Weight Reduction - The Next Level

[smckeown 1]

Well I have used all my weight reduction know how on the new 8v that I used on the mi16 and a little more, and i'm currently getting it down to 760 race weight (excluding me).

 

So I want to get it down to my original 750 Kgs, so I need to get 10kgs from somewhere

Options i'm seriously looking into:

 

Teabag shell

 

First is attacking the shell, in a safe way, to get some weight off. I think a few Kgs can be gained by following Colin Satchel's example by drilling some holes in the rear and reducing the doors down to an absolute minimum. I'm happy to reduce the doors to next to nothing as I have good side bars. Here's his car for anyone that hasn't seen it:

 

 

Weight saving = 6kgs (guestimate) cost = almost nothing, have saws/cutters already

Cost of weight reduction = ~£0.02 per kg = very cheap

 

Lighter bumpers

 

I also think I can drill more holes in my front and rear bumpers. Saving rather marginal really

 

Here's the vents I cut already, i'll just continue the holes for front and back.

 

 

While i'm doing the rear i'll ensure there's no metal strenthening in the bumper (like my old front one), if there is i'll either cut it out or order a GSF replacement one, and drill holes in that.

 

Weight saving = ~3kg if rear has steel bits, cost = £24

Cost of weight reduction = ~£8 per kg = cheap

 

Lightweight seat runners

 

I currently have the sparco steel runner. No idea how heavy these are, but they certainly are not light. I see you can get these lighweight ali runners for £50. Plus They looks much more adjustable, and will help me lower the current seats (cannot be lowered further on current runners)

 

 

 

Weight saving = ~3kg (guess) , cost = £40 (includes selling existing ones)

Cost of weight reduction = ~£13 per kg = good value

 

Options I have discounted:

 

Lighter seats. even though my Sparco evo ones are medium weight at 9.1kgs each, lighweight ones are rather expensive, £800-£1,000. Although I have seen these in demon tweeks, they weigh 3.9kgs each and cost £263+VAT

 

 

The problem is they look uncomfortable and are not FIA approved by the looks of it

 

Weight saving = 10.4kgs, cost = £360 after selling existing seats

Cost of weight reduction = ~£35 per kg = acceptable

 

Lighter starter and alternator Together the Brise units save about 4kgs and cost roughly £300 together.

 

Weight saving = 4kgs, cost = ~£300.

Cost of weight reduction = £75 per kg = too expensive

 

Lighter harnesses

 

I have sparco 6 points and they weigh a ton (not literally ). I see you can buy sparco lightweight and extra lighweight 6 points at over £280 and £600 each respectively = sod that!

 

Losing 1 seat/runner

Track days are for fun as well as embarassing expensive machinery So I'm not going this route. Maybe I should only take lightweight passengers Stop eating those pie's Gav

 

Items Jonnie205 listed on my original weight reduction thread:

• Acid Dip shell
  
• T45 Tubing for cage
  
• Build the car using alloy or titanium bolts depending on application and always use K nuts.
  
• Convert to single wiper using centre screen for parking (reduce weight and drag
  
• Make up all brakets and fixing panels using alloy or carbon fibre.
  

drilling rear suspension

As per here, this just doesnt look safe:

 

Options I might look into in the future:

 

Running Avon ACB10 Wet Slicks would save about 1kg per tyre over the current Yokohama. I had them on both my caterhams and I loved them. So When the yokohama's wear out I might go for them next time.

 

 

Weight saving = 4kgs, cost = nothing (they weigh same as a replacement yoko).

Cost of weight reduction = £0.03 per kg = amazing value

 

Motorboke rear calipers

The superlight caterhams use bike rear calipers, might look into this in the future...

 

So...Has anyone got any other advice on weight reduction ? Any more items I can drill holes in towards the front of the car ?

 

cheers

sean

Edited October 7, 2006 by smckeown

[Banjo 1]

Think how much weight is in underseal and all those layers of paint you've put on..

[Sandy 191]

Colins was 690kg in that trim. We're working on another that will be even lighter atm. A friend used those Kirkey seats in his mk1 Escort and you'd be amazed how comfortable they are, nothing like you expect.

[welshpug 1,657]

Lighter wheels? 1.9 GTi speedlines weigh roughly 9 kilo's, there are plenty of wheels out there that weigh around the 6 kilo mark like Team Dynamics wheels.

 

Or even rallye steelies, though I'm unsure if they'd fit over bigger brakes being 14" though they do give more clearance?

 

unsprung weight makes the suspension work better does it not? as well as helping in acceleration.

Edited October 7, 2006 by welshpug

[johno_78 2]

Think how much weight is in underseal and all those layers of paint you've put on..

 

 

agreed. a customer of mine who races in the 750 club sells paint. he does a special lightweight car paint that saves 5+kgs. in reality it's not special paint, you just dont use primer with it.

 

a prime example of this is on aircraft. a typical passenger plane will use around 400kg's of paint, so they use as thin layers as they can, and not more than 2.

[Paintguy 0]

Chris (309PUG) has virtually nothing left of the inside of his doors, and he's cut plenty of weight out of the tailgate too.

 

I'd agree with the lightweight wheels too. Being unsprung, it'll give more advantages than just the weight loss.

 

Also agree with the acid dip and lightweight paint idea. I know you've already stripped some of the sealer off it, but there's loads more hitching a lift around the track. It might sound silly, but as I've mentioned before, consider using a different colour on it.

 

As a reference, I weighed out some various colours. A 2.5l tin of black was just over 3.5Kg (including tin) whereas the same quantity of white (in the same type of tin) was 6.9Kg. And with the superior covering power of black, you could probably get away with one coat of epoxy primer (tinted black) and 1 - 1½ coats of paint, instead of 2 or 3 of white.

[smckeown 1]

Colins was 690kg in that trim. We're working on another that will be even lighter atm. A friend used those Kirkey seats in his mk1 Escort and you'd be amazed how comfortable they are, nothing like you expect.

 

Ah, so you going to pass on any tips ? Is there anything you can pass on that's common knowledge in the racing world? I cam understand some things are a secret and a competative advantage etc...

 

If only those seats were FIA compliant i'd give them a go

 

Lighter wheels? 1.9 GTi speedlines weigh roughly 9 kilo's, unsprung weight makes the suspension work better does it not? as well as helping in acceleration.

 

Already got lighweight rims. Yes unsprung weight is important for handling, I have lighweight front calipers too

 

Chris (309PUG) has virtually nothing left of the inside of his doors, and he's cut plenty of weight out of the tailgate too.

 

Already got lighweight bonnet and tailgate, and as per above the doors are already cut, but will be masacred soon

 

Paint not an option though, useul to know though for other peeps

[Paintguy 0]

I think it's going to be hard to find anything you haven't already done, or thought of!

[Guest jarrods]

I've heard of guys drilling holes through the centre of every bolt.

 

Jarrod

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

You can make some lightweight bumper mounts up, the std Iron ones weigh a ton, Also the last bumper I got from GSF was more like the OE pug one not the nice light plastic ones they did supply

[smckeown 1]

You can make some lightweight bumper mounts up, the std Iron ones weigh a ton,

 

Ah thats good advice miles, cheers, i'll investigate that when i have the bumpers off. I'm sure I can make up some ali ones.

[Guest Bjørn]

http://www.no-rice.com/forum/index.php?fr=...vt&tid=7680

 

Maybe some good advice here?

[stu_woac 1]

I've always thought of the headlight glass being repaced with a light plastic but could be more expsene than gain due to trying to keep the patten for the light beam

[hodgy 0]

what exhaust system are you running because for example the OMP GROUP A inox system is stainless but it also weighes less cos its made of thinner steel so you can save some weight there for £180 as for the seats in my old 205 i just made some seat brackets and set them to where i sit n they weight jack all.is there any way of you cutting off the steel bumper brackets and making a perminant bodge with some screws or some thing into the shasis? sounds a bodge but will save weight

[pdd144c 0]

If only those seats were FIA compliant i'd give them a go

 

Why does that matter to you Sean?! Are you going to race yours soon then?

[smckeown 1]

Why does that matter to you Sean?! Are you going to race yours soon then?

 

Yeah i'm not rulling out sprinting at goodwood/lyden next year, see how the money goes..

 

Just reading that golf mk1 thread..fantastic.

 

I think i might just give removing the underseal a go. Just reading up on how to remove front wings

[stu_woac 1]

what with out bending them lol

 

you do know spooxs have done cf wings, I think they are over priced ut they have them

Edited October 7, 2006 by stu_woac

[Robsbc 0 1 Cars]

Could always loose weight yourself? Doesnt cost anything? lol

[Sandy 191]

 

Your wallet must be helping with the program!

[smckeown 1]

Could always loose weight yourself? Doesnt cost anything? lol

 

That's all in hand, I train 4-5 times a week for this

 

Your wallet must be helping with the program!

 

Yeah going permie and having luke has certainly given my wallet a serious diet

Edited October 7, 2006 by smckeown

[Dj_mini 7]

Sean you need to think of all the little bits as they all ad up.

Iv drilled out the bumper brackets they weigh less than half of what they did before

 

[Sandy 191]

You missed a bit

[Powers 13]

I made ali replacements, if i finally get my digital camera back i will take a few pics.

[inferno 1]

something very silly like helium filled tyres? or is that totally not cool?! maybe some other lighter than air inert gas?

 

what about reducing drag with lightweight Ti alloy skid pans?

[Andy_C 50]

Sean - that Mk1 Golf was driven to one of the NR meets at Fleet Services a couple of months back and it looked to a layman totally unsafe. Massive amount of work and light as anything; I've never seen a car that stripped out before!

Edited October 7, 2006 by Andy_C