New Guy From NY - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Gasoline Fumes · 10-20-2009, 04:37 AM

Hello everybody!

Some of you might recognize my name from TeamSwift. I have two '94 Geo Metro projects. One for MPH and the other for MPG. The MPG Metro is a Florida car with no rust. I got it for $150 with a ratty interior and flat black spray paint job. It's a base model 3-door hatchback with a manual trans. The first step is to fix the paint and interior.

Don't worry, the ridiculous wing is gone.

My planned Eco Mods are:
3.52 final drive
Higher compression and Singh grooves (only if I need to pull the head)
Cam and ignition timing advance
XFi cam (if I can find one cheap)
Synthetic/thinner fluids

Front air dam
Grill block
Weight reduction
Pass side mirror delete
GTi spoiler
Suspension lowering
Partial undertray

I'm not sure about wheel skirts/covers, boat tails, etc. I want to keep it subtle.
It has working A/C and it's staying. I've never had a car with A/C! Anybody know what the approximate MPG penalty is with the A/C off? How much does that extra belt drag down the engine?

Right now I'm driving a 1991 Honda Civic Wagon, getting about 38 MPG. No mods and not much Hypermiling technique either.

Bicycle Bob · 10-20-2009, 05:56 AM

Welcome! Always glad to see another car with few excess cylinders here. I'm starting to wonder why the 3 cyl has a heavier flywheel. Sure, the power pulses are farther apart, but only one piston stops at a time. The more I drive 'em, the better I like 'em.

Gasoline Fumes · 10-20-2009, 06:42 AM

It's tempting to switch to the 4-cyl flywheel and clutch, but I might want the extra mass with the taller 3.52 gearing. And this $150 car has a new clutch anyway!

Daox · 10-20-2009, 08:23 AM

Welcome to the site.

Besides the paint and dings here and there, it looks like you got a nice solid car. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

Johnny Mullet · 10-20-2009, 10:29 PM

It's a small world after all

Welcome to ecomodder.

Gasoline Fumes · 10-21-2009, 06:38 AM

Since I got the car, I've pulled out the whole interior and removed both doors and the hatch. All three doors are being replaced by the ones from a 1989 Swift GTi. They're in better condition and the GTi hatch has the spoiler and wiper. Most of the mint condition GTi interior is going into the Metro too. Except the seats, they go in the other Metro. But I have a nice pair of Swift sedan seats that are much better than the Metro seats. No rear seats for me, too much weight.

I started painting the car gloss black using the infamous roller method. It's not working for me and now it's too cold to keep trying. I'll have to finish painting it next Spring. I'd like to have it roadworthy (and somewhat presentable) for the 2010 Green Grand Prix.

MetroMPG · 11-01-2009, 08:25 PM

Hey Gasoline Fumes! Belated welcome to the forum from me too (geometro on teamswift, in case you weren't sure).

I'm really looking forward to watching your progress.

And it's great that you're planning to head to the GGP next spring. I'm planning to go too. Hopefully with a detachable boattail and a few other mods.

Gasoline Fumes · 11-02-2009, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Hey Gasoline Fumes! Belated welcome to the forum from me too (geometro on teamswift, in case you weren't sure).

I'm really looking forward to watching your progress.

And it's great that you're planning to head to the GGP next spring. I'm planning to go too. Hopefully with a detachable boattail and a few other mods.

Yeah, I think I'll be at the GGP whether the Metro is ready or not. I'll take the Honda if I have to.

Do you have a MPG goal for next year? 1000 MPG?