733 kgs isn`t so light,and heavy is slow.Anyone got ideas as to reduce Kgs(never mind my fat arse)…If I take the door bars out will that affect handling? I know it wont be so good if i get T boned,but i sit low and the chassis is on my right side and I could always cower,
Jonny
Speak to Steve Butts (SteveB) over on Seloc. His hill climbing Elise has undergone a serious weight reduction programme. Don’t think it’s included the door bars!
My Exige is Tim Stevens’ ex hill climber, and I think he did the following (amongst other things):
Removed heater
Fitted lightweight low capacity fuel tank
Mag wheels
Removed pax seat
removed stereo!
Various other bits and bobs. Needless to say he put it back to road spec before he sold it to me!
Unless you’re into hill climbs or sprints, I’d have said it was probably light enough!
733? you would be lucky…
Yes, 785kg with full fluids according to the book.
I think Johnny’s car is Mark Donald’s former Mid Engined Race car, which was considerably lightened. No doubt he clarify that for us
733? you would be lucky…
Yeah I’m with Chris here, I doubt your standard car is 733kg. Mine weighed 751kg with no fuel and I had also removed the AC compressor and rad, the stereo and a few other bits and bobs.
I am going for a major weight loss program with mine. I am preying for there to be a 6 at the front when I have finished.
Sean…
Just read that Pesky posted your car isn’t standard, so I guess if it has been raced and lightened, then yeah I guess it could easily be 733kg’s
i jut had mine weighed at 740kg with full load of fuel and roll bar included, but I’ve had some weight reduction in mine too including full CF bodywork, mags, a/c out, Al fuel tank, corbeau seats and other bits and bobs. i’d imagine getting it much lighter would be very difficult without a lot of expense. any idea what exactly Steve Butts has removed or modified in his car to get it that light??
any idea what exactly Steve Butts has removed or modified in his car to get it that light??
A quote from Steve B made in April of this year on SELOC:
“My car is 685kg (stripped ready for hillclimbing - pass seat out, no roof or rear window) and that’s with an A-frame and petty bar, and a dry sump system, both those add about 18kg…and I’ve done nothing to the doors, clams or rear brakes, plus a load so odds and sods that all start to add up…now i’ve just got a 30bhp power hike I’ll save the weight reduction plans for next year 
”
Also have a look at what Peter Crook did to his 340R HERE - I especially like the weight saving on his exhaust!
I’ve just done things like:
Battery
Heat/fan removal
Alarm siren
Sill pads
Mog carbon seat (dont need to run a pass seat for Hillclimbing)
Interior mirror
Tyre weld
Reversing light
Rear light grilles
GRP behind the rear light grilles
GRP benind most of the number plate
No front plate or mounting plinth
Spots removed
Front grille removed
Rear wheel arch liners (early ones are 2.8kg a pair!)
Front arch liner edge seals (200g each!)
340R ali fuel tank
Plastic fuel cap
Boot bag and inner boot lid cover
Divider panel between boot and engine
Heat insulator on inner boot floor
Autoteknix engine mount
Stripped doors - no side bar, plastic windows (fixed), no locks, as much of the inner GRP removed as possible (save ~26kg)
A-frame and petty bar removed and MSA spec diag bar welded into roll hoop, and rear supports repalced with larger diam versions (by Plans) (saves 6kg over pettybar/a-frame)
Radio, speakers/mounts
Seat belts (just run with one harness for competition)
And probably some other things I’ve forgotten…
Current weight when I compete (hardly any fuel, no roof or rear window) is 630kg.
Was weighbridged at Donny for the TunerGP, with heavier wheels/tyres and loads of fuel at 657, and I’ve removed 10kg since then…
On the cards for next year are enough changes to get the weight starting with a 5
Filling the tyres with helium?
Makes you wonder how Lotus managed to build the Circuit Car and 340R so heavy.
yes my Exige was Mark Donalds Mid Engied race car,it has all the heater and aircon removed,bag tank,poly windows,motorsport engine cover,mag wheels,race battery and when racing only one seat.On the minus side it retains all the locks,door bars alarm system + Lotus rollbar kit and fire extinguisher.
I need the alarm and locks since I use the car on the road.
The main areas I can see weight reduction to be most effective is in the roof,doorbars and the rear clam.Toyed with taking the heatshield from around the back box but I am worried about the heat transfer although the clam has been cut out both in the number plate recess and lower down where the reverse and foglight were.Also the rear inner arches have been cut,with only the front 50% remaining so this should blowa fair bit of heat off the backbox and out of the back of the clam.If i was hillclimbing i wouldn`t hesitate in removing said shield but I race in 15,or 20 minute rounds.
Jonny
that’s amazing Steve… no really exotic bits either
Fair play Steve, sounds great!!! Would love to hear what you have planned to make it lighter for next year.
Sean…
Remote control. Saves the weight of the driver
Remote control. Saves the weight of the driver
I’ve often thought/joked about that - I don’t remember reading anything specific in the regs that says the driver has to be in the car!!!
Sorry guys, MSA Blue book J4.4 (practice) and J11.1.4 (race)both insist that the driver is in the car …
but not for the reasons highlighted here
Rule 11.1.5 is more interesting. Would need long arms and legs.
(I know there’s an obvious answer, but it’s no fun!)
Oh come on, share!