Geo Metro XFI Convertible Project Finished

[Coyote X]

Front end is halfway done. I might get it done next weekend if I am lucky Once that is done it is time to start putting the car together. The only thing I need to decide is if I am going to put a cage across the door opening. I can cut the inner panel of the door away and just make it an outer skin that opens and closes. The cage would make the car much stiffer but I would have to climb over it to get in or out of the car. That would be a real pain with the top closed. If I did that the windows also would not roll up and down but would be held in place with wing nuts and could be swapped for lexan. The doors would be about 5-10lbs instead of about 45lbs.

So I guess either give up trying to keep it normal and go for the all out race car look and have side impact that is far better than any production vehicle. It would be far less user friendly that way. Or just leave the doors stock and have an easy to get in or out of car that has no real side impact protection but has working windows.

[GeoTex]

You are definitely my hero! That's how I want my vert done when I get one. If you're still mulling over the suspension, you might take a look at: http://www.whiteline.com.au/articles/RH_SwiftGtib.htm

Their research is oriented towards racing, but it seems like it would give you some food for thought.

[Coyote X]

Drivers side rust is gone



Passenger side still left to go. Then it is time to put it back on the wheels and do the strut towers. From there I can add a few more braces and I am pretty much done. I will start assembling the car hopefully in 2 weeks or so.

Also I found 4x8 sheets of coroplast for $15 each so that seems cheap enough to not bother hunting around any more. I am thinking I will use that for the lower panels on the car and 22ga steel for the top layer.

[MetroMPG]

You'll have 'er on the road just in time for convertible weather.

This is the first documented GEO control-arm-ectomy I've ever seen.

Is that a piece of wire from the welder stuck where the smaller tubes meet up?

[MetroMPG]

PS - can't you do a "hybrid" approach for the cage? Have the horizontal bar low enough that you can still get over it, but also keep the opening door skin?

[Coyote X]

I think I have a plan figured out for the door opening. I will run a diagonal bar from the roll bar and one from the dashboard. I can put a flat bar a few inches above the floor connecting these angled ones. This will stiffen the car really well. I can also box in the door with tubing so if I do get a side impact the door hits against the car mounted stuff and it all works out almost as good as a full cage but is way easier to use daily. Here is a pic I drew real quick in paint.

I don't have the side welded up that well yet. That is just some wire from the welder. I still need to weld that side up well and when I do that will get rid of all the spot weld mess I have on there right now. I didn't get any time to work on the car today though, I had other stuff that needed done so hopefully tomorrow the car will be sitting on it's wheels again with the other side done.

[Coyote X]

I don't see much rust on the car anymore




Just a bit more work and the front end is done. Depending on if I have anything else to do next weekend I might get the chassis done. Then a couple months of assembling the car and it should be ready for the road.

[Coyote X]

I fixed the rust problems on the floor



I got the drivers side strut tower brace in there as well. There isn't a lot left to do now other than get the door bracing in place and do lots of finish welding. Prob be a good 2 days of welding on this thing.



I was hoping to have the car ready to start tearing down my xfi over spring break in 2 weeks but I don't think this car will be ready in time. If I get the coroplast and sheet metal installed in time I might have it halfway done over spring break and maybe the next couple of weekends I can finish it up enough to get it on the road. Either way I think I am in good shape to have it done in May so I can start making the car show rounds in June with it.

[jjackstone]

Coyote X,

You are cracking me up. Nearly spilled my drink looking at your last post. Thanks.
JJ

[Coyote X]

Frame is done finally. Just a lot of finish welding to go and then paint it an actual color instead of primer. I am thinking I will just paint the underhood and floor back white since half of it is still white and it would be easy to do.





I am thinking for the colors, make the underhood and trunk area metal white. The interior I will use the light gray dash and seats that I have in my XFi. Also cover all exposed metal/plastic in the interior with gray carpet. For the outer color I am just about decided on using the blue color that is on a Snyders potato chip bag.