Metro-powered sports car project

[BobM]

Those look like they would do the job...but I can't figure out how you would mount them because you would still need the regular hydraulic calipers.

[some_other_dave]

Mount them on the other side of the disk. Or possibly next to the regular caliper (above/below). Regardless of which way you go, you'll have to fab up some brackets for them.

Another thing that has been considered by kit-car people is, if your car has a CV joint right at the differential's output flange, to sandwich a thin rotor between the flange and the joint. Then mount the caliper to the diff.

-soD

[BobM]

A thin disk at the differential would work with a Miata rear end but not the Geo. I was wondering if it would be possible to heat the caliper mounting arms on the upright and bend them together. Not sure if this would weaken them or not. Would certainly be tricky to get them bent just right. It might be possible to make a bracket for just one side of the caliper to adapt to the mounting hole, will have to try and figure that out. Since the project is on hold for now, due to my wife's health, maybe Jack or someone will have it all figured out by the time I get back to it.

[JackMcCornack]

I got some salvage yard Suzuki Swift GT rear calipers--they're the right thickness for the Metro front discs and they have hydraulic driving brakes and cable parking brakes. I haven't figured out how to mount them yet, but I'm confident I will.

Oooh, I hope I haven't jinxed it. Maybe I should say, "I'm overconfident I will."

PS--the Swift GT has vented front rotors, which I think are overkill for this car. There won't be a lot of weight transfer on braking and there'll be some rear weight bias at rest, so I think the same brakes all around will be fine.

[BobM]

I'm rootin' for you Jack. I am overconfident that you will figure it out too. Looking forward to seeing how it is done.

Did you check out my welding instructor in locostUSA?

[some_other_dave]

Jack, do some testing to make certain about where brake lock-up occurs. There are adjustable proportioning valves that you can buy that will limit pressure to the rear brakes, so if the car is too rear-biased you can fiddle with that to some extent.

The time when you are most prone to rear brake lock-up is on a downhill with excellent traction--having good grip under braking will transfer more weight forward than having low grip.

-soD

[BobM]

Things are still on hold until I can get settled into my new home in Arkansas. My wife passed away in February and things have been pretty hetic since then.

I am still in PA but had Jack ship my fiberglass parts to my stepdaughter's house in AR. They arrived a couple of weeks ago and I had planned to go down this week but rainy weather made getting a loaded trailer from my shop on the hill above my house too dangerous. Having enough trouble selling the house as it is without a pickup and Uhaul trailer sticking out of it.

[Darxus]

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

But my intention is to mount the radiator at the back anyway; I'm thinking of mounting it in the low pressure 'hole' of Kamm tail.

Is there any air flow there?

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Anyway, I'm back, and a new tech details thread sounds like a good idea.

Is there one?

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Track will be standard Metro.

Aw. To save money on not having to shorten the half shafts? How much would they cost to shorten? How much could the half shafts be shortened, and how much could that reduce frontal area? You know I think you should go as far toward the shape of the VW L1 as possible

[Darxus]

Originally Posted by Darxus

To save money on not having to shorten the half shafts?

I was staring at my L1 type model with a Metro engine wedged in, and thinking fitting a suspension might be tough, then it suddenly occurred to me that being able to keep most of the Metro suspension might justify a stock track

L1 type body stretched to about Metro width, Metro engine measurements from BobM, tires based on Conti.eContact 125/80-13's:





So wide...

[some_other_dave]

And not so good in a frontal collision...

-soD