Cup - weight loss plan

[gaz44]

How much weight do you have to lose before you really notice a difference in performance?

I understand that the handling will sharpen up, if set-up correctly but I was curious about how much weight you would have to strip in order to feel a marked difference in acceleration and braking. Also, is there much of increase in MPG?

Obviously, every little ounce removed from the car is a benefit but things like carbon fibre bonnets etc, do they make a noticeable difference?

I might be considering this in the future but I don’t want to end up with a completely stripped out car that has no seats and is louder inside than a Metallca gig!

This might be best answered by Markcup?!

 

[MillerLight]

This might be best answered by Markcup?!

yes. there are a few markcup vid on youtube, stripping (the car) and on the road. shows how quick it can be with lost weight

 

[Russ_16v]

i would be interested in learning about the mpg side

 

[Andyman]

15 - 20kg's and you'll notice a difference.

 

[gaz44]

15 - 20kg's and you'll notice a difference.

This is a fair amount of weight. Any idea what the easiest way to shift this weight is? ie. insulation, bonnet etc??

 

[Andyman]

15 - 20kg's and you'll notice a difference.

This is a fair amount of weight. Any idea what the easiest way to shift this weight is? ie. insulation, bonnet etc??

Iv got a ph1 172 so slightly different to a Cup but back seats weigh a fair bit and also the front seats are pretty heavy.

There was a lad in the project section a while back (cant remember the topic or the name) who was stripping just about every single bit of the car bar the paint lol and weighing it all

Made some interesting reading if you can find it

 

[gaz44]

Nice one, I will search for this. Cheers

 

[Fred@BTM]

you can take nigh on 100kg out of them

 

[Don]

The Cup bits will overall weigh less than the equivalent FF model as they're already cheaper/lighter in the Cup.

It is the best way to improve overall horsepower (ie BHp per ton) as you're car will have same performance but weigh less.

It really depends on how extreme you want to be...will you use carpets? door cards? dash? plastic trim?

Its down to you.

 

[gaz44]

The Cup bits will overall weigh less than the equivalent FF model as they're already cheaper/lighter in the Cup.

It is the best way to improve overall horsepower (ie BHp per ton) as you're car will have same performance but weigh less.

It really depends on how extreme you want to be...will you use carpets? door cards? dash? plastic trim?

Its down to you.

I wouldn't go too far, as I said above but I would be interested in losing some weight (me too, perhaps!). It's just finding the most effective ways of doing this.

 

[DaveDreads]

Ditch the back seats they weigh 20 kilos with the isofix bar,
i've done this and the car felt much quicker. I also
have a ss catback system that weighed less than standard.

It will be alot louder in the car with the exhausts noise
but you get use to it, and if you need to carry passengers
in the back its a 5min job to refit them, just a couple
of bolts.

 

[Cupster]

Diet?

 

[gaz44]

Diet?

I would consider this but I'm operating at optimal fighting weight right now.

I could drop a few kg's from the guns, perhaps...

 

[grantley1988]

tbh i think the gain speed wise is minimal. my saxo was fully stripped. ie no roof lining,carpets, sound deadening,door cards, radio etc. The handling and breaking is noticable, the backend kicks out more. the car feels quicker but its not really if you understand me. i think its the thoughts in your head and the increase road exhaust noise

 

[MarkCup]

An easy thing to do would be just to take out everything that's not screwed down.

By everything I mean;

Glovebox and door pocket contents (water bottles etc.)
Floor mats (rubber ones weigh masses)
Parcel shelf
Boot carpet
Spare wheel carrier/jack
Rear seats (you have to undo one bolt for this one IIRC)

That lot would see you lose in the region of 25-30 kgs.

On a standard Cup that would mean you get the equivalent of 5 bhp for nothing and is easily reversible.

 

[mini-valver]

I've removed:
Front and rear seats, (Fibreglass buckets and harnesses) seatbelts, passenger airbag, new streering wheel, airbag ecu and loom, carpet, sound deadening, tar, all plastic trim. Basically I have 2 seats and dash inside the car. Its loud but I love the driving experience of how raw it is. I took it all out when I had the car back from cams etc so couldnt say if it made a difference. It WILL have though, no doubt.

 

[Andyman]

I've removed:
Front and rear seats, (Fibreglass buckets and harnesses) seatbelts, passenger airbag, new streering wheel, airbag ecu and loom, carpet, sound deadening, tar, all plastic trim. Basically I have 2 seats and dash inside the car. Its loud but I love the driving experience of how raw it is. I took it all out when I had the car back from cams etc so couldnt say if it made a difference. It WILL have though, no doubt.

What are the bucket seats like to live with? Are they a pain in the bottom and back lol on a long journey?

Also do you not find the back end goes twitchy and light as hell under heavy braking ?

 

[Jay Payne]

Mine ha sloads stripped off it (Link)
(and i aint finished yet)

Makes a big big difference to performance.

As for mpg when driving normaly mine will always make over 40mpg at motorway speeds 70/80ish. ive had it upto 48mpg over a 50 mile drive traveling at around 60mph (A roads)


No sound proofing and interior/loud exhaust and induction is deffo not for the limp wristed out there. Its a bit hardcore

 

[mini-valver]

I've removed:
Front and rear seats, (Fibreglass buckets and harnesses) seatbelts, passenger airbag, new streering wheel, airbag ecu and loom, carpet, sound deadening, tar, all plastic trim. Basically I have 2 seats and dash inside the car. Its loud but I love the driving experience of how raw it is. I took it all out when I had the car back from cams etc so couldnt say if it made a difference. It WILL have though, no doubt.

What are the bucket seats like to live with? Are they a pain in the bottom and back lol on a long journey?

Also do you not find the back end goes twitchy and light as hell under heavy braking ?

They're fine! FCS and back was easy. Re. the back end, I have it set as low as it'll go on FK's so the car has a more balanced stance as a pose to really nose heavy after shedding weight from the rear. It handles brilliant, really sticks. The back end only becomes light if you're hard on the brakes and thrown it into a corner, you learn to adjust your driving style though and become better for it IMO.

 

[172bagss2]

Also do you not find the back end goes twitchy and light as hell under heavy braking ?

They're fine! FCS and back was easy. Re. the back end, I have it set as low as it'll go on FK's so the car has a more balanced stance as a pose to really nose heavy after shedding weight from the rear. It handles brilliant, really sticks. The back end only becomes light if you're hard on the brakes and thrown it into a corner, you learn to adjust your driving style though and become better for it IMO.

Nose-down stance FTW! Under heavy braking you want it a little tail-happy into bends so a bit of oversteer can be brought into play. Personally I like having to fight it a little when going hard - on track that is...

 

[foxon]

I've removed:
Front and rear seats, (Fibreglass buckets and harnesses) seatbelts, passenger airbag, new streering wheel, airbag ecu and loom, carpet, sound deadening, tar, all plastic trim. Basically I have 2 seats and dash inside the car. Its loud but I love the driving experience of how raw it is. I took it all out when I had the car back from cams etc so couldnt say if it made a difference. It WILL have though, no doubt.

What are the bucket seats like to live with? Are they a pain in the bottom and back lol on a long journey?

Also do you not find the back end goes twitchy and light as hell under heavy braking ?

mine`s completely stripped, just got 2 buckets n harnesses, no roof-lining, carpets, backseats ect. imo it does make a difference, feels alot more responsive, but then mine is on throttle boddies lol. it also make a big difference on the handling because there is no weight in the back 4 when u throw it into corners!, the seats can be a pain if on a long journey but it al depends on how far u wanna go? because as said above, you can always put it al bak in.

 

[Spiky]

well tonight i noticed a big difference between two of my cars

i have a 2000 clio 172 completely standard

and a full striped 205 with a 306 gti6 engine


so both around 170bhp

but my pug weights around 800-850kg MAX

and just took the 205 out for a test drive to see if all ok before track tomorrow and wow, the difference is MASSIVE, the 205 rev's much quicker, and so light and agile

not a very good comparison if you look from a different angle as the 205 has 1k's worth of shocks, r888's and super light

but for the same power, the difference is great

http://www.passionford.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164404

that the build of the 205,

 

[Andyman]

TBH i reckon even if the 205 had the full interior, with a 306 Gti6 conversion it would still pull the 172 to bits!


What bucket seats are you using guys?

 

[MarkCup]

I forgot to mention the beloved MPG - having taken 120kgs out of mine, I can have almost 45 mpg whenever I want, and 'normal' use sees an easy 40 mpg if I want it. Proper driving is late 30s.

Buckets and harnesses are manageable but then mine isn't a daily driver any more so it's always a novelty climbing in and out of it.

 

[Spiky]

i have one recaro and one omp (i think)

i prefer the recaro, much nicer seat

you might be right about the 205 and full interior

 

[mini-valver]

I'm using Sparco Corsa's on super low subframes.

 

[BenR]

yea i know.........

 

[mini-valver]

Yellow pages??