• OMGuar
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Topic: Adding by subtracting?

So I plan on racing HMS Titanic (otherwise known as a Jaguar XJ-S V12)  IT seems that things removed never break down and add to the performance by subtracting weight. 
Just How far can I go?
  I mean a couple of sawzall blades aren't terribly expensive and with them I could remove a lot of weight. I know you high tech guys have things like  Plasma wrenches that make short work of it. However as a practicing memember of the luddite society (and being noteably cheap besides)  Such High tech wizardry is beyond me..

Can I remove the doors and simply put the doorskin back in place?  Same with the bonnet (Hood for non-anglophiles) boot (Trunklid)
Even better could I make a simple splash mold and  sell off the bonnet, boot and doors and replace them with fiberglas panels?  (a Buddy owns a fiberglas shop and I could come in at night and use his chopper gun) 
IF that sounds too high tech I can do simple hand layups and achieve the same thing.. (only they would be lighter and stronger than chopper gun parts..
What are the limits on DIY wizardry?

  • From: Dallas Tejas
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 527

Re: Adding by subtracting?

If you do it yourself without the benefit of fancy tools or jigs than pretty much anything is possible.  The more radical the better.  And if it looks like it was made by drunken elves at 4am you are much less likely to get penalty laps.

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1957 Renault Dauphine
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  • m610
  • m610
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

As long as you are thinking of making a fiberglass bonnet, make it look like the bow of a ship. Don't forget to put a little model of doll of whoever that actor was in the movie I didn't see it the very tip.

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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  • trekkor
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

"I'm king of the world!"


Glug, glug, glug...


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • JThw8
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  • From: Mullica Hill, NJ
  • Registered: 2009-06-10
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

We had quick and dirty fiberglass hood and trunk on the Wartburg, no issues there.

http://wartburg.misfittoysracing.com
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  • m610
  • m610
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

And there's the old racing saying - what you don't have on the car can't break, doesn't add weight, and doesn't require maintenance.

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • Registered: 2010-05-20
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Adding by subtracting?

OMGuar wrote:

What are the limits on DIY wizardry?

The rules are the only limits.

If the rules don't mention it, and it doesn't compromise safety you can do it.

The Merc S-Class that won at Summit Point was cut down to the point that it was mostly just outer body skins, and was almost as impressive an engineering feat as the Wartburg.



Also, the things you use to cut metal with the power of the gods are called plasma torches.

I don't know what a plasma wrench is, but I totally want one.

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  • trekkor
  • trekkor
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

Use your smoke wrench.

Let's go!


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • From: Toronto, Ontario
  • Registered: 2009-05-03
  • Posts: 1,114

Re: Adding by subtracting?

The gas axe is more dramatic, but the Sawzall will do the job...

Jim "Endo" Anderton
30 years of racing and still not Brambilla.....
  • OMGuar
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Re: Adding by subtracting?

EyeMWing wrote:
OMGuar wrote:

What are the limits on DIY wizardry?

The rules are the only limits.

If the rules don't mention it, and it doesn't compromise safety you can do it.

The Merc S-Class that won at Summit Point was cut down to the point that it was mostly just outer body skins, and was almost as impressive an engineering feat as the Wartburg.



Also, the things you use to cut metal with the power of the gods are called plasma torches.

I don't know what a plasma wrench is, but I totally want one.

Back in my day sonny (In my best grandpa Ken voice)   we called a cutting torch a hot wrench. I figured it worked so well back then I'd call it  a plasma hot wrench

  • Registered: 2010-06-17
  • Posts: 105

Re: Adding by subtracting?

We cut everything that wasn't necessary out of our Buick. The doors are nothing but sheet metal now, same with the trunk and roof. On an old Buick the front inner fender wells are kinda heavy...they are gone as well. Mind you, we had the aid of a plasma "hot wrench", but Im sure our results could be replicated with a sawzall.

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2010: Yee-Haw "Most horrible yank tank" (DNF)