Just bought this 99 Geo Metro from dusterbd13 this evening. Supposedly it competed in the Challenge a couple times several years ago. Just wondering if anyone recognizes it, would like to get an idea of what has been done to it. Suspension definitely feels much firmer than a stock Geo should.
Anyone remember the car or know of a build thread for it?
I vaguely remember it from the years of 2012-2015
There was a member who showed up with a red one to the challenge. I'm pretty sure I sold him a cam and a sprocket for it, but don't know if that's the car.
If you have any Metro related questions I might know the answer
John Welsh said:I vaguely remember it from the years of 2012-2015
I dug into real paper and took these pictures...
For 2014, the Geo debuted and took 28th. For 2015 it returned and took 36th.
Interesting 1/4 times. In the hands of different drivers, on different days, in different years the 1/4 mile times were:
21.363 in 2014
21.366 in 2015
That seems like the making of a "good" bracket racing car.
Cool car, good buy.
Cool car! I'd love to own that.
Those quarter mile times had me giggling.
In reply to John Welsh :
Years ago (22+) the winner of the Wednesday night bracket racing series at the local drag strip drove a retired bread delivery step-van. Some people didn't think it was fair. He could turn consistent 34 second quarters all day.
I think I remember a build thread.
Here you go, build thread:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/99-chevy-geo-metro/90258/page1/
I had it before dusterbd13. I put the stock intake and air filter back on it. I spent a week chasing down the EVAP leak, never could find it. I traced the wiring for another fault code, never found it. I mostly let it sit and cranked it every few months. Little bugger never failed to kick over with a charged battery.
The GRM Challenge time slip should still be in the glovebox.
In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :
I keep thinking SWMBO's Fit would work well. Being a CVT I think it would just be a matter of consistently nailing the light.
Thanks everyone for all the info they've found and posted. Not sure if it will make a Challenge appearance in the future, current plan is for it to just be a backup beater car.
Hopefully in the next few days I'll have a chance to look it over and start fixing a few issues I already know about. Surging idle, worn or missing motor mounts, bleed brakes, oil change, etc.
Im telling you, ill buy the challenge entry. You need to, if only to experience the whole deal.
It can be the year of the fwd appliance from nc!
In reply to untchabl :
Come to the challenge. Set a personal goal of posting up a drag time of 21.36x
untchabl said:Thanks everyone for all the info they've found and posted. Not sure if it will make a Challenge appearance in the future, current plan is for it to just be a backup beater car.
Hopefully in the next few days I'll have a chance to look it over and start fixing a few issues I already know about. Surging idle, worn or missing motor mounts, bleed brakes, oil change, etc.
I never could figure out the high idle. It cranks right up and revs to 3k instantly. I put synthetic oil in it just to protect it a little better during starting up. Per my understanding the motor mounts are urethane (or just solid). I never bled the brakes. I was also going to use it as a bang around town car but since the CEL would never go out, it won't pass local emissions. I drove it around the neighborhood and across Atlanta once, no problems at all.
The driver door sticks, but keep the latch oiled and it works fine. The hatch has the same balkiness but it will open with the key. Supposedly the A/C will work when refilled. It was removed for the Challenge for weight reduction, then reinstalled but never charged.
The radio is pretty cool too.
I traded a non-running Mirage Turbo to FastAsleep for the Metro back in 2017.
More of the original build:
https://geometroforum.com/transmission-swap-39-99-metro-5-speed-t20281.html
I seem to recall driving that car at the Challenge autocross and thinking it was much better than expected.
Previously driven by the great, Danny Shields. That makes the car worth even more, at least to me!
It's not that I don't want to compete in the Challenge, just not sure if I'll be able to make the trip. Work, family and other obligations could prevent me from going.
If I am able to go to the Challenge, I want to drive the car down (not trailer it) and attempt to not finish last in auto-x or the drags.
In reply to untchabl :
Convoy with us, then you have tools and such if needed.
Oh, and request pto in January. Thats what im doing!
Based on the rukes dropped last night, ill save the star specs for you
That is the best of the Metro Chassis. It's also the heaviest, which is not good news for the motor. The best thing you can do to that car is get some weight out of it. Then put some smaller tires with, hopefully, lighter rims. It makes a difference. If you can find a Swift GT timing sprocket, install it using the "E" setting. That will give you 4 degrees of needed advance. They're timed rather late (114 IC) so it helps. Advance the ignition timing as far as it will go. There's a stopper so it's not that much and it won't ping with mid grade fuel. If the head ever has to come off, take .040" off the mating surface. It needs the extra compression. None of those make a big difference, but collectively they make it a lot nicer to drive.
I've never owned a later model Metro with the 3 cyl, though I did drive one and found it miserably slow, I did own a couple with the 1.3 16V and they were very capable.
EDIT: I just read that article, it already has one of my sprockets on it, probably +6. The intake and exhaust do make a difference on these cars too.
In reply to Mr. Peabody :
It has some sort of advanced timing gear on it already from what I recall. There was a spare motor for the car but I never met up with the previous owner. I think it is in Texas somewhere.
I was probably editing it when you posted that
I revived the old build thread and I'll keep adding to it in the future.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/99-chevy-geo-metro/90258/page1/
Thanks for all the help/info from everyone. I'm sure I'll have more questions once I start digging into the car.
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