Lightest 911 - Lots of Drillium!
Lightest 911 - Lots of Drillium!
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Discussion

WojaWabbit

Original Poster:

1,143 posts

241 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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ChocolateFrog

34,954 posts

196 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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620kg is pretty light.

As Jonny said, less than half the weight of the Porsche's current lightest car.

WojaWabbit

Original Poster:

1,143 posts

241 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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ChocolateFrog said:
620kg is pretty light.

As Jonny said, less than half the weight of the Porsche's current lightest car.
It's quite impressive. Although it appears a little primitive in execution, it's no simple task to do properly and without totally compromising structural integrity.

PTW ratio of ~290bhp/t isn't to be sniffed at either!

robemcdonald

9,738 posts

219 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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WojaWabbit said:
ChocolateFrog said:
620kg is pretty light.

As Jonny said, less than half the weight of the Porsche's current lightest car.
It's quite impressive. Although it appears a little primitive in execution, it's no simple task to do properly and without totally compromising structural integrity.

PTW ratio of ~290bhp/t isn't to be sniffed at either!
It’s a great video. The car goes a bit too far for me though. Drilling holes in bars?? Why not just use a carbon fibre rod?
I’m probably missing the point though.

BubblesNW

1,711 posts

206 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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I wouldn't like to be in that in any sort of accident. It looks like the roof pillars would crumble and there is no side protection whatsoever.
No wonder he would track it at Curborough as it's one car on the track at a time there.
Does look cool though and you can tell it handles and goes well. Colin Chapman was right...

Muzzer79

12,670 posts

210 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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robemcdonald said:
It’s a great video. The car goes a bit too far for me though. Drilling holes in bars?? Why not just use a carbon fibre rod?
I’m probably missing the point though.
Because drilling holes is much, much cheaper than buying carbon fibre?

And arguably cooler. cool

BubblesNW said:
I wouldn't like to be in that in any sort of accident. It looks like the roof pillars would crumble and there is no side protection whatsoever.
You think a factory 911 of that era has side impact protection?

bern

1,377 posts

243 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Watched it last night. I'm torn, he's obviously very knowledgeable and been passionate about air-cooled cars since before I was born but as someone else has said I think the execution is lacking / strange.

You can't possibly say without carrying out fairly complex FEA whether or not you've excessively compromised something by lightening it. Which he obviously hasn't done. And the holes themselves are a bit 20th century.

I can't help but think that a small investment in a basic XY NC machine (he's clearly got a very successful business behind him) would have made a massive difference to the look of the project, some nice triangulated or formed pockets would look miles better and would be lighter still.

Still, it looks a riot to drive although I'm not sure I'd fancy driving around in colander with no seatbelts!

robemcdonald

9,738 posts

219 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Muzzer79 said:
robemcdonald said:
It’s a great video. The car goes a bit too far for me though. Drilling holes in bars?? Why not just use a carbon fibre rod?
I’m probably missing the point though.
Because drilling holes is much, much cheaper than buying carbon fibre?

And arguably cooler. cool
That’s a no to both of the above.



Timbo_S2

657 posts

286 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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I enjoyed the video, but was really expecting a lot more carbon, titanium and exoctic materials. Rather than just drilling everything to within an inch of its life (which was fairly impressive).

I thought the wheels would be Mag, bodywork must be lighter still if pre-preg carbon as opposed to fibreglass with balsa reinforcement, and there must be a huge amount of weight in the fasteners also if not Ti?

robemcdonald

9,738 posts

219 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Timbo_S2 said:
I enjoyed the video, but was really expecting a lot more carbon, titanium and exoctic materials. Rather than just drilling everything to within an inch of its life (which was fairly impressive).

I thought the wheels would be Mag, bodywork must be lighter still if pre-preg carbon as opposed to fibreglass with balsa reinforcement, and there must be a huge amount of weight in the fasteners also if not Ti?
It’s almost like he has approached it from a 1960s 70s perspective, almost like “this is what they could have done at the time”

Still massively impressive though.

brake fader

2,486 posts

58 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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It should be half price.

anonymous-user

77 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Weight is a killer in modern cars.
Carbon tubs is the future, lighter and better strength/rigidity

Cheib

25,048 posts

198 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Such a shame that Porsche has only paid lip service to removing weight from the 911 for the last 20ish years.

You can only admire the dedication to getting that car to 625 kg…I’d love to drive it to see what it feels like. A SWB with the standard 130 bhp is a lovely thing to drive…this must feel amazing.on a country road. I notice he’s got the suspension lowered…think I’d have the car on standard suspension to let it “float” a bit more.

Kawasicki

14,140 posts

258 months

Friday 8th April 2022
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Curledge said:
Weight is a killer in modern cars.
Carbon tubs is the future, lighter and better strength/rigidity
Customers seem to prefer them heavy

Cheib

25,048 posts

198 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
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Kawasicki said:
Curledge said:
Weight is a killer in modern cars.
Carbon tubs is the future, lighter and better strength/rigidity
Customers seem to prefer them heavy
You could argue that from the spec most people order...I remember with the 991.2 T (in theory a "lightweight" 991.2) very few were ordered or available with all the lightweight spec.

Let's face it though....you need to reduce weight by more than 20 or 30kg to make a difference...unless it is badly positioned in the car i.e. high up like a targa roof.

Throttlebody

2,693 posts

77 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
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Great to see. Pure passion and a large element of artwork. The sub 600 kg target - thumbup

ChrisW.

8,045 posts

278 months

Saturday 9th April 2022
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I really enjoyed the story and appreciated the workmanship ...

Having always used seat belts I don't think I could press-on without ... and I worry a little about mixing ali and steel without careful insulation to avoid electrolytic corrosion .... which I guess would otherwise unpredictably lighten it more ?

I wonder also what the weight distribution is now with fuel and passengers ?