The weight saving thread

[Bruce]

  I would like to keep the door windows functional and keep them from getting scratched up.

Take the glass out of the lower channel and go to a glass shop.  Ask them to make you two new ones from 4mm glass.  Then get them to temper it.  20% weight savings!

[hotstreetvw]

Not a bad idea.  I will consider that once the car is painted and seals are replaced so I don't scratch them up.

I emailed Jack @ Jaycee, his rear disc brakes are 8lbs per side.  The website says 6.2 lbs are rotating, I'm guessing per side.  I need to pull a t3 drum assembly and weight it.

[hotstreetvw]

T3 drum + ISP West Chromoly hub + Studs = 16lbs/side, all rotating weight.  There is no doubt these things are strong as hell, but come with a weight penalty.  This doesn't include the backing plate, shoes, wheel cylinder, hardware or axle nut.  My guess is there is at least 4-5 more pounds there.

I was just on the phone with Shawn regarding my pistons/cylinders, cam etc and asked about his brakes.  He took the time to weight a hub+rotor+caliper+pads.  The only thing he didn't have was the backing plate and studs, less than 10 pounds.

Potential savings of 20+ lbs with a lightweight disc brake swap, with maybe half of that being rotating weight.

[Pas]

phil and pete shattock have a weight saving obsession, I think pete removes his Fram filter forracing!

So if you do like them and take it ALL THE WAY how light will your pan car be?



 

Well 8 years after you asked this question I can finally report the results of my own weight saving efforts: 525kg/1157 lbs.

All up wet weight, 1956 oval, full pan car with "conventional" running gear, suspension etc. roll cage tagged to 8.5 seconds. This is in race trim, no cooling, charging, working lights, wipers etc.

I've got a few more ideas I want to try so this may well go down.

[leec]

Nice one, that is light 
Is Phil in the garage drilling more holes in stuff now?

[Pas]

Nice one, that is light  
Is Phil in the garage drilling more holes in stuff now?

Thanks Lee

My car is at Phi'ls at the moment for some set up, he's the one who weighed it.

No doubt he will be whacking his car with the lightening stick again this winter  

[PPRMicke]

  Alu 7075 


/// Micke

[NoBars]

I don't know how much, grams. Going to an aluminum cell, therefore this is not needed any longer. I'm sure an early grill without gauge is lighter still, but that will have to wait for that elusive and magical "someday" when the car gets repainted

[NoBars]

Speedo felt unloved.

[NoBars]

I wanted the high beam indicator and turn signal lights to work.

[wph]

I wonder if these headlight lenses are available, could use a pair.....

Pekka

[Nikke]

A Danish(or Belgian) guy made a pair for my bus..think his name was Griebel..nice guy..

[T11964]

Carsten Griebel is from Denmark 

[NoBars]

Not much real weight saved, but a high percentage.

[numbnuts]

Nice hinges, are you making any more?

Also, any body have Carsten Griebel contact details? I have no headlight lenses so may as well go for the lighter option, can tey come without the jpm logo?

[NoBars]

Nice hinges, are you making any more?

Not at this point, Sorry. I made 5 sets and they are all spoken for.

I don't know that I'd reccomend them for a steel hood. I'm using on a carbon one, as are all the ones I sold.

[richie]

Nice hinges, are you making any more?

Also, any body have Carsten Griebel contact details? I have no headlight lenses so may as well go for the lighter option, can tey come without the jpm logo?

I make them as well, just like a regular bosch style lense, LHD and RHD 

cheers Richie

[Bruce]

Can you post a pic, Richie?

Local to me is Al B.  We recently pulled apart his heavyweight B 5speed for some lightening.
Here's 1st and 2nd gear idlers for the pinion shaft.

[Bruce]

Here's the start of 3rd gear on the pinion shaft.

[Bruce]

The finished 3rd, along with 5th for the main shaft.

[Bruce]

His 5 speed is one of the first generation run, so it uses the same mid mount as a 4 speed.  Here he drilled the original Berg heavyweight steel mount. Polishing a turd, IMO.  He was happy to get it under 2 kilos.  I showed him the Al 4 speed one I made that's now less than 3/4 of a kilo.

I'll let Al come on here to post the numbers.

[NoBars]

I swear every time I break the trans I'm going to pull it apart and do that. I never do...

Nice work.

[richie]

Can you post a pic, Richie?

Will do when I get a chance, had a look and no pics of them on this laptop though

cheers Richie

[numbnuts]

Nice hinges, are you making any more?

Also, any body have Carsten Griebel contact details? I have no headlight lenses so may as well go for the lighter option, can tey come without the jpm logo?

I make them as well, just like a regular bosch style lense, LHD and RHD 

cheers Richie

Cheers Richie I sent you a text about it

[numbnuts]

I was looking for light weight batteries and came across this used by some guys from a racing micra club:

https://www.rapidonline.com/electrical-power/12v-18ah-sla-battery-hzb12-18-18-1172?utm_source=AffWin&utm_medium=Affiliate&awc=1799_1490042986_b093f4a8f9387e7972a54034fdcf7dc1

Might be of use, but from what I can see the Amps may not be high enough at 18A

[DWL_Puavo]

In theory, that 18Ah battery should be able to crank normal VW start for about 10 minutes, and it easily should be able to provide you with the starting power needed. For example: 1,2kW, 12V starter = 100A. 18Ah / 100A = 0,18h = ~11 minutes. Cold crancing amps for the battery is stated 732A. So if the real numbers of the battery are even 1/5 of the stated, it should easily work. Throwing another 100€ to the equation, you could have another couple of kg's removed by moving to li-ion battery.

BTW I love that this thread is alive again!

Top tip! If you heat the air inside your drag race beetle from 20c to nice sauna temperature 80c, you save weight about half a kilo!

[numbnuts]

Thanks! That battery fits in with my very limited budget so I will go with that one

[PPRMicke]

850 g 

/// Micke

[ALB]

Hi guys- Those are pics of my pieces Bruce has so kindly posted. I've talked my way into a friend's shop and have been learning to use the lathe and milling table; neat stuff! I had never used equipment like this before and it has been an experience. One of the guys has some 40 years machine experience and every time I go up to Barry's I learn something new. Love the rotary fixture! It sure makes it easy to drill holes in round things. Anyway...

1st gear went from 788 grams to 669, for a weight drop of 119 grams. 2nd gear started at 737 and presently weighs 617 for a saving of 130 g, 3rd gear 607 to 490, less 117g, 5th gear 261- 226g so less 35 grams. I've also re-worked the clutch arm (57g lighter), throw-out shaft (155g), the shift forks (80g), reverse idler shaft (I think that's what it's called- 91g), trans case dowel pins (28g), reverse gear (29g), backside of the ring gear (I'll have to take it to Bruce's for a pic- 399g), frame horn bolts (80g), bowden tube bracket (39g) and the Berg mid mount (over 1,000 g; I've done some more since the pic) for a total weight saving of 2397g (I think) or 5lbs 4oz.

I am looking for a small favor from someone- anyone with a GB 643 midmount, could you please weigh it? I didn't have a scale when I started drilling and filing so I don't know exactly what it weighed initially, so if you could be so kind, thank you in advance. And I understand that due to their construction there's a slight variation in weights, so if 3 or 4 of you could take the time it would really be appreciated. Al

And I'm not finished- I've drilled and ground on the ratchet plate for the hand brake. It went from 81-53g. The handbrake pin went from 42-21g. More to come!

[modnrod]

Stock OEM German lifters ('73 1584), minimum resurfacing done.



Another well known quality lifter 10 secs later on the same scales.  



Just for a comparison.