Hi all, Im not really sure if this is the correct sub forum for this, but Im curious to see how light I can make an ST. Im thinking backseat removal maybe add a lightweight cross bar for stability ala laguna seca mustang? And Im wondering if they make any carbon parts for this car? Like a hood for example? Has anyone experimented with super weight reduction like this?
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Weight Reduction
- Thread starter Capitalistix
- Start date
Taking out the back seat and spare tire/jack and things will net you around a 100lb savings off the rear of the car then if you move the batter to the back you gain better balance or go light weight battery and save 10 to 15 lbs depending on what batter you get. brakes and wheels can net a good weight savings too. only drawback with light wheels is the lightest are the 15 inch and no off the shelf big brake kit will fit that so no soup for you there.. the rest is up to you if you want a lightweight crash bar instead of the monster front bar or if you want to go without AC there is a kit for that .. all up to you as to how far you take it..
http://jalopnik.com/ford-just-unveiled-a-fusion-that-weighs-as-much-as-a-fi-1585576176
Ford looks like theyre working on weight problems also.
Ford looks like theyre working on weight problems also.
I'd be interested in removal of sound dampening material which typically resides beneath the carpeted areas in the trunk and passenger area. I removed about 20Lbs of this crap in my E46 M3 years ago. The easiest, no mess method which I used was to take a heat lamp (or heat gun) and gently warm the gooey sound dampening material until it was pliable. I then used a plastic 1" paint scraper to remove it without damaging the painted surface beneath. I'll probably document a build with emphasis on weight reduction, but I'll wait for a while before I go full retard.....
UPDATE. Ok, I've removed 3 of the 5 rectangular sound dampening patches starting with those in the rear hatch area. Weighed them and discovered they each weigh almost exactly 10 ounces according to my wife's nuclear grade kitchen scale (smuggled to the garage - I'll be beaten if discovered). So, the two patches beneath the rear seat are next. The the eyeball measuring stick is close, I'd expect another 10oz weight loss from removal of each.
UPDATE. Ok, I've removed 3 of the 5 rectangular sound dampening patches starting with those in the rear hatch area. Weighed them and discovered they each weigh almost exactly 10 ounces according to my wife's nuclear grade kitchen scale (smuggled to the garage - I'll be beaten if discovered). So, the two patches beneath the rear seat are next. The the eyeball measuring stick is close, I'd expect another 10oz weight loss from removal of each.
I have been playing with weight reduction costs. For example, going from OEM rims to 16" OZ Ultras cost about $30/lb. But loosing unsprung lbs is more valuable than chassis lbs.
Replace OEM battery with Odessy 680 costs about $10/lb. Seibon CF hood costs about $70/lb. Both are high on chassis, so worth more than lbs low on chassis.
DHM front crash bar replacement costs about $25/lb, low on chassis but front end weight worth more than rear end weight.
48 lbs of spare tire and jack removal free, but low and at rear, so least valuable lbs.
You see how this goes. Without developing a 3D model and assigning real numbers to lbs lost vs polar moment change, its tough to place genuine value on weight reduction options.
If anyone has a short cut way to do it, I am interested in pursuing it.
Replace OEM battery with Odessy 680 costs about $10/lb. Seibon CF hood costs about $70/lb. Both are high on chassis, so worth more than lbs low on chassis.
DHM front crash bar replacement costs about $25/lb, low on chassis but front end weight worth more than rear end weight.
48 lbs of spare tire and jack removal free, but low and at rear, so least valuable lbs.
You see how this goes. Without developing a 3D model and assigning real numbers to lbs lost vs polar moment change, its tough to place genuine value on weight reduction options.
If anyone has a short cut way to do it, I am interested in pursuing it.
More power to you for detailing the costs of the modifications. I'll likely start off and document the weight of the "free" items (when I get the car....) and go from there. I will include general costs, but it I'd argue that you're gonna have to invest on tools, cleaners, and other consumables to accomplish whatever your goal is for weight reduction. I do like your idea of documenting where exactly the reduction in weight occurs, for nothing else than to make educated choices on how NOT to upset the balance of the car by taking too much off the rear, front, etc....
keeping the balance fore/aft, or getting closer to 50/50 is a big part of weight reduction. When I went thru this process with my Mustang, I scraped all the sound deadening material off the floor pan, removed the insulation from the carpeting and trim panels (I kept the trim panels since they weight almost nothing once all the insulation is gone), radio, HVAC, speakers, rear seats, seat belts (installed 6 point roll bar with competition belts), replaced the front seat with a Carbon/Kevlar, took out as many brackets and stuff that wasn't needed, and removed the entire factory wiring harness. Once everything is out of the car, I started to put things back in, but keeping in mind the placement of those items. Moved the battery to the rear passenger side to offset the driver, ran all the wiring along the passenger side, and mounted things as low in the chassis as I could. Anything that could easily be moved lower and rearward was done to try and counteract the weight of the engine and the fact most of the weight reduction happened aft of the firewall.
What sucks about doing massive amounts of weight reduction is that the daily driving level of the car drops. Sit in traffic on a hot summer day with no HVAC and no insulation on the floor. Things get very hot very quickly! It also gets very loud in the car since you are now sitting in a tin can. For the few dozen times a year that my Mustang leaves the garage, it isn't too bad to live with. I would not want to go the same route with my Fiesta, unless it was a dedicated track car.
Back to the OP, this is where I would be looking for weight reduction based upon what I have seen on competition Fiestas;
Seats (front replaced with lightweight versions, rear removed)
Sound deadening
Trim
Carpet
Factory seat belts (again, assuming this is a track car only)
A/C compressor, lines, condensor
All brackets to hold trim, console, speakers, rear seats
Radio, speakers, amps, wiring
Exhaust resonator
Muffler
Lightweight battery mounted in the back
Lightweight wheels
Lightweight brake rotors (2 piece) and calipers (unsprung weight savings is always good)
Air bags (assuming this is a track car only)
Polycarbonate rear door windows (remove window motors and cut rear door inner skin)
I wouldn't waste money on a carbon hood or decklid. The factory hood is already fairly lightweight due to how thin it is, and the rear hatch is taking weight off the wrong end of the car. Both items are expensive and that money would be better spent on brakes and wheels. Rotational and unsprung weight savings will get you big increases in performance. Any heavy object farther away from the cg will also make the biggest difference in terms of handling.
What sucks about doing massive amounts of weight reduction is that the daily driving level of the car drops. Sit in traffic on a hot summer day with no HVAC and no insulation on the floor. Things get very hot very quickly! It also gets very loud in the car since you are now sitting in a tin can. For the few dozen times a year that my Mustang leaves the garage, it isn't too bad to live with. I would not want to go the same route with my Fiesta, unless it was a dedicated track car.
Back to the OP, this is where I would be looking for weight reduction based upon what I have seen on competition Fiestas;
Seats (front replaced with lightweight versions, rear removed)
Sound deadening
Trim
Carpet
Factory seat belts (again, assuming this is a track car only)
A/C compressor, lines, condensor
All brackets to hold trim, console, speakers, rear seats
Radio, speakers, amps, wiring
Exhaust resonator
Muffler
Lightweight battery mounted in the back
Lightweight wheels
Lightweight brake rotors (2 piece) and calipers (unsprung weight savings is always good)
Air bags (assuming this is a track car only)
Polycarbonate rear door windows (remove window motors and cut rear door inner skin)
I wouldn't waste money on a carbon hood or decklid. The factory hood is already fairly lightweight due to how thin it is, and the rear hatch is taking weight off the wrong end of the car. Both items are expensive and that money would be better spent on brakes and wheels. Rotational and unsprung weight savings will get you big increases in performance. Any heavy object farther away from the cg will also make the biggest difference in terms of handling.
A number of years ago I was watching an endurance race in which the driver had a cloth on a stick to clear the fog off the inside of the windshield. Lighter weight than AC 
I wouldn't go thru the hassle of ditching the AC if the car had it and it worked. My Mustang HVAC system had already broke and the AC was removed years prior when the engine was swapped. I haven't had working HVAC in that car since 1994. With all the advances in weight reduction, the AC system isn't all that heavy today.
I wouldn't go thru the hassle of ditching the AC if the car had it and it worked. My Mustang HVAC system had already broke and the AC was removed years prior when the engine was swapped. I haven't had working HVAC in that car since 1994. With all the advances in weight reduction, the AC system isn't all that heavy today.
Naturally, as a car guy I assume weight reduction mod labor and tools are "free", since its a hobby (or compulsive illness as more honest contributors to this forum admit).
For myself, I am going to track and time, when I cannot gain more time with improved skill, I will resort to more weight reduction, better rubber and more power and measure the effects of each.
Where I am right now in order of mods made:
Rear seat delete/spare/jack -113lbs (ckecked notes)
OZ wheels -24 lbs
2J DP vs OEM DP -4.4 lbs (per Rodmoe)
Cobb IC +6lbs
Thermoply carpeted rear bed +33 lbs
Mountune air box +2 lbs
Cobb Stage 3 93 oct tune v201 +20 hp, +40 lbs torque vs Stock on Virtual Dyno
Next up is Pro tune and some Ethanol experimenting.
After that, probably Wavetrack LSD.
For myself, I am going to track and time, when I cannot gain more time with improved skill, I will resort to more weight reduction, better rubber and more power and measure the effects of each.
Where I am right now in order of mods made:
Rear seat delete/spare/jack -113lbs (ckecked notes)
OZ wheels -24 lbs
2J DP vs OEM DP -4.4 lbs (per Rodmoe)
Cobb IC +6lbs
Thermoply carpeted rear bed +33 lbs
Mountune air box +2 lbs
Cobb Stage 3 93 oct tune v201 +20 hp, +40 lbs torque vs Stock on Virtual Dyno
Next up is Pro tune and some Ethanol experimenting.
After that, probably Wavetrack LSD.
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