The weight saving thread

[Zach Gomulka]

I would venture that it is stronger with the dimple die'd holes. Nice work!

[andy M.]

Thanks for the kind words but the proof of the pudding is in the eating etc etc. It does help that I have access to some pretty funky metal working tools in my job and the advice of some old guys who've seen it all before. come Saturday afternoon I'll probably have another pile of twisted ali to sort out!

andy

[andy M.]

Well, I fitted the now patented ali hinges on my '66 and despite very minor lateral deviation they work as advertised and to top it all help to knock nearly .25 second off of my PB!

Andy

[Bruce]

I saw this thread on the samba about plastic lenses and thought people hire might bee interested..
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359759

I believe Simon at Paintbox ( 01376-573463) is producing these but maybe Phil can confirm this.  Bernie

Looks like this part is a dead-end.  The 'tard who makes them wants $850USD/pr. 

[Bruce]

I was at Alan U's workshop a couple of days ago and saw these BMW forged aluminum rocker arms on the bench.  Wow were they ever light.  Too bad we can't get such a part for our engines.  Note the steel wear pads.

[Bruce]

Elsewhere in Alan's shop I found this tiny Nissan horn.  Next to a '50s VW type horn, it's a real flyweight.

VW horn: 877g
Nissan: 172g

Reduction: a massive 705g!  (1.55lbs)

[Phil West]

I saw this thread on the samba about plastic lenses and thought people hire might bee interested..
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359759

Simon from Paintbox now has plastic lenses available to buy I've put an ad in the for sale section.  Very light.

Cheers
Phil

[Pas]

I saw this thread on the samba about plastic lenses and thought people hire might bee interested..
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359759

Simon from Paintbox now has plastic lenses available to buy I've put an ad in the for sale section.  Very light.

Cheers
Phil

Been looking for something like this for ages,reserved a pair today 

[Zach Gomulka]

200mm KEP 1700# pressure plate vs aluminium version of the same. Savings of 1,528.7 grams or just under 3lbs 6oz

[Zach Gomulka]

Standard issue cast iron dual circut master cylinder vs aluminium "76 Bus" master cylinder. Savings of 620.7 grams, over one pound and nearly half as light.

[Bruce]

Do you know the bore diameter of that Bus MC, Zach?
Notice the shaft sticking out.  That means it is designed to work with a vacuum booster.

Here's one from a BMW (529g) :

[Zach Gomulka]

Not sure of the diameter. There are a few different aluminium master cylinders that can easily be adapted to a Beetle, so I was just showing the possible weight savings.
Does the BMW one interchange well for a Beetle?

[Chris W]

I am running a bus master in my 66, definitely lighter.

[benssp]

Pete Shattock has one of these on his 1776, seems to work ok 

[Woodentop]

Has anyone got any opinions or weight details of 4 quart sumps,
Have got a Berg one on at moment and it weighs a lot but is there a lighter one, maybe CB Performance
Phil, did you swap yours mate

Woodentop

[benssp]

Has anyone got any opinions or weight details of 4 quart sumps,
Have got a Berg one on at moment and it weighs a lot but is there a lighter one, maybe CB Performance
Phil, did you swap yours mate

Woodentop

Paul, i'll go an weigh an Empi one, I know they're lighter because Phil had one!

[cpalma]

Hi Zach, who sells those aluminum pp's?

[Woodentop]

What can i say ben, that is very much appreciated buddy. just need some 4mm Alu tooling sheet for a sump plate and that should  all work a treat.

Just a note to all other weight weenies by the way, we swapped the Berg 52 carbs to Jenvy TB's and saved apprx 4kg, we originally swapped because the 52's wern't flowing enough so we picked up the cfm and what a bonus, 4kg's!!! and its weight hanging out the back of the car

Woodentop

[Zach Gomulka]

Not sure how you go about getting one, really. I've heard that they were available for years, but never saw anything on KEP's website. This one I just happened to stumble upon on eBay

[Bruce]

Have got a Berg one on at moment and it weighs a lot ...

Everything Berg makes is heftyweight.  If you are trying to save weight, just don't buy Berg bits.
If you have the extra wide Berg sump, I think it weighs in around 5½ kilos.
For a street car, you don't need 4 extra liters.  With a 1½ qt sump and a spin-on filter, my oil change volume is almost 5 liters.  Anything more than this is just extra weight.  My vintage Lang deep sump is less than 1½ Kilos.  Not only is it 4 kilos less than the Berg sump, it holds 1.75 kilos less oil. 
Total savings :  5.75 kg or 12½ lbs.

[Peter Shattock]

In terms of the pressure plates, Kennedy still do them, and when I bought mine (recently) the 200mm were off the shelf, but the 180mm were special order. I have to say they were really good to deal with and shipped all the bits out top speed.

Be aware that the ali version should only be used with a regular disc like a Dakin or similar, not a puck or a Black Magic etc.

Hey Woody, I had thought about a folded ali sump, but Richie found me an old Berg magnesium one a while back so I never persued it, but its a nice idea.....as its all hanging out the back there!

Peter

[Woodentop]

Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the tip buddy, this one is for my race car but will take up your advise for my steetcar though.

Peter, that is a top idea, may need to call Mr Taylor, he is awesome at stuff like this

Woodentop

[John Maher]

Has anyone got any opinions or weight details of 4 quart sumps,
Have got a Berg one on at moment and it weighs a lot but is there a lighter one, maybe CB Performance

Woodentop

Paul,

Your Berg sump is the 4qt deep version, whereas the Empi large capacity sumps are shallower and wider (copy of Berg wide-glide).

The shallower depth wider sump is more practical for a street car but the extra depth of the Berg 4 quart race sump is my choice for a wet sump drag car, where ground clearance isn't an issue. You can run the oil level lower without risk of exposing the pickup tube entry. This puts more distance between the sump contents and  rotating assembly.

Hey, you lightweight guys, this saying might come in handy one day...
"Mass'll Save Your Ass" 

[Phil West]

Has anyone got any opinions or weight details of 4 quart sumps,
Have got a Berg one on at moment and it weighs a lot but is there a lighter one, maybe CB Performance
Phil, did you swap yours mate

Woodentop

Hey Woodie,

I had all the exact weights on my pc but the hard drive just gave up the ghost so I lost the info.  However I do recall:

EMPI ally 3.5qt, wide sump, bought from SSP - 3.85KG
Berg ally 3.5qt  wide sump same as above, bought 10 yrs ago - 4.85KG.  Incredibly a full kilo heavier made of the same material and the same size - must be thickness!
Old Berg 4 qt sump came in at 4.25KG, not sure if Mag or ally.

Needless to say I will be using the cheapy quality EMPI one going forward.

Cheers
Phil

[Woodentop]

Thanks John,

I agree, would want to go with same depth dimensions anyway to save messing with existing pick up tube, i can see me dragging some 3mm 6082 ali sheet out of the rack and asking trailer to fab one and coppying the Berg one for size and shape. A few strategically placed pillars tagged inside should make it a bit more structural. Guess it also needs to look nice in case my lack of mass bites my ass and it all goes rubber side up!

Woodentop

[Fasterbrit]

"Mass'll Save Your Ass" 

  That's a funny one... made me chuckle. Keeno

[Pas]

I saw this thread on the samba about plastic lenses and thought people hire might bee interested..
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359759

Simon from Paintbox now has plastic lenses available to buy I've put an ad in the for sale section.  Very light.

Cheers
Phil

Been looking for something like this for ages,reserved a pair today 

Picked my pair up from the Paintbox the other day,very nice and very light,58g each versus 586g each for my glass ones 

[Bruce]

Hey, you lightweight guys, this saying might come in handy one day...
"Mass'll Save Your Ass" 

Heathen!

[Bruce]

200mm KEP 1700# pressure plate vs aluminium version of the same. Savings of 1,528.7 grams or just under 3lbs 6oz

I sent a message to KEP, and they don't make a Type 1 clutch where the stamped part is Aluminium.  What is that clutch you weighed for?

KEP said their aluminium Type 1 clutch is a "Stage I with aluminum face".

How does this work?  Anyone ever used a clutch with an aluminium shoe?

[SlingShot]

200mm KEP 1700# pressure plate vs aluminium version of the same. Savings of 1,528.7 grams or just under 3lbs 6oz

I sent a message to KEP, and they don't make a Type 1 clutch where the stamped part is Aluminium.  What is that clutch you weighed for?

KEP said their aluminium Type 1 clutch is a "Stage I with aluminum face".

How does this work?  Anyone ever used a clutch with an aluminium shoe?

The shoe is aluminum but there is a fairly thick coating on the contact surface, It could be some type of metal/plasma spray.