The power of lightness

I’m having a hard time getting 5 people to get them re-made .

Challenge front and rear carbon/kevlar bumpers are 20 lbs each with a more simplified crash support and mounting system. These would be the ones to get if one can find them. Just like everything else good for the 355 - they’re unobtanium. I feel lucky to have them .

 

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2500 lbs with conventional interior… as in it actually looks like a normal 355, would be miraculous imo. 2000 lbs feels impossible.

 

Realistically 2700-2800lbs is probably the limit before you really start sacrificing looks, comfort and safety.

 

Why couldn't 355 bumpers be made from the same polycarbonate plastic that modern car bumpers are made from? Super lightweight and durable, much better for bumpers than a brittle material like fiberglass or CF

 

We have gotten challenge cars (stripped interiors) down into the 2750 pound range with a few carbon panels and lexan windows.

Would we not be able to get this several hundred pounds lighter with all CF panels and a CF chassis ?? Basically, the only things steel in the proposed car are the front and rear subframes (plus bolts and brackets).
{The intro video still had its steel chassis with everything else CF and made 1850 pounds.}

 

My goal personally would be 2800lbs with full interior and visibly indistinguishable from a normal 355 looking at it from the outside.

I could live without the frunk compartment carpets etc. Would be cool to have carbon panels made for in there as well though.

 

You wont get lighter than ours!

Try picking up a 355 gearbox, it's a real boat anchor with no practical alternative, shaving a few kilos here and there wont give you what that Porsche has, which is a 1960s chassis and a souped up beetle engine.

Better off starting with a 308

 

I found a very high end composite parts manufacturer in Japan who builds for OE’s such as Nismo and others. They use pre-preg carbon cured in an autoclave, which is pretty much the same process Ferrari uses for their higher end carbon panels.

This company already produces an OE style Ferrari 355 hood/bonnet as well as a vented one. I’m currently gathering/organizing for a few to get the front hood state side. Some of us are interested in having them produce doors and engine lid as well, but as with most composite work projects, you need more than a few interested to make it worth their while.


Their parts are pricey, but the quality and beauty of the parts justify it. If anyone is seriously interested in participating, shoot me a pm. No time wasters or tire kickers. I ain’t got time for ya’ll. This is for those who have dreamt of building a “Singer” 355, but tired of waiting for someone to make it happen.

Here are some samples of their work:
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The fit of their 355 hood is impressive. I had a fiberglass hood on my 993 for a number of years (the stock 993 hood is steel and weighs a ton) and eventually got sick of the poor fitment and went back to stock.

Isn't the 355 hood aluminum?

 

It is. Stock hood weighs 12kgs. Their hood weights 4 kgs. Roughly a 17-18 lbs weight saving. Same goes for the engine lid. It weighs enough where your hood shocks will eventually go out. With these, you’ll never have to worry about replacing hood/engine lid shocks again .

 

You can see their autoclave in the background.
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Anyone know the weight of the removable inner door panel?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284838669969?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=QKhtkypDS8i&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=eV6qWM2ISrK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Euro-spec doors are lighter than U.S spec doors.

 

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They just sent me more pics of their LM style just to give an idea of the quality of their most recent work.


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It's just not enough of a weight savings to justify the expense IMHO. Stock bumpers are pretty heavy, and they're at the ends of the car. Would make sense to do those.

 

You’re right. Bumpers should be first priorities over the hood. Luckily, I have those already checked off. I’m just moving onto the next pieces, which is hood and engine lid.

If you consider how much people are paying for these carbon-bodied specialty cars such as a Singer 911, Guntherwerks, Tuthill… these pieces are a steep discount imo.

 

This thread is calling to me. And it’s saying that you need to start procuring/making these parts NAO.

 

Start up high and at the ends of the car and work your way down/in. So bumpers, exhuast (challenge exhaust is ~8lbs), poly rear window (348gtc rear window is apparently available), then hoods, then fenders, then lightweight wheels/tires, then doors last. Interior is mostly going to be weight low and in the center of the car so is not going to be as valuable as the other stuff (imo), plus will make the car go from comfortable to barely livable. If you want to get nuts, front mount an electric PS pump to save a few pounds, remove the air injection system for another couple, test pipes for another couple, fixed headlights from flip up, remove the front grill, go to single rear lights and a lightweight mesh rear grill etc. If you do everything in there, that's probably 300-400lbs out of the car at a cost of $100-200 a pound....and it'd still be fairly comfortable/streetable. Interior might get you another 50lbs but it won't be a car you want to drive often at that point (imo).

 

stanceworks has extensive video series on light weighting a 308 gtb. he did a k swap 4 cyl motor, took everything out but no cf that i can remember. car started around 3400 lbs and i think he took1000 lbs out of it.

 

Removing weight haphazardly is one method. Removing weight in a tasteful and sophisticated manner … as if Ferrari were doing it themselves is whole other thing. Different sport imo. Some of us still prefer the car to look at least 80% a normal road going car.

Someone can shoddily build a fiberglass hood and reduce some weight, but strength will be lacking and so will visual appeal. Personally, I’m after both. Very well built and artistically made at least for pieces you still see.

$Million dollar Singer 911’s don’t have composite work like this on their cars.







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stanceworks was offered 400k for his 308 so i guess it has decent workmanship too

 

… but they might have something like this.


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