Possible modable aero cars...
 

I have been looking at volvo 960s civics and fieros in terms of which would be the easier to mod with good results.

I personally look at the civic and the 960 and think to myself: "Damn, look at that huge front end". Plus, the angles on the back of the car look like a boattail would be so much easier to affix. The volvo and the civic both have larger back ends than front, seemingly making it harder.

So I pose the question: As far as aerodynamics go, which car would you choose as a base and why?

I have a 1997 960 and there are a lot better cars out there to mod for gas mileage. They're big and heavy to start with. This car comes in at 3,500 plus pounds and has a Cd of .36.
This is a car that will be very expensive to get over 30-31 mpg on the highway. Mine is a garage queen because of the short trip city gas mileage is horrible.

You don't skimp on routine maintenance. This engine a 24 valve all aluminum 2.9L straight six is not as forgiving as the old 2.3L 4 cylinders. For example it is an interference engine. If you don't change the timing belt when due and it snaps, your looking at $2,000 lighter wallet.
Depending on where you live will depend on the kind of mileage you will get.
The flatter the better.
Now something you don't want to know living in Buffalo the 960 is not good at all in snow. Minimum would be 4 snows and a couple of hundred pounds in the trunk.

Now for the up side. The 95-98 960/S90 is probably the finest car Volvo ever built. I bought mine for driving on long highway trips. With mods I get 29 mpg on average at 65 mph in mine. This car is an absolute dream to drive long distance. The only downside is filling the 21.3 gallon gas tank.

One thing about the civic, even though they look a little froopy at times, the standard body is actually quite air friendly. I know in europe the 92-95 Honda Civic 2dr had a cd of .32, which is quite good for a stock car, especially of that age. I've never found numbers for the hatchback, but have always suspected that they would be slightly higher.

Fiero's on the other hand, are none to aerodynamic with their flat rear windshield, they really do have small frontal areas though, and I've heard they can return quite impressive gas mileage.

Plus, they're just incredibly cool! :cool:

Now that sounds bizarre for a Scandinavian vehicle, but I knew a Norwegian guy once, and he told me they use studded tires all winter over there. In point of fact, though he grew up driving in Norwegian winters, he couldn't get out of the college parking lot on ASRs when it snowed, had to give him a ride to the store LOL

I had a 81 242 Turbo. I never needed snows. It had Pirelli P6's on it and I never got stuck. My 745T and my 960 you have to put 4 snows on them to get around. BTW I despise the ABS on the 960 in the winter. I guess I have driven for too long the old way in the snow to change. :p