GUIDE: Weight Saving

[LuPix_S15]

I've posted in my build thread in reply to Spoonman but where best to buy some dry ice from and what's the best way to carry/store them before usage lol?? :wack:

 

[JapanS15]

throw it in a cardboard box, but in a well ventilated area as nitrogen displaces oxygen. Also, it would be best to make sure you don't set the box on anything you don't mind getting frosty.

 

[spoonman]

Basic rules of dry ice : first dont touch it with your hands, simple rule but you will only do it once and then know why, second, chilly bin or ice cream container a sealed container works best for storage, third, you dont need to put it in your freezer,
Funny true story, a guy who works where i do went up to the tip-top ice cream factory in auckland (all owned by fonterra) got a boot load of ice cream at staff discount wanted to keep it from thawing out on the trip home, so packed dry ice around it. Middle of summer driving home ice was forming on the inside of his windows, the heater was on full, and he was freezing his nuts off.....

 

[LuPix_S15]

Thanks for the tips guys


Love that story spoonman lol

 

[spoonman]

S15 rear seat including mounting brackets weighs 10kg, (heavier then S14)

 

[udi]

I'm looking for some suggestions on saving weight, but I have some unique requirements.
I want to keep the car looking stock inside, and don't want to remove the A/C. It'd also be nice if whatever I did was reversible later.

So far I've removed
- All boot lining, plastic, wood etc
- Windscreen washer bottle, motor, pipes (didn't need)

I'd be happy to remove the spare and jack etc, but does this not encourage the back to become light / slide out more easily?

Is there anything else I can remove from the engine bay?

 

[Altecians]

I'm looking for some suggestions on saving weight, but I have some unique requirements.
I want to keep the car looking stock inside, and don't want to remove the A/C. It'd also be nice if whatever I did was reversible later.

So far I've removed
- All boot lining, plastic, wood etc
- Windscreen washer bottle, motor, pipes (didn't need)

I'd be happy to remove the spare and jack etc, but does this not encourage the back to become light / slide out more easily?

Is there anything else I can remove from the engine bay?

Easiest way to save weight is to be in good physical condition yourself, if your going to take out boot lining and pipes etc then you might as well take out the seats and replace with fixed buckets. If your going to do it, do it right or dont do it at all. Otherwise just get more boost in there to compensate.

 

[udi]

Not the answer I was looking for.
Obviously I'm after a compromise to suit my personal needs - by your logic, why bother with a silvia when you could buy an open wheeled race car?

I want the interior and exterior looking fairly stock, but am happy to strip any surplus weight from the engine bay and the boot (plenty of which I've found, but I'm sure there's things I haven't considered which is why I asked). More boost is useless, my car is modestly powered and I'm interested in reducing weight to make it handle/grip/stop better - more power isn't going to increase its handling limits, but less weight will.

Anyone else?

 

[Altecians]

"Not the answer I was looking for.
Obviously I'm after a compromise to suit my personal needs - by your logic, why bother with a silvia when you could buy an open wheeled race car?"

My logic says replace your heavier items with lighter aftermarket alternatives. If your keeping your car's power "modest" then what you are removing wont make enough of a significance to govern the handling characteristics your looking for. Essentially your just making life difficult for yourself for no real gain.

Have you tried removing the sound proofing? That stuff is heavy. Airbags ? Surprisingly weighty again. Sound system? If this is going to compromise your "special requirements"
then,again, the obvious thing to do is start replacing with lighter aftermarket alternatives e.g.Lighter wheels, Carbon fiber painted,lightweight seats etc or take things out that would compromise your comfort.

However if all of this is just too much to think about, save the hassle and do what every driver in motor sport does and just hold off on the BK's or Hungry jacks over there lol ;P.

 

[S2kjoe]

Washer bottle, motor and pipes? Is it legal to drive without those in Australia? Removing the spare won't effect the*
handling enough for you to notice.*

Reducing weight means less luxury. Add into the equation that you want to improve handling, braking etc.*

Seats change to lighter save at least 10kg per side. Lowers centre of gravity.*
Removing rear seats, stereo, speakers, rear seatbelts, carpet, ac, and the rest blah blah.*

Your requirements to keep interior stock is harder.*

Anything in engine bay that you can replace with carbon or lighter alloy.*
Lighter panels, carbon or aluminium: bonnet, wings, bootlid, bumpers etc. Wanna look stock? Spray it all.
Lighter wheels. Stock weighs a ton.*
Lighter exhaust. Stock weighs a ton. *
Change to lighter suspension. Stock sus is heavy!
Alloy radiator
Flywheel
Prop-shaft

You can spend much money and still think if you just replace your seats and remove rear seats you'd save an instant 20kg easily.*

Spoon saved 100kg on their S2000 by replacing every nut and bolt with titanium items.*

If you want to "add" lightness you must lose stuff.*

My 2p worth.

 

[udi]

Appreciate that.
I'm sure the washer thing is illegal but no one cares, and will pop back in if ever needed. Exhaust has been replaced with lighter than stock, and wheels have been replaced with wider/grippier items that weigh the same as stock. I weigh 75kg so hungry jacks is still on the menu haha!

I'd be happy enough to pull out the rear seats to be honest, but I am concerned about taking that much weight off the rearend - spare/jack/seats together would surely make the back more likely to swing out on a panic power-off moment?

How much does a carbon bonnet save?

Cheers

 

[JaseYpk]

How much does a carbon bonnet save?

Cant give you numbers, but for a guy who has one fitted, A LOT. lol it weighs at least half the standard one i reckon. mine is OEM style too. tempted to get it painted to achieve a similar effect you're going for.... but then again.. i love raw carbon.. so it wont happen

but yeah, carbon bonnet = much lighter than factory metal jobbie

 

[s15gt]

Stock bonnet is 17kgs.

i'll write a list up on what iv removed but it think its 60kgs easy putting my car in the 1180kg bracket
Also been trying to lower fuel consumption. Atm best i have seen was 7.5L/100km :O ! 9L/100km is fairly easy and iv done a few tweeks to get it down to 8.45L
The freaky thing was i was thrashing the car for 400k's when i got the 7.5l/100km consumption and it equaled out with eurban driving to do 8.45L

 

[spoonman]

talking about good fuel consumption, my wife drove my car the other day on open roads to our friends place, trip was about 2 & 1/2 hours about 230ks, the car was full when she took off and the gauge was only half way between the full and 3/4 mark when we got there. i have never every been able to use that little gas.

 

[S2kjoe]

Removing the rear seats won't make the rear end suddenly kick out left right and centre. It's a
common fact that lighter cars handle better than heavy. It's weight lost from between the axles
anyway so it's not like it's directly over the wheels and weigh 100kg.

Carbon bonnet is much much much MUCH lighter than stock. Carbon, fibreglass or if you can find one... Aluminium would be awesome.

If you want to improve your fuel economy get a standalone ecu and get a remap. You won't
believe actually saving fuel and having better performance at the same time.

Thinking about the seats if you want a stock look spend some money and get reclining
Recaros or Brides.

Don't know about where you are from but in UK caught without the washer bottle would be 3 points and a fine.