Weight loss. What next!

[SimonExtreme]

The class in which I race my 964RS is based on a power to weight ratio and I am at the "wrong" end of the scale. I can either gain more power or lose weight. The next stage for me with power is MoTeC, heads, cams etc. and therefore I am first looking at losing weight and I can lose 100kgs and still be in class! So far, compared with when I was weighed, I have removed the following.

Front mats, carpet and foam 6kgs
Spare wheel and jack 14kgs
Passenger 4 point harness 2.5kgs
Old unused "tracker" system 1.25kgs
Replaced standard battery with race battery 5kgs
Total 28.75kgs

We have also found that, much to my suprise, the car feels really good with a low fuel load so I will be running with about 15 litres less fuel. That is another 11.26kgs saved making the total so far a rather useful 40kgs. For some reason my car weighs rather light, considering it has a half cage and power steering. Even without the fuel saving, we are well below 1200kgs, heading into N/GT territory (just for Des[])

Where should I go from here. Please remember that this is also a road car which I use almost every day and I want it to look as original as possible. The idea is to spend as little as possible or at least get VFM. To illustrate, the 5kgs for the battery cost £200 or £40 per kg. This is really good value. However, I have ruled outr changing seats because the RS seats are so light that to get a noticable difference would cost £350 per kg

All ideas welcomed!

 

[Guest]

Simon,
How about the local GYM.

 

[carreraboy]

Take out the CARPET and all sound deadening, remove spare wheel, take your underseal off, Carbon wheels, remove passenger seat for events simply bolts out, straight thru Cup exhaust, no heavy silencer boxes, take headlining out......[]

 

[Tony]

Simon,
do you have to keep the passenger seat in when you run?
The engine cover with retractable spoiler is very heavy, if you can afford it go to carbon fibre and integeral wing, if not lock the spoiler up and remove the motor/wiring etc.
Whilst at the back, loose the heating fan, if you can find an original cup 'air pipe' great, if not just a piec of trunking.

rgds

Tony

 

[SimonExtreme]

Des

I have taken out all the loose carpet and all the sound deadening except the engine bay which weighs 4.2 kgs and might go. My exhaust is only the final silencer and I suspect if I remove that the local constabulary might get upset! Spare wheel is out and having looked underneath, there is very little underseal. Headlining isn't worth removing as it only weighs 1.2kgs.

We are looking at lioghter wheels but the cost is prohibitive!

Tony

Unfortunately, we need to have the passenger seat in and any replacement seats that aren't original have to be FIA approved. That is why the seat option is so expensive. I could pay £2500 to save 6 kgs but it seems a bit excessive!

I like the idea with the spoiler and will check the weight situation. However, how does losing the heating fan work? Won't that mean no heating for thsoe cold (10 degrees C) winter nights

Please keep the ideas coming. I need to be lighter than Des (his car that is!)

And, yes, Richard, I have programmed in 5 kgs off the waist line![]

I still want to use the car as my daily drive!

 

[Melv]

Junk the bonnet for a carbon item and replace doors with one pls GRP/Kevlar....

There is still the fan at the heater end of the system to pull the heat thru -Cup Cars junked the blower. There is a guy in the States offering a replacement tube if I remember rightly.

 

[clubsport]

Remove the power steering pump, it's not like you need one on a 964RS []

 

[SimonExtreme]

ORIGINAL: clubsport

Remove the power steering pump, it's not like you need one on a 964RS []

We are looking at that. It saves 10 kgs. However, I am not sure what the car will be like in Sydney traffic without power steering and it is slower in the Motokhana's that form part of the overall series. But maybe you are right and it needs to go!

 

[Ben Savill]

ORIGINAL: clubsport

Remove the power steering pump, it's not like you need one on a 964RS []

Oi you beat me to it.....now if you had a LHD Simon you'd have less to remove []....of course you would have had trouble getting the car into Oz in the first place but that's besides the point ( i.e. doesn't help my baiting )

Good luck with the racing !

 

[carreraboy]

Are all the cars RHD in the Race?

 

[SimonExtreme]

ORIGINAL: carreraboy

Are all the cars RHD in the Race?

Yes! But not all have power steering. My main 2 competitors are a highly tuned '74 Carrera 2.7 and a modified 944 S2

 

[Tony]

Simon,
Mel's right the heater still works but it doesn't have the rear fan running constantly to push air forward. There was a guy in the states selling replicas of the cup air duct (no longer available from Porsche part no 964 211 341 75).
If you go to www.porsche964.co.uk in the technical section there's a piece by Bill Gregory which cover it all.
There's no reason it couldn't be done with a bit of flex hose - which would be far cheaper as well.

Tony

 

[OllieW]

I've just fitted the heater bypass pipe (993 version), ordered mine from Carnewal (Gert's a great chap) and can confirm that the cabin does still receive heat from the heating system. From memory cost was in the region of £120 including delivery from Belgium.

Cheers

Ollie

 

[George Elliott]

Simon, A few other items, Glovebox Lid, Clock, Passenger Sun visor, Passenger Door Mirror (would need a nice carbon cover on the holes), PCCB Disc's, you've thought of the Carbon/Mag Rims, after that you're into stuff that will make the car hard to live with. ( you dont want to compromise the practicallity [8|] of a 964rs lwt)

At Auto-Classica I saw an ST replica with GRP Doors, Wings, Bonnet/Boot Lids, Plastic Rear side Windows, One piece Front/Rear Apron, plus other bits which I cannot recall. It was all done to a high standard of finish (in Germany) so vas quiite x-pensive.[] He explained it weighed 840Kg... and had a 2.3litre twin plug engine, - really well done and very nimble I imagine.

He explained it was a '69 or '70 Karmann manufactured shell - which "because they cheated Porsche by using thinner guage sheet in the body pressing saved 30kg over a Stuttgart car". I'm not sure how true all that is but this guy seemed to know his onions.

On the PAS, keep the fluid level low[8|] to save weight, but retain the advantage of assistance for endurance racing.

I have not seen them but a good engineer or race team should get a kg or two out of the drive shafts by going tubular larger diameter? (Half of which is unsprung so double benefit). I don't have details but there must be lightweight suspension components.

Hopefully some help......keep up the good work.

George

964rs rhd std

 

[38F3E1]

The clock weighs 0.24kg BTW. Can't believe I actually know that []

 

[SimonExtreme]

Thanks again, guys. Certainly looking at a few of these and I think we have found another 10kgs without too much pain! From there on, i'ts getting a bit serious money wise and destroys both the originality of the car and the eothos of racing a duel purpose car.

 

[Melv]

DON'T REMOVE THE CLOCK!!

Your car won't work............

Loads of vitals on the electric side are routed thru this.......

Mag wheels, save 11kgs???

Cup mirrors??

 

[Tony]

Long ago and far away - somebody mentioned that the beam behind front raar bumper PU's could be replaced with carbon fibre.

Tony

 

[Tony]

Ollie, does this fit straight on the 964RS?

Tony

 

[clubsport]

ORIGINAL: Tony

Long ago and far away - somebody mentioned that the beam behind front raar bumper PU's could be replaced with carbon fibre.

Tony

Techart make these, not sure what the insurance company woud say though?