Better Handling and 0-60 Mondial Time For Free.

Ok Chaps, we all could do with a little extra OOMMFF and even better if it costs little or nothing.
So I'm exercising the Lotus position on this one and loosing some weight...
or rather Kato is and here's how.
I've decided that when it's hot I always drive with the windows down so I can hear that engine scream, and since the gas for the aircon now represents a global hazzard, the aircon unit with all it's peripherals has to go. Also it makes cambelt checks a doddle, also and I'm tired of carting this useless piece of metal round with us everwhere we go.
Not only is it heavy when it's switched off, but it robs the engine of huge amounts of power when it is switched on.
Having shed the spare wheel also the total all up weight saving is....
Wait for it....
45 Kilos or 98 pounds!! That's like travelling around with 4 very large fat, smelley, wet dogs on your back seats, where ever you go all the time, and nobody wants that do they?
I'm hoping that some of the maths geniuses will be able to calculate the new 0-60 times based on this weight saving, but any saving is a step in the right direction in my book.
Here is a shot of some of the junk that will be lost in my cellar for all time.
Regards Bell.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Losing the spare tire is an easy way to shed Mondial pounds. The later models came with a can of flat fix in lieu of a spare. I think I would keep the a/c.

 

I hear what you are saying, but what if you get stuck on the M4 :-S

You can lose more fat by removing the airco condenser in the front, because it's now totally unuseful

 

Taking a chapter from Porsche as well I see. Isn't that the whole premise of the GT3 and Boxster Spyder concept? Charge you more for less, but the trade off is better performance.
Just be careful of too much frontend weight disappearing, you'll lose traction and steering at high speeds.

 

Unless you're going racing, removing the A/C system in most parts of the U.S. is not an effective option for a Mondial. If anything, it's awesome for removing interior humidity during rain events.

Granted, maintaining an operational A/C system is a challenge as it is.

 

Hi Gents, MvT I've taken the condensor and fan out too,
I do take your point about the weather being always hot where you are but we have just had a great summer with temps up around 30 degrees (which is bloody rare) and not once did I ever go for the aircon switch. So for the climate here I guess I'm better without it.
However you Chaps do have better weather more of the year round.
Soucorp, good point about the ballance, yes you are dead right about that. I did remove the front tyre as soon as I got the car and I find the car does have a little understeer in a curve under flat out acceleration in 2nd and 3rd. But even snatching 3rd from 2nd does not unsettle things and it's still very steerable on the throttle. Now that I have removed some weight from the rear including a heavy heat shield over the exhaust box things are going back in the right direction again. The heat shield has a far lighter counterpart there now and looks identicle to the original.

I do hear you though, this is not for eveyone, and I can put everything back in just a few hours, so all is cool.
Or rather not cool

 

Keep the bitsy parts in a bin for the next owner should you part from the KATO!
Enjoy the ride and drive it like you stole it ! These are truly wonderful cars, simple and raw unlike today's iphone controllable cars, lol.

Cheers

 

'Drive it like I stole it', Ha, Ha, I like it!!

 

No air conditioning in Florida?

No thank you, sir!


Cheers

 

Did you talk to your girlfriend before you junked the A/C? Most women I know have a very low temperature tolerance.

Before you throw it in the parts bin, clean and polish the compressor. You may start to take a liking to it after that.

Dave

 

Help me - - - I'm melting !!!!!

I get hot when the sun comes up !!!

Cheers,

Hank

 

Emilie, likes Kato hot and frisky, shes a wind in the hair kind of girl.
Anyway, as she said to me while I was filling the parts bin with old aircon stuff,
'F1 Drivers don't have air con.'
Now I don't have delusions of grandeur Lads, but I'm with her on principal.
Max4HD, I once did a fly drive to Florida, it was fab and damn hot, we also kept our windows down all the time in the sunshine, but that's the mad English for you.

 

Good stuff Bell,

I also removed my front wheel just to help me turn that damn heavy steering wheel

As we're on the subject of air con, what do you guys in the State's use to re gas? Freon or whatever the cars came with is illegal here in the UK now and the system would need converting to new non c.f.c ozone friendly gas.

I wonder if anyone has had any experience in this?

 

Hi peter,
Its R12 for older units oem from factory(hard to get, expensive, and controlled by epa) but it blows very cold. The new modern stuff is R134a refrigerant for ozone safe you can pick up anywhere but its less effective on cooling and you will need a retro kit to fit it, new dryer, and possibly new compressor.

 

Thanks Mike,

When I took it to Ferrari they told me I would need a conversion as you mentioned too. Is that that you've done or do you still have the Freon R12? It blows air but needs re charging. The conversion can be done by specialists but I seriously need to reduce my expenditure on the car at the moment

Thanks.

 

I hear you Peter, I need to control my car project spending as well. Mine still has the old R12 but needs a recharge. I was going to do it myself but have not had the time. To do it right, I was going to take it to Fernado at Competizione in MD, but the shop is abit far from my house so its currently just blowing air.
Thank god its wonderful weather at the moment with high 70s/low 80s so I'm content.

 

Ive spent $900 so far on the conversion and a Karl Troy recharge, it worked through Mondipalooza (thank god) but now its warm air again. So, ill track down the leak eventually. I cant imagine ripping it all out for a little more acceleration (insert :scratching head guy

 

That makes two of us Ted. That didn't last long at all and there was no warranty on service/parts for $900?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

just yesterday I picked my car up from the shop, ac charged w/ r-12. no leaks in the system unit working perfectly !!!! drove home in the blistering sun with top up ac on full blast . beautiful thing !!! cost $250.00 money well spent !!!

 

Thats very interesting, I thought it was totally banned now but obviously there are still garages out there have the R12 Freon.

I will see if i can find someone here in the UK. We dont really have a decent summer as such but its nice to have it working properly. Where exactly in the car do they attach the re-gas equipment?

I took these photos in the front of the car, and excuse me for asking but what is it and why is there a small lens type window at the top? Is this something to do with the air con system?

Thanks.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

R12 is controlled by epa not banned yet. Meaning the shop has to be license to use the gas, you'll find some that can do the recharge no problem, just call around. The recharge high/low valves are located in the right rear wheel well next to the ac compressor and accessory belts.

see my AC thread:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/mondial/368703-c-r12-conversion-134a-mondial.html

 

For the next weight saving modification, I'm going to seal the front wheel well and rear trunk and fill with helium, hopefully this should save a few pounds too

 

hahahaha... worked for this bloke Matey... no pun intended.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Crazy dude, you’ll be as high as a kite, in both meanings of the word

And I want to see photos too!

 

Mike, thanks for the info. I will take a look into it and see if I can find someone with R12 or otherwise the kit you bought looks very interesting.

Cheers.