reducing weight of a ti

[316i compact]

I am opening this thread so us to have a list of the weights of stock parts vs lightweight (for example carbon) or other ways to reduce weight.
What i plan to do for now, which is cheap as well, is take out the spare wheel, along with all the tools, and the trunk cover as well, and replace it with a "foam repair kit". At the same time i want to transfer the battery to the rear to correct the weight balance between front and rear axle. I guess i'll be saving around 20-30 kg this way, i'll try to weigh everything.
Any ideas to reduce weight will be good.

[momorugger]

Good luck, let me know how it turns out.

[Panzer_M]

remove the interior, replace the front seats with fixed carbon or kevlar seats.

[tastade]

You could remove sound isolation material. I noticed mine has bits and pieces stuck everywhere. Check behind the interior panels. Mine has a large piece under the steering column that weighs at least a pound. There is also some above the drive shaft and transmission on the underside of the car. If your car is equipped with cruise control, you could remove that. It all depends on how far you want to go, and how much you want to spend. Removing unused features is a good place to start.

[316i compact]

I want to keep the car practical for everyday use, so for now i will remove only trunk cover, spare wheel and tools, and transfer the battery at the back. Next step will be to use lightweight seats (recaro poleposition), at least for the driver side( so as people will go at the back from the passenger side). Seats are great removal of weight, stocks weigh A LOT. I am also thinking to remove the sound insulation under the hood, but i think im not gonna save much from that.

[iqvkucuh]

i am not recomend people do replacing with their cars, cuz weight are blanced for a coupe, if you really wanna do that, make sure you know what ya doing and balanced it, that is most important stuff to remember...
and you could take off the heavy stuff inside of your car, you could get a racing seat instead, cuz racing seats are much lighter than normal or leather, if you dont mind, you acutally dont need the back seat...
good luck with out, let me know if you need help>>>

[mohaughn]

Has anybody used the seats on understeer? Some of their carbon kevlar seats look pretty good. Was curious about the weight, and what seat adapters work with those. I'm looking for a good lightweight seat that sits a little lower than the stock seats... And I'm not really looking to pay VAC what they want for a set of seat adaptors.

Also curious if anybody can recommend a good lightweight rear battery box. I want something that is sealed and has a vent hole so I can vent it like the stock E36 i6 cars are vented.

[AlaskaBlue]

Originally Posted by mohaughn

Has anybody used the seats on understeer? Some of their carbon kevlar seats look pretty good. Was curious about the weight, and what seat adapters work with those. I'm looking for a good lightweight seat that sits a little lower than the stock seats... And I'm not really looking to pay VAC what they want for a set of seat adaptors.

Also curious if anybody can recommend a good lightweight rear battery box. I want something that is sealed and has a vent hole so I can vent it like the stock E36 i6 cars are vented.

Bah I have them. I ordered black. First they sent black seats, but they were the wrong ones. Then they sent the correct seat, but they were red. Chris told me that I would get the black seat covers. I kept reminding him with no result. Almost a year later I haven't received what I purchased. I was also told that they were FIA cert. Well they weren't. So no I have to buy a REAL seat to race in GTS-1. They weigh 14.5 lbs. The weight on the website was also wrong. I think I am seeing a trend here

I also have the VAC seat adapters those, however, are great.

[mohaughn]

Is the price on the VAC website for those correct? I think I saw that they were around 250$. Seems expensive for what they are.. I'm thinking I'm going to end up getting the Corbeau FX1 seat. It weighs 20 pounds, but it looks like it has a good design, and is not super expensive.

Or the OMP extra if I end up going with a FIA seat.

[316i compact]

Has anyone weighed the stock seat?

[AlaskaBlue]

The VAC price is correct those things are expensive.

I weighed the stock seats, but I don't remember exactly how heavy they were. I can tell that they do weight a lot though.

[Panzer_M]

Originally Posted by 316i compact

Has anyone weighed the stock seat?

IIRC 45lbs comes to mind for e36 seats

[DustenT]

GrassRoots motorsports has a good article about stripping weight from a BMW. They are building a spec e30 car. e30 325is coupe, but items should weight about the same.

This is what they removed and what it weighed:
Base weight: 2767

Remove the spare tire and tools: 2718

Remove stereo, speakers, amplifier, antenna: 2678 (it was a big amplifier…)

Remove trunk panels, trim: 2673

Remove thick asphalt sound deadening from trunk: 2620

Remove foglights: 2618

Remove A/C compressor and lines (still have condensor/evaporator in car): 2595

That's 172 pounds and they still have a full interior!!!!!!!

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new...-e30-clyde.php

12/3/06 with full tank of gas: 2596
rear seat: 2563
rear seat belts: 2557
rear 1/4 panels: 2549
passenger seat: 2505
passsenger seat belt: 2501
center console: 2500
drivers seat: 2458
carpet: 2420
Misc Trim: 2411
headliner, oh **** handles: 2401
Reinstall driver’s seat: 2443

So...the 324 lbs removed right there. That's a good start!

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new...g-our-diet.php

[Maverix]

You could also purchase cf hoods and fenders. That would take a lot of weight out. Windshield system including the water housing. Also you can purchase light weight aluminum rims. If you want, you could also create a simple diffusing system in the interior by opening your cars air vents and opening the rear windows. Every little bit counts. You take off 5lb. here and another 3lb. there, and before you know it, you can get rid of a excess of 400lb.! :P

[TI-driftin]

you could lose some weight.