Partial chop top/teardrop on a metro
 

Yesterday I bought a 92 metro 4-dr hatchback. Neither back door currently opens from the outside, and the driver's side doesn't open from the inside (broken door handles). This car is going to pretty much be used exclusively for me to commute alone as my family of 6 won't fit in it. So here's the idea: I was thinking I could chop this thing behind the front seat area and taper it back to fit the ideal teardrop shape. I'm thinking I would build the rear end to fit the long low rear window of a comparable coupe, something like the last gen Mercury Cougar, or maybe a Chevy Cavalier, depending on the price of glass, dimensions, etc.

Posts before have expressed concern about the safety of chopping a unibody car, which I fully understand, but in this case I would be essentially converting this car into a 2 (or 1) seater, and would be leaving the front seat area intact, as well as possibly adding some tube steel to beef the structure up a little. The fabrication shouldn't be an issue for me as I have done a lot of work with both steel and aluminum fab, and have access to both in a large variety of gauges, and can even have them laser cut for me for a pretty good price.

Thoughts, comments, concerns? I haven't done any rough figuring on the cost of this project yet, just a rough idea that popped in my head when I look at the very boxy nature of this car.

The nature of the metro already makes it kind of a death trap, but I think that adding tube steel would go a long way for protection. I definitely would do something like that for peace of mind.

I can imagine you getting some pretty good efficiency gains from your idea. Seems perfect for a daily commuter.

Death trap is pretty much what I thought. I figured I'd build a cage that more or less fits NHRA specs, and I would be pretty safe at that point. I'm going to try and use the aerodynamic simulator tool thing (I have the best words) and see if I can make it do what I'm considering with this car.

Been done a few times. Here are some examples.
https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...ild-35034.html

JJ

Thanks for the link, some interesting builds there. I want to leave the front passenger area alone, so I can use a factory windshield (which needs replacing) and factory glass in the front windows. I'll have to fab the rear part to fit whatever rear slope window I decide to put in, and I figured that the sail panels would either be solid, or I could just get some flat tempered glass cut to fit at a glass shop.

Brake reduction clips, lighterweight HX or Insight rims with the Brigestone tires, 60 PSI, Kammback or boattail, side skirts, belly pan, air dam, etc.

The Metro has a small engine and light weight like the Insight, but aerodynamics make it much less fuel efficient. Unlike the Insight, there is a lot one can do to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the Metro, and see some pretty sweet gains.

kammback, side skirts and an air dam I had thought about, but I kinda want to chop it just to be different.

I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by brake reduction clips, and would the wheels you described bolt up? how about hub size? I'm always leery about wheel swaps because I've seen so many people put wheels with the wrong hub bore on without hub rings, and even at that I don't really trust hub rings as anytime I've taken off wheels with them they always seem to be cracked.

Also what Bridgestone tires are you referring to? The stock size is 145/80/12 and I'm learning they are hard to come by.

Chopping it would be cool, and you would definitely see gains from that, especially if you continued the chop with a tail at the end.

Brakes use friction to slow the car, but even when the brakes are not being engaged, the brakes are still dragging slightly. Brake reduction clips eliminate this and help you coast better. Braking distance may be affected slightly, so you would have to test it. I run brake reduction clips on my Insight and so far have experienced no issues in braking.

I'd have to double check, but I'm pretty sure people have run the 13" VX rims on Metros just fine. HX and Insight rims are 14" so if VX rims fit, HX and Insight rims would. If the Metro's bolt pattern is 4x100, the rims shouldn't have a problem clearing the calipers since 14" is a bit larger than 12".

The Bridgestone Potenza comes in the size 165/65R14 and is the stock tire size for the G1 Insight. It is generally thought to be one of the most fuel efficient tires out there. 165/65R14 is slightly larger than 145/80R12, so you would also get slightly taller gearing (6.2% taller: 2000 RPMs becomes ~1880 RPM), which would also improve economy.

^ although if the goal is an ultra cheap car, replacing tires/wheels may not be the best idea until you actually need to. HX/Insight rims will generally cost ~$200 for a set unless you are lucky, and the Bridgestones are generally $70-$110 per tire depending on seller.

Any more info on those clips, or they an off the shelf part or would I have to make them? I've never heard of them before though I did know that there is slight brake drag usually.

From what I can find the Metro bolt pattern is 4 X 114 (haven't measured this yet though). As far as budget if dirt cheap was the only goal a major fabrication like a chop top would be out: my logic is that paying less for the car means more money to mod.

$110 a tire is steep, my f150 tires can be had for less than that. I'm probably going to try and find some 13" LSi wheels as I know they'll bolt up right.

These are the brake reduction clips I used. There are other sizes available; not sure what size works on the Metro.

Ebay has the Bridgestones for $149.99 for two, which isn't a bad deal. Costco sometimes has them for $250 for a set, including mounting and balancing.

You're right about the bolt pattern - 4x114; I just looked it up. Bummer on that. Smooth wheel covers would improve the aerodynamics of the LSi wheels.

155/80R13 tires are pretty cheap ($40/ea?) and they will also provide taller gearing and the sidewall will help ride quality.

Yeah I did some looking and my local scrap yard has one 13" wheel listed for $30, not sure if he only has one or if he has a set, I'll have to check. There's a yard about 100 miles away that has piles of them for $25, so either way it won't be hard to get my hands on a set, so sounds like 13's will be my best bet, and I won't have to worry about the hub bore.

cool project :)
i think about a clean slate on my tdi beetle from time to time. Bravo!

Look for the lightest weight ones you can, if you have more than one option. Rotational mass is huge on small cars like the Metro. 4x114 doesn't seem to be a common bolt pattern though.

It seems that they were all steel, only difference being whether they were painted black with plastic hub caps, or painted silver with a little "Metro" center cap.

The other question that comes to mind, is what to do with the stock 12" wheels?

How good is the spare tire that came with the car, if it came with one? If it didn't come with one or if the spare is in pretty bad shape, you could use one of the old tires/rims as a spare.

Good question, don't know. We got a blasted blizzard here yesterday and I didn't take all that much time looking the car over a second time but I'll check. To be honest I'm not even quite sure where the spare is on these cars.

Here's a guide to wheel dimensions for different types of cars. I thought it might be helpful in finding wheels you could use and would fit correctly. http://adaptitusa.com/referencebook.htm Older model Nissan Versa's used a 4x114 bolt pattern but that has changed in the last few years and they now use a 4x100 bolt pattern. The reason I know this is because I've been looking for an extra wheel for a spare for my 2016 Versa but all I've been able to find in the junk yards are the older pattern.

I've seen the list, but is there a list or which of these are aluminum? I know all the metro wheels I can find are steel

i'd worry less about hubcentric dimensions, more about pattern and offset, and try to get 14". the tire choices and prices tend to be much better; 13" is becoming a rarity. the studs can handle the centering loads and there are cheap plastic centering rings available also.

I don't know of such a list, but lots of cars now have optional alloy wheels so if you can find what type cars have wheels that fits you could spend a Saturday in a junk yard seeing if anything they have are aluminum or if they're all steel. With lower profile tires they're putting on cars now it's also a possibility you could use 15" or 16" wheels if there's enough fender clearance. My Versa has 15" rims with a stock tire size 185/65/15. I just bought 2 Kumho Solus TA11 LRR 75,000 mile tires for it and was out the door for around $185. I used to drive an '88 Ford Escort that stock tire size was 165/80/13 but I'd ran tires as large as 185/75/14's an 1 1/2 larger diameter without issues.

I saw a custom car tv show where the builder chopped the top of a car, and laid the stock rear window forward at the top to meet the shortened roof.

You might look into geometroforum.com I was an active member for 8 years when I was running a series of Metros. I am now into Saturn L series cars as they are a “real” car. I did enjoy the playing with the last Metro I had. So long ago the photos are on a thumb drive.

I'd like to avoid low profile tires. Anything less than a 60 sidewall rides like a steel wheel, and this car is going to be bad enough as it is I'm sure.

Costco has them for $103 each but $312 for a set of 4 right now. $372 with installation/disposal where I am.

I did some looking online and it seems like 155/80/13 is still pretty easy to get a hold of, and a lot cheaper than 165/75/14, which is the closest equivalent. Besides, I'd rather not go too much wider than stock size which is 145.

I may end up ordering one set of the stock 12" while I can find them just to put off buying rims for another 60k miles or so.

Chop it.

You might be able to cut out the body around the rear window and reuse it. If not, the rear glass from a sunfire is very nice. I know because I have a sunfire and the rear glass screams aero. If you could start rounding the body in behind your front doors and scab in the sunfire window, you would have a near perfect teardrop. Leave the bottom of the car full width and scrunch the whole top for the teardrop(behind the front doors).

It's a four door. Not impossible but certainly a bigger task to chop.

Yeah, he's going to have a bit more work to do with the rear doors, but it shouldn't be too hard. If he's reshaping the entire rear half of the body, what's hard about welding in panels in place of the doors, or just welding the doors shut and removing the inner skin to save weight. :D

I didn't expressly state it, but this was the plan. This is going to be a car for me alone to commute 85 miles a day. I'd like to make the new rear end a hatch so I can have a big cargo area when needed, and I might keep the passenger front seat for those just in case times when I have to take someone with me.

Take a look at the G1 Insight for inspiration: similar size to the Metro, 2 passenger, aerodynamic rear.

Depending on what your plans are, I'm wondering if the rear hatch of a G1 Insight would be able to be used on the Metro.

The glass, maybe. But the the insight is aluminum... might cause some issues and you wouldn't be able to use a cutting around the area to tack onto the Metro's steel bodywork. Probably better to use a wrecker CRX or CRZ hatch and surround for fab.

Where I work we have some incredible double sided tape (the stuff we have is used to hold quarter panels on in some factory cars, sorry I don't remember which), so if I had to bond Al to steel I could get a bit of that.

I just found the thread. Is the chop done yet? :) If not consider the GTI W12/650 concept.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/member-f...w12-650-16.jpg

Essentially, it's a bubble-top coupe within the original hatchback shape which turns into a buttressed wing.

The four-door B-pillar let's you start curving the sides in sooner.

Haven't done anything with it yet, I bought it a week ago in the town I work in (30 miles from home.) and took it to my father in laws house. I should get CV shafts in the mail tomorrow and once I get those put in I'll take it home and start driving it every day. I'm going to work on basic maintenance before I worry about serious body modification.