Shedding weight from Ms. Piggy?

[Jeff N.]

OK - so if you wanted to realistically drop 200 lbs from an E34 535...where might you start? How much would you save?

Low hanging fruit seems to be:

- replace stock exhaust (30lbs)
- drop spare, jack, and misc items; at least for around town (40lbs)
- pull out misc extra trunk lining, tool kit (5+lbs)

OK...so there's about 70lbs right there.

What else? There's a bunch of junk in the engine bay. Evap canisters, misc hoses, you name it. What about the opportunities there?

- Swapping in aluminum front control arms for the steel ones saves?

How about any stuff under the car?

Interior is also available for pillaging...

- back seat & rear tray sound deadening material?
- what else?

Obviously, if you go too far you have something different from an E34 but I'm curious what ideas folks have.

Jeff

[RobPatt]

and how to do in balance w/o losing too many creature comforts.... I think the trunk linking may weigh in more like 15 pounds, there's some pretty hefty insulation at behind the rear seat... (then I replaced that weight w/a Infinity Basslink and love it..). Those power seats weigh a TON. Could probably save a bunch w/manual seats if there were E34s with those.... remove A/C system. Remove P/S system? Thats a bit more weight, but moving into drivability issues... you also tinker a bit w/distribution of weight? Personally I decided it wasn't worth it.... but it is cheap horsepower. Cheers, it's Friday! (and almost 7 but I'm on my way out of work) Rob sends....


OK - so if you wanted to realistically drop 200 lbs from an E34 535...where might you start? How much would you save?

Low hanging fruit seems to be:

- replace stock exhaust (30lbs)
- drop spare, jack, and misc items; at least for around town (40lbs)
- pull out misc extra trunk lining, tool kit (5+lbs)

OK...so there's about 70lbs right there.

What else? There's a bunch of junk in the engine bay. Evap canisters, misc hoses, you name it. What about the opportunities there?

- Swapping in aluminum front control arms for the steel ones saves?

How about any stuff under the car?

Interior is also available for pillaging...

- back seat & rear tray sound deadening material?
- what else?

Obviously, if you go too far you have something different from an E34 but I'm curious what ideas folks have.

Jeff

[632 Regal]

I seriously have been thinking about buying an E34 and replacing the regal with it. the only thing that i would really be redooing id the rear tubbs and maybe the axle width to get the 33s under there. the strut front end is a bonus and i dont think the 1100hp would mind a few extra lbs, might even be a bit more stable and hook better with the new engine. the interior would be gone along with most other un needed accesories.

sound like a group project or what...LOL

[winfred]

it would need lots of cross bracing to survive not only the twist but the landing when the front end comes down


I seriously have been thinking about buying an E34 and replacing the regal with it. the only thing that i would really be redooing id the rear tubbs and maybe the axle width to get the 33s under there. the strut front end is a bonus and i dont think the 1100hp would mind a few extra lbs, might even be a bit more stable and hook better with the new engine. the interior would be gone along with most other un needed accesories.

sound like a group project or what...LOL

[mikemaster]

A lot of the vw crowd removes the a/c equipment to save weight and one less pulley to drive. If you don't have to worry about a state inspection, you could lose the windshield washer stuff too.

[Bruno]

I thought about it... and ended up selling the car to buy a E36.. heehhe



OK - so if you wanted to realistically drop 200 lbs from an E34 535...where might you start? How much would you save?

Low hanging fruit seems to be:

- replace stock exhaust (30lbs)
- drop spare, jack, and misc items; at least for around town (40lbs)
- pull out misc extra trunk lining, tool kit (5+lbs)

OK...so there's about 70lbs right there.

What else? There's a bunch of junk in the engine bay. Evap canisters, misc hoses, you name it. What about the opportunities there?

- Swapping in aluminum front control arms for the steel ones saves?

How about any stuff under the car?

Interior is also available for pillaging...

- back seat & rear tray sound deadening material?
- what else?

Obviously, if you go too far you have something different from an E34 but I'm curious what ideas folks have.

Jeff

[632 Regal]

I had a 10 point cage and when/if I transplant the 632 into it I'm building another cage, this one will be at least 16 points. With 1000 foot lbs of torque I dont need to drive a barber pole. With the 468 the car was scary as hell at only 140 mph 1/4 mile. I have a 4 link suspension and after a little adjusting there was no pull at launch or landing, it only went high 9s them though and mid 8s would be a little different.

I have interior run VCR tapes but cant figure how to convert that to mpegs.

If anyone has a clue or can convert let me know I'd be happy to have em.

Bimmer.info car?

[winfred]

i was thinking better then 10 points

[Kamil]

OK - so if you wanted to realistically drop 200 lbs from an E34 535...where might you start? How much would you save?....

......if you go too far you have something different from an E34 but I'm curious what ideas folks have.
Jeff

BAH!!!
Be like the Grand National owners... fast with class... if the car is too slow, add more power.
Hello Mr. Turbo, perhaps?

What is 200lbs going to do for you anyways? If the car weights 3400lbs, how much (percentage wise) are you removing? Little more than 5%... yes, some say 100lbs = .1 sec in 1/4 mile... but is it worth it?

Weight savings for the purposes of better handling?
Different story:
- Reduce unsprung weight,
- remove the sunroof and replace with a piece of aluminum (just think of the extra head room!! :D )
- race seats (?)

Or just get a different car, one that's smaller, faster, and hopefully lighter to begin with.

[JoeS]

I would image if you swapped out the front seats with lighter ones. I have been lugging my extra pair around my garage and they are heavy.

Put in a small head unit (radio) and leave the front speakers. Take out the amp in the back the cd changer and the speakers in the rear deck.

So if you swapped out the seats, geared down the stereo... and since you have the lighter E28 fly wheell ....could you possibly go with a smaller lighter battery... that deep cycle bitch is heavy.

You could get your E28 fly wheel shaved down to 16 lbs.



OK - so if you wanted to realistically drop 200 lbs from an E34 535...where might you start? How much would you save?

Low hanging fruit seems to be:

- replace stock exhaust (30lbs)
- drop spare, jack, and misc items; at least for around town (40lbs)
- pull out misc extra trunk lining, tool kit (5+lbs)

OK...so there's about 70lbs right there.

What else? There's a bunch of junk in the engine bay. Evap canisters, misc hoses, you name it. What about the opportunities there?

- Swapping in aluminum front control arms for the steel ones saves?

How about any stuff under the car?

Interior is also available for pillaging...

- back seat & rear tray sound deadening material?
- what else?

Obviously, if you go too far you have something different from an E34 but I'm curious what ideas folks have.

Jeff

[632 Regal]

each 100lbs = 1/10th of a second in the quarter mile.

the rule changes based on the baseline of the vehichle of course but this is supposed to be for an average 15 second ride in street trim.

[632 Regal]

Lightening an E34 isnt worth it in a performance standpoint.

If you have a particular purpose in mind then you can work towards that.

lighten it say 300 lbas, the car would probably loose it in a turn unexpectedly beacause this car was made and tuned for the weight that it is.

The stiffness of the body is amazing! Last week I was changing the trans filter and I bumped the rear stand ans it was loose, I mean take it out loose, my friend could not believe how stiff the car was. Thats when we started talkin about replacing the Regal with one of these. Less tubing to tie it all in = lighter and just go basic NHRA/IHRA ruling with chrome moly instead of steel and add a hundred pounds and the 632. the 50/50 weight would be appx 65-35 to the front which is a LOT better than the Regals 20 rear weight.

I should shut up I cant afford it and im just Geeked at the thought.

[winfred]

i've got a few buildable shells that aint worth turning into a street car but a stripped racer wouldn't even notice, shame your not closer :D


Lightening an E34 isnt worth it in a performance standpoint.

If you have a particular purpose in mind then you can work towards that.

lighten it say 300 lbas, the car would probably loose it in a turn unexpectedly beacause this car was made and tuned for the weight that it is.

The stiffness of the body is amazing! Last week I was changing the trans filter and I bumped the rear stand ans it was loose, I mean take it out loose, my friend could not believe how stiff the car was. Thats when we started talkin about replacing the Regal with one of these. Less tubing to tie it all in = lighter and just go basic NHRA/IHRA ruling with chrome moly instead of steel and add a hundred pounds and the 632. the 50/50 weight would be appx 65-35 to the front which is a LOT better than the Regals 20 rear weight.

I should shut up I cant afford it and im just Geeked at the thought.

[Robin-535im]

and it dropped a whopping 88 lbs from the car!

You need the sawzall treatment that little white sentra got... I'm sure you've seen the post somewhere, where the team of engineers took off everything of no structural value to get the 1/4 mile times below 13 or something.


The following is from

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=12

What is an E34 M5 Winkelhock edition?
In 1991, BMW asked two of its racing drivers to design their own ideal version of an E34 M5. One of the drivers was Joachim Winkelhock, known for his success on the racing circuit with the Schnitzer E30 M3. His ideal M5 was a lightweight edition, stripped of all but the most performance-oriented items. BMW M then offered the public a package of features based on this ideal M5.

A total of 51 Winkelhock M5s were produced, all painted Jet Black (668) with contrasting lower body panels in Sterling Silver metallic (244) and including the following special equipment:
-Smaller battery (66 volt versus 85 volt)
-Smaller gas tank (80 liters)
-Reduced sound deadening material
-Wider 255/40ZR17 rear tires on 9x17 M System I alloy wheels
-Deletion of power rear windows, rear headrests, fog lights, headlight washers, vanity mirrors
-Suede-covered steering wheel, shift knob, shift boot, parking brake handle
-Evolution front sport seats in M cloth with Anthracite leather bolsters
-Red seat belts front and rear
-Special leather service book pouch, key holder and gold pin
These changes reduced the curb weight of the Winkelhock M5 by 88 lbs. compared to the standard M5.

[Jeff N.]

gee...88lbs? I could save that by dieting.. :D

[ryan roopnarine]

i'd take out the trunkliners, trunk lid liner, toolbox, and front underhood insulation, and see how much it weighs. i don't have a underhood liner, and its perfectly tolerable noise wise (at least to me). will be fitting one from a generic japaneese car in the days to come.

[Martin in Bellevue]

I'll do it.

I won't enjoy it, but I'll do it.