I've been wondering if anyone has a good list of ways to lighten the S.
An obvious one is rear seat delete. Unfortunately, I got the premium package before I even knew what autocrossing is, so I have the sunroof. Is it legal to have lexan (sp?) or carbon fiber instead? I've read all the xenon threads and am not sure that the difficulty and expense would be worth it.

Any other basic ideas that I might be missing?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Exhaust - Supertrapp -35lbs
Wheels/tires - 80lbs if you have S-Lites and run-flats
Control Arms 5 lbs?
swaybar 5lbs ?
seats directly mounted 65 lbs
Alta Crank Pulley 5 lbs
Flywheel 20 lbs
2 gallons of gas as opposed to full tank- 85lbs
add LSD +30lbs

So, with all this, you'll be running about 270lbs lighter than if you had a stock cooper s with a full tank and you'll have an LSD.

 

Ask him. He's been on a mission for weight reduction, and he'll send you a list.....

Matt

 

If the Mini is like the other BMWs the OEM battery is heavy and can be replaced by a lighter one.

 

Look here for a review. Braille is 11.5 lbs.

Matt

 

Oops, forgot to put that on the list, that takes us to 290. :-))

 

Two words........

Acid Dip

Just don't go overboard like someone I know who dipprd a Datsun 510. When they went to install the windshield, it fell through the opening!
Jim

 

Pull a Christian Bale and drop your body weight drastically (in his case, he went from around 180 to 120 pounds, that will offset your LSD and big brake kit right there)...

Sorry, this is probably a lousy suggestion. However, the NAM website asked me to post something (since I have not in a couple of weeks). Why does it do that? I'm quite happy just reading the stuff other people have to say.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. I have most of them covered. I've even done the partial Batman solution. Battery,control arms and remembering to not get gas before events will help. TonyB is sending me his list. Think I'll skip the acid dip and go with the guacamole.

 

Actually some brake kits are 5-6lbs lighter.

 

As V knows from the doc I sent to him, the WW Race front BBK saves 11 pounds, or 5.5 per wheel! 1.5 of that is in each rotor...

 

Veni,

I know we think alike and do alike (I'm in SM class as well).
Last month I finished first in SM(narrowly, only 0.033 seconds better than 2nd in SM), got 2nd fastest raw time overall of the day and 3rd in Pax overall for the day with 90 drivers.

So I went super light this month thinking it might help. I removed-
europarcel shelf 2 pounds (or knee bolster in your case-2.5 pounds)
emptied out the glove box
pulled my aftermarket wide rear view mirror and coin holder
removed antenna
removed the passenger seat headrest
removed the complete rear seats (lost 39-40 pounds)
removed the rear boot fender well access covers (10 ounces for the pair)
removed the JL steathbox subwoofer (22 pounds)
removed the Xtant 4 channel amp (14 pounds)
Changed from lug bolts to-
Pilo studs (allen key 15x1.25")- shorter and lighter than tirerack studs.
Tirerack aluminum lug nuts (8 ounces lighter for 16 nuts than the open lug nuts that came with the pilo stud kit)
Ran with 3/8 full gas tank not a full tank like last month.
Dropped in body weight 5 or 6 pounds (I started the season as high as 160-164 and today I was about 143 with plans to get to 138 at some point)

And what do you think the results are from today's autocross using the same wheels (Kosei K1TS 15x7 with Kumho V710 205/50-15 with about 7 or 8 heat cycles on them and good tread left)?

I can't say I did better. I didn't feel "better or smoother". At times I felt I was trying too hard and only posted slower times. I finished 2nd in SM with a time of 73.91 to the leader's 73.09 (last season's SM points champion in an M3 and new 255/45-17 victoracers (massive 10" wide tires). Fastest time of the day was 70.8.

Out of 96 drivers I finished about 4th in raw time and 5th in PAX overall. So the 75-80+ pounds I lost didn't really make up much for me that wasn't lost due to a technical course and a lack of skill on my part. I'd say I might have done about as well with the extra weight. Moral of the story is additional weight off the car (at some point) isn't gonna cost that much time- ya still gotta drive like the wind (or a crazy man-or both).

Another tidbit I have noticed when doing fun runs is when I load up my car with a passenger I can often post a faster time quite easily. Done it three separate times with people weighing roughly 110 to 200 pounds. This might be due to better weight balance but the weight itself doesn't necessarily do as much harm as we think it might.

So if you are still seeking more weight loss-
Braille battery- definitely good and on my list to add- loose 20 pounds
You should try Hoosier tires- very light stuff- Just be prepared for high cost and fast wearing. Use the autocross compound.
wheel studs and nuts- short studs if you don't need wheel spacers and aluminum racing nuts- not as durable but they are light and are on the wheels albeit in the center.
What about pulling out the rear 6x9 speakers? Weight is 2.5 pounds for the stock non HK rear speakers. Leave the fronts to listen to.
Change to PSS9 coilovers (39 pounds) from H-sport springs and stock shocks (41 pounds)
Alta adjustable front and rear endlinks are 38 ounces compared to 36.25 ounces for stock endlinks- so consider the Webbmotorsports endlinks to save a few ounces.
Yes you can remove the sunroof and put a carbon fiber cover over the hole.
Consider a Carbon fiber bonnet- save 19 pounds in the front which is good.
Remove the rear tail lights and cover with tape over the openings (3 pounds)
Remove the inner fender well plastic liners
Remove the passenger seat
Find some light lower rear control arms- H-sports weigh about the same as stock. Maybe altas or Ireland Engineering or Steve's control arms are lighter.
Not sure if you'd loose weight for the M7 AGS- probably would- gotta add the heatshield to the total.

You'll add weight for:
Schroth harnesses- 2 pounds 12 ounces each plus mounting brackets
Any strut tower brace
Rear tower brace
Adjustable front swaybar
Adjustable front camber plates
Really big big brake kits (as mentioned the small big brake kits are quite light)
Any extra dash or console gauges
My hood scoop/grilles?/splitter
Whalen ****
Aftermarket alloy pedals
Apexi APC
Unichip hardware (not much)
Nitrous
Turbo kit

 

I had a wheel well liner out today, and they are very light. I'm guessing that the pound saved my removing them would be gained right back, and then some, as much dirt and debris would be caked-on to all types of stuff that would otherwise be shielded by the liner:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...488#post586488

Thanks for the weight on the PSS9's minihune! Is that a fairly accurate figure? I have the Ledas at 11.6 lbs (fronts) and 8.4 for the rears, or exactly 40 pounds. This netted me 6 pounds as stock front and rear are: 14.4 and 8.6 pounds. I now have .75" shorter front Ledas going on, so the weight should be about a pound less, but I'll weigh them... Thanks.

 

The weights are just on a bath scale but relatively good.

So-
Stock shocks and springs for MCS: 46 pounds
Stock shocks and H-sport springs for MCS: 41 pounds
Leda coil overs front and rear: 40 pounds
Bilstein PSS9 coil overs front and rear: 39 pounds
Anyone else have numbers to add to the list?

 

Stop eating at McDonalds.

 

The Ledas fronts are 11.6 lbs, and Leda rears are 8.4 lbs. So, total Leda weight is 11.6 (2) + 8.4 (2) = 23.2 + 16.8 = 40 pounds. Ah, I see the typo as I put the 14.4 for both stock and the Ledas. 14.4 is for stock. Sorry for the confusion... I'll correct my earlier post now...

 

With flat top hair cut, titanium wedding band, my driving weight is at 140 pounds. The scale also says 5.2% body fat, so there's not too much dead weight on this bod . You know you are obsessed when you always gas up to half a tank only, and take a dump and leak before strapping-in

 

When I had 5-6% body fat in my younger marathon running days I was 128 pounds. In my cycling days I was as low as 122. Now that I am older (and wiser) I get to be content with under 140 pounds. Right now for the day (autocrossed from 7am to 4pm) my pedometer reads 32,360 steps for 16.8 miles and I'm about ready to pass out.

This means that I do get to visit the freezer (occasionally) for some ice cream fun now and then but doesn't buy me a "pass" to visit McDonalds house of sin.

Hey-more ways to save weight:
Buy a really light weight helmet- not sure if open face would be better than closed face- probably.
Wear light weight clothes/shoes minus your belt or suspenders
Wear light weight dark eye glasses or wear contacts rather than glasses
Remove the "stuff" from your pockets (loose change!)
Don't wear jewelry or a watch.
Don't wear racing gloves... or socks!
Trim you nails, belch and pass gas before each run (secret weapons- use sparingly!) (Hey, this is high level competition)

 

Man, I wish I were a lightweight like you guys (or "yunz", since this is western PA). I'm a 6'2" weightlifter. I tip the scales at between 260-270 depending on the day and amount of carbs I've had.

I saw a great poster on despair.com. "If you can't learn to do something well, learn to love doing it poorly." Part of the love for me is having a fast car, even if I'm not.

So, based on the above long-range plans include: Braile, carbon fiber hood and replacement sunroof as well as some of the minor do-dads from the lists.

BTW, I'm 90% certain I'm going Twincharged or Turbocompressor in the nest 6-8 weeks.

 

Veni,

The MINI is friendly for large and small drivers- that's a plus. You can't do much to fight genetics (and a healthy appetite).

I spoke to Eric at Helix13 and he mentioned progress about the Turbocompressor upgrades he's done this summer. Last install was a "hoot", the owner had ported/polished cylinder heads with revalving, and the turbo kit had a newly redesigned exhaust manifold. The combination together worked like a gem. A scary fast MINI!

When you can add gobs of power in a relatively light car, you don't have to sweat a few pounds of static weight. Get the Braille battery and save the rest of the funds for the turbo kit and someday a ported and polished head.
You optioned for the sunroof- keep it, just add more power.

 

Sheesh. Some of you guys weigh less than half of what I do.

Well, I gotta think positive here and know that though my AutoX career will remain severely hobbled, I can successfully work on my future in powerlifting.

 

In one of the first replies someone mentioned directly mounting the seats? Can you guys share some info on that, looks like a good mod that takes off a good bit of weight- not sure I get exactly what ya'll are talking about.
By the way, I ordered new wheels and tires, should cut about 65 pounds from the S lites and performance runflats I'm using now- I can't wait!

 

I once thought about this, but decided not to. Essentially, it entails the mounting of the seat(s) without a slider mechanism. I don't mind not being able to tilt a seat as I don't have rear seats, so I rarely do so. But, I do like to slide my seat forward and back, particularly when working on my car (under the dash). I have thought about direct-mounting the passenger seat though, and fairly far back for plenty of legroom, and to get some weight a bit more to the rear. Of note, I was also told that for track days with an instructor, without a sliding driver seat for proper adjustment, it will be a no go...

 

OK- got it. Mine is a daily driver right now, so it still has the back seat that is actually used once in a while. Sounds like a good idea, I had no idea the sliders were that heavy. I wonder if could get some VW R32 seats in there...those things are NICE! Thanks for the help!