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Increasing performance by lightening the car

365 views 10 replies 0 participants last post by  blade 
G
#1 ·
With all these talk of increasing power to get better performance, what about lightening the car ?

There are lightweight bodyparts, carbon-fiber everything, stereo removal, ABS etc and save lots of weight.
Rode in a GrpN car and it was significantly quicker than stock, probably because of the much lighter weight.
 
G
#2 ·
It isn't easy or cheap to lighten the car! I have done mine. There are no carbon parts available other than bonnet and boot, but there is little weight saving as they are thick to match the rigidity of aluminium, which is pretty light anyway. Only GRP wings are available, and they weigh the same also.

You can remove ABS, AYC, Aircon, trim, sound deadening etc. My car is at about 1200kgs, including a full roll cage. There is a bit more to be had, but only by going crazy and fitting lexan windows (which are pretty nasty). Brakes and wheels, and engine parts can save weight too, but in total not much more than about 25kgs.

DOes make a difference to performance, but a bigger difference to handling.
 
G
#5 ·
Check out the following also,

Engine mounts , cast iron.

All 4 suspension uprights , cast iron.

Various tranmission mounts , cast iron.

Make all these from spark eroded titanium , or graphite loaded alloy forgings , cud loose about 25 kg.

Drive shafts and propshaft , steel , bin them and substitute with beryllium or kevlar carbon , loose about 20 kg.

Crankshaft , forged steel , shave it , loose about 3 kg.

Camshafts , cast steel , replace with hollow steel shafts , loose about 3 kg.

51 kg lost 4 only about £19 k ahhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!

Unless yr friendly with some1 in the aerospace industry :)
 
G
#9 ·
Original Post:
exactly. that'S why my first criterion in wheel selection is weight.
And not only do you reduce unsprung weight with lighter wheels, but you also lower their moment of inertia, which (depending on how light they are) leads to slightly better acceleration in 1st and (maybe) 2nd gear. Similar effect as fitting a lighter flywheel without the extreme effect on rate of drop of engine revs.

Well ... the effect won't be great but I was bored :)

Ian.
 
G
#10 ·
Blade,
Geezer , u r madder than a very MAD thing M8 :)

Some of this stuff is available , as in lightweight uprights , drive shafts , prop-shaft , hollow cams .

The crank can b shaved by a good engine builder (PE wud probably have this done out).

U must b going 4 the most exotic road going Evo on British roads , bring it on ;)
 
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