So here's the project. I've been following Somender Singh's grooving theory for a long time.
This project leans heavily on the head grooving, as well as other factors.

Here's my idea:

-4cyl
-Grooved head
-High compression with lightweight forged internals
-Fuel injected/ piggybacked to run leaner AFR's
-Loads of ignition advance

-Manual transmission
-Front wheel drive
-SUPER light
-Light wheels w/ good tires @ higher pressure

I have a few cars in mind:

-Colt/Mirage hatch
-Omni 2.2/2.5

Some of my project preferences are just that, preferences.
I'll give updates as soon as I start.

 

i say mirage hatch with 4g63 swap...more displacement and power in a lighter vehicle should do well on gas mileage.....let me know how this goes....i like the vehicles you work on because they are different...keep us posted.

 

If somebody else posted this I would scoff at the idea, but from some of the posts you've made in the past you're one to actually follow through on something like this, so I'll take it seriously.

What is your budget for this project? A Yaris is lightweight, FWD, very high MPG possible, and a very new used one can't be more than 9-10k considering the state of the economy, the recent low gas prices and the fact they started at ~12k. Depending on how you do it, the parts on that list could add up to quite a bit of money. Done on the cheap, you're less likely to get the results you want. If the price of the project creeps up to even 1/2 of the price of the Yaris I don't think it would be worth it.

That said, car suggestions:
CRX HF- the damn thing already delivered crazy mileage from the factory. You might have to convert the fuel system- I'm trying to remember CRX swap info from 6 years ago so bear with me, but I think the HF had some weird fuel system and if you got too crazy with the build and EFI it might need to go. Really shouldn't be much of an issue given the overall scope of the build, and the HF was lighter than the Si which is always good.

Suzuki Swift 1.3l 4cyl- we did get these over here, right? Very light, very small but awesome twin cam (right?) four cylinder.

If you were willing to go 3 cylinder there are more options but they all compromise the "fun" aspect.

*edit* Do you put faith in those Singh grooves? I read a little bit about them a while ago and wasn't convinced. Didn't he prototype them on old VW air-cooled engines or something? The gist of it (IMO) was that the grooves probably worked on whatever old odd-shaped-combustion-chamber engine he first tried them on, but I didn't think the concept was as universal as he makes it out to be.

 

Definitely been considering this. I've done it before, so I consider it even more. You better bet i'll have constant updates on here.
Thanks for the positive words!

 

I'm self-limiting my budget to 5k including car. I think it will force me to use my knowledge of combustion chamber modification and combustion physics instead of trying to buy my way to my goal. Yes, I put full faith in the grooves. I ran a turbo Volvo 240, and an original Mx-6 turbo with a grooved head, where after 3000 miles, had consistantly clean oil with NO signs of fuel dilution. Also, I consistently ran 14psi on 89 octane on a T3 Super60 with NO ping under any conditions. The individual grooving styles are not universal; you have to study the individual combustion chamber styles to engineer a proper groove.

The Swift... oh the Swift.
It's #1 on my list. If I could find a DOHC Swift I would be so happy.
Crx is also another obvious choice. I'm spending a few weeks car shopping, but i've found, between your ideas and mine, 5 cars i'm accepting so far.

Thanks for the support!
Check back once in a while. I won't disappoint.

 

cool little idea for a new project, when do you plan to start? summer?

 

Seen a swift Gt 1.3 dual cam on craigslist not to long ago for 1500.00 running and driving... I allmost bought it.

 

I'd go crx, I think its a decent looking car, pretty much every other car posted i think is just, too...ugly.

 

I'll have the car purchased by late spring/early summer, yes.
That sucks, I would have bought it. I love those things.
I respect your opinion, though I do not agree.
I think they all look great. It's been narrowed down to a 2.2/2.5 Omni/Daytona/etc... or Colt/Mirage. Maybe even a newer Mirage coupe.
The 2.2/2.5 SOHC Dodges are a bit more appealing because they compliment the ''low profile'' aspect of my project.

 

CRX's are nice, you see too many of them, but do what you want, i like the colts, dont see them that often.