Help me put my 182 on a diet.

[mikeh]

So, I'm looking to put the Clio on a diet.

I weighed it a year or so ago with rear seats out at 1080kg with rear seats out. That was with Oz F1s which seemed quite heavy - I now have TD 1s which are a bit lighter I think, but 1080 should be close enough.

I've noted over the years that many people get down to around 900kg with cage, but I'm struggling to see where all this weight comes from?

Removing carpets, sound deadening, rear trims and seatbelts, swapping seats (currently 172 cup items) with bucket seats. I struggle to see that this lot will see me under 1000kg? Most of which would be likely undone with a cage?

So where is all the weight that people have shed to come in so much lower?

 

[Chip-mk1]

Glass is a big weight, loads of weight to come out of the doors in terms of the motors and mechanism for the glass as well.

 

[mikeh]

I'm not sure I'm committed enough to lose the front windows just yet - at least not until I've found a trailer!

Polycarbs are an obvious answer I guess. Expensive, though

 

[l33th3tr33]

Depends on how deep your pockets are, seat wise you could get some nice light carbon ones, but at a wallet pounding amount.

Grind off any interior brackets that aren't of any use, polycarb the rear windows, fiberglass/carbon bonnet, boot, doors etc.. get rid of aircon if applicable, PAS, race battery. The list is endless.

I suggest looking through project threads, they have most if not all the answers you need.

 

[mikeh]

I don't want to spend a lot, if I'm honest.

My Clio Christmas list is far too long already

 

[l33th3tr33]

Well unless it's bits that makes it lighter/faster then I wouldn't bother chasing weight savings IMO.

 

[mikeh]

I'm after free performance with as much weight saving as possible without spending a lot of money.

I think I was more interested in what savings were available with the obvious removables.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Anything that is not needed, cut it off or out.

Wiring looms weigh a ton.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Anything that is not needed, cut it off or out.

Wiring looms weigh a ton.

1080kg

Minus 1000kg for loom

= 80KG



It will weight less than I do.


Sorted!








Seriously though, its surprising how heavy all the wiring and random brackets and stuff are!

 

[Tony Hunter]

:quiet:

 

[mikeh]

How much redundant wiring is there?

 

[Tony Hunter]

About 20 kilo's worth.

 

[Chip-mk1]

About 20 kilo's worth.

And if you take it to the scrapyard instead of bin it, thats a mcdonalds covered.

 

[Tony Hunter]

True.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Although thats kind of putting weight back in, FLOL.

 

[l33th3tr33]

And if you take it to the scrapyard instead of bin it, thats a mcdonalds covered.

Prices aren't amazing at the moment, best wait a bit longer and he might be able to go large.

 

[mikeh]

About 20 kilo's worth.

Any tips on where to start looking for that?

Or is that working on the basis that everything but lights can be ditched?

 

[Tony Hunter]

Just about, yes.

 

[Chip-mk1]

Any tips on where to start looking for that?

Or is that working on the basis that everything but lights can be ditched?

If yours is track only, you could bin the headlights etc too.


The UCH and ascociated wiring is a big chunk of the weight, but requires quite a lot of effort to get rid of.

Realistically the best way to do so is to remove EVERY wire from the car, then buy an aftermarket ecu to control the engine on a nice simple loom and make a simple loom just for your indicators and brake light (and lose the headlights anyway if you are really trying to save every bit of weight you can)

 

[mikeh]

I'd love to do that at some point - I still have a craving to play with Megasquirt! That's way off at the moment, though.

Electrical stuff is one of the things I'm good at, being half of my trade. I think it'd likely be one of the things I enjoy the most - however arduous.

I think I'd want to keep it road legal - its a lot of effort loading it on to a trailer just to drive to autocross events that are never more than 10 miles away (and usually never more than 3!) - the wonders of living on an Island!

Besides, I needed my sidelights when on a wet track day a couple of weeks ago - would a lack of headlights not cause me issues on track days?

 

[cs_dave]

Remove the lump of metal by the top engine mount!

Anyone know how much weight that is?

 

[mikeh]

2kg IIRC.

 

[Midnight]

What piece if metal are you talking about?

 

[Chip-mk1]

What piece if metal are you talking about?

Just a huge lump bolted to the inner wing on a 182 for NVH reasons.

 

[mikeh]

NVH?

 

[l33th3tr33]

Noise, vibration, and harshness I'd imagine.

 

[NorthloopCup]

When I stripped my cup out I weighed everything that wasn't going back in and the grand total was 122kg. Obviously weight was put back in from the cage and seats, but I could offset that by replacing various panels with f/g parts and more than likely lose a small amount of extra weight.
I cut the entire under bonnet skin out and just secure it with aerocatches. That in itself saw the bonnet weight down to as near as damn it 6.5kg. That was all the hinges and release mech removed too.

I paired red the wiring loom down as well, but be careful, there's a few can wires that will have your pants down if you get snip happy.

 

[mikeh]

Did you make a list of individual weights?

 

[Gaz-m]

Weight saving is really only for hardcore track cars.

On my work roller brake tester ive recently weighed a 182 (1070kg), a Clio dynamique (1020kg) and my track 172 (940kg).

It isnt accurate like corner weights but gives an indication. Mine is still fully road legal.

Fully stripped of spare wheel/ toolkit, all interior carpets, seats, linings, any deadening removed (not as much on a cup), cd player, speakers, airbags- thats all quick/simple and weighs a LOT, especially front seats...

Then some interior brackets removed, all door motors/ electrics removed, door inners cut out, 3mm poly door cards fitted, glass removed and polycarbonate windows fitted, 7kg fibreglass seat fitted with just side mounts, steering wheel with no airbag, all cabin wiring looms stripped to minimum- quite easy.

Weight put back in:

Fibreglass bucket seat 7kg
6 point sparco rollcage 25kg
ignition cut off
plumbed in fire extinguisher 3kg
Plastic door cards
Polycarbonate windows

I could go further with lightweight battery, dash loom, lightweight wheels, polycarb rear window. Then it gets expensive and almost pointless for the money- fibreglass body panels.

Also, aftermarket exhausts are always a load lighter than standard.

Should get mine on scales for accurate weight this weekend all going well.

Either leave it as is, or go full on!!

 

[Martin.]

I've weighed everything I've taken out of mine and everything I've put back in. Just because I have a serious illness called OCD.

Only thing I didn't get round to weighing was a 182 cup wheel with tyre.

Think when I last looked I was net 80 odd KGs lighter. Even with cage etc back in.

 

[mikeh]

Could you share your list please, Martin?

 

[MarkCup]

I've weighed everything I've taken out of mine and everything I've put back in. Just because I have a serious illness called OCD.

Only thing I didn't get round to weighing was a 182 cup wheel with tyre.

Think when I last looked I was net 80 odd KGs lighter. Even with cage etc back in.

I did this with my 172 Cup. Weighed what came out, weighed what went back in again.

117kgs saved in total for me...and that was down to bare metal inside, no power-steering or airbags, and 6kg driver's seat with a standard passenger seat. Standard glass and front window motors etc. remained though.

Given the chance I wouldn't do it again though...I completely and pointlessly ruined what was a fantastic little car from my misguided pursuit of lightness in the mistaken belief that was some kind of racing driver.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Did you make a list of individual weights?

Yeah everything that was removed was individually weighed and noted down. I've got it somewhere, but my house is currently filled with boxes packed with stuff ready for moving so it could be anywhere.
I even cut down redundant parts of the dash support cage. FYI when you pair down the looms you literally save about a kilo - if that, as there's a lot of can wires that need to remain if your car is still a road car. It's not really worth bothering with imo. I did mine because I could.

 

[l33th3tr33]

Surely the weight of the two front seats combined are equal to or more than a cage? I've not held a cage so just a wild guess.

 

[Martin.]

A rear cage weighs about the same as one standard FF seat.

 

[Martin.]

FYI when you pair down the looms you literally save about a kilo - if that, as there's a lot of can wires that need to remain if your car is still a road car. It's not really worth bothering with imo. .

Is it really that minimal!!

I did mine because I could

Love this lol.

 

[NorthloopCup]

Surely the weight of the two front seats combined are equal to or more than a cage? I've not held a cage so just a wild guess.

A full cage will weigh less than the 2 front seats combined mate. Most simple cages come in at around 35kgs max and the front seats weigh in at about 20+kgs.

Is it really that minimal!!



Love this lol.

Yes it really is that minimal mate. not normal dan will confirm just how stripped my car and loom is too.

 

[mikeh]

I think as a starting point, I'd be happy with <1ton with the cage.

I guess with the remaining interior and pas/Aircon gone, that should be achievable?

I've been given some never used cobra buckets. They should be in date for another couple of years, too!

 

[Chip-mk1]

A full cage will weigh less than the 2 front seats combined mate. Most simple cages come in at around 35kgs max and the front seats weigh in at about 20+kgs.


Yes it really is that minimal mate. @not normal dan will confirm just how stripped my car and loom is too.

You still have all the ECH and loom ascociated with it to stay a road car though, different for a track only car.

 

[NorthloopCup]

You still have all the ECH and loom ascociated with it to stay a road car though, different for a track only car.

Yep certainly do! It will be staying that way until the uch goes f**k up as well tbh. I still run the original heater as well.