Getting rid of excess weight from your steed
Discussion
How can I find out what i can take out of my car in order to make it as light as possible?
Due to Insurance issues I can't do anything major to the engine so I thought 'if I can't tune it, lighten what you've got and make the most of the current set up'.
So; can I, for instance, take the rear seats out? or Remove the spare tire and replace with a can of foam? Or take out the interior (side panels, bits of trim etc etc)?
It's an 89 205 gti 1.9 (totally standard - not Max Powered in any form - hasn't even got a K&Nair filter).
Due to Insurance issues I can't do anything major to the engine so I thought 'if I can't tune it, lighten what you've got and make the most of the current set up'.
So; can I, for instance, take the rear seats out? or Remove the spare tire and replace with a can of foam? Or take out the interior (side panels, bits of trim etc etc)?
It's an 89 205 gti 1.9 (totally standard - not Max Powered in any form - hasn't even got a K&Nair filter).
I imagine you must inform your insurance company of any mods, being that adding or taking away, such things as dumping the rear seats alters the number of passengers bit and if you where carrying anyone in the back without seats you would be facing a problem, or you could alway go on a diet 
There is another way to acheive this without losing your creature comforts.
Removal of the flywheel in favour of a lightened item will have dramatic results in the first two gears lessening as you go up the box.
Havent got the calculation method to hand, but the removal of something like 10 pounds(YES!) from the flywheel weight could yield a difference in acceleration as if you had removed 100 pounds from the car itself.
As i said, the effect is lessened in the higher gears, but will be noticable in all.
Added advantage is that the engine will rev freely as its not having to accelerate the mass of a heavy flywheel.
Downsides can be higher revs needed for take off so possibly more clutch slipping needed, but does depend on the weight of the car in the first place.
I did this weight saving exercise on my GT4,not a lightweight car, and its made loadsa difference, and without having to strip it out. Also has made no noticable difference in standing starts, ie; having to slip the cluch more. Basically in my case at least, its been a win-win situation.
Hope this helps.
Removal of the flywheel in favour of a lightened item will have dramatic results in the first two gears lessening as you go up the box.
Havent got the calculation method to hand, but the removal of something like 10 pounds(YES!) from the flywheel weight could yield a difference in acceleration as if you had removed 100 pounds from the car itself.
As i said, the effect is lessened in the higher gears, but will be noticable in all.
Added advantage is that the engine will rev freely as its not having to accelerate the mass of a heavy flywheel.
Downsides can be higher revs needed for take off so possibly more clutch slipping needed, but does depend on the weight of the car in the first place.
I did this weight saving exercise on my GT4,not a lightweight car, and its made loadsa difference, and without having to strip it out. Also has made no noticable difference in standing starts, ie; having to slip the cluch more. Basically in my case at least, its been a win-win situation.
Hope this helps.
cotty said: How about getting some perspex windows and see if anyone does fiberglass bonnet or hatch
That is pretty much the only way you are going to achive serious weight loss. As with Porsches even when you go the RS route ie throw away the rear seats, bung in front recaro buckets to replace the electric seats, manual window winders to replace electric, throw away all the no essential electric & have a smaller loom, use magnesiam wheels, remove all underseal & sound deadening, use thinner glass & an alumininum bonnet you only lose about 130kg.
Now 130kg would be a lot to loose from a Pug 205 but you dont have things like heavy electric seats to throw away so you would have to remove every thing from the interior ie inc the dashboard roof lining etc use plexigalss window fibregalss tailgate & bonnet and drill just about every remaining part for lightness to achive a similar weight loss.
When I track prepared a little hatchback for road & a few track days I weighted all the bits I removed from it and diddnt save much more than 10Kg!! as all the bits weight so little in the 1st place. (I kept std glass & panels etc and diddnt remove under seal etc)
Spooky said: Moleamol should be able to give you some advice if he's about. He's stripped out his Integrale to the bare bones.
No matey, I asked on here if I should do it but the Pher's that answered put me off a bit. So at the moment she still has a standard interior. My mate is trying to make me buy 2 bucket seats and a navigators footplate for him though as currently the poor lad sits on his hands and just tries not to get thrown about too much, and fails 
Hey MollyMan, good to speak to you again! 
Soz to misinterpret mate. Thought the Grale was a skeleton by now!
O/T I think it's about time we got together and burned round the streets of Pie City. I could e-mail you if ya want, and we could organise summat, i.e. meet at a pub, have a drive round and then maybe have a pint or two of Creme de Menthe.
Whaddya reckon?
Soz to misinterpret mate. Thought the Grale was a skeleton by now!
O/T I think it's about time we got together and burned round the streets of Pie City. I could e-mail you if ya want, and we could organise summat, i.e. meet at a pub, have a drive round and then maybe have a pint or two of Creme de Menthe.
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