued progress. It also took me a while to figure out why my speedometer was 6.x% off after my transaxle swap.

[Daox]

Welcome to the site Frederick.

[Veikra]

Bienvenu Frederick, Cest bien de voir du monde de Quebec dans les forum

Moi jsuis du cote electrique, mais comme on veux tout les deux sauve du gas, on joue dans la meme equipe!
Entre temps jme promene en voiture sport que jadore mais parfois meme en FORD

[cfg83]

Frederick -

Welcome to EM! TWO Geos *and* a tranny swap!!!!! What a way to make a splash!

... And what Veikra said too!

And another sentence ending with an exclamation mark! Don't make it a habit! It's hard to stop!

CarloSW2!

[Frederick]

Bonjour tous et toutes ! Hello Tus and Tuttis !
Thanks for welcoming me.
I just bought my third low miles Geo-Swift. A Firefly Turbo with 80 000 km on the meter. First owner, non smoker. As with the other two, Vanilla Latte (vert) and Espresso Nero (2 door hatchback limo), the purchase is reimbursed with my Master Card points.
Even though this red Turbo was sprayed with oil....the critical points are shot. So I will put Lady Paprika to rest. The impeccable motor will go in Vanilla Latte and parts are being sold off.
I hear that used with parcimony, this turbo can be more economical than the regular 3 cylinder "power" plant. We will see.

Now the dilema is what to do with the original cam that has been professionaly modified for economy? A lamp perhaps or a spare for Espresso Nero.

My next car, and I am saving for it: definitely, unquestionably, positively Aptera.....hybrid. But that's down the road. Gas is over rated we can do a lot without it. Speed kills, not only on the road. In my small actory, all the customers want things yesterday. I'm starting to ask why? Stress is killing me. Driving my car at a normal pace that doesn't get me traffic tickets suits me fine. And....I'm still a man.
People MUST understand. Anything over 1.6 or 1.8 liters is unneccesary. Fine woods and leather in a car when you have none at home is.......or says........ something about the owners.

[Veikra]

*reassures cfg83* I didnt insult you in mystical foreing language

About the turbo being more economical. Ive had similar experience with my cars. I found that my awd (more tranny loses)that is turboed was more economical on the highways than my previous fwd normally-aspirated. They both had/have a 1.6 liter, altrough they are different engines from the same manufacturer and year.

The boost gauge DOES show less depression in the intake manifold, it is not boosting, but providing just enough air. Gives -10psi instead of -20, so it must be easier to pull air into cylinders.

I would have expected the awd one to guzzle more, since it does have more mecanical losses and weight.