1943 replies to this topic

[mini_mad69]

Is there nothing you can drill in the engine bay?

How about the clutch cover?

EDIT: Have you seen Paul Wiginton's sprint? His thread might give you some ideas.

Yeah, not a lot of weight to loose there, and is a bit of a pain to remove it. Next time the engine is out though, I'll do it.


I've seen his sprint, was looking at it just now, he lost the weight through some very clever ways, I don't have the skills to do a fraction of the things he's done though.


I've actualy come to love the look of holed things now though, so will keep doing it. Even if I am only losing a couple of grams at a time, it soon all adds up.

[mighty mini jack]

Taking the rear bins out at all Ben or leaving them in and hole-sawing them?

Looking good so far though

[mini_mad69]

Taking the rear bins out at all Ben or leaving them in and hole-sawing them?

Looking good so far though

The car is my everyday car, and Im scared to do anything permenant. So whatever I do I want it to be reversable or not noticable if I feel the need to move away from the racer look.


So will hole saw them, but leave them there, same as with the rear bench. Means I can just put the back seat cusions back on and no one would know.

[mighty mini jack]

I see, similar to Toms then.

Good plan really, would be gutting if you wanted to move onto a different style and couldn't really pull it off due to having no bins/seat lip.

[mini_mad69]

I see, similar to Toms then.

Good plan really, would be gutting if you wanted to move onto a different style and couldn't really pull it off due to having no bins/seat lip.

Yeah, just like tom's car.



I wish I had the skills to do some of the clever fabrication he's doing.

[leaky]

You could drill holes in you rear valance. That would save some weight and it looks pretty cool as well.

[mini_mad69]

You could drill holes in you rear valance. That would save some weight and it looks pretty cool as well.

Thats the plan, need to get a better hole saw though.

Will get some cash together and get the bosch kit that harber07 is using.

[mighty mini jack]

Yeah, going to invest in that holesaw kit myself. It seems spot on.

Believe it or not the bits he's fabricated are made pretty easily using a few simple tools (bench grinder, drill press, tap&die set, hacksaw, blow-lamp). He talked me though all the pieces and it sounds simple enough. Even the carbon bits, i've had a roll of carbon in my room for ages not knowing what to do with it!

[mini_mad69]

Yeah, going to invest in that holesaw kit myself. It seems spot on.

Believe it or not the bits he's fabricated are made pretty easily using a few simple tools (bench grinder, drill press, tap&die set, hacksaw, blow-lamp). He talked me though all the pieces and it sounds simple enough. Even the carbon bits, i've had a roll of carbon in my room for ages not knowing what to do with it!

Yeah I can see how he makes them, I don't have a drill press though, found drilling these parts I've been doing anywhere near accurate quite difficult.


Im going to do some carbon bits when I can though.

Although the welding of titanium im assuming requires a tig welder.


I only have access to a mig and arc welder, and im still learning to use these properly.

[mighty mini jack]

Surprisingly he hasn't welded any of the bits yet, i thought he did on the pedal.

[mini_mad69]

Surprisingly he hasn't welded any of the bits yet, i thought he did on the pedal.

Just looked at the cost of titanium rod.



SOD THAT!!!!!


Yeah it saves weight, but the cost!!! Will probably start with carbon parts, a bit cheaper.


I need money though, will do an alluminium parcel shelf next, to get rid of the 6x9 holes, and it looks cool.


I want to know where Im at with the weight now. Maybe just above standard weight.


Fibre bonnet
Alloy rad
stripped interior
no sound proofing

Not sure if that will compensate for the cage.

All the little drilled parts don't realy make much difference

[mighty mini jack]

He bought his as cut offs from an auto-feed lathe on Ebay, think thats the only way to get it cheap enough.

It is really expensive other wise!

What carbon bits you thinking of making Ben?

[mini_mad69]

He bought his as cut offs from an auto-feed lathe on Ebay, think thats the only way to get it cheap enough.

It is really expensive other wise!

What carbon bits you thinking of making Ben?

As many brackets as possible.. seats, radiator, etc

But also thinking maybe a rocker cover. Would need quite a lot of cloth for that though.

Either way, it has to be light.



Anymore ideas on getting it lighter?

[mymini007]

Carbon doors? Polycarb windows? Loose the bumpers and bumper seams? Carbon grille, drilled of course. Carbon mirrors? Motorbike battery, Carbon Headlight rings, window winding mechanism is really heavy. Just some ideas?

[Paul Wiginton]

Take a look at every part of the car no matter how small, 10%ish of its weight should be able to be removed or if possible refabricate in a lighter material to save around 50% of its weight. It takes time though, Ive spent 10 years getting around 230kg off my Sprint. Its currently around 420kg, I reckon with some carbon fibre it could go down to around 385kg giving close to 400bhp per ton