Project ’Weight Loss’ M3

i'm tinkering with a bit of track machine dieting. i couldnt get over how much the leather arm chairs weighed in the e36. i'm looking at the bumper dampers as a way of reducing the fat along with the bonnet release mechanism, but the we're into drilling panels for bonnet pins.

a question. will removing fat upset the overal balance of the car ie front/rear balance. though corner wieghting can regain some of the balance, you then into fitting coil overs, and it aint cheap! i know from experience.

 performance bmw mag has a feature on coil overs on the e30 and was worth a read!

good luck with your diet

Where abouts did you get it weighed Toby ?  Power to weight - thats what its all about....

My 2002 only weighs 1080Kg.........with 240BHP...for now !!

I was planning on thin ally to replace the door cards. Not getting any CF at the mo and would go with GF next year maybe to replace the bumbers.

Toby,

Do you need to go on a diet aswell then?

I agree about the seats, they are so heavy. Ditch the passenger one and get a lighter drivers seat.

Kevin

ive taken from mine, the carpets, the sound deadening from inside(pain of a job), the dash underside insulation,the door cards, the roof lining, the sunroof tray,everything in the boot,the bonnet hinges and locks,the a/c,the seats,the undertrays,front and rear bumpers(there heavy)the rear wing,and there's probably more, been thinking about the electric windows next, i kept the heater, i removed that from my 02 race car years ago and it was a pain when it was damp and raining, kept misting up all the time, the cars now noisy, but hey you cant have it all, thats why my other ones got leather etc, have fun with it, im hoping to next year, may even take it to the m power meet

I think there are two ways you can go about this. If you are really serious about weight loss the the proper way to go is to strip the car to the shell and have it dipped to removed all the paint, underseal, seam sealer etc. Then have your caged welded in (and seams welded)and get the whole thing sprayed. Re-fit all your stuff, less the heavy bits and your done. Yes it's a lot of work but it would be really nice.
Alternatively, I think you can go along the lines of the ClubSport angle that Porsche use. I have seen lots of stripped cars that look like they have just been stolen....I think removing the carpet then re-fitting a lighter carpet or small trimemd mats would not re-add too much weight. Door cards can be retained as they weigh little or make up some up from Carbon look roll. Paint your cage before you fit it to the same colour as the floor, it just looks much nicer like it's supposed to be there. Lightweight panels and bumpers are a good idea, but you have to weigh up the protection that lighter bumpers that may or may not provide.

I agree with you Kevin, i have that issue and it looks like a top track meister. I think he has something to with Motech and all the parts on the car are from them. Think he fitted serious Tar.Ox brakes aswell.

Best of luck Toby.

Bob

looks superb. What cage to you have fitted? I'm going with sparco Evo seats, where did you get yours from?

Stripped the car today and did not take long at all. The carpet weighs quite a bit. All that's left is the dash and steering wheel. The cage will come out and then the roof lining.

To get the cage out i'm going to need to grind it, where's the best place to grind it, at the weld joints?

Carbon Bonnet Article Nr. 239

Start of the Site

Edited by ultegra

What about light weight wheels?