Laundry list of ideas...
 

So I'm thinking someday, maybe once I have a job, I want to do a rebuild or at least a regasket on that old smoker of an engine in my 2002 Hyundai Accent GS 1.5 GoldenSmoky... :turtle:

Thinking to make it mechanically sound first, then lift it (worsening the aerodynamics, acceleration (larger wheels) and stability but gaining crucial offroad capability in the form of better ground clearance) and then optimise the aerodynamics for the new high stance. Hoping to target a realistic MPG of... drum roll please, 30. So, not even the EPA expected, let alone the usual ecomod goal of above the EPA combination economy.

Should I build my own hubcaps if I do this? It'd be to improve aerodynamics of course.

The reason it'd be lifted is, as I stated earlier, this is going to be my little mudbuggy. It's front wheel drive, so not really good on mud, and it's low as hell, so again...

What would a good undertray be made of? What about a partial grill block? Fairing for the mirrors to make them behave better aerodynamically? Other aero mods you want to suggest to counter the de-economising of lifting it? I want to make this ****box the "This is our car" car of the working-class connected millenial.

If its a toy, how many miles are you really going to put on it? My guess is you'd be better off modding your daily driver for fuel economy, but just have fun with the mudder.

Well the reason I want to make the mudder the efficient one is because my daily is a truck. And because it won't really be a mudder, just lifted a bit to not scrape the undercacker.

Ground clearance, weight bias and a good tyre selection can do wonders. BTW the Citroen 2CV was also FWD but it had some decent performance on rough terrain.

Where and how will you drive the Hyundai? Aerodynamics won't matter in mud. I'd make the undertray double as a skid plate. Truck bedliner (often free) or aluminum are good choices. Since air dams and side skirts won't work well off-road, make the underbody as smooth as possible.

You can't go off-roading in the truck?

Aero doesn't fit the use case, get a Thule rack. I'd like to do this to my FWD Dasher (it's an Alfa):

http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-fr...acinpbtobw.png
[lost provenance]

The trick is two sets of wheels and tires. These are ATV/UTV mudders, four of them would support the car but not much payload. Make the skid plates from the perf metal in old car ramps.

Believe it or not, the weight bias makes the truck less suitable for mudding. At least the Hyundai has more weight concentrated around its driven axle.

True, but a truck starts out with more ground clearance, has room for larger off-road tires and adding a locking or limited-slip differential is easier.

You could shorten the wheelbase, cf. Stubby Bob.

Sure there's always some compromise... But it's not impossible to perform those upgrades to a compact car, even though it will require some good labor...