Diet plan

Not for me (I probably could lose 1/2 a stone but that would mean giving up wine or chocolate), for the GTA. Has anyone got any weight saving tips? Ive ditched the spare wheel and some other odds and sods, but I have to keep the trim......or at least look as thought Ive retained it and I cant replace glass with plastic. There is no sound proofing under the carpet and I cant think of anything else that I can bin. May try chopping up the rear seat frames and just leaving the foam does anyone know if they weigh a significant amount?

They weigh about 3 kilos each, so its not really going to do much, and the bases are just pure foam. Your best off having a good crap before you go out racing!

Are you allowed to replace the passenger seat with a light race seat? Shelf over the engine?, transmission tunnel?, door panels?, Eggs that need sucking.

I remember years ago Performance Car made their own "944 Club Sport Lightweight" thing mostly by throwing out the extra bits of trim, sound proofing and wotnot and did lighten it up considerably.

Problem is with your racing regs you're restricted - lightweight carpet etc might save you a few kilos together with the few bits of sound deadening you might still have left.

I've always wondered how much all the heat-shielding in the engine bay weighs though! There is a fair old bit of it and although its needed, if you were making a real no-cost racer carbon fibre shielding would trim it right down, and improve the weight distribution - even better. It's cost as always though!!!

Uprated Cosworths sometimes have carbon heat shields round the turbos and you might be able to lose some of the GTAs heavy shielding in favour of the self adhesive stuff on the bulkhead and engine cover and ditch the shield that really only appears to be there to protect the spare.

Just my opinion - I reckon David G will have a few thoughts.

As far as I can see there is no soundproofing at all....the carpets are velcro'd straight onto the fibreglass tub. Ive ditched the rear heat shield behind the exhaust as I no longer have an exhaust box, only a pipe under the bumper (that saved quite a few kilos in itself). I may get rid of the side shield that was guarding the spare wheel as I can no longer see a purpose......in fact its probably trapping heat that could be released....anyone???? The rear shelf over the engine weighs a ton and I would like to get rid, but it appears to circulate air for some purpose...again: help anyone???
Have replaced both front seats with fairly light buckets and the seat belts with lightweight harnesses.......which just made me think, I can ditch the rear belts too!!!!! Hurrah thats a couple of kilos gone
The regs for road going classes in England specify that you must retain all seats, carpets, dash and all glass. Replacing front seats is allowed as are engine and suspension mods but the car must retain its standard side profile above the hub centres and retain the engine and gearbox as specified for a vehicle of the same type (gives you a bit of leeway in more common cars where different gearbox and engines were available)

you have not said anything about the centre console.......ditch it and reveal the sexy gear linkage it also frees up alot more leg room to work the pedals a bit harder.

I could ditch it, but does it weigh a lot? It would leave the inside looking kinda wierd.....so it would need to weigh a decent amount. It also mounts the fan and heater controls.....so they would need to be remounted.

The top part of the back seats are heavy at least 10kg each - how about taking all the frame and metal out and just covering some foam in cloth and wedging it in. Speakers weigh a kilo each - electric window motors. Light weight perspex rear glass is available which is vented, so you could then ditch the engine cover as well. How strict are they with the classes - I've seen some very modified cars run in the production classes. John Baltrop used to get away with no interior at all the year he won the CAR club championship in his 8.

Depends on how light you think its going to go. The Europa Cup cars were 1000kg, with plexi glass, no interior at all, lightweight wheels (15's), straight through downpipe with no silencer.

I'd be up for the vented rear perspex window! Where do I get one???? If the metal seat backs are 10 kgs each then theyve got to go! Will replace them with hardboard or similar. Scrutineers can be strict....Ive seen people moved to modified production for not having any rear seats or for not having carpet. Best be safe...its too frustrating knowing you could have done well (as opposed to coming last against mod prod cars with slicks and wings!) but didnt for the sake of something minor.

David....the Europa cup cars had a bidcage of a roll cage that must have weighed at least 100kgs! I dont have that problem.

Pete, you might be better swapping your folding rears for pre 87 rear seats as they are foam only, and all in one piece (sort of), and saves mutilating the whole interior look of the car

Where do I get a set of them then?

I could ditch it, but does it weigh a lot? It would leave the inside looking kinda wierd.....so it would need to weigh a decent amount. It also mounts the fan and heater controls.....so they would need to be remounted.

Well ditch the heater and water pipes and fan and the tunnel and switches, radio etc....

I dont think so!!!!! Bearing in mind its wet for 1/2 the events I do, I need the fan....and the heater just to see out....and the stereo to play The Kings Of Leon or The Strokes to make me drive faster!!!!