Weight reduction? How do I add lightness?

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:23 pm

beavis wrote:You don't need dry ice to get the sound deadener tar off.
Just use elbow grease and a suitable scarper/chisel/hammer etc

and maybe a bit of heat gun?

Apu · Postby **Apu** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 11:15 pm

beavis wrote:You don't need dry ice to get the sound deadener tar off.
Just use elbow grease and a suitable scarper/chisel/hammer etc

Yes, but dry ice makes it much easier, faster and with less mess

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 5:22 am

Manual winders to replace electric ones.

Remove door cards (use a heat gun on the black goo, when it bubbles wipe it off).

Remove centre console (even easier with manual Windows). OMGPham sells a plate to move the window switches if you retain them and delete centre console.

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:45 am

3gress wrote:There is a build log on mx5nuts and clubroadster called panda2. The car had some serious weight reduction. For an example the boot latch and rear support stamping was removed along with boot hinges. The frp boot lid was held down with latches. The hole saw was powered up here and there too.
It got fairly extensive with frp doors added along the way. See if you can find the build log, it was in the epic roadsters section of the clubroadster build log forum.
Also search targa miata for inspiration.
These two build were built for racing predominately though there are ideas enough relevant to street cars.

Post no.#100

Thanks for this! Seems easy to remove 50kg but not so easy to remove 100kg.
Lucky I have an na6 without PS.

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:47 am

madjak wrote:
My "making" I really mean grinding. Spend 1 hour on each rear hub with an angle grinder and flapper wheel and you can get off around 300-400 grams in material without any structural loss. Only poblem is cleaning up all the waste filings.

This interests me but may be above my abilities as I'd be concerned about balancing issues. Is it just the burrs that I'd have to remove? as I could do that, same with brake calipers

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:50 am

Magpie wrote:Manual winders to replace electric ones.

Remove door cards (use a heat gun on the black goo, when it bubbles wipe it off).

Remove centre console (even easier with manual Windows). OMGPham sells a plate to move the window switches if you retain them and delete centre console.

Strangely enough I want to keep the power windows, especially the passenger side. Could do the centre consol though ;)

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:25 am

Then you need this http://omgpham.com/store/centre-console-delete-kit. I ordered one without the switches.

3gress · Postby **3gress** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:31 am

Courtesy of Keith Tanner.
You could leave the hinge mounts and latch in place to avoid having to pin it down. Sourcing a frp or carbon lid would probably make more sense, the only advantage with the above mod would be saving money.

madjak · Postby **madjak** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:34 am

speed wrote:
madjak wrote:
My "making" I really mean grinding. Spend 1 hour on each rear hub with an angle grinder and flapper wheel and you can get off around 300-400 grams in material without any structural loss. Only poblem is cleaning up all the waste filings.

This interests me but may be above my abilities as I'd be concerned about balancing issues. Is it just the burrs that I'd have to remove? as I could do that, same with brake calipers

You can remove the casting marks, and a couple of lugs that aren't used... but most of the weight is removed from around the hub where there is a step for the brake shroud. You can grind all around the hub and remove the step and taper it to the back of the hub. There are some pics in my build thread.

I'm sure you can do the same with the calipers. Probably better to replace with Wilwoods if you are really concerned with weight... not quite as free though!

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:37 am

3gress wrote: Courtesy of Keith Tanner.

Not a good idea if you have a big wing on the back

3gress · Postby **3gress** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:42 am

I'd do it if i could find a decent way of securing it discreetly while still allowing access.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:10 pm

Thought about that. These would be perfect, one in each corner of the boot, lift on/off but not cheap for lockable versions http://www.quik-latch.com/quik-latch-hood-pins-lockable.html. Non lockable expensive as well http://www.quik-latch.com/QL-50-LP-Low-Profile_Quik-Latch-Hood-Pins.html

You maybe able to use the Aerocatch 2 http://www.aerocatch.com/aerocatch2 but area to install could be an issue.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 12:20 pm

3gress wrote:I'd do it if i could find a decent way of securing it discreetly while still allowing access.

Why not just leave the hinge points and the catch area untouched then?

Not as light as removing it all, but lighter than stock, and would allow use of the original lock etc.

Or remove the lot and make up an aluminium bracket for the hinges, and an alu part to hold the latch.

Postby **NitroDann** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:07 pm

Magpie wrote:
3gress wrote: Courtesy of Keith Tanner.

Not a good idea if you have a big wing on the back

Shouldn't be on the bootlid...

Dan · Postby **Dan** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:16 pm

I figured the decklid being steel would be where the weight would be on the NA so I quickly looked into it.

According to this (http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/16-gen ... ights.html) the weight of the NA boot is in lbs:
6.00 deck lid
4.50 trunk hinges, springs, catches
3.00 trunk ribs

Replacing the decklid with something like this (http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=516069) and then doing some modifications to the ribs for that last bit I'd think would be the way to go.