best way to lose weight? from my 86

[drift kid]

^^ fibreglass fenders are generally the same weight or heavier due to the excessive ammount of fibreglass used to make them strong enough for this application, and the stock ae86 bumpers are just plastic, they dont weigh a whole lot, and if you replace them with fibreglass aftermarket bumpers, these usually are much longer (lower to the groud) so have more material in them, thus weighing as much or more than the standard platic bumpers.

[drift kid]

just wondering, where can i get a FRP hatch with the wing? does anybody sell them in Aust? or will it need to be imported?

[tuned86]

Usually go for the heavy things (e.g. any passengers) first which ppl have covered well. After that it gets costly but other items:

Spare tyre (use space saver if must)
Stock Battery Deka/Oddysey battery
Exhaust system (thin wall tubing)
Smaller alternator (look diahatsu charade)
Stock seats are pretty heavy can half the weights of those using fixed bucket.
-1 to 2kg net: Plantary Starter motor out of AE92 (rarish) pending what you have
heater core/system replacement
Alloy disc hub
Alloy brakes (e.g. fd3s)
Alluminium wheel jack (300zx or fd3s or fc)
Stock Tacho

[blair]

From that thread!



dowant lol

[hachi_dk]

i have FRP fenders and stocko metal guards and the FRP fenders are much lighter (ill weigh them both soon).

also the FRP bumper bar which i just put on my car weighed slightly less (from what i can remember the FRP was just lighter than the stocko plastic one)
ill weigh these soon also.

*the bumper and fenders are copies of d max n such, which is why they may be lighter then other original FRP ones.

[Kid Karola]

No one in Aus makes FRP hatch (or with wing) that I know of, so you'd probably have to get one through a parts importer out of Japan. There was a mob in New Zealand that made them but they're not around anymore. A few people were toying with the idea, but the cost of making moulds + producing them it still works out cheaper to source from Japan. Most people just get the fiber glass wing and attach it to metal hatch.

There was a in SA - but may have already sold...

Also noticed the hood and boot lid in Rolla-Club link are only outer skins (no structural skeleton) He mentions that he uses 4 bonnet pins (and a 5th to stop it flapping in the breeze!) That's great for a track only car, but do you want to remove your bonnet/hatch completely every time you need to look under it or get something out of the back? You could have a basic x frame on the underside and still keep the weight down to below half of the standard metal item with reinforced mounting points.

Also he's only used a few sheets of chopped strand matt (not sure what kind of resin?) which is fine for anything that isn't load bearing. For a normal functioning hinged panel I've seen the mounting points where hinges and latches are placed need to be reinforced (with hard points) Most would use a dense foam core in a rib and have metal threads inserted as FRP threads can easily strip and the resin can become brittle and crack over time.

Most "carbon bonnets" you see only have the outer sheet of carbon for cosmetic appearance, while under the surface the structure is fiberglass reinforced plastic. Hence there is not much difference in weight, but a complete carbon part would be lighter as less material is required for the same strength to be achieved. A full carbon bonnet would be closer to $2000 where as the plain FRP version only around $600.

Yes carbon fiber sheets are more expensive, but much also stronger as the longer fibers are woven, not just a random hash of short lengths. This gives greater structural properties, and depending how the sheets are arranged/aligned for added strength in specific directions. Mike86 worked for a composite place (until a week or two ago) I'm sure he'd have more insight into this, but also tell you it's less stress to buy one then try make it yourself!

[Kid Karola]

Agree with you there for a track car no need to carry spare or jack, but on the road I'd still go for a full size spare. Nothing sucks more then driving on a oddball pizza cutter! Especially on front for steering, or are you going to change one of your rears onto the front and put the space saver spare on the back? Hence doubling your effort and you still have to drive on a wak wheel until you repair tyre/rim? pause... NOT!
I got caught out twice with a punctures! Once no spare, driving in the hills on a sunday arvo (luckily a mate lived near by and drove out with a wheel for me) Another time had spare and jack, but no winder for jack wound the jack up with a screwdriver as a lever that ended up bent and useless, as well as taking 30 minutes on a stinkin hot day!

[Touge Boy]

I carry a can of tyre inflator in the F100... hard to carry a spare when ive got 22's on it. So much easier. And they're only about $17-$20.

And a lot of them are ADR approved, So if you have a road car you cant get done for not having a spare.


As for my 86, Ill be using FRP bonnet and front guards, hollowed out doors, cut out boot floor, fuel cell, single seat, hollowed out dash, and then going to lexan windows.

[blair]

Demand to see paperwork saying that you dont need a spare if you have this miracle can!

Pretty sure an officer would still bend you over..

[Kid Karola]

Yeah it's only legal if you have "run flat tyres" to not have a spare - will say on the tyre (usually OEM on BMW, Audi, Mercedes and the like)

Touge Boy the tyre mouse goo is only good to get you to where your going. It's only a temporary "fix" until your tyre can be repaired/replaced. For anything bigger than a pin prick, or if you have a hole on the sidewall it's pretty much useless! Especiallly on something as heavy as a F100. Only really practical on motorcycles.