Geo Metro wins 24-hours of Lemons
 

For all those Metro fans out there, here's a bit of racing glory (teamed-up with a gleam of efficiency) as the "Metro-Gnome" takes the Checkered Flag at the 24-hours of Lemons. The secret: a Honda CBR900 motorcycle engine, chain drive durability (yep), and "Swift" handling and size. :p (The link provides a great in-car vid of the race).

For those new to the sport, the 24-hours of Lemons is an endurance race with vehicles limited to around $500. The plucky judges can impose odd sentences for those who go overbudget or basically crash a lot. It looks to be a blast...

Enjoy!

-Rick

I would quite honestly give my pinky finger to race in one of these. If anyone on here ever wishes to enter one, I would definetly be in for a crew/codriver/water boy position.

That would be a hoot, for sure.

GREAT video too!

And of course I wouldn't be an ecomodding nerd if I didn't say: Daox and I were recently talking about just such an engine swap: motorcycle engine into a Metro. Except going for something with about 25 hp, not 100ish :P

Lemons
 

I didn't know you could have that much fun with your clothes on!

Another vid (development) & link
 

Apparently the Metro builder had been posting on teamswift: TeamSwift • View topic - CBR900 powered Geo Metro wins the Dec 2008 24hrs of Lemons!

Mullet has already seen this "testing" video - worth a watch!

600cc Superbike powered Geo Metro- Video

"All we had where cut springs and some used GT struts" :thumbup:

That 600cc Metro is awesome! Something just seems right about cracking 10-grand when you need it, and likely getting good FE when you don't.

I am surprised that there was such little fanfare to this post. Now I do find it very hard to believe that a 900 cbr engine was bought for less than $600 that ran for 24 hrs straight and the car and mods were free that day I guess.
But I like it alot and see where this is an awesome hybrid car Idea if rear wheels were replaced with hub motor and motorcycle tire..... hmm got me thinking now alot!
How about an opel gt a MG or old austin healy get weight down to 1600 pounds or so??

Ok this is a viable solution to my 02 civic, to repair it must have trans rebuilt and new head, + replacemnt parts for both issues.
The car jumped timing on hiway because transmission slipped then grabbed during hill climb. My fault in the matter was I knew trans slipped a little when cold and I had not changed timing belt yet and was planning to, but just purchased it a month b4 and thought Id better resolve trans issue first.
So I would like to purchase a cbr900 rr motor from one of you readers for $500 please....

If it came from a junked or crashed bike, maybe.

If I recall, the team building the MetroGnome had a fairly well-equipped garage and very technical members. If you can build it yourself from scrap parts you have lying around, it's technically "free", even if someone outside would have to pay you a whole heap o' money for the same part.