Polycarbonate/Perspex Windows

[Z4MCSL]

Anyone know weights on these and any recomendations for fitting etc.

Half wondering how much weight if you just go for rear window and rear quarters and keep front windows glass. I like the idea of reducing weight but keeping the car really useable as a road car too.

 

[JamesBryan]

Rear qtr glass: 3.5kg each.

Rear heated screen: 7.5kg

Polycarb windows are roughly half the weight.

 

[Martin.]

You can still keep it usable if you keep the original window runners. Not ideal unless you have formed plastic windows though.

The doors are lumps so any weight you can save from there is beneficial if you're on a weight saving spree

 

[Z4MCSL]

When you say runners...do you mean the mechanics so you can still have electric windows...just plastic ones?

 

[scullyg40]

I like the idea of reducing weight but keeping the car really useable as a road car too.

If you ask me, these two things don't go together. Weight reduction is only beneficial if you go hardcore. Saving 200 kg will make a difference, saving 20 kg's is like a full tank or half a tank of gas.
To answer your question, I saved about 12 kg's with the rear 3 windows, but I made them myself out of 2 mm polycarbonate sheet.

 

[Z4MCSL]

Yeah I get your point..

Guess im interested to work out whether you can make a reasonably impactful saving without ruining it as a road car.

e.g.
Seats 1 x lightweight driver + 1 x lightweight recliner so back seats can still be used - maybe could get 15-20kg saving with really light seats
Polycarbonate windows - you mention 12kgs
Lightweight rims (OZ ultralgerra?) only started reading into this one but looks like 3kg a wheel could be possible vs 16inch turinis? So that is another 12kg
Fiberglass bonnet/remove entire inner skin - looks like you can save another 6kg
etc
So that is already at 45-50kg unless I am being very optimistic somewhere there.

Which (for the sake of argument im assuming 182hp and ignoring driver weight) takes it from 167hp/ton to 175hp/ton.

That seems worthwhile non?

 

[bloke]

is this the one you want to supercharge?

 

[MarkCup]

Yeah I get your point..

Guess im interested to work out whether you can make a reasonably impactful saving without ruining it as a road car.

On a similar quest I removed 117kgs from my 1,021kg Cup dropping it to 904kgs and nudging the bhp/ton above 200.

It was impactful, noticeably, but in doing so I totally ruined it.

Pictures of standard 172 Cups now make me go weak at the knees. Sniff.

 

[Martin.]

Yeah usable road car and stripped out road car are two things which don't go together. Awesome for track but horrendous on the road.

I removed 160kg from my 182. Made a very noticeable difference on track. Was over 200bhp per tonne with me in it!

 

[Twingo 1??]

I have over 120kg out of the Twingo and still got loads to go so should make 200bhp per tonne out of the wee Twingo.
Think I only saved 2kg with the front door glass changed to plastic. You save loads more gutting the inside of the doors.

 

[Mbeau]

If you are using this as a daily or road car, I would not bother with poly windows. Noisy, leak, hot in the summer and can scratch quite easily. For a track car I think they are really good. It also allows you to remove all the electric window mechanism and you can cut a fair amount of weight out of the inner part of the door. It adds to the track/race car feel too!

In short you will ruin it as a road car!! If you look at @Martin. 182 turbo build, I think he has kept a nice compromise as a road/track car. The noises a stripped out car makes when you don't have a hemet on drives you mad. Make you realise why there is some much sound proofing in the sports!!!

 

[Martin.]

Cheap plastic windows are the worst thing ever. When they scratch they will look absolute s**t. Plus the sliders get mouldy. Trust me I know, been there and done that. Bought cheap windows and ended up removing them to replace with proper hard coated ones. (which I actually have for sale now as I've gone back to road car spec with working eletric windows)

I actually added 10KG of aftermarket sound deadening back into mine haha! Plus all the standard carpets and interior. Extra power from the snail should cover all the weight put back in though

 

[scullyg40]

I actually added 10KG of aftermarket sound deadening back into mine haha!

I think that says it all.

 

[VenomUK]

Does anyone know the difference between Perspex for metal doors and those for the CCF fibreglass doors?

A set have come up for sale but they are for OE doors and eventually I’ll be going down the fibreglass doors

 

[Dr@c]

Would like to know the same if any one knows?

Does anyone know the difference between Perspex for metal doors and those for the CCF fibreglass doors?

A set have come up for sale but they are for OE doors and eventually I’ll be going down the fibreglass doors