20 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

"There's no such thing as insignificant weight saving"

 

That is incorrect. Weight saving which reduces the integrity of components in significant as it reduces the overall safety of the vehicle.

Presumably this is a competition car, so the scrutineers will soon determine if the bonnet is secure. One would not do this for a road car as there would be no point.

[1984mini25]

 

"There's no such thing as insignificant weight saving"

 

That is incorrect. Weight saving which reduces the integrity of components in significant as it reduces the overall safety of the vehicle.

Presumably this is a competition car, so the scrutineers will soon determine if the bonnet is secure. One would not do this for a road car as there would be no point.

 

I think the topic though is for the modification (insurance issues??) to be carried out on a road mini.

 

Although one thing I've always thought. Can you ever got too far with the weight saving on a mini? Obviously not to the point structural items are weakened and unsafe. As my thinking is, without any serious downforce or weight over the tyres, you'd actually lose grip and traction?

[sledgehammer]

Although one thing I've always thought. Can you ever got too far with the weight saving on a mini? Obviously not to the point structural items are weakened and unsafe. As my thinking is, without any serious downforce or weight over the tyres, you'd actually lose grip and traction?

 

 

I've always found the back to be too light

 

the front will always be heavy enough

 

maybe moving things from front to back  , or rearward 

 

screenwash reservoir is an obvious thing - it weighs a few kg's , put over the lightest wheel would help a bit

 

any overflow / catch  tank (not expansion) as well

 

heater is also a possibility behind / under seat, with small fan for demist

 

also placing the seat back a bit - human body is quite heavy

 

(all the above is just my opinion - not always correct)

Edited by sledgehammer, 31 December 2016 - 12:48 PM.

[Ethel]

There's an inherent disadvantage to removing weight, if you happen to run in to a heavier object your car, and you, will be subject to harsher deceleration. Of course, there's also the matter of avoiding colliding with things.

 

Mass operates in all directions, less weight pressing your tyres on to the road comes with less work for them to do in stopping the car moving forwards and sideways. As it's harder to remove weight below the centre of gravity, weight reduction will tend to improve grip & handling.

[Cooperman]

With any serious saving of weight, the contact area of the tyres needs to be considered. If a lot of weight is saved it is sensible to run narrower wheels (and thus lighter) with narrower tyres. Then the wheel arch extensions can be removed which reduces the aerodynamic drag as do the narrower wheels and tyres. 

The biggest areas to save weight on a normal Mini are to fit perspex or polycarbonate windows, remove the sound deadening 'black goo' on the floor, cut away the inner door skin by cutting lightening holes, fit aluminium outer door skins, fit a GRP or CF boot & bonnet lid, run without a front grille, cut out the rear door bins, fit lightweight front seats, remove the rear seats and rear seat base panel front edge.  

The roof skin does little structurally and a carbon-fibre roof skin can be bonded on after removing the steel roof skin leaving around 3" around the edge for the bonding area. You would normally have a welded-in roll cage so strength of the roof skin is not an issue.

It all depends on how far you want to go and why.

Edited by Cooperman, 31 December 2016 - 10:31 PM.

[panky]

Thinking about it a lot of those features are in the original Mini

Edited by panky, 31 December 2016 - 10:45 PM.