Reducing Vehicle Weight

[literarymadness]

Jbcollier: Have you ever weighed your s1? And if anyone else out there has weighed their Europa, it would be great if you chimed in.

[jbcollier]

No.  It wouldn't be representative anyway.  I have added, just off the top of my head, a hemi, five speed, larger alt, AC, XL rad, front oil cooler.

[dakazman]

  While drifting thru the DB catalogue found a page stating save 3 lbs per wheel. Aluminum wheel hubs . I didn’t check the part numbers but it seems they fit a few different lotus vehicles.
Dakazman

[gideon]

It's unsprung rotating mass, so maximum benefit per pound saved.  Lots of sources out there, so you can shop around.  I know there are two different stub axle sizes, and you can get different PCD sizes.  I wonder if these are all coming from the same manufacturer, and if not then are some better than others, or all equally good so long as you get the right fit?

[SwiftDB4]

Jbcollier: Have you ever weighed your s1? And if anyone else out there has weighed their Europa, it would be great if you chimed in.

My S1 is 1465 lbs. However it's a Zetec transplant, NG3, 7x13" American racing wheels, dual gas tanks, twin link, no bumpers or spare tire.
The bumpers are worthless and it looks better without them.

[dakazman]

SwiftDB4,
Have you a power to weight ratio?
 Adding HP and decreasing weight, way to go!!!
Dakazman

[SwiftDB4]

Engine dynoed at 178 hp so 8.2 lbs/hp.

[literarymadness]

SwiftDB4  Was that dynoed at the Flywheel or the rear wheels?  Either way, congrats on such a killer Europa!!! I bet you surprise a lot of other drivers.

[SwiftDB4]

That's flywheel hp.

[Music City Lotus]

Was the S2 a type 54 or a type 65? And I assume the twink had all its emissions equipment in place. That is a hundred pounds more Lotus listed as the federal spec. I am going to try and weigh my car in the next few days.

It is a Type 65.
The Twink has the smog stuff and the double brake boosters removed.

[Rosco5000]

Engine dynoed at 178 hp so 8.2 lbs/hp.

243 HP per tonne.  That is a great power to weight ratio right up there with an Evora 400.

Here are some common cars Lb/HP and I calculated the HP/Ton. I got the data from this page: https://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/02/best-car-power-to-weight-ratios-feature/
                           Lb/Hp     HP/Ton
Camaro SS              8.1       247
Mustang GT              8.5       235
Camaro SS Convert      8.69       230
Challenger R/T              8.73       229
Mustang GT Convert      8.79       228
Charger R/T              9.07       221
Merch AMG CLA              9.2       217
Merc GLA45              9.22       217
370Z                              9.54       210
Camaro SS              9.63       208
      
Viper SRT                      5.24       382
Corvette ZO6              5.42       369
Camaro ZL1              5.97       335
Challenger Hellcat      6.29       318
Cadillac CTS-V              6.47       309
Charger Hellcat              6.57       304
Corvette Z51              7.17       279
Alfa Giulia Quadrofoglio 7.53       266
Merc AMG C63              7.59       264
Lotus Evora 400              7.88       254

[Pfreen]

I recently bought four scales through Walmart, https://www.walmart.com/ip/660lbs-LCD-Ac-Digital-Floor-Bench-Postal-Scale-Platform-Shipping-pet-300kg-Weigh/662825874 , with the purpose of weighing my car and setting up the weight distribution using my adjustable spring perches on the Protech shocks.  I ramps out of 2x8 lumber.  Two 2x8's together gave exactly the same height as the scales.  I just cut a ramp.

Attached are photos of the setup.

So, the car weighs 1688.1 lbs with 5/8 full fuel tanks.  It is a 1973 Europa Special with a five speed.  I have aluminum fuel tanks, aluminum radiator, a 15 pound Odyssey battery and air conditioning.  I believe the ac adds about 75 pounds.  The weight distribution was 42.6% front and 57.4% rear.  The left/right distribution was 49.9% left and 50.1% right without a driver.  I attached a spreadsheet, which I obtained online, of my data   I adjusted the spring perches to bring the corner weights close to 50/50 with me in the drivers seat.

The scales appear to be very accurate and they worked well.

[BDA]

Very cool, Pfreen! I've been looking at scales but hadn't found what I consider a reasonably priced one and that's a good one. I found this one which is a little cheaper: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WRVRR6N/?coliid=I6UVYFKZCX8KG&colid=2ZYJN8F7T0H3O&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Have you noticed any change in the handling?

BTW, I meant to tell you how cool the company you worked for is!

[Pfreen]

Thanks bda.  Btw, that’s the same scale.  You just found a better price. 
I haven’t tested the handling yet.  That’s not easy in South Florida.  I am planning on autocrossing it, so that might tell me something..

[Bart]

Hi,

Can help with the weight reduction but was curious where you got the ally flywheel from?

I was just about to have my steel one skimmed and balanced but had been thinking about a lighter ally version

Thanks!

Bart.