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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Ti door striker plate got me thinking

Where are the free, big weight savings to be had on the midget/Sprite?
I know the engine back plate can be replaced with an aluminium one but they are quite pricy and involve taking the engine out and messing with the scroll seal horseshoe thing.
Alloy hubs and brake calipers save both vehicle weight and unsprung weight but again cost quite a few of our hard earned £/$/Euros.
Starters, alternators, K series engines etc.
Drivers could go on a diet or get down to racing weight before they set off.
Leave the spare wheel and passenger at home. All well documented and discussed.
We could strip all the creature comforts out - carpets, trim, sound deadening etc. but is that going a bit too far?
Then there is the discussion about drag. Are there any big improvements in wind resistance to be had that don't mess too much with the looks or cost the earth?
Should we be taking the wing mirrors off and taping the bonnet/wing gaps to get that last few yards/meters out of every gallon/litre of fuel whilst still driving like you stole it?
Any ideas?

Dave
Dave Brown

I have been thinking about this too. I think about redesigning a fair few of the bits as I am rebuilding. But if I were to do it I would like to go really nuts and do things like:

Carbon prop shaft and maybe half shafts (although I don't know if carbon really "fits" on a Spridget)?
Alu rear hubs?
Replacing boot floor with alu or even carbon fibre?
Alu brake back plates?
Go mental and completely redo the back axle in alu?
Finned alu sump to lose weight and work as an oil cooler instead of fitting an oil cooler itself?

There are the "easier" bits like bonnet, wings, boot lid etc. that could be swapped for fibreglass. Or just remove the windscreen. A heavy part removed from the highest point (wasn't that that point of the easily removable frogeye windscreen?)

That is all for now!
Malc.

M Le Chevalier

Dave

Removing/replacing the engine backplate doesn't involve disturbing the scroll seal.
Dave O'Neill2

Dave, it depends why you are doing it!

I've not had my car weighed since I last did some mods but I think it weighs about 640kgs compared to the std cars book weight of 710kgs. I've got about 25kgs of roll cage and an extra 10kgs of Ford gearbox so in reality it's about 100kgs less than a standard car.

A 640kg car with a decent engine is quite quick and the lighter the car the more difference losing weight makes. Imagine getting rid of 25kgs from your 1500kg modern saloon, it won't make much difference and you'll never notice it. Lose 25kgs from your 550kgs race car and it's a different matter.

I've tried to make my car competitive and still useable as a road car and also not look too rough and ready like some competition cars. It's still got steel wings and steel doors with quaterlights and opening windows. But basically it's a compromise between the two and because of that it's not the most comfortable car and it could be quicker than it is. For example the car that set a lot of the targets I have get near to was 50kgs lighter, had about 25bhp more and on top of that the driver only weighed about 10 st!!

Oh and I do remove the wing mirrors before events!

I'll try and think of the free weight losses you can make and get back to you!
john payne

John,
I would only do it if because I can't see the point of having extra weight in the car. Colin Chapman's idea is still correct in engineering lightness into a car.
The dynamics of a car are better if there is less weight for it to control/overcome. But not so light that it is uncomfortable or unusable on the public road.
Race cars are a different kettle of fish.
Dave
Dave Brown

You know I'd think there would be books about this stuff ;)
Onno K

I'll bet there are books with this stuff in that even has a weight listed for just about everything....

To save weight you either remove and discard something completely - like the heater on a road car or the handbrake on a racing car.

Or

You have the part made in a lighter but usually more expensive material: alloy, Ti, Carbon-fibre.

You lighten an existing part.

For example with enough interest it would be possible to have a dash made in carbon fibre with holes for tacho, speedo and 4 (not 2) auxillary gauges. And, I do have to go back to my local carbon fibre manufacturer to get a firm price.
Daniel Stapleton

Buy a 3D printer, print out the whole car in 4" squares, glue together, fibreglass the whole thing and voila!
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/would-you-download-a-car-man-3d-prints-lifesize-aston-martin-db4-8744159.html?origin=internalSearch
Jeremy Tickle

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2014 and 22/02/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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