Saturn trying to reach 50+ MPG

[mopo3]

I've been reading the forums for some time now, but have just gotten serious about what I can do with my car. I drive a 1993 Saturn SL1. I've had the car awhile and now I drive 48.8 miles everyday just for work, with about 1.6 miles not on the highway. I just fixed my A/C for a rally I'm doing in May. After I see how it has changed my MPG I will be blocking my grill (not my teeth!) and I will start experimenting with side view mirrors, if I can find a safe way to implement the mod.

[cfg83]

mopo3 -

Welcome to EM! Your SOHC is a good MPG platform. I looked in your Garage, and I don't think Bubbles weighs 3272 lbs. My SW2 weighs 2400+, so I think you are closer to 2300 lbs ... google google google ... Ok, here we go :

1993 Saturn SL
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Sp...SL&trimid=9169

Curb Weight - Manual (lb.) 2296

CarloSW2

[SVOboy]

Welcome to the site! I think with some effort you should be able to make 50 mpg, just gotta do the work, eh?

[mopo3]

I read the label on the door to get the cars weight it turns out that was gvwr so the weight of the car is -800 for passengers - 300 for trunk = 2172 Lbs. That is from the drivers door and the trunk lid. I really don't see why they would label the gvwr with out the weight of the car.

[AndrewJ]

Welcome to Ecomodder!

There are several people on the boards here with Saturns (as I'm sure you've noticed) who are pulling off some pretty impressive numbers, some are even putting me to shame.

[cfg83]

mopo3 -

Originally Posted by mopo3

I read the label on the door to get the cars weight it turns out that was gvwr so the weight of the car is -800 for passengers - 300 for trunk = 2172 Lbs. That is from the drivers door and the trunk lid. I really don't see why they would label the gvwr with out the weight of the car.

Hrmmmm. ... walk to car ... open door ... look at sticker. Yup, there it is. Mine reads 3389 lbs.

CarloSW2

[Daox]

Welcome to the site.

[aerohead]

Saturn achieved 80-mpg(highway) in 1989.On paper only though.GM's/Aerovironment,chief,Dr.Paul MacCready,claimed that should the body of the "Impact" electric car (under development until 1996) be dropped onto a conventional chassis ( you can read this as Saturn/Geo/Chevy/Buick/Oldsmobile/Opel/Cadillac/Pontiac/Holden/Suzuki/Isuzu/Toyota/Daihatsu),with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine,5-speed manual transmission,and economy calibrations,you'd be looking at 80-mpg (highway).Since the frontal area of Saturn is in the ballpark of the Impact/EV-1/EV-2,if you can cut its drag to that of GM's electro wundercar,and ignoring the low-rolling-resistance tires of same,50-mpg should be doable.

[cfg83]

aerohead -

Originally Posted by aerohead

Saturn achieved 80-mpg(highway) in 1989.On paper only though.GM's/Aerovironment,chief,Dr.Paul MacCready,claimed that should the body of the "Impact" electric car (under development until 1996) be dropped onto a conventional chassis ( you can read this as Saturn/Geo/Chevy/Buick/Oldsmobile/Opel/Cadillac/Pontiac/Holden/Suzuki/Isuzu/Toyota/Daihatsu),with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine,5-speed manual transmission,and economy calibrations,you'd be looking at 80-mpg (highway).Since the frontal area of Saturn is in the ballpark of the Impact/EV-1/EV-2,if you can cut its drag to that of GM's electro wundercar,and ignoring the low-rolling-resistance tires of same,50-mpg should be doable.

Wow, this is very cool to know. Maybe I should get my hands on some EV1 blueprints. I suspect a Saturn SC1 coupe would be the best platform. Also, I remember that the Chevy Geo Storm looked a lot like the SC1 :

Geo Storm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geo_Storm

The Geo Storm was a sport compact car manufactured by Isuzu and sold in the United States by General Motors from 1990 through 1993 as part of GM's Geo line of inexpensive automobiles. The same vehicles, with minor variations, were sold in Canada in the 1992 & 1993 model years only. The Storm was intended to be a budget car with the look and feel of a sports car. It replaced the related Geo Spectrum, which was sold in hatchback and sedan, and like its predecessor, it is only sold in 2-door hatchback and station wagon.

CarloSW2

[mopo3]

I think I can beat it! I have been asking my self how I am going to reduce the wake on the back end of the car since the only ones I've seen on the intertubes have been hatch backs, but I like what I see here.

I will be blocking in my front grill in the morning and heading to the junkyard for parts to play around with.