1989 Geo Metro Gets 75 mpg

Q1) What kind of car(s) are you currently driving? Any other special or unusual cars in your personal history, besides the Metro?

I am currently driving a Chevy Prism

Q2) Regarding the mileage - 75 MPG - is that a combined total of all driving after the conversion, an individual "best" tank, the "highway" figure, or something else? If it's a total figure, did you get any individual tanks that were higher?

My 1989 Metro got 75 mpg most of the time, except when there were a lot of hills.

Q3) Do you use any specific driving techniques to help with your fuel economy?

No special driving techniques were used.

Q4) What kind of driving did you mostly do with the car (e.g. interstate @ 65+ mph, mostly secondary highway use at 55 mph, or mostly "city" driving, etc.)?

Most of the driving was on the interstate.

Q5) The text on the right side of the front page of your web site reads like a letter to an automaker. If it was, did you ever get a reply?

I sent about 18 letters out to the Governor's of New York and other state's hoping they would bring it to the attention of the auto manufactures, their reply was, "It was something they were not set up to handle".

Q6) What's your background in automotive aerodynamics? How did you get interested in the topic?

My interest in automotive aerodynamics came from building my own airplanes. I also have a flying instructor's license.

Q7) We can't tell from the photos, but is there also a smooth under tray beneath the car? Anything else that isn't shown/mentioned?

The car's right side from the front to the rear has 2 large hinged hatched doors for storage. I estimated one time you could carry 16 bags of groceries in the hatch with no problem. The doors open with a magnet and are made of aluminum to cut down on weight. I also had a bracket for the front and back on the right side of the car so when I went to the lumber yard I could carry 12 ft 2x4's home. This was a prototype car. The next car would have a smooth under tray.

Q8) The rear "basket handle" style wing - can you explain why you added it?

The rear basket handle, as you call it, is a combination of roll bar protection and stabilizes the car at high speed. I have had the car to 80 mph in an engine off situation going down a hill it did not want to reach the speed where it would not go any faster if you know what I mean. The car is real slick.

Q9) The newspaper article mentions changes to the transmission - can you explain that in a bit more detail?

The transmission was the hardest part. 1 found a way to change the 5th gear ratio. I made the gears myself on my lathe. A very proud moment for me. The local machine shops wanted $2,500.00 for 2 gears.

Q10) Did the body modifications affect the side-to-side balance of the car? Is the left side a bit heavier? Does it drive the same as an unmodified Metro?

This car is very stable at high speed because of its shape 1 used to enjoy driving it on the powered side of the road in the winter at higher speed because I could not believe how stable it was.

Q11) Why did you stop driving it? And, is it back on the road again? What are your future plans for the car?

I was going to put the car back on the road again as soon as I found the time but my first love is flying. I am older now and I am trying to enjoy life. With the information I now have I know it is possible to build a commuter car that would get 100 or more miles to a gallon of gas. If you get the chance, go rent the movie Tucker - The Man and His Dream.

Q12) Lastly, anything else you want to mention that I haven't asked about, please feel free to send it along.

I did research for 2 years on this design before I built it. I remember asking an older gentleman, "I want to build a high mileage car, where do I start?" He said, "You start in the library." He was right it is all there in black and white. I hope this information will help. Leave it up to the back yard mechanic if there is a way he will find it. The auto manufacturers are the ones that really lose. They have a chance to sell a lot of high mileage commuter cars. They can build safe fuel efficient and fun to drive cars for a low price.