General Cheap performance gains..

[Bigvtwin996]

When I were a lad... we could not afford the sporty versions of the cars we drove... so often the trend was t take an 1100L Ford Escort and make it look like a Escort Mexico by adding the appropriate stripes down the sides and wing badges...obviously that trend continues today.... I have seem M3 badges on 320D BMWs

but in our day.. it was a known fact that adding a cross of black insulation tape on your headlights could add up to 5mph to your performance...
Adding a chrome exhaust pipe trim painted red inside could extract gases more efficiently s a 2-3 bhp gain could be obtained...


What super economic performance upgrades have people tried on 500s and were they successful?
Do "Scorpion" stickers give you any extra bhp?

 

[BambinoClassic]

Pointing it downhill was the only way I ever had any luck!

 

[giardini]

As was true for the Escort, removal of the front bumper of the 500 is a sure sign that safety has been disregarded in favour of what can only be enhanced performance, I'd say a 10% increase in horsepower at least. Also lowers the suspension by a full ground-hugging inch.
Not taking a hacksaw to the exhaust pipe and giving the exit a downward slant instead of the boring 90° cut means you just don't care.
Any drilled-for-lightness piece of alloy seen darkly lurking in the shade under the engine will give pause as well.
Indicating your blood-type near the door handle is a sure sign you're not kidding, either.

 

[Bigvtwin996]

As was true for the Escort, removal of the front bumper

Totally forgot the weight saving of front bumper removal...
and the random drilling of holes to lighten the car....

and just remembered the green stick on sun visor with "Dave + Shaz" to indicate who sat in the drivers seat.....

Would a Starsky and Hutch stripe improve the performance of a 500 in the way it did for a Vauxhall Viva?

I'm sure Sean knows loads from his Mini days....
there must be many who have succumbed to such upgrades so time to confess!!


As an add on to my new Certificate business, I'm thinking of expanding to include a performance ad-don supplier so will be looking at the best value upgrades and stickers and such seem to have a great profit margin...

 

[fiat500]

From personal experience I can confirm that a checkered sunroof on a 500 gives a performance increase which is slightly less than imperceptible.

Bolt-on, rally-style auxilliary driving lights increase night-time driving speed on country roads by at least 10% although the increased level of public sarcasm elicited by the fitment of both of these upgrades needs to be taken into account.

 

[giardini]

Peter, driving one of these means you THRIVE on public sarcasm (of the good-natured kind, at least)

 

[Bigvtwin996]

you THRIVE on public sarcasm

Me!!! Sarcasm!!! or the other one??
either way, you must have the wrong person....


but back on topic... Driving lights.. I know there must be some correlation between the number of additional lights and the higher speeds, as too many lights will zap the power available to the engine and also demand some bhp be diverted to power these lights...
Has anyone tried those exhaust pipe enlargers the ones that basically add a baked bean tin to the end of the exhaust to give the impression of a huge V8 engine... I think a simple test with a baked bean tin could be required....

 

[Bleeding Knuckles]

Totally forgot the weight saving of front bumper removal...
and the random drilling of holes to lighten the car....

Yep, leave the car out in the rain and allow the rust to really take hold, that would lighten things up a bit, but then you would probably end up putting your foot through the firewall when applying the brakes

Ian.

 

[1500500]

The most cost effective performance gain ifor me would be to buy less food and lose some weight to increase the power to weight ratio.

 

[Bigvtwin996]

Having spoken to an old mate about these things....
he reminded me that adding "wheel Spats" without changing the Wheels/tyres was a cheap way to improve handling...
As did fitting those "Paddy Hopkirk" Rally style seat covers rather than the full expense of new seats... you could drive much faster as the covered offered that extra support you needed...



A Spotlight on the rear as a reversing light was a must for the rally driving style and increases acceleration....


he also said that there was a short trend for pinstripes along the sides of cars to improve aerodynamics and of course the "Universal" rear wing spoiler and who can't remember the rear window visor... all these improved handling by keeping the car stuck to the ground with the extra down-force...

 

[gordinir8]

My father had a MKii in the early 90's, Not a Pinto but a twin weber Kent instead, sport exhaust, lower to the floor, a fake roll cage etc but there was always something missing so i took my white humbrol enamel paint can and paint the wheels PIRELLI P7 letters. That gave me at list smoother and cooler drift. On my 500 i just pulling the chocke ''starting device'' and gaining something like 3-4 bhp:slayer: I also have a small 12V fan inside for the hot Greek summer that makes me feel.. cool

 

[Bigvtwin996]

My father had a MKii in the early 90's,......, a fake roll cage etc but there was always something missing ............

Did you try the racing number circles on the doors and bonnet...
with or without a number???
I know that some people also used squares but these would have been bigger and added weight



I was also wondering about these modern Huge Brembo stick on plastic brake caliper covers.... do they improve braking? Imagine a 500 with 6 pot Caliper covers....

 

[Fayray]

I reckon these stripes helped on my first car back in the 80s. The fin things on the wipers were the only thing that kept them stuck to the screen during really fast driving...or so I remember

 

[Bigvtwin996]

........... The fin things on the wipers were the only thing that kept them stuck to the screen during really fast driving...or so I remember

Wow.. here we have first hand proof of the effect of such modifications on a 500....

 

[timgarman]

Here's a very cheap upgrade you can do.

Take an elasticated bungee, attach one end to the back of the car or undercarriage (I suggest not the rear bumper). Attach other end to something sturdy at home.

Never fails to get me home quicker.

 

[Duffys Dad]

My additions were sporty caged spot lamps and a 2 meter whip aerial with an orange streamer. They probably slowed the car down but made it easier to spot in a full car park. Also doors, bonnet and engine lid in different non matching colours. I was there way before the in-betweenera.