Dreaming: Geo/Suzuki 1.0L drivetrain in a ... Fiat X1/9

[cfg83]

Frank -

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

...err... new thread? /hijack

I do it all the time.

Those look like water-heater drain-pan side-skirt covers to me.

CarloSW2

[MetroMPG]

Carlos: I thought exactly the same thing!

Though those ones look more like "keep limbs away from rotating machinery" models than the "smooth out the airflow" variety.

[redneck]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

914 would be viable too, I guess. Less porky than I was expecting, according to wiki:

Curb weight 940 kg (2,100 lb)−995 kg (2,190 lb)

Still 60-150 lbs more than the X1/9 though, and likely more frontal area (wider), just eyeballing them.

Yeah, it's a little heavier and maybe wider.

But.

It's got more than one thing going for it ...

Like...

"Hey baby, wanna go for ride in my Porsche...???"

Instead of

"cough,cough"

Fiat....



>

[MetroMPG]

True, however I'd be more concerned about my insurance agent's response to getting a Porsche than my baby's.

Both will be equally excited, and that's not good.

[nimblemotors]

The mid-engine design is probably best for a 2-seat MPG car.
I did consider converting the MGeo that way, but then it would lose a
ll its character of the front engine, rwd setup.
(btw, I was looking at 914's before I found my Midget (which weighs only 1500lbs))

Having the engine in front is safer in my opinion, will absorb much of the impact before it gets to the driver, rather than have the weight crushing in on you from behind,
see this fun video for what I mean...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7-fUxvQ8rA

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Already have a 1.0L front engine ragtop.

It's the mid-engine experience that has me wasting brain cells on this idea. It's far more entertaining to drive.

The Honda Beat's tag line was "mid-ship entertainment", I believe. And it's true.

[Arragonis]

The UK has some advantages then. I always fancied a GTM Coupe



or the more modern version, the Libra.



Both are glassfibre and mid engined using the parts from either a Mini (i.e. the original one) for the Coupe or a Metro (Rover style, not Geo) for the Libra. The latter has the option of a nifty injected 1.1 or 1.4 8v right up to 1.8 vvc or even a V6 if you feel brave enough.

Or (just found this) how about a Pelandini from Australia



Other alternatives at the Mini Marcos site.

[redneck]

Arragonis

Mini Alternatives Gallery

Thats great link you posted...

Here's the slide show from that site.

160 pictures.


BMC 9X Prototype 1969

Yeah, we are definitely limited in small car choices on this side of the pond...

>

[MetroMPG]

It's funny how we often read here about the strictness of Euro authorities when it comes to modding cars on the right side of the pond.

Yet the UK in particular seems rife with builders of fiberglass, wood, etc. custom cars.

Great examples, btw. Thanks.

[cfg83]

MetroMPG -

Yeah, the UK kit car magazine is GLORIOUS. Lots of reverse-trikes too.

CarloSW2

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Having the engine in front is safer in my opinion, will absorb much of the impact before it gets to the driver, rather than have the weight crushing in on you from behind...

The X-1/9 was designed to meet what they thought was an upcoming very strict set of crash safety regs. It is, as a result, rather heavier than it "needs" to be, but the passenger cell is actually quite robust. (See the "Mythbusters" episode where they tried to squash one between two semis; the car came out of it pretty well!)

The 914 has very large crumple zones front and aft. On the order of four feet, which is better than some modern cars and is very much better than almost everything else available in 1970.

-soD