73 super on a diet?

[superbug73]

hey this is my first post on gl.com. I am going to start building up a german looker this summer but I also want to set up a pretty quick car. I am looking in to using fiber glass pans, I will use a fiber glass rear lugage compatment, frt and rear finders, figer glass trunk lid and corbon fiber running boards. I would like to keep the rear seat. and carpet because the car WILL be a daily driver (just to school and home) and a honda killer. Do you think I can shave off about 500 pds doing this and some oher stuff?

[volksdragon]

carbon fibre or fibre glass front and rear bumpers

[boygenius]

Lexan windows will drop a few pounds.

[Steve C]

Hi

I just cut a rear luggage compartment out of a wreck, they dont weigh very much, sometimes fibreglass parts are heavier than steel bits.

Steve C

[Poor Realist]

I saw somewhere on the 'net a guy with a 9 second turbo k-car (yeah, you read right) that dropped some 500lbs after he had already lightened stuff tremendously. The big things he did was gut the interior completely -- no dash, no door panels, etc. Then he went even crazier and whipped out the hole saw. It was nutz, but the car was crazy fast, especially considering the stock engine and an immense amount of boost.

Mind you, the SB doesn't have as much garbage in it as a K-car does, but it will give you an idea what to do. 500lbs is a lot for a beetle, but attainable in a USian car.

Nothing is sacred, as long as it isn't structural or safety related. Have fun!

[TitoRay]

I think each coat of paint is like 20 lbs. or something?
:agree: What everyone else said.
But 500 pounds? Thats quite a bit. 1303 is what, 2000 pounds stock or so?
You could save your money on all the carbon/fiber glass parts, get a turbo, and depending on your current engine, you'd have a honda killer.

[Timmy_Barns]

I think the super is weighs like 1911Lbs ( I cheated and looked it up on Nadaguides.com hehehe)

[Poor Realist]

Originally Posted by Timmy_Barns

I think the super is weighs like 1911Lbs ( I cheated and looked it up on Nadaguides.com hehehe)

I think you mean 1911cc minimum engine size, right? Anything less than that is unacceptable.

[superbug73]

sorry I have not replied back. I think I will run a 2270 T4 with thenext gen conv. fiber glass finders and pans,and carbon fiber deck lid and running boards. Who selld the corbon fiber deck lid with all of the stock vents?
I am also in the prosses of sanding the car almost doun to bare metal and I am ratle caning it for now.

[samcat]

Dont just think about removing weight, think about where you want the car to be heavier and how to get there.
Beetle's have LIGHT front ends, anything you can do to add weight at the front will help.

Move the battery to under the bonnet. Thats what, 40 lbs.... Makes the car handle a LOT nicer.

excuse the mess:


Amps are all gone now (as are the subs etc) - weighed too much!

That one change made a HUGE difference to the car, as it was removing 40lbs from the back and adding it to the front!

Do you really want light wings on the front??
Are the fibreglass wings really any lighter (I know the Day mouldings ones I got here in the uk weight the same as stock wings!)

Cya,
SaM C

[panic]

sam cat has the right idea
im in the process of rebuilding a 71' super and what im goin for is overall balance. its nice to have a light car if you want to go in a straight line, but fast cornering requires good balance and responce. im going to go with fiberglass fenders(wings) because they may be smashed somewere in the future, but would like to get my hands on a cf hood and engine cover, as well as a few other goodies.
my big concern is the roll cage. i would love to build one, but im concerned with time. i'v heard that the beetles arn't to freindly with the body roll, and having stripped one, i can see were the weaknesses lie. i'v already made up 1X1 bar stock to fit in the channel where the body mounts to the floor pan, so i will have a solid mounting point for a cage, if i weld on some bracketry.

too many ideas. too many beers. cheers.

[cavemankustoms]

[i have a 72 super im turning into a gl right now its gutted going through an overhaul it weighs very little im not putting glass pans in because of strength but i am putting a lot of carbo fiber on if you want a list text me back

[Ephry73]

On a 1973 SB you definitely want to shift some of the weight forward. I will assure you a better ride, plus, lowering the car all the way around will make it less prone to crosswind shift(at least it felt that way to me)

The battery in the front is a good plus, as is rear bumper in fibreglass and front stock metal. side glass will lose you like 10lbs to 8lbs each, nothing crazy. You want to lose weight in the car, but mantain structure rigidity and for safety reasons a car that will not fold on itself. I think the fibreglass decklid is not a bad idea. You can also replace the trailing arms with alloy units from a 944 Porsche, but the weight you save is not that much.

Eliminate the rear seat and folding back. Some of the stock insulating materual it's too heavy and can be replaced with stuff that's better and lighter.

Basically, you can take all of the insulation out of the car and replace it with fire retardant foam like found at the Home depot(like .99c a foot) its a carpet padding for homes, but weights almost nothing and not flammable at all.

if you don't need it, don't even bother with it.

remember, weight saving is good, but a car that can handle a collision is better.



E

[boygenius]

Check here for some weight saving ideas...



http://www.germanlook.com/Forums/sho...t=put+car+diet

[superbug73]

OK sorry I havnt replied i na long time.
I have a few ideas
1. Replace the back seat with a 36 inch fiber glass peace. (daily driver and I need the back seat to haul some of my freinds to our fball games etc) but I will remove the pannle that like boxxes of the rear storage area opening it up.
2. Polly carb frt seats (already have some and love them!)
3. When I put a new sound system in I will now go with the full bang (NO subs and amps)
4. I will of corse get disk breaks (Have to before I do any thing to the motor)
5. eventually I will get fiber glass finders,frt lid, and corbon fiber running boards.
6. Brizilian running boards lighter that fiber glass!