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where to reduce weight from a 325?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:57 pm
by datonyb
being totally bored

and planning on tracking the 325 in april

ive worked out to loose 150 kgs from the 325

would give it better power to weight ratio than an m3
so two questions
whats the 0-60 of an m3?

and secondly

what parts shall i rip out the 325....bear in mind it still needs to remain road legal :D

Re: where to reduce weight from a 325?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:02 pm
by iDreamBeemer
rear seats
carpets
sunroof!
stereo

as a starting point!

Re: where to reduce weight from a 325?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:04 pm
by maxfield
soundproofing
dash door cars bonnet and boot hinges

Bmws figures were 6.1 for sport evo and about 7 for 195 model or something around that.

Re: where to reduce weight from a 325?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:06 pm
by oakey
spare wheel, boot lining/carpet etc. rear seats, carpet/soundproofing, centre console, glovebox, door cards, roof lining, body kit, passenger seat. pinned on gf or cf bonnet and boot, maybe perspex windows.
0-60 of a 195hp m3 is about 7secs
0-60 of a 215hp m3 is late 6secs
i think

Re: where to reduce weight from a 325?

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:10 pm
by tristan325
The engine's pretty heavy winkeye

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:20 pm
by charlE30
Fit a heated windscreen and lose the complete heating system, just wrap up warm when it's a bit nippy out :D

You could also try manual steering rack and manual window winders also loosing all of the associated wiring/switch's (or persepex windows as oakey stated)

Charlie

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:46 pm
by munky30
How much do you weigh?

Lose some weight.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:47 pm
by tim-ix
Lose the front seats too and fit a bucket seat. Inertia reel belts can come out in favour of a harness. Underbonnet insulation. Intensive screenwash (if fitted). You could lose the inner main beam lights and convert your headlights to run H4 combined bulbs.
Fit a heated windscreen and lose the complete heating system, just wrap up warm when it's a bit nippy out
this is sensible because you need to be able to demist for an MoT. Not sure if you need both wing mirrors but they certainly don't need to be heated and electrically manouvrable.

Single wiper and lose the linkage to the 2nd. Lightweight race battery. If you're really dedicated you could strip the protection off the underside of the bodyshell, but that's a filthy job and isn't worth it unless you're racing.

Lightest easily available alloy wheels? Probably the Team Dynamics BTCC replicas but I'm happy to be corrected.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:47 pm
by datonyb
keep em coming fella's :mad:

need to get from the stock 141bhp/tonne
to more like 170/tonne


will try some cheap tricks to shift the bhp up a bit

but its far cheaper for me to reduce the weight

im on a mission against a 147 gta of my mates .thats 177/tonne

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:49 pm
by tim-ix
Just thought. Have you got a sunroof? If so, either replace the roof panel with one from a non-sunroof model (hard) or strip it and the attendant gubbins out and rivet an ally panel in place (easy).

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:53 pm
by datonyb
simian wrote:How much do you weigh?

Lose some weight.
lol dude im skinny ass anyways :?

anymore and i fall thru drain holes

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:56 pm
by munky30
datonyb wrote:
simian wrote:How much do you weigh?

Lose some weight.
lol dude im skinny ass anyways :?

anymore and i fall thru drain holes
:lol:

Chop off... erm... no you need all your limbs to drive... cut your hair?

Drive it naked.. clothes weigh a pound or two..

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:04 pm
by march109
glove box can come out, and gear lever surround and handbrake surround, speakers, stereo, spare wheel boot carpet, boot tools, and if you want you can get inventive with a drill. Bonnet weighes a fair bit, no bonnet of GRP of CF bonnet would save weight.

However remember if you do go too crazy and start loosing mega weight car will sit higher at the back (not much weight to be removed from engine bay!) But if you have Tech II kit, the normal bumpers weigh less.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:08 pm
by tim-ix
Carrying on from Munky, do you wear specs? If so get contact lenses. Blow your nose before you go out on track and get a shave for goodness' sake man :)

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:09 pm
by datonyb
thinking of limbs to loose>>.

right arm.....forget that i use that in bed :o
left arm ..car is manual so need that
left leg car is manual need that
right leg

gas pedel need that

so that just leaves the brain...........what use is that


BACK ON TOPIC

all flaps/skidcovers, exhuast sheilds, ducting will have petrol in jerry cans to save carrying a tank full around all morning in car

will have to keep the bonnet on as its road legal trackday.eg mot-able condition

just checked my front struts are still 51mm.and havnt been changed

so i'll order up a suspension kit tonight.(had to get price for aa relay first just to check it can get home after i blow it up) anyone want first dibs on 325 complete struts with brakes and calipers with 1 day old shocks and springs? winkeye

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:14 pm
by 320Touring
my 318iS got this treatment!

I'd advise losing a bit more from the front though as the rear gets bloody light!

Stripping my e30 318iS

Carpets.

Door cards.

Glovebox.

Centre console.

Boot carpets.

Radio.

Soundproofing.

Move the window switches to the main dash board.

Install manual window winders?

Speakers.

Kick plates.

Head lining.

Rear shelf.

Belts.

Un-needed wiring for the radio.

All boot linings.

Drill the pedals.

Drill the metal work.

Drill front alance

Cut all extra length off bolts.

Drill Bolts and nuts.

Rubbing strips on the bumpers.

Trims on the doors.

Passenger wing mirror.

Central locking.

Sun visors.

Battery from the front to the back.

Bumper reinforcers.

Pin down hood and deleted hinge/hardware.

Pin down Boot and deleted hinge/hardware.

Shave flywheel from 30lbs to 17.

Delete spoiler.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:19 pm
by tim-ix
exhuast sheilds
Don't lose all of these. They're there for a good reason, that being the avoidance of fire. They hardly weigh much anyway and the weight is as low as it could be so any benefit will be marginal in the extreme.
ducting
Keep the front brake ducts I reckon. Again, its just a little bit of plastic and the brakes on an E30 aren't exactly enormous so will need all the help they can get on track.

When it comes to the bonnet I think you ought to lose all the hinges/stay bar etc as well as the steel bonnet. Replace with a fibreglass or CF item (depending how rich you are) secured with Dzus fasteners or equivalent. That would be road legal and would save a lot of weight which is both high up and a long way forward.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:20 pm
by munky30
Being sensible for a brief second..

In my mazda I completely gutted the interior, all except the driver seat. Took out the dash, eeeeeverything... And the difference was immense. So much quicker, so much tighter on corners..

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:34 pm
by datonyb
cheers for the input lads

cf bonnet is a no no

this car is only there to do one outing(hopefully it will last that)

then its getting stripped

so no holes/pins in the bonnet or boot there both good panels in great condition

okay so we keep brake duct from valance

but tin snips on the brake backing discs
it'll let more air over the discs anyways

no i wonder how cheap i can buy perspex to remove the windows.................. :D

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:41 pm
by tim-ix
Perspex = greenhouse windows

can't cost much if you phone around builders merchants. Hadn't realised that this was just for a one-off. Kind of makes it more interesting because you really need to balance cost against benefit if you want to do this for next to nowt.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:59 pm
by GDBN
Change the front wishbones to aluminium ones.

G

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:04 pm
by oldroydsr4
Remove the bumper shocks and the heavy plastic in side them. they weigh approx 15kg each

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:29 pm
by datonyb
oldroydsr4 wrote:Remove the bumper shocks and the heavy plastic in side them. they weigh approx 15kg each
so all i need is to find ten bumpers and im there!

good tip mate

i like these ones that have the heavy bits :D

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:31 pm
by datonyb
tim-ix wrote:Perspex = greenhouse windows

can't cost much if you phone around builders merchants. Hadn't realised that this was just for a one-off. Kind of makes it more interesting because you really need to balance cost against benefit if you want to do this for next to nowt.
tim was it not intresting before 8O

its going to the gladiator ring near you anyway

castle combe

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:38 pm
by snoops
remove all the seats and replace the drivers one with a lightweight bucket seat

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:42 pm
by datonyb
might be an idea if i can find two dirt cheap

need two seats though
as the trackday is for me and the lad

being limited by how long a 230k engine will last

we'll be two up for every lap

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:13 pm
by ed325i
Prices and info for the BMW E30 window kits are below,

BMW E30 + E30 M3 window kit (Meets or exceeds current MSA / FIA specifications)

* Kit contains all windows except for the front screen

4mm clear FLEXIGLASS @ £180.00 + VAT
4mm clear POLYCARBONATE @ £200.00 + VAT
4mm bronze or grey POLYCARBONATE @ £200.00 + VAT
4mm clear LEXAN MARGARD POLYCARBONATE @ £380.00 +VAT

5mm clear LEXAN MARGARD thermoformed front screen @ £270.00 + VAT

Slider Kits @ £23.50 per door and are fully installed, these measure 210 x 210 mm as std


*FLEXIGLASS is a DOT approved safety plastic, available only from Plastics 4 Performance and we consider this to be a good all round material for all forms of motorsport except rallycross

*POLYCARBONATE - We only use genuine MAKROLON or LEXAN UV protected exterior grade materials which have DOT, ANSI and ISO approvals for use as safety plastic and all our polycarbonate kits are 100% polycarbonate, we do not substitute for lower grade materials in thermoformed screens

*LEXAN MARGARD POLYCARBONATE -Abarasion resistant polycarbonate kits, the material has a special hard silicon coating applied to both surfaces to combat scratching, Carries all safety certificates needed and we are proud to say that Plastics 4 Performance are the only suppliers of moulded hardcoat screens in the UK

Paul Davenport

Plastics 4 Performance
Unit 10 locke Ind Est
Emmett street
Horwich
Lancashire
BL6 7PN

UK Telephone / fax 01204 696 609
International Telephone / fax +44 1204 696 609
Mobile 07890 513 398
eMail info@plastics4performance.co.uk
Web www.plastics4performance.co.uk
_________________

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:20 pm
by datonyb
dude cheers for the info and link

but the car only cost 300 quid :?

im looking at about 250-300 total extra for budget trackday
that means
pads at 60 quid
brake fluid at 20
200 for cheap suspension(have ya checked the motorsportworld.co bilstiens :D )

and about 40 quid left over for a set of 15's

feck just realised .ive blown my budget

as ive paid for a set of lower arms bushes (38 quid)

dam
im finacially destitute! :mad:

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:27 pm
by ed325i
but the car only cost 300 quid
Mine cost £150 :D

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:32 pm
by datonyb
ed325i wrote:
but the car only cost 300 quid
Mine cost £150 :D
hate you! :wink: mines one owner and road legal till end of april :P

his parting words

''you will take good care of my baby wont you''

I LIED! :mad:

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:39 pm
by Cotty
How about cutting the dash in half, you dont need the passenger side if you dont have heater pipes, glove box etc

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:58 pm
by Gortour
Do you NEED glass? - apart from the windscreen obviously...
Would a lack of side glass and rear window be an MOT failure?
You could just fix the windows in place, and remove all motors, winders etc totally if so.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:41 pm
by datonyb
riveted on perspex would be the idea i spose.how thin can ya get it .2mm?
lol

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:56 pm
by munky30
datonyb wrote: need two seats though
as the trackday is for me and the lad
Is the boy gonna be driving it or just a passenger for the day?

If he's not driving... he doesnt need any limbs.

Re:

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:05 pm
by maxfield
simian wrote:If he's not driving... he doesnt need any limbs.
Bit strong ain't it.

What if he needs to stractch his sack :wink:

How old is your son ?