My Nova 16v Project

Expecting to receive my new replacement tyres on behalf of JamSport any time now, spoke to Mark today, who assures me they were ordered yesterday.

So then - on the subject on wanting to get my nova below 767kg, I'm weighing up (lol) what options are available to me.

Now I've moved my battery to rear left of car, out of the wheel well - I'm now going to cut the spare wheel well out, in favour of a sheet of 2mm alloy riveted in.

I'm still looking around for fibreglass bonnet and boot - however I'm not overly fussed about fibreglass front wings anymore, after speaking to Oli, he explained that they're made so strong, that there isn't alot of weight advantage by fitting these.

Because I'd only be fitting these for clearence, and to lower COG, I'm now going to definately buy a bottle jack and do it the jap way, on all four corners.

Next up - is looking at unsprung weight, I've reduced it at the front by fitting the alloy four pot calipers which were much lighter than the standard items, and at the rear the small 4" springs have helped.

The lightest alloy wheel, value for money is the OZ SuperLeggera at 4.9kg per rim (7x15, and they do ET45), followed closely by the OZ UltraLeggera which is 5.1kg per rim (again, 7x15 ET45 available).

I've just weighed my Cesaros and they are 7kg each rim, no tyre, so across all four, they're 28kg... versus the optimum 4x SuperLeggeras 19.6kg, which would give me an unsprung weight loss of 8.4kg which is corking :thumb:

I have found these for sale at £100 per rim, so it's £400 for a 8.4kg unsprung weightloss...

Or do I go £300 for FG bonnet (£150) and FG boot (£150)...

Without someone weighing their FG items, and me removing mine and weighing them - I don't know which would give me the greatest advantage!

better to lose unsprung weight than sprung weight!

If I recall correctly, the FG boot was about 7kg as opposed to CP's standard item of 14kg. His was a mk2 SR item and the boot spoiler is massively heavy.

MC

You're obviously rich, so spend money on both!

MC

OK, so there is a possible 7kg to be saved on the tailgate alone, and I presume more than 1kg on the bonnet? and £100 less... (for now...) lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MC

You're obviously rich, so spend money on both!

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how fecking dare you, i ain't rich!

having a wife, a mortgage and 2 cars doesn't leave me much to play with :( lol I do most things on the cheap, where I can!

Search for some alloy front/rear hubs whilst your at it :thumb:

Here's an email from Andy at agmotorsport, who sell fibreglass bonnets and tailgates (at not a bad price)

Quote:

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The fibreglass bonnets weigh just under 5 kg. The standard steel one is aprox 12kg.

The fibreglass tailgate is 5kg. The standard steel one is aprox 11 to 12 kg when stripped completely bare of all parts - wiper motor, locks, glass etc etc

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Hope that helps your decision.

a local rally driver to me (Julian Wilkes sure someone has heard of his car) told me the other day that when he had his car set up for tarmac including tanks and cage and what not he had it weighing 723kg!!!

Think he must of cut a hell of a lot out to get it that weight but still kept it strong somehow?

I'd go the unsprung weight route.