What's More Cost Effective. Less weight or More engine.

[Neil Davies]

It's a bit of an arse, not going to lie! Trickiest bit is cutting it down accounting for the double curve. Think I used 4mm in my race car.

[spoolin70]

I can't remember the exact details or reasoning Garrick but I thought a plastic/lexan/polycarbonate windscreen was an issue.

Possibly an MOT failure, maybe not road legal etc.

I have polycarbonate rear side windows and at the time thought about front and rear too but this put me off plus the curvature.
Sides are easy as they are nice and flat 

Many years ago I carried 2x fully built doors a short distance and was surprised by their weight. Not totally sold because I like windows that move and working locks haha

Good luck
Darren

[leec]

My oval has passed an mot every year since having lexan all round. I'm sure you could fix lexan in a VW lifter so you could retain an opening window assembly. Lexan 1/4 lights would be cool too 

[DaveN]

What oval needs a mot

I’m not sure on the legality of the windscreen either but I fitted one anyway it’s got to be safer than 40 year old glass. I also used it in the driver/passenger doors of my bug.

It’s a bit tricky fitting the front and rear windows 4mm will be easier to bend. Last set I done was for my fiat (6mm)I templated mine with thin card for the curved rear window and the front I had to start again as the old one was smashed

[Neil Davies]

As far as I can work out, a polycarb screen is not a fail, but it has to be free from defects, same as a glass screen, and without the coating it scratches REALLY easily!

[andy198712]

so does this coating just help or actually make it tough? i reckon you could polish it every year or so if it got lots of micro scratching causing hazing

[Neil Davies]

When I first built Headstraight, I had regular polycarbonate for all the windows except the rear screen - as that was the only unchopped window I left that in glass. After a season or so I replaced the glass with the Margard, and even then it was noticeable how the regular polycarbonate had hazed, but the Margard never did in all the time I had the car.

[hotstreetvw]

Less weight or more engine.  Do both.

I built a spreadsheet and listed the items where I thought I could save weight, assigned a weight savings and a cost.  Calculate a $/lb.  start with the lowest $/lb for the biggest bang for your buck.  I got pretty aggressive on both, losing over 200lbs and gaining a bunch of power.  The car went from 13.6s to 11.90s (at altitude)

[modnrod]

I had a light '63 for a fun streeter that ran high-15s, the weight was around 1750lbs (800kg) on the street with 1/4 tank.
This gave the little single-carb 1641 about 72rwhp on the Moroso slide.

If I put that same spritely little engine in my heavier-than-stock Super which weighs about 2250lbs (1020kg) same as above, then it becomes a flat-17 sec also-ran.

When the cars are slow is where the weight loss works really well, but the faster they go the less effect it has.

[Garrick Clark]

Ok .Its looking like my winter project is to go light, ready for next summer. I'll get a starting weight and go from there. Its going to have to be a  bolt off/on kind of thing as the bug is a non welded 67 and in my opinion once you cut the body the value of the vehicle drops significantly. Plus.

I have been reading the weight loss thread and it is a good read.It says i've done this i've done that but what I'd like to see is  some of you PRO guys to put up a step by step how to guide, with the results so me and other novice performance orientated street/strip vee dubbers can use. The way i see it is if we all get quicker the top boys will have to get there thinking caps on to stay at the top and hopefully improve on there own personel best times.

Also a buy your light weight parts from here guide.(uk dealers for ease of purchase).
wings from

battery from

wheels from etc

[Garrick Clark]

Anyone no the weight saved on 4 fibre glass wings and a long bonnet from East Coast buggies compared with the original German panels.
Thanks.

[Neil Davies]

I think Richie weighed those panels on 10 secs for £10k, or maybe in the weight saving thread?

[Garrick Clark]

Yeah got it ,thanks.
I see a fibreglass bonnet has a good weight saving to it. The price of 4 fibreglass wings PER lb loss not so good. Mind you if you need wings its worth it. And the flared ones look v cool.

[richie]

Guessing you don't run bumpers? we do lightweight blade version and also lightweight running boards

cheers Richie

[Garrick Clark]

No bumpers Richie. Still got the running boards. So gunna get those off tomorrow.

[fish]

IMO all that weight saving is a waste of time and money for a street car, stuff like rotational mass, brakes, beam, seats are also where you can save a lot of weight but at what cost?

I would work on the turbo spooling up earlier and getting a better hook up, maybe more aggressive clutch with hydraulic clutch management or anti-shocker.

[Garrick Clark]

Back on it.
So, plastic 4 performance will make
a Lexan
Rear screen
1/4 windows
door windows
for 280 quid. 50% weight saved
Total weight saved would be....how much.
What do ya think on the weight saved per £ spent