Carbon Fiber weight reductions, is it worth it? Options

[BonzaiCelica]

thats not what I did player. Thats a photo taken from honda tech. its an example. I'm just getting idea's of how to plug up the sunroof. I'm probably weld that sunroof shut or whatever the shop advises me to do.

[playr158]

Ahhhh thank goodness. rivets look horrible.
Wish I had time to get to my garage and finish that stuff up
I'd like to make it removable instead of just welding it shut.

[Rusty]

There is this info on GTFours.uk, they also weights of GT4 specific parts in another section




stickied & moved to the suspension section as it has more to do with that side of things.

This post has been edited by Rusty: Oct 31, 2011 - 1:01 AM

[czwalga]

A lot of rally cars just rivet the sunroof hole closed. I welded and fiberglassed mine. I was running out of time and it looks like ****, but hey whatever.


As far as buying carbon fiber body panels for weight savings, its useless unless you're really involved in some type of racing. My dads 230lbs and I cant really tell much of a difference with him in the car and without. Really amazes me what some people go to for weight savings in a car that might see the drag strip once a year or an autox occaisionally. The mustang guys (when I used to have one) were hell bent on rear seat deletes that saved like 30 lbs... because they drag raced occaisionally.

[BonzaiCelica]

look below for weight reduction totals!

This post has been edited by BonzaiCelica: Feb 6, 2022 - 10:52 PM

[Special_Edy]

First Id like to say that for every vehicle I have owned I could feel the difference between having a passenger and not. You can feel the loss of acceleration, the suspension over bumps and the way the vehicle rolled around turns. On my motorcycle and 6gc I can even feel a full fuel tank vs an empty tank. The slower the car the greater the performance gain from reduced weight.


Another idea Id like to add to this thread is that the most effective places to reduce weight are on
(a) rotating parts such as the crankshaft, flywheel and tire/wheels. These parts store a lot of inertia so lightening them will reduce significantly reduce the speed at which the engine/drivetrain accelerate and decelerate. Pound for pound the most effective area to reduce weight.
(b) the unsprung weight on the suspension such as control arms, brakes and tire/wheel. The less the moving components of the suspension weigh the less inertia they have. Reduced inertia means that the suspension will react faster to the road surface which reduces wheel hop and the amount of vibrations/bumps that are felt within the cabin of the vehicle.
© the parts which are on the extreme height of the vehicle such as bumpers, batterys, sunroofs, hoods, trunks and so on. The higher in elevation a part is from the roll center of the vehicle(meaning the higher off the ground it is) the more it will cause the body of the vehicle to roll around turns which reduces traction. You are effectively lowering the center of gravity(just like when you drop it) towards the surface of the road.
(d) the parts at the outer extremes from the vehicles center of inertia such as the battery, bumpers, fenders, hood, hatch, engine and so on. Just like the weight of the rotating mass in the engine effects its ability to rev up quickly, so do the heavy components at the extreme front, rear, and sides effect the vehicles moment of inertia. The vehicle will turn easier and more quickly with a reduced moment of inertia which is why mid-engined cars handle so much better than their front engined counterparts. The best example I can give is whether it is easier to swing a heavy bat or hammer vs your empty hand.


Anyways, the point is that certain areas of the car magnify the effects of heavy components. Parts that spin effect acceleration and deceleration performance. Parts farther away from the center of the vehicle effect the handling of the car by effecting the angular acceleration of the vehicle around its center of gravity, which includes roll, yaw and pitch.

[Box]

Unless you're using the car strictly for some form of auto racing, I don't see the point in carbon fiber parts. Well, aside from a carbon fiber driveshaft. Better off spending the money on lighter wheels, flywheel, etc... first and using carbon fiber body panels as a last ditch effort to remove weight.

[Batman722]

And back from the dead again.
These are the actual #s. I know, I weighed them myself.

The Carbon Fiber hatch by itself weighs ... 15 lbs

The stock hatch without the glass weighs ... 40 lbs

The glass from the hatch weighs ... 18 lbs

Stock hatch (with glass, wiring, under plastics, brake light, wiper motor) = about 60 lbs
The CF hatch (with glass, wiring, under plastics, brake light) = about 35 lbs

[playr158]

25lbs!!!!! for how much effort and money hahaha oh well good fun at least and i guess you can say it'll help handling since it will move the center of gravity ~1/8" lower in the car

Nice work though Bats.

This post has been edited by playr158: Nov 12, 2013 - 12:21 PM

[Tigawoods]

couple the cf hatch with plexiglass and then it may be a bit more worth the time!

[Box]

Just remove the hatch completely and cover it with plastic sheeting, more weight reduction for less money.

[dudeofchaos]

Just remove the hatch completely and cover it with plastic sheeting, more weight reduction for less money.

Goodbye airflow/aerodynamics.

[Box]

Nah... Just do it so that it's taught, and makes a nice surface. It'd be like a tonneau cover, sorta.

[cardshark525]

It's actually not as crazy expensive as I thought for a CF hatch as I've found them for $700 (I was fully expecting over a grand). I've also been experimenting at work with different clear coatings for lexan as I know it can get scratched up. However considering it's on the hatch it probably wouldn't be terrible and your biggest issue would be it fogging up. If you coupled that with the CF hatch you're looking at dropping about 40 pounds. The lexan itself to cover that kind or area isn't that expensive either it'd run around $60.

Once you've done all the "free weight savings" this is probably the most cost effective weight savings you'll find.

Getting lightweight wheels will give you more get-up-and-go than this, but 40 pounds for around $750 bucks isn't bad at all.



Unless you want to do this.... lol

http://www.modified.com/features/0208_tech...stance_program/

This post has been edited by cardshark525: Nov 15, 2013 - 8:44 PM

[Batman722]

I got the CF hatch in a deal and a spare stock hatch (for the glass) from mkernz.
I might put the cf hatch on one of the cars and still have the stock hatch to replace if I sell it.

As for weight reductions, I know my hatch struts are gonna work fantastic now.
I really don't care about the weight or lack of weight with it. I'm happy that it's lighter than stock and is neato to look at, also, I would rather put on a cf hatch than remove...my moonroof, spare tire, hatch cover, seats, power steering, airbag, door panels, speakers, floormatts, and headlights.

I'm not making track cars, I have daily drivers.

[cardshark525]

Totally understand.. I'm going for the complete other end of the spectrum.

Before I picked up Shannon's car there was a really nice 2000 BMW 328i I was looking at, (owner didn't mention it was auto till I got there) and my wife said something about driving her friends around in it. I go "In what? You watch how fast I'll turn a sedan into a one seater..."

This post has been edited by cardshark525: Nov 16, 2013 - 1:10 AM

[BonzaiCelica]

Weight Reduction Modifications

• Sunroof with motor and Headliner 33 pounds

• Interior Panels from Driver Seat to Trunk 18 pounds
• Air Bag from Steering Wheel 4 Pounds
• Full Bucket Racing Seat 10 pounds less over stock
• Liftback Trunk Cover 6 pounds
• Spare Tire, Wooden Tire Cover, Trunk Carpet and Jack 35 pounds
• Rear Seats (Backing and Cushion)36 pounds
• AGM 17 lb Battery 18 pounds less (OEM Battery Weighs 35lbs for USA Market)
• Cruise Control, Rear window wiper/Motor and OEM Antenna 5 pounds
• Door Panels 12 pounds
• Floor Mats, Carpet n’ Lining and Firewall Lining with Sound Deadening 20 pounds
• 6 Speaker Audio Sound System (Headunit, Amplifier, Speakers n Brackets) 12 pounds
• 1st Generation Scion TC (2AZ-FE) Starter 2 pounds lighter
• Stock SS-III Front brakes weighs 54 lbs

• Fiberglass Hood with carbon overlay (VIS or Seibon): 11 pounds less or Aluminum ST205 Hood: 14 pounds less or Wet Carbon Fiber Hood: 25 pounds less (Carbon Microsystem)
• 3SGE Stock Exhaust Header n B-Pipe = 32lbs, Stainless Steel Header n' Bpipe for 3SGE = 20lbs (12lbs lighter)+ Test Pipe (4lbs lighter) + Kakimoto R Exhaust (7lbs lighter) = 22 pounds less
• Adjustable Coilovers 28 Pounds less


For a weekend/track set up vehicle which amounts to 272 pounds.


REMOVING THE A/C SYSTEM AMOUNTS TO 45 LBS + All headlights and fog lights replaced with headlight covers = 12 pounds. Rear Window (swap in for Lexan) = 17 pound savings. These parts are not included in overall total!!!

This post has been edited by BonzaiCelica: Jun 14, 2024 - 12:45 AM

[njccmd2002]

just increase horsepower and keep the luxuries.... lol

[BonzaiCelica]

98-99 Celica SS3 with Superstrut has thicker axles which weigh a pound heavier per side.

Full beams air intake system weighs 7.4lbs

[BonzaiCelica]

updated. was bored n weighed more parts n added to list above...