95 Berlinetta weight reduction and modifications.

But it will be fast! All you're doing is reversible so nothing to worry about there.

El Gato?

 

Love it!

 

He's a Ledge.

 

You're off to a good start, Jim. I'll be following this thread.

Barry

 

Love it! When I get a berlinetta I would be very tempted to do similar.

 

Following this thread with interest
If I ever buy another one (checking classifieds every other week) and find a way of registering the car post modifications (possibly in the U.K. As German TÜV is a b...ch) , this Thread will be an invaluable source

You can buy carbon doors, hood and engine lid at superformance in the UK
You could speak to surface transforms in the UK for a - hopefully - cheaper carbon brake solution
Timate from Taiwan did a Great 360 titanium exhaust, but don't think they did a 355 version
Subject to legislation, I think the cheapest and lightest exhaust solution might be the challenge no noise limit exhaust (from memory about 1k sterling at eurospares)

 

While I prefer a stock 355, every thing you do Jim is done well and with class. Looking forward to the finished product

 

Interesting build

 

Has anyone seen the quality of the carbon doors from superperformance?

 

What's the non-track insurance (UK) position on carbon doors? Are the SF just a skin or the whole door and frame? Would have thought you'd ditch electric glass windows and (have to) change door linings... with the doors I imagine that's a useful save and a fair amount above the CoG.


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Performance Parts for Ferrari 355 - Superformance

It's just the door shells...

 

Thanks. Too lazy to google.


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Lol

 

What would be the gain in weight loss for the cf body panels?

 

Depends on which parts...bumpers (especially on Canadian cars) and doors are relatively heavy and the best bang for your buck. The rest, like hood, fenders, rear deck lid, rocker panels... I have no idea and I don't think anyone has confirmed the weight on the stock parts for comparison but I imagine it starts getting really expensive.

 

ya that would be my main concern too.

 

A real fia plastic race seat is 7-15lbs. How often do you really have a passenger. Be intelligent about dumping weight. You want low cg and good cornerweights. Taking weigh from the wrong place can actually yield a slower car. Battery in the front corner forward of the front axle centerline is a packaging choice. Pull the liner and at least put it in the middle lowest central point. I would not use lithium anything. Google thermal runaway. Go with a traditional lead acid tractor or jetski battery they are 13lbs and with the extra few hundred bucks you can buy a nice dinner.

 

As long as it's salad, to keep it light!

FBB did you replace the glass on yours?


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Li batteries are an issue period. Everyone has their head in the sand about them. They are great when they work and explosive when they don't. E-cigs, phones, samsung s7, and any number of other devices. In racecars the extra heat adds to breakdown between the insulating layers and occasional battery death. While rare racecar fires with Li batteries are known. Marketing and the green dreamers trump reality with Li. I would never have one in my racecar unless I removed it and put it somewhere else after my race weekend.

If you remove weight so that you disturb your cornerweights you can disturb the handling of the car. Corner weights are adjustable within limits at the coilover spring perches but you then alter the ride height at the corner you adjust. Suspension is all about compromise. For example you can have the perfect 50/50 cross weight with or without wacky corner ride heights and with or without large mismatch in LF and RF corner weights. Just having a large LF to RF cornerweight can mess up braking stability. When I race I like late brake passing and killing the momentum of my rival. So if my choice is 49.5% cross and equal LF and RF weights vs. 50% cross and +/-50lbs at the front wheels of my 3500lbs racecar I will take the equal front cornerweights. It is also possible with bad weights to have wacky rideheights at the corners to get the cross weight right. Remember that the 355 is one of the 1st working aero cars. You mess with rideheights and you alter the aero. So that's how you can go slower.

 

Yes. Got 3/16" (iirc) lexan and cut it then shaped it with a heatgun. Not pretty...it was a racecar. We are required to use those aluminum supports to help hold the windshield. You don't want lexan on a streetcar because it leaks water and scratches easy. We use tearoffs on them to extend their life. This photo was in an early build stage of my 348 racecar.
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I will be removing my carbon front lid in the next couple of weeks and replacing it with the oem hood. When I do, I will weigh them both and post the difference in weight.