I don't think anyone mentioned A/C delete. I don't know if anyone has done it yet on the R56. You'd have to run a dummy pulley or find a shorter serpentine belt.

You could probably modify the battery hold-down bracket to hold a Braille lightweight battery pretty easily.

 

A/C delete is out of the question haha...black roof, Texas heat, and no A/C don't mix!

How much does a OEM MINI battery weigh? Does anyone happen to know?

 

My Captain when I was in the Reserves in Florida, had a Vette that he did the A/C delete AND power steering delete. He regularly ran it competitively at the strip but it was also his daily driver.

No way I'm muscleing around a non-ps car with no A/C in the Florida heat and humidity. No thanks!

 

I think the stock battery is in the high 30s if not in the low 40s. Lbs I mean.

 

My question is why? Why bother? Unless it's a race car, WHO cares if you can manage to lose 15lbs off the car, if you have to give up the comforts that make it a car? (meaning ac delete, remove radio, back seats, remove sunroof internals... Really?)

If it's a race car, than get serious and remove all the sounddeading. There's probably 150 lbs of that stuff That's real weight.

Or... sell the MINI and get a Lotus 7. 1250lbs 180Hp, and no features at all...lol That's minimal...

 

I have seen multiple stock-class Solo2 R56 MCSs in the high 24xx range with minimal, but adequate fuel to avoid starvation. These are all low-option, non-sunroof cars. The Mini's huge, glass sunroof is a VERY heavy option. You can remove the roof motors I suppose for a small gain. But all the weight is that glass up there. Options ordered can make a huge difference in weight Mini to Mini. You could probably add 200lbs in options on a Mini from the factory...

In Solo2 Stock, the only significant weight reduction allowed would be remove the toolkit, lighter wheels, lighter cat-back, drain the washer fluid, and maybe aftermarket shocks might be a few oz lighter.

 

To answer that...


Now a lighter car means better handling, acceleration, stopping, and better gas mileage. I don't use my backseats, so I took them out. I didn't see the need to have a polar bear for a battery so I put a field mouse in their instead. Comfort, why yes my car is still comfortable because neither of those effect how I feel in the car. Maybe if I was in a colder climate I would consider the A/C delete. So just because you don't see the need or the want of such modifications doesn't mean you need to rain on people's parades. Just stick with the vinyl and cheesy eye shades and everything will be all good.

 

Your first sentence here sums up my thoughts exactly. I drive my car hard and enjoy every minute of it. If I'm not using it (backseats, huge battery, etc) then why not remove it to improve the handling, acceleration, gas mileage, etc? All these mods are completely reversible so they don't affect the resale value of the car whatsoever.

richardsperry, so why do it? For my personal enjoyment and to get the most out of the other mods I have spent so much money on. You will tell a difference both on and off the track. Last time I checked, every time my car is started and driven its either on the street or on the track so I will get to enjoy these benefits each and every day. Not everyone can afford a dedicated track car (like me) and some people (like me) don't spend enough time at the track to justify a track car to begin with.

 

Really?