[stug45]

right i think i want to lighten up my car but not lose creature comforts like rear seats and aircon etc.

carbon bonnet? i dont want it carbon looking i want it painted. so is there anywhere that do crap looking ones? how about fibreglass? lighter?

lighter wheels? i want to keep the radius ive got (195/55 r15) can i go too big? bigger wheels with tiny profile? or a bit bigger with a comprimise in profile? i think i want white wheels but i also think i want matt/not too glossy black wheels?

i want to lower the car without ruining the ride? is it possible? or am i looking at it only getting a bit harder? i was told skunk2 do a lowering coil and damper kit? any good?

 

[Alec]

Carbon Bonnet
People don't realise just how heavy a bonnet is. A carbon bonnet will make a considerable difference. However they aren't usually painted so you'll have to buy a nicely finished one. Besides you don't want to get one with a rough finish because the paint job will come out bad.

Lighter Wheels
Won't make much of a difference, but yeah when you buy alloys they should state the weight of them.

Lowering
This doesn't ruin the ride, it stiffens it and that's a good thing. You can be far more precise with your steering. Of course the more you lower it the more rigid the ride. It's up to you to find a happy medium.

 

[EGSean]

carbon bonnet is a good shout, but unfortunately if you want to make a real difference making the car lighter youre going to have to lose some of the things you dont want to lose! ive heard air con is very heavy and worth the loss!

as for the lowering, if you can afford a really good set of coilovers (Skunk2, D2, maybe even Tein) then the ride wont be made too uncomfortable. you will feel the bumps a little more,although not really badly if you get a decent set, but the handling and looks are definitely worth it!!

 

[stug45]

i was thinking more of one that has a crap weave look to it, then sand it smooth and get it sprayed. i know black and yellow goes but i dont think i'd like it.

the 15" wheels i've lugged and my brothers ep3 wheels are lighter than any i've had to affix to the display in halfords (all 17" wheels)

i know its going to be have to be stiffer as the shorter travel will mean less actual suspension. i lowered my 1st car and it was brilliant, and because it was a small car the bumps werent any different. now i have a big car it actually goes over the bumps so smooth and brilliant damping and handling down bumpy lanes (and no bump steering feel in the steering wheel)

 

[stug45]

theres already a strut brace in the front so thats probably why the handling is so precise as it is, i think its just the initial bending of the high profile tyres thats the only thing but its so comfy on long journeys

 

[Alec]

A single strut brace shouldn't make any noticeable difference tbh. You could try an upper and lower at the front and upper and lower at the back and it might though.

 

[stug45]

well it handles better than my old car (2003 1.4 fiesta) and that was always as fast as a new mini.
i dont want to lower it for a handling thing (even though it does improve that)
i want to lower it for the fact that less air travels underneath the car (therefore friction) so would improve fuel economy on long runs and increase the top speed.
and the fact it looks wicked Y0!

 

[Alec]

I'm sure it does handle better than a Fiesta, but I doubt that's from a single front strut brace.

Lowering will increase road holding and general handling far more than it will increase your top speed, but yeah people lower with different aims.

And yes, it does look far better.

Have you considered Jamex systems from eBay? They're pretty cheap but good also.

 

[nickyboy]

carbon bonnets do not make a considerable increase at all, unless you are pedalling a go-kart with a metal bonnet. You only lose a few kilo`s, you`d be better off going to the gym

 

[Alec]

Have you ever lifted a bonnet that's not on a car? They're so heavy!

 

[nickyboy]

yes mate I know but you won`t notice anything just by changing it for a carbon one. Shedding 10kg off a car that weighs 1000kg isn`t going to do anything. Only way you will feel results is to lose as much weight as possible, and that means heating, power steering, elec windows etc etc

Not worth it for a road car

 

[Alec]

A carbon bonnet will make a considerable difference.

You're right, I shouldn't have said it like that. I guess I meant to say:

Carbon bonnets are surprisingly heavy to lift, but won't make any performance difference.

 

[stug45]

is there any way i could get a fibreglass one? or another material thats lighter? plastic/abs like the bumpers?

 

[Alec]

I know you can get fibreglass ones yes. Just had a look on eBay and no luck though.

 

[crxhugh]

tbh the best one you could do is remove the ac!! i did that on mine, as well as shedding about 20 kees it also improves the mpg and power of the engine as it doesn't have to run the extra pump, that couppled with a general shedding of weight all over and i get a bloody fast ek!! come have a look at mine if you want, its lost all the interior and all the creature comforts (not even got abs any more 3 ) i've also got 50 pofile tyres and skunk2 coilys, which make it handle like a dream, and look pretty mean, hey i'm a poet and didn't even know it lol had to say tht

 

[stug45]

i think im looking at keeping all that sort of stuff. i travel a lot, as in a lot. with summer how it has been in the past im expecting shit humid weather and i'm going to need the a/c to keep me cool, i know it uses fuel though but less than when i have the windows open at speed. i dont really want the abs as i know that im not using it when i do stamp the brakes (ive never had it on my other cars, so when hooning around there's always been little bits of lockup) and i still forget i have it. i know it works though. i'm tempted to ditch the PAS but how much saving for how much strength? and easy to do? and put back? would make changing bulbs on the nearside easier!

Its not as easy to rip apart a jordan, all that stuff is there for a reason, otherwise its just a yellow ek4.

 

[nickyboy]

forget about it then mate, don`t ruin the car for a half second off your 0-60.

 

[stug45]

yer thats what i'm thinking
ive modified the grill and can put it back on but it looks lots better with ek9 grill to go with the ek9 kit on it (standard jordan kit)
still dont want the ek9 spoiler.

 

[nickyboy]

spend it on some healthy performance mods

 

[stug45]

theres really nothing that would improve performance and fuel economy though.