Best way to put an early super on a diet
- Ephry73
- Posts: 3369
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2001 12:01 am
Best way to put an early super on a diet
I am currently looking for ways to reduce the overall weight of a 1972 SB. This car will be driven daily, in a spirited way.
Will have a 3.88 tranny with stock gearing and a type 4 engine in the bacl. Lowered 3 inches front and 2 rear. Urethane bushes all around and front and rear thicker swaybars. No sunroof. I want the handling to be better, but also have more go. Tire overal diameter will left stock, but going +1 on the tires and rims. Interior will not have a stock seats nor a rear seat. How much work would it be to lower the car to say 1,400 or 1,500lbs?
Ephry
Will have a 3.88 tranny with stock gearing and a type 4 engine in the bacl. Lowered 3 inches front and 2 rear. Urethane bushes all around and front and rear thicker swaybars. No sunroof. I want the handling to be better, but also have more go. Tire overal diameter will left stock, but going +1 on the tires and rims. Interior will not have a stock seats nor a rear seat. How much work would it be to lower the car to say 1,400 or 1,500lbs?
Ephry
- Ryan Huebler
- Posts: 151
- Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:50 am
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- Posts: 443
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 12:01 am
put lexan in all the windows that make the most sense. For sure the rear quaters, but your limited from there so to speak. Keep the rear stock for rear defrost, plus curved laxan gets pricey. Lexan on the front doors and windshield seems overkill to me, for at least a daily driver, and if the scratching thing is true, then I would choose glass.
CF what you can afford. Fiberglass is an option too, for fenders, lids, etc and here you save some $$$. Lose all sound deadener, rear seat, carpet, etc...get aftermarket seats of course. Really light rims, (12lbs or less) for unsprung weight will help too.
Drilling is another idea.
Here you can shed a handful of grams in certain areas. Door handles, that have holes drilled, starting the size of a dime, then getting smaller as the handle slims looks cool too. I've seen it done on the peddle cluster as well, and on the rear apron, (looks really good with an FI apron).
Also note that a T4 motor adds around 35lbs +/- at the rear, something that comes with having T4 motor.
Buy/make a battery plate/mount and bolt it in the center of the trunk right over the spare tire well area. put your battery here for more weight in the front, you need it anyway.
Just do away with anything that you don't think you need/want and replace things you have to have with lighter stuff. LA Perfomance sells a crap load of CF stuff, even doors...just expect a certain pain in your stomach if you ever get in a fender bender and your $200 front bumper is FUBARD. CF, as we all know aint cheap.
CF what you can afford. Fiberglass is an option too, for fenders, lids, etc and here you save some $$$. Lose all sound deadener, rear seat, carpet, etc...get aftermarket seats of course. Really light rims, (12lbs or less) for unsprung weight will help too.
Drilling is another idea.
Here you can shed a handful of grams in certain areas. Door handles, that have holes drilled, starting the size of a dime, then getting smaller as the handle slims looks cool too. I've seen it done on the peddle cluster as well, and on the rear apron, (looks really good with an FI apron).
Also note that a T4 motor adds around 35lbs +/- at the rear, something that comes with having T4 motor.
Buy/make a battery plate/mount and bolt it in the center of the trunk right over the spare tire well area. put your battery here for more weight in the front, you need it anyway.
Just do away with anything that you don't think you need/want and replace things you have to have with lighter stuff. LA Perfomance sells a crap load of CF stuff, even doors...just expect a certain pain in your stomach if you ever get in a fender bender and your $200 front bumper is FUBARD. CF, as we all know aint cheap.
- Ephry73
- Posts: 3369
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2001 12:01 am
Good point. i bet with the lighter bumpers and all the wings and bonnets the car can easily shed 200lbs. The extra weight of the type 4 is well worth it though. I got a plastic batery case at Pepboys that for the money and what I need it for, would and shall do the trunk trick quite well. I even got one for the Ghia.
The wheels are going to kill me to find them though. But we'll see.
Does anyone have a link for LA perf?
Ephry
The wheels are going to kill me to find them though. But we'll see.
Does anyone have a link for LA perf?
Ephry
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- Posts: 443
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 12:01 am
Here ya go Eph
http://www.laperformance.co.uk/
REALLY pretty CF goodies...and some beautiful super beetles...love the green looker btw....such a beast
also, is Carbon Joe still around? I'm sure he is...anyone here with contact info? Good quality stuff from what I've heard...
of course you should also visit here ==> www.germanlook.com often as well Eph, even more links, pics, and well posts...
http://www.laperformance.co.uk/
REALLY pretty CF goodies...and some beautiful super beetles...love the green looker btw....such a beast
also, is Carbon Joe still around? I'm sure he is...anyone here with contact info? Good quality stuff from what I've heard...
of course you should also visit here ==> www.germanlook.com often as well Eph, even more links, pics, and well posts...
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- Posts: 443
- Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2000 12:01 am
forgot to commet about rims....
think light, vey light...as light as you can afford...the lighter, of course, the more $$$.
Gram-lites
Volks
HRE
BBS
there's TONs more...this is just whats popping into mi mind
here's a tasty pic of some gram-lites to make yur mouth drool....
http://64.207.171.163/forum/attachment. ... mentid=883
think light, vey light...as light as you can afford...the lighter, of course, the more $$$.
Gram-lites
Volks
HRE
BBS
there's TONs more...this is just whats popping into mi mind
here's a tasty pic of some gram-lites to make yur mouth drool....
http://64.207.171.163/forum/attachment. ... mentid=883
- Ephry73
- Posts: 3369
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2001 12:01 am
That's great info on that site. I haven't been there in a while. One question though, who makes windows in lexam for VWs? More importantly the side windows(rear quarters) ?
Does anyone know whicch aftermarket wheels can be used with the stock 4x130mm bolt pattern? I have seen a few people run Honda 4 bolts, but not sure if the pattern is that compatable.
Ephry
Does anyone know whicch aftermarket wheels can be used with the stock 4x130mm bolt pattern? I have seen a few people run Honda 4 bolts, but not sure if the pattern is that compatable.
Ephry
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- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 11:43 am
Lexan goodness
http://www.ronlummusracing.com/rlr2/Race_store.htm
under "body components"
http://www.ronlummusracing.com/rlr2/body_comp.htm
http://www.ronlummusracing.com/rlr2/Race_store.htm
under "body components"
http://www.ronlummusracing.com/rlr2/body_comp.htm
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- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 11:43 am
oh and a note on the wheels if you are sticking with stock 4x130 bolt pattern you get to choose between ~10 styles of wheels most of which are steel, 15inch, and overpriced...
JCWhitney (I know how much everyone loves them ) just came out with some mad expensive 4 bolt compatable aluminum wheels, I would probably get them if they weren't so freaking expensive. As it stands it is pretty much cheaper to get new brakes (most people are getting new brakes anyway) with whatever bolt pattern you want.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Prod ... 10/c-10110
$269/wheel for 15 inch aluminums at 4x130
If you are willing to lower/widen your suspension, honda 4x100 wheels are great because they are CHEEEEEAP and common, not to mention the FWD style offset gives you lots of lowering ability with the stock axles. I dare you to lookup 16 inch honda civic wheels on ebay... you will be drooling all day at the cheapness (everybody wants bigger than 16 so they are super cheap) I am talking rotas for like 75$ a piece.
Now compare the price of 4 wheel disk + machining + pressing (custom 4x100 pattern) is about 200/corner
now throw on some $50 civic wheels WITH tires... you have possibly lighter wheels, you have done your brakes, and you have some burnout tires and all for cheaper than the crappy JCW aluminum wheels
Of course I dunno if rolling on Rota's could be considered "german look"
JCWhitney (I know how much everyone loves them ) just came out with some mad expensive 4 bolt compatable aluminum wheels, I would probably get them if they weren't so freaking expensive. As it stands it is pretty much cheaper to get new brakes (most people are getting new brakes anyway) with whatever bolt pattern you want.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Prod ... 10/c-10110
$269/wheel for 15 inch aluminums at 4x130
If you are willing to lower/widen your suspension, honda 4x100 wheels are great because they are CHEEEEEAP and common, not to mention the FWD style offset gives you lots of lowering ability with the stock axles. I dare you to lookup 16 inch honda civic wheels on ebay... you will be drooling all day at the cheapness (everybody wants bigger than 16 so they are super cheap) I am talking rotas for like 75$ a piece.
Now compare the price of 4 wheel disk + machining + pressing (custom 4x100 pattern) is about 200/corner
now throw on some $50 civic wheels WITH tires... you have possibly lighter wheels, you have done your brakes, and you have some burnout tires and all for cheaper than the crappy JCW aluminum wheels
Of course I dunno if rolling on Rota's could be considered "german look"
- Ephry73
- Posts: 3369
- Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2001 12:01 am