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BA weight reduction

14K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  XcelR8 
#1 ·
We all know that the BA is a bit fat.

So if you had a BA for cheap (hint hint...) what could you do to get it down to around 1500kg at least instead of the barge 1800kg its at stock.


Im thinking, removal of spare wheel, lessen sound deadening, rear seats but waht else?

What makes the BAs weigh so damn much?
 
#2 ·
For 1800 kgs u r obviously talking about the V8 models as the base XT is about 1630 kgs. So to reduce weight i would suggest pull out the V8 and chuck in a turbo barra6 which will save u atleast 100 kgs . Then chuck out the control blade rear and put the rear end of a ute which might help u with another 50-60 kgs. Now put in carbon fibre race seats,bonnet,wheels,rotors,discs,body kit etc. Pull out the rear seat,sound deadening,sound system,air con,spare wheel,airbag and related accessories.
Maintain ur weight at <65 kgs.
Now that will save u atleast 250-300 kgs.
Hope that helps. :wnc:

Then again i might as well drive around in a gemini (weighs around 1ton) with a fully siiiick turbo and sound system with my seat reclined to a point of no return and my cap backwards. :puke:
 
#5 ·
The side and rear glass (and motors) are also heavy - replace these with plastic ones.

Bolt on panels - replace with lighter fibreglass or thinner acid-dipped ones.

Drill holes in some of the metal bits.

Forged wheels instead of cast. Carbon fibre prop shafts. Magnesium casings, carbon-fibre brake discs.....where do you want to stop?
 
#6 ·
The utes probably heavier due to the weight of the steel tray and extra underbody reinforcements to cater for the payload. Its the control blade rear end that caused the biggest weight increase over Eseries and even from the au. Previously ford had multi link rear end which was not a bad setup but from what i heard the conrol blade is far superior.
 
#7 ·
With the GTP cars the honey comb insert behind the bumper bar weighs a bit take it out of the front and rear. Heater and air con cores weigh a bit. Go the perspect windows. and reskin the doors, boot, bonet with alloy. Even now aof a couple of GTP car that have reskined the roof with alloy. Depends on what you are aiming for. If it is racing. It is the high weight you want to loose to reduce the centre of gavertiy.
 
#8 ·
Your also forgetting how much bloody copper wiring is in the BA with the new Computer and electrical system they run. I remember when the BA first come out, it said in the faqs somewhere that there was 100kms of wiring lol :AAHHH:

I guess, Carbon Fibre door panels and boot etc. but your looking at $$$
 
#9 ·
Unfortunately ive come to the same conclusions, that there isnt much "cheap" weight saving to be had there.

Still that 1630kg in the XT is alot better than i expected, thats a massive 150kg plus saving on the XR6T!
 
#12 ·
how about...

CF hood
CF front guards
CF roof panel
CF door skins
remove rear seat
remove interior panelling
remove sound deadening
forged alluminium suspension components
CF driveshaft
CF boot
remove stereo
CF driver and front passenger seat
Alluminium alloy 5.4L block from Ford GT

sounds pretty sweet, but how much change from 100K :p
 
#14 ·
XcelR8 said:
The CF bonnets are $910.00 thats everything supplied to change over, pretty good and only 30% the weight of the stock bonnet.

One third of the weight sounds impressive but what is the savings in actual kg. Also thats probably a bare bonnet. Add on paint and fitting, and what are you up for.
 
#15 ·
Don't forget the weight of a roll cage and structural reinforcements.

If you aren't competing in a class where CAMS will let you fit an aluminium cage you will be stuck with heavy chromo like I was. My car will weigh heaps more than it could have (grrr)

Also heavier/stronger competition parts will bump the weight up. My Integra Type R isn't much lighter than the previous Integra VTi-R model because the stronger diff, structural reinforcements, heavy duty stuff almost negates the lack of insulation, thinner windscreen, etc.
 
#16 ·
FPV GTHO said:
how about...

Alluminium alloy 5.4L block from Ford GT
Bingo! I think Sean Hyland Motorsport in Canada sells a 5.4 aluminium block too. Failing that you could get a bored out 4.6 Cobra block which will bring you to 5L. Besides the massive weight savings which also brings much improved front/rear weight distribution you also get an extra 1K rpm at the top end as piston speeds are reduced. This is the great irony of the 5.4 quad cam motor, expecially in N/A form. You have fabulous breathing heads with overhead cams but are restricted from fully utilising them because the stroke length means the pistons are travelling too fast to safely spin the motor fast enough to take advantage of it. If you compare the Mustang GTs with their 2 valve heads to the Cobra you will see the GTs actually make more torque lower down.

I really hope Ford in the US develops that protoype short stroke modular V10 that they put in a Mustang for testing. Packaging should not be a problem as it uses the 4.6 motor's deck height and the mod motors are quite short front to back so length is not an issue. All the rpm potential with more cubes to boot! That car was pulling 11s with nothing more than sticky tyres using a factory 6 speed.
 
#19 ·
FANTM1 said:
One third of the weight sounds impressive but what is the savings in actual kg. Also thats probably a bare bonnet. Add on paint and fitting, and what are you up for.
Yes thats a bare bonnet, but boy it's a pretty sexy bare bonnet!!!

Natch paint is gonna cost on top but you don't have to paint it straight away...or at all if you like.

And fitting is a snap you can do that yourself with a mate or two.
 
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