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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ My Lightweight Project Update

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:48 AM

When I last left you I had just weighed it and it was just completed enough to get it running, I've now been spending some time getting things sorted out and the little stuff completed. Have a look...

This is the seat belt shoulder bar. The belts wrap around the bar. No tabs to be welded on, no nuts, washers and bolts=lighter.

(I weighed the car with the belts and some other misc. pieces in the car so the weigh will stay the same as I install this stuff.)

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:53 AM

Here you can see the gusset plate with the hole in it welded in the corner.

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:54 AM

Here is the brake line T connection. I don't see a reason to attach it to anything. Let it float.

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:59 AM

This is the oil beather tank. I found if I mounted it on the tanny I could save welding a tab on the frame. And I won't have to disconnect it to drop the engine. You know, when I change engines between autox runs.

I also removed the hose clamps from the breather hose connections. There is no pressure on these hoses so they won't be blowing off. I left one on the tank fitting but took them off of the T connections. You can see one at the top of the pic. Saved 1/4 pound.

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 10:03 AM

I can reach everything but the exhaust stud nuts from thr top.

Here you you can see the breater hose layout. I gotta get one of those lightwt gear reduction starters.

I also need to raise the rear top shock mounts. Right now I can't lower the springs without bottoming out the shocks.

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Posted by: Jeroen Mar 26 2005, 10:05 AM

take off the starter
you can always push-start it

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 10:08 AM

I moved the starter button and the on/button to the dash. They were on a seperate little panel. The big holes are where I had the other gauges. Who has time to look at oil pressure???

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 10:10 AM

A general shot of the engine for those that think you need all the sheetmetal on the engine. (you do on a street car)

The fuel pressure regulator is now mounted on the top of the fan housing. One less thing to disconnect when pulling the engine.

Some have said I sould make a fiberglass fan housing. Well it would be a lot of work and the stock one is pretty light now that I've cut off all the little tabs and ribs and stuff.

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Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 10:17 AM

Those bolts on the seat back brace are waaaaaay too long. I'll cut those off today.

That's all for now....Happy Easter

Paul

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Posted by: lapuwali Mar 26 2005, 10:52 AM

QUOTE (URY914 @ Mar 26 2005, 07:53 AM)
Here you can see the gusset plate with the hole in it welded in the corner.

If there are any structural engineers here I'd like them to chime in, but every book I have on structural engineering and chassis design has your gusset as the "bad" picture. The "good" picture is to put a larger pair of gussets along the sides, welded to the center of the tube. A gusset as you've pictured it actually raises the stress (concentrated at the ends), rather than lower it.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 11:04 AM

Don't you think that the stress is being lowered on the connection of the tubes? That is the goal. Reduce the stress at the tubing connection.

The gusset I have on the opposite top side would be the best gusset type, I agree.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 11:11 AM

These are the three types I had to choose from.

Strongest, middle, weakest.

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Posted by: Brett W Mar 26 2005, 03:58 PM

Paul,

I have to upgrade my rear shocks. The ones I have are too long for my new setup. They are Carrera light weight small tube threaded aluminum shocks. They don't weigh anything. The shocks are a 7 in stroke, 14 in compressed, 21 extended. I have a set of 180 lb springs also. They use the 1 7/8 springs that are 10 inches long. I am sure if you cut the springs you could A) up the rate, lose some more weight.

One end is a rod end and the other is a stud, but you can adapt it to a rod end as well and then you could run it upside down so you could lose some unsprung wieght.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 04:03 PM

Brett,
got a picture of 'em?

Posted by: mattillac Mar 26 2005, 06:07 PM

cool stuff! you should have used carbon fiber tubes instead . you dont really need a passenger side floor panel, do you? thats at least a pound or two.

Posted by: lapuwali Mar 26 2005, 06:34 PM

Again, I'm just parroting what's in my books. I have no practical experience with gusseting.

What appears to be the problem is that by putting the gusset on the "inside edge" is you're maximizing the stress on the gusset itself, and placing stress risers in the tubes at the ends of the gusset.

I don't have a scanner, and the batteries in my camera are shot, or I'd send along some of the diagrams I have here.

Posted by: brant Mar 26 2005, 06:37 PM

Bret, Paul,

I think you mean these:

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Posted by: brant Mar 26 2005, 06:38 PM

loosing unsprung weight:

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Posted by: Qarl Mar 26 2005, 07:31 PM

You're almost there...

Posted by: Qarl Mar 26 2005, 07:33 PM

...

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Posted by: mattillac Mar 26 2005, 07:35 PM

QUOTE (Qarl @ Mar 26 2005, 05:33 PM)
...

i love watching the video with that guys face.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:01 PM

Qual,
And for thousands of $$$ less.

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:03 PM

Brant,
Are they noticably lighter?

Posted by: scott thacher Mar 26 2005, 09:05 PM

can somebody post the link for the video, i cant find it.

it was great

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:08 PM

QUOTE (scott thacher @ Mar 26 2005, 07:05 PM)
can somebody post the link for the video, i cant find it.

it was great

arielatom.com

or something like that.

Posted by: TimT Mar 26 2005, 09:08 PM

Paul I have Koni 3011 shocks on my car.... another alum bodied shock... and YES they are noticeably lighter than the equivilent steel bodied shock..

Posted by: URY914 Mar 26 2005, 09:09 PM

http://www.arielmotor.co.uk/

Paul

Posted by: scott thacher Mar 26 2005, 09:41 PM

thanks

Posted by: Brett W Mar 27 2005, 12:03 AM

Paul, I bet the weigh about 1/3 what a steel full sized Koni weighs. QUA-1 doesn't list the wieghts on their site so I will weight it tommorrow and let you know.

These are set up for a 914, I have the studs and other mounting hardware specific to the teener. This combo was designed by a Southeast Division Regional champion Production Driver. They work great.

Brant those sure do look familiar, where did you get yours? What part numbers did you get?

Posted by: URY914 Mar 27 2005, 05:54 AM

Brett
I PM'd you.

Posted by: brant Mar 27 2005, 10:30 AM

QUOTE (Brett W @ Mar 26 2005, 11:03 PM)
Paul, I bet the weigh about 1/3 what a steel full sized Koni weighs. QUA-1 doesn't list the wieghts on their site so I will weight it tommorrow and let you know.

These are set up for a 914, I have the studs and other mounting hardware specific to the teener. This combo was designed by a Southeast Division Regional champion Production Driver. They work great.

Brant those sure do look familiar, where did you get yours? What part numbers did you get?

Paul,

I don't have them out and didn't bother to weigh them prior to install. Brett already answered

Brett,

I don't know what part number now. Its on the paperwork somewhere, but not handy. I got mine through AJRS and he ordered the valving that he likes for my weight of 914 and for our Colorado rough tracks.

Posted by: Brett W Mar 27 2005, 04:27 PM

The shock itself weighs 2 lbs 14 oz and the spring weighs 2lbs 13oz. You flip this thing up side down and you really cut unsprung weight (more than in half).

Posted by: watsonrx13 Mar 27 2005, 07:10 PM

Great job Paul....

Posted by: grantsfo Mar 27 2005, 08:56 PM

QUOTE (Qarl @ Mar 26 2005, 05:31 PM)
You're almost there...

Once the body is on maybe it will be closer to this? But without a screaming 2.6 liter V8

http://www.radicalmotorsport.com/news_folder/v8/rpa_v8/index.php

user posted image

Posted by: URY914 Mar 27 2005, 09:02 PM

That roll bar does look 914 like.