348 on a cheap diet

I'm tired of seeing the 355s and 360 pull away because of their extra horsepower. I'm kinda cheap, so I decided that rather than go into a lot of expensive engine mods, I'd change the weight factor of the power-to-weight ratio. I heard that acceleration-wise 100 lbs=.1 sec, or requires 15 more horsepower. A couple of the changes were really inexpensive and the benefits were better acceleration and handling. I'm particularly proud of the first two, as the handling benefit is significant.
1. Removed the silly lower muffler and had the local muffler shop build tailpipes from the top one. Better sound, less exhaust restriction (more horsepower?) 32 lbs saved. Cost about $100
2. Replaced the battery (mine weighed 36.5 lbs.) with an Odyssey PC680T. Weight 13.5 lbs. 23 lbs. saved. Cost $94
3. Do empty cats save weight and increase horsepower?
4. Replaced the seats (52 lbs) with challenge seats (13 lbs.) Saved 78 lbs. Cost way too much, but I coulda used Cobras for a few hundred.
5. Replaced the stock wheels with challenge wheels (doesn't that save about 12 lbs per wheel?) 48 lbs. Again, cost way too much.
6. Took out the silly poweramp and cd changer a previous owner put in. Who listens to music in a 348? At least 15 lbs. Free
7. Gas weighs about 8 lbs. per gallon, so a half tank weighs 80 lbs less than a full one. Heck, after the cost of the car, who can afford a full tank anyway. So, when I've only got enough to fill it halfway, I just say I'm saving weight.
8. Girlfriend weighs??????

Anybody got any more ideas? Hopefully cheap????

 

1. Take the roof off. (Or replace it with a cool carbon fiber one like resnow and I have!)
2. Remove the stupid trunk liner carpet

 

3. Fill your tires with helium. (Just kidding)

 

1. GTB and GTS had one Muffler as standard.
2. Yes thats a good idea
3. Yes it saves weight and you get more hp if you use straight pipes. If you only empty them you have some power loss because of the bad flow of such an empty cat. I wont do this. Put a pipe in it or exchange with a pipe.
4. Also good
5. I read here in some other threads the weight of standard and the challange ones and there was not such an big difference.
6. Yes put it out
7. That don't count for me another car can also be running with an near empty tank
8. Also doesn't count i don't drive fast if someone else is in the car
9. Erase the AC System complete , saves weight and adds hp.
10. erase carpets and hood lifters
11. change bumpers to 355 challange bumpers
12. erase the stakes in the door airinlets
13. put an 7,25" trippe disc clutch in
14. use best gasoline and change the cams do an head porting and lower CR and reprogramm the ecu.
15. exchange the heavy airhorn system to an small electrical.
16. use gtb/gts suspension
17. exchange rearwindow to macrolon or lexan.
18. exchange rear sidewindows to macrolon or lexan.
19. Remove side indicators
20. Remove foglights (355 bumper)
21. Use only 3 holding brackets on the front and rearbumper (only one inner one and two outer ones)
22. Remove double hood opener circuits
23. Maybe use racing hood locks instead of the standard ones
______________________
Samy

 

Carbon fiber roof? Sounds VERY cool. Where? How much?
Yep-thinkin' about doing away with the A/C-good idea-how much weight?

 

Is that your 348TS at **********'s?
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I just got challenge wheels and mounted Michelin PS2's. I'm going to take the back ones off this weekend and weigh one to compare to stock rims mounted with Bridgestones. Also I think the PS2's were about 2lbs. lighter per tire than Bridgestones or Goodyears on tireracks web site.

348 Challenge bumpers were lighter than stock. Challenge/spyder exhaust is only one can.

Were did you find 348 challenge seats??

 

Carbon fiber door panels. If you remove the AC you can go with different pulleys for a few more ponies.

 

Yep, that's it at **********.
I'd love to have some of the CF doorpanels out of a Challenge car.
Maybe a bigger pulley on the Alternator?-I like it! Availability?

 

Got the seats from a friend-FatBillyBob

 

The good doctor referenced above removed a fair amount of his flywheel and then welded into one solid piece, saving some amount of weight in a very good place to save weight, I'd think.


There are black blastic strakes inside our 348 door openings (not referring to the strakes on the doors themselves) that can come out to save weight. The small metal grill behind the rear cavilino could come out, too...as could several plastic "stoppers" inside the light housings (removed by the factory anyway for different export versions).

The rear bonnet cover could be lightened with a little effort.

I've been contemplating making a carbon fiber hardtop for my 348 Spider...but I might switch gears and make a CF front bumper or rear bumper, instead. Decisions, decisions...

The heavy metal covers on the ECUs *could* come off. I wouldn't house them in plastic due to static discharge, but there might be a way to save weight there.

The front grill can come off, of course.

The entire air intake could be shortened/lightened. The underbody armor could be sanded/lightened or removed entirely.

The shiftbox in the cockpit could have holes drilled into it like a cheesegrate.

You can sand down the cockpit floor. You can use lighter-weight alloy bolts all over (well, maybe not everywhere).

The front windshield could be replaced with Lexan or plexiglass. Ditto for the side windows.

You can remove the mad mouse motors and tracks and ECUs.

You can shave or remove the rear cheese grill.

Remove the dampers and brackets for the glove box, radio cover, rear bonnet, and front bonnet.

You could use a smaller charcoal cannister for the fuel filler/evac/evap system.

You could go to inline bullet fuel filters rather than the OEM grenade style.

You can easily remove the glass covers to all of the guages.

Do you really need "power" door locks?

That Italian air horn system is pretty heavy, too.

 

Remove the spare tire, assuming you have one in a 348. Removed the spare tire from my 3.2 and lost a good 40lbs. I've got AAA and love the extra storage space on a long road trip. Yes, I know the spare tire is an integral part of the frontal impact protection.

 

8. Ensure any female passengers weigh 51kg or less

 

Bruce sounds like you already hit home on the heavy hitters. A lot of the others I have heard on here are all 1lb or less each which yes granted does add up but also depending on how you drive the car can make it look like a frankenstein.

BillyBob is at one far end of the spectrum a few 348 brother hood members are at the other end and I would say that Daniel and I fall in the middle.

I have taken the seats out, mufflers, replaced the battery, run different wheels and removed SOME of the sound insulation while leaving the carpet still in the car. I have replaced Girlfriend v6.0 with Wife v1.0 which saved 120lbs because she isnt interested in the car anymore because she is off spending money on others things and have screwed around non stop with engine crap and added the same suspension setup that BillyBob has to my car. I myself have also went on a diet and lost 20lbs...so its been sweating to the oldies for both my car and me.

If you want to do it right just rip everything out like that pizza eating machine friend of yours if not you really are pretty much at the spot I am at which is if I want to go lighter and keep the car looking and driving some what on the road then its going to cost me a fortune in time or talent building carbon parts or reengineering parts.

Air conditioner unit itself is 18lbs. Not sure about tubing and other fun stuff.

 

How about a NOS setup like Andy in England has? For the occasional pull against a 355 or 360 it is sure to impress!
BT

 

I don't know about "cheap," but the 348 Competizione used fixed headlights rather than the pop up headlights.

That tells me that somewhere out there are real Ferrari OEM parts that are lighter...as well as that we could do it ourselves.

It's a good look, too.
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yes, that's a nice look. Just a small cut in the panel between the bumper and the hood. I wonder if it's an easy build and mount? Wonder if the stock headlights can be used?
Also, I note the covers over the parking lights-nice aerodynamic touch-and cheap!

 

I also note the hood pins, replacing the latch mechanism and probably the gas lifters. Though I'm reluctant to drill into body parts, at least this would be correct "Competizione" style!

 

It looks like an easy build and mount (trapezoidal box enclosure??). It doesn't look like the stock headlights.

As for the foglite covers, once you put that plastic cover on, you no longer need the whole internal foglite housing. So they could have saved even more weight there.

 

I like the hood-pin look.

I wonder if the Competizione removed the motors and wiring for the electric side mirrors?

 

What does it take to paint the whole 348? 6 gallons of primer and rosso corso?

That's about 50 pounds, yes?

Could you strip the paint and primer and anodize (or electroplate) the metal in red to save weight?

 

Bajeezus man! Why not simply remove the entire engine and subassembly, and mount a bicylce seat on top of the plenum. You could work the throttle wire with your toes, and steer the two-wheel contraption by leaning toward the left or right.




...all in good fun. Just busting yer chops.

 

Would ya settle for a half-pound CF steering wheel?
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I can see the CF guys salivating over the steering wheel. The downside of course is that the saliva will make it slick.
I've got a great mental picture of JRR's bicycle seat on plenum idea!

 

All these suggestions are great...........if you are planning on trying to be race track competitive. But are you really trying to achieve that?

My car is roughly 250 pounds lighter that stock, chipped, tubi/test pipes and has no trouble staying with 355s and 360s at the track......and when the corners come up and they brake I FLY by (due to the brake set up I have), and leave them for dead. All that and the car is very streetable. There is no need to go overboard to get results....and if you really want to go faster....................take a driver's school!!! That will really allow you to make some time!!