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Author Topic: The weight saving thread  (Read 517318 times)
Simpsonshoe
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« Reply #750 on: April 16, 2015, 02:40:05 am »

I thought I found another free one with the oil filler cap.  The common stock one from the 60s and 70s is stamped from steel, and I learned the first ones used in 56 were Al, so I was on the hunt for one. 
It is a disappointment at only 10% lighter than the steel one.  This is very perplexing since Al is only 36% of the density of steel, and the sheet thickness appears to be the same.
Mystery solved.  It's steel.  I guess the magnet I tested it with was kinda weak.  It has the right colour for Al.  Maybe I will figure out how to form one myself.
Mystery solved again!
[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At a local swap meet I brought along a magnet and tested oil filler caps.  The one on the right is indeed made from Al.  It's half the weight of steel.  Suspicious is the lack of the VW logo...

That is a damn heavy logo.
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Bruce
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« Reply #751 on: April 17, 2015, 01:47:01 am »

For Zach, Steel: 33g. Al: 16g

Here's a 2nd gear idler I drilled about 10 years ago.  These small holes were good for about 10%  Reducing weight on the two shafts has a double effect.  Less weight down the road, and the synchros work better.  Next one will get more and bigger holes.

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Phil West
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« Reply #752 on: April 25, 2015, 07:34:24 am »

Ti rocker adjuster nuts saved me 1.54gms each so that's just over 12gms off the valve train...
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Rocket Ron
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It's old school for a reason


« Reply #753 on: April 25, 2015, 08:17:07 am »

Ti rocker adjuster nuts saved me 1.54gms each so that's just over 12gms off the valve train...

Special order or off the shelf?
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13.12 @ 101.84

Grooving out on life

You can't polish a turd but you can roll it in glitter
Phil West
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« Reply #754 on: April 25, 2015, 11:25:51 am »

Had 'em made special Smiley
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leec
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« Reply #755 on: April 25, 2015, 20:43:41 pm »

Had 'em made special Smiley

Why am I not surprised Smiley
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dannyboy
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« Reply #756 on: April 25, 2015, 22:54:23 pm »

Had 'em made special Smiley
Roll Eyes Cheesy
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8.77@156.8mph 
O/FF 60
......
Bruce
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« Reply #757 on: May 01, 2015, 08:53:18 am »

Had 'em made special Smiley
Did you bring any more for the rest of the class?


Hey Zach, did you find an ally oil filler cap at the swap meet on Sunday?  I could swear I found two, but when I unloaded the car, there was only one.
Unless I left the car unlocked.....  I seem to recall you hovering around on that silly bicycle..... Wink
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Zach Gomulka
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« Reply #758 on: May 01, 2015, 16:17:03 pm »

 Grin

I didn't find any, I forgot to keep an eye out for those.
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Born in the '80s, stuck in the '70s.
Phil West
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« Reply #759 on: May 31, 2015, 12:49:21 pm »

Weight before: 3919gm
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Phil West
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« Reply #760 on: May 31, 2015, 12:50:32 pm »

Weight after 3,168gm
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Andy Sykes
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« Reply #761 on: May 31, 2015, 16:27:04 pm »







90% weight saving
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I love the haters they make me famous.

im building this not just putting parts together, they are two totally different things

Your only here once turn it up to 11
Zach Gomulka
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Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.


« Reply #762 on: June 15, 2015, 18:19:29 pm »

I thought I found another free one with the oil filler cap.  The common stock one from the 60s and 70s is stamped from steel, and I learned the first ones used in 56 were Al, so I was on the hunt for one. 
It is a disappointment at only 10% lighter than the steel one.  This is very perplexing since Al is only 36% of the density of steel, and the sheet thickness appears to be the same.
Mystery solved.  It's steel.  I guess the magnet I tested it with was kinda weak.  It has the right colour for Al.  Maybe I will figure out how to form one myself.
Mystery solved again!
[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At a local swap meet I brought along a magnet and tested oil filler caps.  The one on the right is indeed made from Al.  It's half the weight of steel.  Suspicious is the lack of the VW logo...


I may have unraveled this mystery. I was rummaging through my friends shop and I found one aluminium cap, no VW logo, but said "FAM" above the rivets. While loading up our very original and complete 1959 bus 36hp engine to take to the Classic last Thursday, I noticed it had the exact same aluminium cap. The next day I was at DPR, they were tearing a few 36hp engines down for cores and a couple of those engines were wearing the aluminium caps as well. So, if you are looking for a lightweight oil cap, look to a 36hp engine. Smiley
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Born in the '80s, stuck in the '70s.
Bruce
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« Reply #763 on: December 06, 2015, 02:50:53 am »

I thought I would pull this topic back up so Richie can post pics of what he's doing to the 10 sec car.

Here's a pic of a bunch of parts I took a while ago.  These are the different types of reverse idler gears and mechanisms and their weights.  Not all combinations fit all gearbox casings.

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BeetleBug
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Snabba grabben...


« Reply #764 on: December 06, 2015, 09:57:07 am »

Thank you Bruce for bringing this epic thread back to life.

We need more pictures and weight saving ideas!  Smiley

Best rgs
BB
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10.41 - 100ci - 1641ccm - 400hp
richie
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« Reply #765 on: December 06, 2015, 12:40:02 pm »

I thought I would pull this topic back up so Richie can post pics of what he's doing to the 10 sec car.

Here's a pic of a bunch of parts I took a while ago.  These are the different types of reverse idler gears and mechanisms and their weights.  Not all combinations fit all gearbox casings.



Most of my stuff is normal that has been done before on here or not related like a smaller nitrous bottle[14lbs saved]  I don't need to get down to Phil's or Pete's car weights as i will be going 130+mph and a little weight is good, so no need to re invent the wheel Wink
I am going to make a sheet metal sump to loose a little more over berg 4 quart I got at moment and look at back of car mainly

cheers Richie
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Cars are supposed to be driven, not just talked about!!!   


Good parts might be expensive but good advice is priceless Wink
Bruce
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« Reply #766 on: December 06, 2015, 21:06:23 pm »

I am going to make a sheet metal sump to loose a little more over berg 4 quart ....
Have you located a source for Mg sheet?
Pictures!
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Nico86
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Turnip engine.


« Reply #767 on: February 17, 2016, 03:02:47 am »

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spanners
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« Reply #768 on: February 17, 2016, 09:41:32 am »



Lightened valve train saved me a whopping 80 grams per valve over the old heavy set up, no need to say its released more power through lighter valve
Springs, lightened old and lightened new rockers shown for comparison.
« Last Edit: February 17, 2016, 09:53:49 am by spanners » Logged

Best regards, spanners.
jamiep_jamiep
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« Reply #769 on: February 17, 2016, 12:09:21 pm »

Love it spanners!
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spanners
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« Reply #770 on: February 17, 2016, 23:57:46 pm »

Love it spanners!

Thank you...only costs me time, power, and consumables 🙄 Weight saved on parts breakdown to follow on, I was conservative, it's more like 100 grams per valve over last seasons kit, a mind boggling 2lb overall valve train loss!

« Last Edit: February 18, 2016, 00:00:26 am by spanners » Logged

Best regards, spanners.
Bruce
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« Reply #771 on: February 21, 2016, 02:54:15 am »

One of the Lounge members is upgrading to a Berg 5, so I started telling him about the possibilities of making a lighter gearbox. In my sales pitch, I highlighted the dual effect of lightening the parts on the input shaft.  The synchros work better when there's less rotational inertia on the input shaft.
Unfortunately, he didn't buy my other argument for the rest of the parts.  Here's some reductions of 1st and 2nd gear:
1st was reduced by almost 10%, second by 15%.  I think I'll do a bit of grinding on 1st before assembly.
[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]
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hotstreetvw
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« Reply #772 on: April 13, 2016, 03:12:50 am »

Can anyone give feedback on rear brake weights?  I'm currently running type 3 drums, with ISP West 5x130 hubs.  They are heavy no doubt about it.  How much weight could be saved by something like the Jaycee disc brakes?

I'm looking for solid lb/$ reduction.  Would Lexan be the next step before brakes?

It would be cool to organize the weight savings by lb/$ and throw a list together.

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DWL_Puavo
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Posts: 104


« Reply #773 on: April 13, 2016, 12:15:08 pm »

2-piece drums aren't that heavy at all. Those discs with drive axle hub casted in, are very heavy and not so strong as your current hub. Even if you get a separate disc and hub, there isn't going to be much to be saved. Maybe with some really lightweight brake calipers there could be some total savings, but usually in those conversion sets there is some heavy-ass steel calipers. But I'm quite sure that solid steel discs aren't that much lighter than those 3/4-type's drums.

But for the $$$ : it should be quite easy to build rear brakes around those hubs with separate porsche (or maybe even late transporter?) discs. Then make an adapter plate for radial mounted calipers with handbrake, at least Wilwood has them. Because you already have good hubs, and they really don't come cheap, and comparatively, separate bulk discs and alu lightweight calipers aren't that expensive. We've done this kind of conversion to our old race car with OEM hubs and from kerscher discs where the hub center casting broke and was milled out to fit the oem hubs.
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hotstreetvw
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« Reply #774 on: April 13, 2016, 14:33:16 pm »

Very interesting.  Thank you for the feedback and ideas.

I have a set of 944 disc brakes but they are from a later model with the small splines.  I never thought about checking the fit of the 944 discs on my hubs.  I'll have a look this weekend and see what I could put together.

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Bruce
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« Reply #775 on: April 13, 2016, 17:45:24 pm »

Before you check the fit, weigh them.  I think you'll find they are quite a bit heavier than your Type 3 drums.
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hotstreetvw
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« Reply #776 on: April 14, 2016, 04:02:22 am »

I'll weight them.  So the concensous is rear brakes will not help me drop weight.

I guess Lexan is next.
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richie
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« Reply #777 on: April 14, 2016, 07:15:17 am »

I'll weight them.  So the concensous is rear brakes will not help me drop weight.

I guess Lexan is next.

Loosing rotating weight is really good, we just shipped a Geers brake kit, I will see if I still got total shipping weight but its lighter than stock, don't think you will save as much as all lexan windows will though but works in a different way, of course both is even better Grin

cheers Richie
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Cars are supposed to be driven, not just talked about!!!   


Good parts might be expensive but good advice is priceless Wink
hotstreetvw
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« Reply #778 on: April 15, 2016, 04:24:47 am »

The rotating weight was my original reason for looking at brakes before the Lexan.  If I lost 20lbs with Lexan vs 10lbs of rotating, I'd take the rotating first.

My plan for Lexan will only be 1/4 windows, split windows and the windshield.  I would like to keep the door windows functional and keep them from getting scratched up.
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Zach Gomulka
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Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.


« Reply #779 on: April 15, 2016, 05:15:37 am »

You can also replace your headlight glass with flat lexan.
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Born in the '80s, stuck in the '70s.
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