11 replies to this topic

[charlieheal123]

Hi guys,

 

I'm considering stripping out the interior of my mini and putting in a roll hoop in place of the rear seats.

 

Would the weight of the roll hoop offset the weight saved by stripping out the interior, or would it still be lighter and some performance gains seen??

 

Thanks.

[nicklouse]

you will not notice any difference.

[AeroNotix]

I've seen a couple threads about weights of individual parts, might help you: http://www.miniweights.co.uk/body.html

 

There's a few like this.

[mab01uk]

For a road car you should also make sure the driver and any passengers on board are all at their minimum weights or on strict diets to maximise the potential performance gains......

[tiger99]

And remember that your insurance premium is liable to increase, possibly drastically, when you declare the rollover protection, as you legally must.

[slidehammer]

For a road car you should also make sure the driver and any passengers on board are all at their minimum weights or on strict diets to maximise the potential performance gains......

Good points, but also worth making sure everyone has been to the toilet before you go racing

[Mini Mega828]

 

For a road car you should also make sure the driver and any passengers on board are all at their minimum weights or on strict diets to maximise the potential performance gains......

Good points, but also worth making sure everyone has been to the toilet before you go racing

 

Personally id go 1 step further, 

 

No clothes and make friends with amputees 

[Cooperman]

A roll cage is for use in competition where the likelihood of crashing/rolling on race tracks or rally stages is much increased. They are not for road use unless, perhaps, you intend driving like a looney in a licence-losing manner. That is why the insurance premiums may well increase as an owner with a cage which has not been fitted in order to meet MSA Competition Regulation is seen as a higher risk as in, 'so why does he need a roll cage just for use on a public road? He must constitute a higher risk of crashing.

[Earwax]

ask the drag strip boys and girls,.... there are improvements to be had in weight loss.   using a sporty mini as an example -700 kg (car plus driver) ( 1575 lbs) and 100 HP at the wheels.... a quarter mile can be made in 14.6seconds  . lose 50 kgs ( 113 lbs) and .4 seconds faster.

 

So technically the weight hp time and speed equations commit to a yes answer,,, but in practice, in a road car...

 

1.  dont fit any roll cage,,,, even though only in the rear,,,, i am of the belief that unless you always wear a helmet don't get in a car with a roll cage

2. It takes quite a bit to lose 50 kgs,,, and even though in jest, the weight of the driver is probably one of the easiest to lose weight and gain speed cheaply..... although i see many people including myself buying lighter parts to save 2 kg ( say a starter motor, or 6 kg battery) but could still afford to lose 10 kgs themselves.

3. there are some serious weight loss heroics out there in mini land, and turbo minis forum has some geniuses in this field, so check some threads out if interested

4. Can you tell the difference of .4 seconds over a quarter mile by feel?   i couldn't , but then again i only have to wind down the window to feel like i am going faster.

5. Minis , you can have the noise, wind and thrill of driving fast without actually do ing so. 

[racingbob]

You don't say if it's for track or road if for road you should still fit a harness as with seat belts can knock your head against cage maybe not so much if your short in height tho

[minimans]

You will not see any performance gains or losses come to that with the difference in weights. it takes a whole lot of weight removal to get to appoint where you would notice! Just add more horse power if you want to go faster. As others have said a roll bar or cage is not necessary or desirable on a road car. in the event of a shunt your head may hit the cage and do more damage than the bar does good. In my youth I've rolled a couple of mini's without benefit of a cage or roll hoop and the roof never came near collapsing or deforming in any meaningful way. One was a multiple roll down Box Hill in Surrey (brother driving) In a 66 cooper.

[Dusky]

Imho, removing weight is the cheapest way for a faster car. But all depends on where you use it. Fitting perspex windows for example, will not only lower your weight, but also lower the center of gravity.