Weight Reduction??
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Want extreme weight reduction? Read the latest issue of Hot Rod magazine. They take a C4 down to an open wheel racer and document weight loss and track times step by step.
Hint; Weight loss doesn't always result in better times. Suspension loading and aerodynamics are important too.
Hint; Weight loss doesn't always result in better times. Suspension loading and aerodynamics are important too.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
A road racing friend of mine did the following to shed some weight on his modified 2005....removed carpet and insulation; removed both seats (installed 1 racing seat); replaced the hood with a lighter, vented hood; replaced both doors with 'shell' doors; replaced the rear hatch with a 'stripped-down' hatch with Lexan instead of glass. Even the inside support struts on the shell doors have been drilled wherever possible. He says he shed 220 lbs. He's got all the pieces-parts that came off the car...given a day or two he can put everything back the way it was.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 56,381
Likes: 79
A road racing friend of mine did the following to shed some weight on his modified 2005....removed carpet and insulation; removed both seats (installed 1 racing seat); replaced the hood with a lighter, vented hood; replaced both doors with 'shell' doors; replaced the rear hatch with a 'stripped-down' hatch with Lexan instead of glass. Even the inside support struts on the shell doors have been drilled wherever possible. He says he shed 220 lbs. He's got all the pieces-parts that came off the car...given a day or two he can put everything back the way it was.
, the only better place to shed weight is the un-sprung weight of the wheels, tires, and brakes. The question to the OP has already been asked but here it is a again, do you want a GT or a sports car?
Facts
1. You don't drive your car at 10/10ths on the street.
2. Based on #1 you can't tell the difference when you have a passenger or not.
3. Based on #2 you can't tell the difference of major PITA weight reduction mods.
So do mods that you can feel on the street like suspension, engine, exhaust, radio, etc.
Last edited by User 81424; Sep 12, 2010 at 10:11 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,009
Likes: 2,707
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Another weight issue is stuff we add into the car.
In our C5, which had more storage room (center cubby in trunk), I took everything out of the car and weighed it all. Came to something like 65 pounds. That included a really good/heavy set of jumper cables, folding shovel for winter, etc.
In our C6, I've slimmed things down and the misc stuff is probably more like 25 lbs. But our Blockit sound matts add 25 more, and the cocomats probably another 5-10.
Since our cars are around 8 lbs/hp, every 8 lbs you add is like losing 1 hp. In my case, about like losing the 6 hp I gained from the NPP. For DD and touring, not an issue. For track, I'd throw it all on the ground.
In our C5, which had more storage room (center cubby in trunk), I took everything out of the car and weighed it all. Came to something like 65 pounds. That included a really good/heavy set of jumper cables, folding shovel for winter, etc.
In our C6, I've slimmed things down and the misc stuff is probably more like 25 lbs. But our Blockit sound matts add 25 more, and the cocomats probably another 5-10.
Since our cars are around 8 lbs/hp, every 8 lbs you add is like losing 1 hp. In my case, about like losing the 6 hp I gained from the NPP. For DD and touring, not an issue. For track, I'd throw it all on the ground.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,106
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Other than the car's an '08 C6, I know nothing specific enough to comment further. I have made several weight reduction changes to my '08, F55, A6, coupe for drag racing purposes, but they don't all apply to other needs.
It makes no sense to describe how I saved 101# of rotating weight, if the OP has no interest in drags.
It makes no sense to describe how I saved 101# of rotating weight, if the OP has no interest in drags.
