Light weight vs. Weight/Weight Ratio

[Nick_S]

Soon as I get my car back running I'm going to go weigh it again. Been pulling unnecessary bits in an effort to keep weight down. There is a scale in Columbus (behind COSI) at a big science museum thing that is accurate in 20lb increments. I weighed my car with 3/4 tank, full stereo with a heavy sub and box, roof rack and all engine accessories and it read 2620lbs. Since I decided not to swap I want to make the car light as possible so I have removed..

• A/C system and lines
• Power steering pump, reservoir and lines
• Heavy sub and box
• spare tire and jack
• washer fluid tank
• roof rack (will probably leave for transporting my bike though)
• SRS system

Plans to remove the bumper supports aswell hoping to save another 12-20lbs for front and rear. Going to get rid of most of the stereo since it's no longer a DD and replace with a headunitless setup and a small amp for front and rears. I'd like to see the car in the mid 2400 range. Soon as it's running I'll see where I'm at.


Any other suggestions on where I can cut weight?

[JinormusJ]

The weights on that website you're talking about (and also the bimmerforums engine weight list) are very unreliable because they are taken from many different sources, and he also doesn't say where he even got them from.(although I figured out where he got some of them from)

If you're going to compare engine weights, at least compare ones from the same source. Or at least try to make sure they were all weighed under the same conditions.(all weighed with all accessories, or all weighted with just the bare long block, etc.)
See my engine weights thread...
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=233682

Good stuff; I'll go ahead and bookmark that for future reference

[LJ851]

Soon as I get my car back running I'm going to go weigh it again. Been pulling unnecessary bits in an effort to keep weight down. There is a scale in Columbus (behind COSI) at a big science museum thing that is accurate in 20lb increments. I weighed my car with 3/4 tank, full stereo with a heavy sub and box, roof rack and all engine accessories and it read 2620lbs. Since I decided not to swap I want to make the car light as possible so I have removed..

• A/C system and lines
• Power steering pump, reservoir and lines
• Heavy sub and box
• spare tire and jack
• washer fluid tank
• roof rack (will probably leave for transporting my bike though)
• SRS system

Plans to remove the bumper supports aswell hoping to save another 12-20lbs for front and rear. Going to get rid of most of the stereo since it's no longer a DD and replace with a headunitless setup and a small amp for front and rears. I'd like to see the car in the mid 2400 range. Soon as it's running I'll see where I'm at.


Any other suggestions on where I can cut weight?

Lightweight seats, sunroof removal , flywheel/clutch, composite hood, manual windows, glass is really heavy but plastic windows are a hassle.

[Nick_S]

Lightweight seats, sunroof removal , flywheel/clutch, composite hood, manual windows, glass is really heavy but plastic windows are a hassle.

May look into the sunroof removal but I'll likely keep the glass and power windows. Cutting another 20lbs off myself so that will help in end

[IronFreak]

Lightweight seats, sunroof removal , flywheel/clutch, composite hood, manual windows, glass is really heavy but plastic windows are a hassle.

I'd have to go back and find the thread, but I asked about this and I had several people say there was hardly any difference between electric and manual. I can't confirm that, but I would hope that some of the people that had chimed it wouldn't be blowing smoke out there butt.

[IronFreak]

May look into the sunroof removal but I'll likely keep the glass and power windows. Cutting another 20lbs off myself so that will help in end

Sunroof removal I bet is an easy 50-60lbs. off the top of the car. I didn;t weigh it all when I pulled it, but just the cassette weighed around 25-30lbs.

[TobyB]

Sunroof's a good place, if you're serious, because that weight is up very high.
You have to rip the cassette (sheet metal bracketry) out if you really want to save much, tho.

The difference in glass vs plastic windows isn't really enough to warrant the hassle.
Unless you're racing, because a side benefit is that there's a lot less glass flying around
when you wreck seriously.

Unsprung and rotating weight, however, is worth 2x spring weight. So removing that
damper from the driveshaft's bonus, as is a lightweight flywheel.

t