Where to remove weight from a track only car?
#166
Bmw has started to us all aluminum hardware on there new cars starting from 08. Even the trans bolts are aluminum and from what i have found is this cuts 20-45lbs depending on what model you buy. I could see a good 10lbs on a miata saved by using only aluminum bolts. The bmw loose more as they have more **** to bolt on.
#168
Bolted in door bars with welded in reinforcements is my side impact protection now. Safety is reduced a bit I would guess.
Bob
#169
I removed everything including the impact beam on my doors and braced it up with a piece of right angle aluminum along the door sill. The doors are a little flimsy though open and close just fine. I can't support my weight on the door getting in or out of the car though. I'm sure that would start to tweek them a bit. I was able to remove 20 pounds per door after gutting everything and bracing them up a little. It's an autocross car so I'm not too worried about the side impact protection... or lack of!
#172
I removed everything including the impact beam on my doors and braced it up with a piece of right angle aluminum along the door sill. The doors are a little flimsy though open and close just fine. I can't support my weight on the door getting in or out of the car though. I'm sure that would start to tweek them a bit. I was able to remove 20 pounds per door after gutting everything and bracing them up a little. It's an autocross car so I'm not too worried about the side impact protection... or lack of!
https://www.miataturbo.net/showpost....0&postcount=26
Lots of guys have gutted doors, but the bare door shells on the early NA weighed 32lbs and I trimmed them down to 11lbs. That included removing the impact bar on the outer skin and the complete inner portion of the door.
Please don't whine about unsafe door lightening. This isn't a track car. It's an autocross car. And there will be serious issues with the "cage" that slant towards stiffness and low-n-light weight at the cost of impact protection.
Stock door with all unboltable parts removed first, then two of the gutted door.
Please don't whine about unsafe door lightening. This isn't a track car. It's an autocross car. And there will be serious issues with the "cage" that slant towards stiffness and low-n-light weight at the cost of impact protection.
Stock door with all unboltable parts removed first, then two of the gutted door.
#174
I know almost nothing about alternators, but I understand that not all "one wire" alternators are truly "one wire". If there is a secondary connector, sometimes two of those contacts need to be jumped, or one of them needs to be jumped to the "one wire", for the alternator to kick on.
#175
Well, that sucks.
I know almost nothing about alternators, but I understand that not all "one wire" alternators are truly "one wire". If there is a secondary connector, sometimes two of those contacts need to be jumped, or one of them needs to be jumped to the "one wire", for the alternator to kick on.
I know almost nothing about alternators, but I understand that not all "one wire" alternators are truly "one wire". If there is a secondary connector, sometimes two of those contacts need to be jumped, or one of them needs to be jumped to the "one wire", for the alternator to kick on.
I and electrical stuff don’t get along. The pressure switch on my accusump quit working right last weekend I called Canton and they said that it was extremely rare for that to happen. Got to take it out and send it back.
Bob
#176
"one-wire" alternators still require 2 wires in acctuality. The positive output wire, stock should line up here, and a refrence voltage wire that will run the regulator and tell the alternator when to turn on, add or reduce output, or turn off completly, like when you are trying to start your car. Im not sure how to hook it up to a Miata's harness, I'll study some wiring diagrams for a bit and get back to you. *often is gratefull for taking Auto Electricity 141...*
#177
"one-wire" alternators still require 2 wires in acctuality. The positive output wire, stock should line up here, and a refrence voltage wire that will run the regulator and tell the alternator when to turn on, add or reduce output, or turn off completly, like when you are trying to start your car. Im not sure how to hook it up to a Miata's harness, I'll study some wiring diagrams for a bit and get back to you. *often is gratefull for taking Auto Electricity 141...*
I am wondering if the miata spins it too fast.
Bob
#179
Coleman Racing sells the same looking Denso alternator but rated at 60-65 amps which would make it legal under SCCA rules for CSP/SSM but they want $317.85 for it. It is what many of the NASCAR teams use.
http://www.colemanracing.com/Alterna...ley-P4320.aspx
They also sell aluminum pulleys for it much bigger that would slow it down in V, multi rib or, cogged belt configurations.
http://www.colemanracing.com/Pulley-...tor-P3760.aspx
Probably have to find a longer belt.
With the reduction in weight and slowing the spinning parts down I suspect it would have the same rotational weight performance benefits as taking several pounds off a flywheel.
Bob
Edit: I finally got around to re-installing it after the vendor fixed it somehow. It is working perfectly now. Steady 14.8 volts with the car running.
Last edited by bbundy; 05-25-2011 at 12:17 PM.
#180
Does the drivetrain need to remain stock(ish)? If not, why not rip the engine, tranny and all associated crap out and throw in a ninja zx-10r engine in and throw a turbo on the bitch. 166 hp stock... with like a 10,000 or somefin redline. Wouldn't be too hard to convert the chain drive. That'd save you what? like 4-500#?
More along the norm, tubular subframe(s)? Tubular lowers? Manufactered spindles instead of cast?
More along the norm, tubular subframe(s)? Tubular lowers? Manufactered spindles instead of cast?