CUSTOM CHEVY METRO

When peoples build custom’s race cars they tend to chose monster cars to do their project.

I always wanted to build a custom race car based in a small and light chasis like a Chevy Metro or Suzuki Swift.

The chassis of a Chevy Metro is small and so is lighter. And so the weight of that chassis don't need the ammount of horsepower that will need a heavier monster bodywork.

I want to know if a small block v-6 engine with manual transmission can fit into a Chevy Metro’s hull. Or if not fit’ can I do some modifications to the hull?

My goal is to create a fast custom car that don't spend the ammount of fuel that would spend a monster, heavy and primitive chassis of a cadillac for example.

You know, a smaller car spend less fuel because the weight is smaller, so it don't need a monster engine to reach the maximum speed in a given time, Overpowered car is equal to wasted energy.
So why to move a car with a big engine if with a smaller engine in accordance with it's weight you can do the same thing?
The engine must be calculated according to the weight of the car.  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

The problem with this plan is that those cars were never designed to have even a little bit of power.  Not to mention they are front wheel drive.  The chassis won't handle a lot of power...won't take handling forces...and doesn't have much room under the hood for even a modest powerplant.  Talking about a ton of money and time for a car that isn't worth a dime...

Not telling you not to go for it...but there are better platforms out there.  
68 Olds Cutlass ~ 350 Rocket
85 Delta 88 ~ 425 Rocket
02 Silverado 4X4 ~ 5.3L

The formula-1 have a small v-6 engine block and they reach 200 mph.

I like the front traction because it grip better to the road due to the weight of the powerplant that is over the wheels.
I bet that the chassis of a chevy metro can handle 200hp, the necesary horse powers to convert the car into a roket.

The chassis is small, so it weight less compared to other chasis.

That mean that with a small v-6 engine it will reach the same speed than a mustang v-8 for example, and at the same time it will consume less fuel than a mustang.

The people see the small cars with distrust just because they are small. Yo have to take in account the physical laws of the weight, acceleration ect.

I bet that a chevy metro with a small v-6 power plant of 200 hp can win over a mustang v-8 of 400hp.

The chassis of a chevy metro not need a 400hp engine to be impulsed to 200mph.
That mean to run with less fuel.
That mean less money spended in fuel.
Is not the same the ammount of fuel that spend a car that weight less than a ton compered with a car that wheight 2 or 3 tons.


I don't like the monster cars with monster engines, or primitive and dinosauric chassis. I want to do something different.

My goal is to have a fast car for the fuel crisis that will come in the near future. A race car that run and don't spend the ammount of fuel that would spend a cadillac to achieve the same speed.

I know that meny of you customise cars for fashion.
I want to customise a more practical car.
In the future the sport cars will be small but with a potent engine in acordance with it's chassis.

You know, my moto is: "a small car but with a potent engine".  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

Roadruner:
When peoples build custom’s race cars they tend to chose monster cars to do their project.

I always wanted to build a custom race car based in a small and light chasis like a Chevy Metro or Suzuki Swift.

The chassis of a Chevy Metro is small and so is lighter. And so the weight of that chassis don't need the ammount of horsepower that will need a heavier monster bodywork.

I want to know if a small block v-6 engine with manual transmission can fit into a Chevy Metro’s hull. Or if not fit’ can I do some modifications to the hull?

My goal is to create a fast custom car that don't spend the ammount of fuel that would spend a monster, heavy and primitive chassis of a cadillac for example.

You know, a smaller car spend less fuel because the weight is smaller, so it don't need a monster engine to reach the maximum speed in a given time, Overpowered car is equal to wasted energy.
So why to move a car with a big engine if with a smaller engine in accordance with it's weight you can do the same thing?
The engine must be calculated according to the weight of the car.

You're talking to a mechanical engineer.  I know VERY well the issues of trying to turn a cheapo economy car into something that resembles a performance automobile.  

First...FWD is the ABSOLUTE WORST drive orientation for performance.  When you try to accelerate, the physics of the setup actually minimizes traction.  Weight is shifted to the rear, OFF the front wheels.  The other thing is, FWD is a balance between steering feel and torque steer.  You'll never eliminate torque steer and provide significant steering feel with a FWD car...reducing torque steer reduces steering feedback while increasing steering feel will result in more torque steer.

Second...the Geo metro is an economy car.  The chassis is not designed for performance of any kind.  You can't turn it into a rocket without SIGNIFICANT work to strengthen it...even for a palsy 200 HP.  Its also a terribly unbalanced car...adding a 6 cylinder to the front isn't going to help.

Third...again there are better platforms out there from which to work.  Even a cheapo Fiero would be a better platform for this.  New cars that do this very thing are the Solstice, Sky, S2000, Elise, among others.  Cars from the past that do this would be the Shelby Cobra.  All are lightweight platforms that are actually designed to handle the power.

Fourth...if you want a rocket that gets good gas mileage...a car isn't the answer.  Best answer is one of these:



40 mpg and mid 10's in the quarter mile.  
68 Olds Cutlass ~ 350 Rocket
85 Delta 88 ~ 425 Rocket
02 Silverado 4X4 ~ 5.3L

The apropriate answer to your responce is:

The motorcycle have a litle problem. That problem is the "sandpaper effect" when you fall on the street from the byke at 120mph.

I challenge you that in less than a month I will create a super roket car with my chevy metro. I will install a V-12 engine of 500HP into it, and you will see the incredible results.    
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

I'm not telling you to not go for it...but that its a heck of a lot more involved than you are making it out to be.  If you want to do it...go for it.  Just be aware you're in for a lot of work to make it work well.

But that little problem with the "sandpaper effect" if you crash your bike can be easily handled by this stuff called "leather".  
68 Olds Cutlass ~ 350 Rocket
85 Delta 88 ~ 425 Rocket
02 Silverado 4X4 ~ 5.3L

It is interesting to note that there is a driveshaft tunnel in the floor of these cars even though it is FWD.  
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/726781

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/726791

THEN, THAT MEAN THAT WE CAN CUSTOMISE THOSE CARS AND CONVERT THEM INTO A RACE CARS.

I CONTINUE WITH MY OPINION THAT THE CHEVY METRO CAN BE CUSTOMIZED AND CAN BE CONVERTED INTO A GREAT RACE CAR.

MAYBE THEY NEED SOME SUPPORT FOR THE ENGINE BUT DEFINITELY THEY CAN BE CONVERTED INTO A RACE CAR.

I'M LOOKING FOR A RACE CAR THAT IS SMALL BUT FAST AND THE CHASSIS OF THE CHEVY METRO IS IDEAL TO BUILD THAT CAR.

MY IDEA IS TO CREATE A SMALL RACE CAR WITH AN ENGINE WITH THE ENOUGH HORSEPOWER TO TURN IT INTO A ROKET.

AS THE SMALL CARS DON'T NEED A MONSTER AND SPENSSIVE ENGINE TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL OF A CADILAC, IS MORE FACTIBLE FOR POOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO CUSTOMIZE THIS TYPE OF CAR.

My idea is:
A Shelby needs a V-8 engine of 400hp to reach 200mph
A chevy metro don't need that to reach 200mph.

why?

Ah!!!, because there is much less metals in a cheve metro's chassis than in a dinosauric and primitive Shelby's chassis. there is a considerable difference of ammout of mass of metals betwee these 2 chassis.

So, you can turn a chevy metro into a roket with a more cheap and less powerful engine, and is posible that a customised chevy metro can win over a shelby.

WHAT HAPPEN IS THAT NOBODY IN THIS WORLD OF CUSTOMISED CARS DARED TO CUSTOMISE A CHEVY METRO BECAUSE THE FASHION IN THIS ENTERPRICE OF CUSTOMISED CARS ARE THE OLD AND DINOSAURIC CARS AND THE MONSTER CARS. THAT IS WHAT HAPPEN.

THE MAN WHO DARE TO CUSTOMIZE A CHEVY METRO IN THIS WORLD OF CUSTOMISED CARS THAT IS DOMINATED BY CLASIC CARS AND MONSTER CARS WOULD BE TARGETED AS A LAUGHINGSTOCK  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

The motorcycle have another problem. The driver is exposed to the environmental elements... cold, rain, soot, ice ect. I don't like that.  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

Roadruner:
The motorcycle have another problem. The driver is exposed to the environmental elements... cold, rain, soot, ice ect. I don't like that.

Heated vest/pants/gloves for the cold, rain gear for the rain, soot?? , ice you don't ride in...keep the metro for that

Being exposed is the best part..not cooped up in a cage.  
68 Olds Cutlass ~ 350 Rocket
85 Delta 88 ~ 425 Rocket
02 Silverado 4X4 ~ 5.3L

Just out of curiosity, do you even know what it takes realistically to go 200mph?? Weight has almost nothing to do with top speed.  Frontal area, aero dynamics and raw horsepower are what it takes.  Your 200Hp engine won't get you to 200mph in a metro (nor will 400 in a mustang).  Power to weight ratios are purely for tests of acceleration.  Your 200hp Metro will still get spanked by the 200hp 4-banger imports in a drag race because they'll have better suspension geometrys for traction than a thrown together v-6 metro's chassis that was never set up to try and re-load up the front end.  And by the time you shoe horn a V-6 into a Metro and rebuild a V6 for it, dollar for dollar I could get a V8 camaro or corvette or V8 mustang faster and quicker.  Good luck getting below 15 seconds in that race Metro, or into the 12's if you manage enough horsepower to start unloading the front end.  
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The Silver Buick- '77 Skylark coupe w/ a Fuel Injected Buick 455&TKO-600, '72 Centurion Conv't - 455w/TH400, '67 T-bird 4Dr (suicide) w/428&C6. Needing to replace a '69 Firebird 400.

http://www.bangshift.com/forum/index.php?topic=6189.0

The apropriate response for the mechanical engineer. (thesilverbuick)

Let me asure you that the metro is more aerodinamic than the diosauric mustang or the primitive camaro.

The metro is smaller and for this reason is more aerodinamic that the stupid camaro, wich by the way is extremmely heavy because is BIG and primitive!

I want a small race car not a dinosauric "race car"

You are programed with the standard mode of thinking of the customised car's industry!!!

I don't want a primitive shelby.
I don't want a ridiculous camaro.
I don't want a stupid and primitive lamborghini of the year 2009.

I WANT A CUSTOMIZED CHEVY METRO!!!  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

Me a mechanical engineer? HA! I'm just a lowly geologist that know's how the laws of physic's work and enjoys building things and racing.  You crack me up with you're idea's that the Metro is more modern than any other auto on the road, dang'ed hilarious.  Maybe when you look past the name calling of other cars you'll see the reality that exists with performance FWD cars and how traction limited they can be, but I guess that's fine, you don't want the HP to go that quick any how.

You want a go-kart in a nascar race, got it, have at it and let us know how it turns out.

You want honest help, convert it to RWD, put a turbo'd 4 cylinder in it, work out the suspension bugs in the rear and you'll end up with a car that'll go as fast as teh parts you put in it will allow and 35+mpg.  FWD I bet would limit you to high 12's on stock suspension with an absurd amount of HP.  
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The Silver Buick- '77 Skylark coupe w/ a Fuel Injected Buick 455&TKO-600, '72 Centurion Conv't - 455w/TH400, '67 T-bird 4Dr (suicide) w/428&C6. Needing to replace a '69 Firebird 400.

http://www.bangshift.com/forum/index.php?topic=6189.0

I know that the geo metro look like a go-kart in a nascar race but if I fill up the fuel tank of a go-kart with nitroglycerin, that car will fly like a roket in the street and none car will be capable of reach it.

I know of a friend that use nitroglycerin as fuel for a roket... So why not to use it for a car?  
Don't mess with my chevy metro!

Because it'll throw a rod out the side of your block.......Because Nitro is an explosion and not a burn like gasoline in a combustion chamber.......  
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The Silver Buick- '77 Skylark coupe w/ a Fuel Injected Buick 455&TKO-600, '72 Centurion Conv't - 455w/TH400, '67 T-bird 4Dr (suicide) w/428&C6. Needing to replace a '69 Firebird 400.

http://www.bangshift.com/forum/index.php?topic=6189.0