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Where to remove weight from a track only car?

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Old 11-18-2010, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by rabyrab
Would be interesting if someone could say whats required if it works?
I mounted it to the engine and it fits just fine. The pulley lines up with a washer added and it took a sleeve to center the Miata pulley on the shaft. A rod end style sway bar end link works perfect as a tension adjuster.

Bob
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Old 12-02-2010, 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted by rabyrab
Would be interesting if someone could say whats required if it works?
installed on engine.

Bob
Attached Thumbnails Where to remove weight from a track only car?-p1010001.jpg   Where to remove weight from a track only car?-p1010002.jpg  
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Old 12-02-2010, 09:43 PM
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Cool.. how much weight did that actually save?
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Old 12-02-2010, 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by baron340
Cool.. how much weight did that actually save?
10.5 lbs versus 5.5 lbs with brackets. I also have an SR aluminum alternator and water pump pulley set that saves another 1/2 lb if I remember right but the ATI damper is heavier than stock I can’t remember by how much. A good portion is rotating weight which is even better.

Bob
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Old 12-02-2010, 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by bbundy
installed on engine.

Bob
That is pimptastic. If nothing else I want that to clean up my engine bay a bit
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Old 01-28-2011, 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Reverend Greg
Im really thinking of cutting the trunk floor out and riveting/bonding an Aluminum plate in.
(G)
I have been thinking of doing the same thing, i wonder how hard it would be?

Originally Posted by thasac
You could also look at using aluminum or nylon hardware for all non-critical connections (e.g. - fenders, dash, etc.). There's a couple motorcyle vendors that sell a lot of lightweight metric hardware in alu/Ti. Not really worth the effort IMO.


-Zach

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.
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Old 01-28-2011, 04:28 PM
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Originally Posted by curly
Edit: Can't anyone make a stock (non-locost) chassis look decent without front fenders? This looks semi-open wheel and extremely badass:


P.S. I'm also making this thread a sticky, seems logical for future viewers.
Lol I drove my first NA miata around for a month with no front fenders. People looked at me funny every where i went. Was cool being able to see the tires when i was driving.
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Old 02-17-2011, 03:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Savington
Yes. You can remove essentially everything except the impact beam, but once the impact beam goes the door will not support itself when it's open.
I just got through removing the beams and some of the inner panel metal but kept enough to re install the stock door trim panes install so it looks stock. The door doesn’t loose much stiffness at all as long as you keep some of the inner steel. Weight reduction is ~8 lbs per door and it looks stock.

Bolted in door bars with welded in reinforcements is my side impact protection now. Safety is reduced a bit I would guess.

Bob
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Old 02-17-2011, 04:37 PM
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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!
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Old 02-17-2011, 10:13 PM
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bbundy is bbadass.
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Old 02-17-2011, 11:32 PM
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Originally Posted by TurboTim
bbundy is bbadass.
For rizzle, no shizzle.
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Old 02-18-2011, 01:10 AM
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Originally Posted by superl
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!
I posted this in the "Shell Weight?" thread.

https://www.miataturbo.net/showpost....0&postcount=26

Originally Posted by modernbeat
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.





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Old 03-11-2011, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by rabyrab
Would be interesting if someone could say whats required if it works?
well the cheap chevy mini one wire alternator is installed and it is not charging. I can't figure out why.

Bob
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Old 03-13-2011, 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted by bbundy
well the cheap chevy mini one wire alternator is installed and it is not charging. I can't figure out why.

Bob
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.
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Old 04-06-2011, 01:14 AM
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Originally Posted by wildo
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.
Took it to Napa they tested it on their bench and got nothing. I do think you have to power the IG terminal as well as the post but it didnt work any way you did it. It is advertised with a 1 year no hassle warrantee. I sent it back will see if the next one works.

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
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Old 05-05-2011, 11:00 PM
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"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...*
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Old 05-06-2011, 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by halfdemonpyro
"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 had it wired up with voltage supplied to the regulator. I sent it back. I got the same alternator back with no explination Im going to take it back to Napa and test it on there bench again to see if it will work.

I am wondering if the miata spins it too fast.

Bob
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Old 05-06-2011, 06:01 PM
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I wouldn't think that would be the problem if it is not wanting to work at low RPMs, but I know little about these things.

I get my scales next week and I finally get to weigh my car! Im excited.
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Old 05-24-2011, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by rharris19
I wouldn't think that would be the problem if it is not wanting to work at low RPMs, but I know little about these things.

I get my scales next week and I finally get to weigh my car! Im excited.
It’s more that I think spinning it too fast could pop the regulator but I don’t know.

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.
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Old 07-17-2011, 07:54 PM
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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?
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