Why not remove the dashboard?

[H4RRY]

My Clio 182 is entirely used now for track days and this winter as every winter I have spent a little time doing a few improvements.

One of the things I've done is remove the dashboard entirely to let the little car achieve its new years resolution of loosing weight. However the one thing I have noticed recently is a lot of race cars I've seen have the dashboard in place. Now my question is am I missing something? Is there some kind of safety point or something else that I am going to realise when I show up to Donnington for the first time in 2014 in a couple of weeks that is going to spoil my day? Why in a car that you want to be as light as possible would you keep the dashboard in? Besides mounting radios and heaters what point does it have?

 

[MrDave]

It looks pretty

 

[l33th3tr33]

I think that's about it ^^^^

 

[MG cup]

It looks better IMO and it allows you to mount all sorts to it like lap timers, shift lights, tachometer, gauges and so on.

 

[...]

My Clio 182 is entirely used now for track days and this winter as every winter I have spent a little time doing a few improvements.

One of the things I've done is remove the dashboard entirely to let the little car achieve its new years resolution of loosing weight. However the one thing I have noticed recently is a lot of race cars I've seen have the dashboard in place. Now my question is am I missing something? Is there some kind of safety point or something else that I am going to realise when I show up to Donnington for the first time in 2014 in a couple of weeks that is going to spoil my day? Why in a car that you want to be as light as possible would you keep the dashboard in? Besides mounting radios and heaters what point does it have?

its easier to hid things behind to keep the interior nice and tidy , it gives a much cleaner look.

if you do remove it ,then you really need to consider removing any Brackets etc that could cause damage in a shunt . other than that no reason .

 

[Chip-mk1]

The top dash cant even weigh 1kg I would think so I guess most racers think that the advantages in terms of neatness and having somewhere to mount things cancel that out.

 

[daveski]

Glare on the windscreen too

 

[Chip-mk1]

Glare on the windscreen too

can of matt black paint on the shell would sort that if you are mega obsessed with getting rid of the dash.

 

[daveski]

True. I think Chris (crispyclio Chris) had some fabric over his iirc

 

[Coops Mk1]

I have a bar welded across the rollcage at the front, all the bits I need mount to that inc steering column etc and then I have a pov spec top dash cable tied to the top of it in 'normal' position to stop glare.

that's it, the wiring loom etc is also all cable tied to parts of the bulkhead and cage well it will be when I get round to wiring it all in fully!lol!

 

[cat171]

Any pics of the OP's car with no dash ?

 

[H4RRY]

Glare on the windscreen too

can of matt black paint on the shell would sort that if you are mega obsessed with getting rid of the dash.

Ha ha, that is exactly what I spent my saturday afternoon doing... looks awesome. My only concern is there does look like there will be some glare from the dials and you can see the wires behind the dials etc.

Any pics of the OP's car with no dash ?

I'll get some up later.

 

[H4RRY]

The top dash cant even weigh 1kg I would think so I guess most racers think that the advantages in terms of neatness and having somewhere to mount things cancel that out.

When you add up the top and bottom part of the dash there has got to be a fair amount of weight saved..... My original intention was to remove the dash, rip out all the sound deadening and then put the dash back, but it was so heavy that I couldn't bring myself to put it back.

 

[Rob]

You say you're doing track days, right? Now, on these track days, what difference is 1kg of dash top going to make? Or even 5kg of full dash?

It seems to be in more recent years that people have blurred the lines between race cars and track cars. Removing some serious parts to lose 150kg odd, sure, rear seats, speakers, non essential bits, sure. But the dash? On a track day, where you're not racing anyone, and are undoubtedly driving to and from this day, is it not better to have a car you can actually put up with?

And before you say it, I know every little bit adds up, but I genuinely believe most people seem to get some sort of obsession with pulling bits out, just for the cool points when they turn up "holy s**t, that guy's not even got a bootlid, weightsaving y0!"

 

[H4RRY]

I have a bar welded across the rollcage at the front, all the bits I need mount to that inc steering column etc and then I have a pov spec top dash cable tied to the top of it in 'normal' position to stop glare.

that's it, the wiring loom etc is also all cable tied to parts of the bulkhead and cage well it will be when I get round to wiring it all in fully!lol!

Do you mean that you have put something over the dials to stop the glare from them? Because that is the one concern I have, not sure what the glare is going to be like in bright sunlight from the dials so I have been thinking of putting something over them..... Have you got any pics?

 

[H4RRY]

You say you're doing track days, right? Now, on these track days, what difference is 1kg of dash going to make? Or even 5kg?

It seems to be in more recent years that people have blurred the lines between race cars and track cars. Removing some serious parts to lose 150kg odd, sure, rear seats, speakers, non essential bits, sure. But the dash? On a track day, where you're not racing anyone, and are undoubtedly driving to and from this day, is it not better to have a car you can actually put up with?

To be honest I just don't agree with this comment. If people want to try and improve their car why does it matter whether they are racing or just doing track days.... its all about fun and I find it fun trying to improve my car and feeling the difference. There might be no difference at all but once you've done all the major things, all that is left is doing the little things so I just keep tweaking to see what happens.

 

[Budgie]

You say you're doing track days, right? Now, on these track days, what difference is 1kg of dash top going to make? Or even 5kg of full dash?

It seems to be in more recent years that people have blurred the lines between race cars and track cars. Removing some serious parts to lose 150kg odd, sure, rear seats, speakers, non essential bits, sure. But the dash? On a track day, where you're not racing anyone, and are undoubtedly driving to and from this day, is it not better to have a car you can actually put up with?

And before you say it, I know every little bit adds up, but I genuinely believe most people seem to get some sort of obsession with pulling bits out, just for the cool points when they turn up "holy s**t, that guy's not even got a bootlid, weightsaving y0!"

Spot on.

 

[H4RRY]

You say you're doing track days, right? Now, on these track days, what difference is 1kg of dash top going to make? Or even 5kg of full dash?

It seems to be in more recent years that people have blurred the lines between race cars and track cars. Removing some serious parts to lose 150kg odd, sure, rear seats, speakers, non essential bits, sure. But the dash? On a track day, where you're not racing anyone, and are undoubtedly driving to and from this day, is it not better to have a car you can actually put up with?

And before you say it, I know every little bit adds up, but I genuinely believe most people seem to get some sort of obsession with pulling bits out, just for the cool points when they turn up "holy s**t, that guy's not even got a bootlid, weightsaving y0!"

You've added the last bit.... That definitely isn't me, I don't give a crap what other people think. I just like to try out things and see what happens..... I might find that pulling the dash out ruins the cars little bit of comfort and makes no difference to handling but at least I tried it, next time I'll try something else

 

[Rob]

To be honest I just don't agree with this comment. If people want to try and improve their car why does it matter whether they are racing or just doing track days.... its all about fun and I find it fun trying to improve my car and feeling the difference. There might be no difference at all but once you've done all the major things, all that is left is doing the little things so I just keep tweaking to see what happens.

But that's the point, I've been here a long time and watched a lot of people make their motor a "hardcore" trackday car, a lot then hate it and sell up.

I can 100% see the point in making the car feel more focused, stripping it back, rear door cards, do one, even front door cards if you fit a flush material (carbon or whatever) over it. There's just a certain point you get to where it becomes about just wanting to rip more stuff out.

I even see the point in things like no carpet, it gives it that focused feel, connected to the drive, but to take something like the dash out is just illogical. Sun comes out, can't see the dials, Oh well... may aswell remove the sunvisors too and just hope it's cloudy.

EDIT: I've just seen your addition, and I'm not saying you're doing it for others, it just the way a lot of people seem to go about it. I mean what if you have to drive to a trackday that's 4 hours away? Can't see the speedo for half the journey, and then rear end someone.. I'd rather my knee collide with the plastic dash that some harsh piece of dash harness.

 

[H4RRY]

But that's the point, I've been here a long time and watched a lot of people make their motor a "hardcore" trackday car, a lot then hate it and sell up.

I can 100% see the point in making the car feel more focused, stripping it back, rear door cards, do one, even front door cards if you fit a flush material (carbon or whatever) over it. There's just a certain point you get to where it becomes about just wanting to rip more stuff out.

I even see the point in things like no carpet, it gives it that focused feel, connected to the drive, but to take something like the dash out is just illogical. Sun comes out, can't see the dials, Oh well... may aswell remove the sunvisors too and just hope it's cloudy.

EDIT: I've just seen your addition, and I'm not saying you're doing it for others, it just the way a lot of people seem to go about it. I mean what if you have to drive to a trackday that's 4 hours away? Can't see the speedo for half the journey, and then rear end someone.. I'd rather my knee collide with the plastic dash that some harsh piece of dash harness.

Fair enough then.... I probably should have said, I trailer my car to the track now, it is literally just for lapping a track as fast as possible to put the biggest smile on my face. It's already got everything missing and is already very un practicle so I thought I might as well make it more un-practical and take the dash out.

And who needs sun visors when you have tinted helmet visors, sorted!

 

[Rob]

Well if you're trailering it's not the end of the world, most arent though, hence my comments and (admittedly wrong) assumptions.

 

[Chip-mk1]

To be honest I just don't agree with this comment. If people want to try and improve their car why does it matter whether they are racing or just doing track days.... its all about fun and I find it fun trying to improve my car and feeling the difference. There might be no difference at all but once you've done all the major things, all that is left is doing the little things so I just keep tweaking to see what happens.

You aren't going to feel a couple kg difference sadly mate.

Or even 50 IME unless you take it all from the back and ruin the weight balance. Lol.

But it's your car so do whatever you enjoy with it.

All my mates who've done it including myself. Have put it back in again. But sometimes you have to try things not learn from others in life

 

[H4RRY]

Admittedly you aren't all giving it a good advert lol.

Anyway, I'll see how it goes in a couple of weeks....

 

[Nick172Cup]

H4rry - There's a bit of weight you can cut away from the upper and lower dashes to save a bit of weight and still look presentable.

Sound deadening behind dash/airbags/remove the glovebox and lower gear surround trim/remove speakers and mounts for them off the dash. Lots more little things still in top of them.

Having done it a lot myself in the past, if its purely a trackcar then I think its a perfectly fine thing to save as much weight as possible. However if its a car you use on the road a bit I wouldn't bother as when you start taking all the small things out you really start to loose that comfort and makes driving the car a chore.

Nick

 

[Chip-mk1]

H4rry - There's a bit of weight you can cut away from the upper and lower dashes to save a bit of weight and still look presentable.

Sound deadening behind dash/airbags/remove the glovebox and lower gear surround trim/remove speakers and mounts for them off the dash. Lots more little things still in top of them.

Having done it a lot myself in the past, if its purely a trackcar then I think its a perfectly fine thing to save as much weight as possible. However if its a car you use on the road a bit I wouldn't bother as when you start taking all the small things out you really start to loose that comfort and makes driving the car a chore.

Nick

Agreed, I think most if not all of our negative comments about no dash on here are based on at least occasional use on the road, even if only to drive to the track sometimes rather than trailer.

 

[Coops Mk1]

Do you mean that you have put something over the dials to stop the glare from them? Because that is the one concern I have, not sure what the glare is going to be like in bright sunlight from the dials so I have been thinking of putting something over them..... Have you got any pics?

its a mk1 mate and only have a pic of it with no dash but basically the clocks are tied to the bar you can see and I've got a poverty 1.2 dash top from a mk1 clio strapped to the top of it.

 

[H4RRY]

its a mk1 mate and only have a pic of it with no dash but basically the clocks are tied to the bar you can see and I've got a poverty 1.2 dash top from a mk1 clio strapped to the top of it.

Looks awesome!.... Sounding like I'm going to need something to to act as a bit of visor over my dials then because they have no top at the minute. I've just taken a pic so I'll put it up in a bit

 

[CallyTeee]

You say you're doing track days, right? Now, on these track days, what difference is 1kg of dash top going to make? Or even 5kg of full dash?

It seems to be in more recent years that people have blurred the lines between race cars and track cars. Removing some serious parts to lose 150kg odd, sure, rear seats, speakers, non essential bits, sure. But the dash? On a track day, where you're not racing anyone, and are undoubtedly driving to and from this day, is it not better to have a car you can actually put up with?

And before you say it, I know every little bit adds up, but I genuinely believe most people seem to get some sort of obsession with pulling bits out, just for the cool points when they turn up "holy s**t, that guy's not even got a bootlid, weightsaving y0!"

I've read a few posts now and yourself, chip and budgie + a few other always pop in, got to say definitely agree with you's as a few kg here and there is not got to make any difference on a track car and as it is a track car just enjoy it for what it is, just have fun!

only thing I can think would 'justify' fully stripping and chasing weight, is not everyone can afford to run track cars never mind to go actually racing... so stripping a trackday car out is the closest thing they could get, I do Knockhill days, done it for a nearly two year but no way could I afford to go proper racing, my 1st track only car I stripped everything (except the dash skin) even cut out bits of metal - if not needed it got removed.

My Clio on the other hand, I have it as a road car, only take the back seats out for a track day and go and have fun, learning now its down to becoming better at driving makes the difference I've passed stripped out racers but also had other clios pass me with 2 body's in which could = an extra 80-100kg (must have had cams )


Don't blame them for wanting to strip it, adds race appeal to the day out...

 

[Toastfrenzy]

Leave it in...the top part of mine could be cut cleaner, it's easy to get out. The bottom half is just as the top, a shell, the back has all been cut away blower pipes etc. 3 screws for the top 2 or 3 screws connecting the two halves together and the bottom corners to locally manufactured arms to car.

As said in other posts it's a base to screw\fix stuff too. Unless you go all the way and replace with something else.

 

[Grant89]

What dash tops are lighter than a standard 182 soft touch dash?

I took mine out the other day to tidy some bits up underneath, remove the airbag at long last etc and I was surprised at how heavy it was.

Are the 172 Cup/ poverty spec Clio dashes lighter or are they all the same with this foam type coating? Asides from a Mk1 dash that is.