TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:02 pm

I did a search but didn't come up with the infor. I've gotten my fat chick to go 12.44, but of course I want to go faster. I've stripped out much of the interior, all the tar board etc. Has anyone done the math to find out how much weight is saved by going to fiberglass fenders and hood? I read a couple of posts that indicate there isn't much weight savings but that doesn't seem right. Or maybe the glass parts are fairly heavy. The car is currently 1800 pounds with me in it.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:25 pm

Do you have Lexan windows already ?

Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:03 pm

No, not yet. I have the big curved windshield. Can it be replaced with the non glass stuff? I know the windows are heavy, but I wonder how much total weight they are,

Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:16 pm

Lexan is not real good for windshields. Scratches too easy.
Did Lexan on a mustang and dropped 60 pounds :shock:
Probably less on a Bug. Aircooled sells them.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:25 pm

Yeah, I checked Aircooled.net and VeeDubs.com... It seems I can only get the flush mount stuff for a Super Beetle. Still not sure how it would work with the big curved windshild. Perhaps I could get the $130 kit that covers the rear three windows and get a couple of sheets of simular material from Home Depot for the door windows and leave the glass windshield.

Going back to my original question though, are fiberglass finders and hood much lighter than the metal originals?

Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:29 pm

Bug fenders are not heavy to begin with. Their shape gives them strenght, plus they are not a structual part of the car. Fiberglass
is really not for weight savings here. You might be able to get carbon fiber ones, for the price it would not be worth it -IMO.

Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:39 pm

IMO Creative Car Craft makes the nicest fiberglas fenders. Since they are a fairly thick, high quality fiberglass, they aren't much lighter than the stock steel VW fenders. What kind of wheels do you have? I know some people that have saved quite a bit of weight with ERCO's or Draglight wheels. I've also heard of people using a smaller lawn mower battery to save weight. Are you still running bumpers? 1800lbs for a "fat chick" is pretty damn light!

Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:21 am

Okay, I'm convinced. I'll leave the fenders alone. I'm using a very small battery and a small Nippon alternator, small electric fans. My wheels are those $69 crome ones you can get everywhere. I'll start looking for lighter wheels and Lexan windows.

Suggestions for where to get wheels?

Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:41 am

Get the Erco's or CMS /Douglas super light aluminum ones..they are pricy though.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:47 am

I like my CMS's. I picked them up directly for about 7 bills.

They're so light, I threw one at my Dad's head and he just laughed and laughed.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:00 am

They are beautiful, where did you get them? Got a web link?

Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:20 am

These guys have them:

http://www.pacificcustoms.com/6CMS.html

http://www.funrunr.com/cms.htm

Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:53 am

The website's not that great, but here:

www.custommetalspinning.com

I suggest calling instead of emailing, after you get an idea of what you want. You can pick from a list of inside and outside halves, and whether you want them bolted or welded together. I went for welded so they'd be easier to keep clean, also I gotta think there's some weight savings too. Mine are 5.25" front and 6.25 rear, both with a 1.75" outside. The center hole for the 4-lug style is 3.300", so they're easy to find caps for.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:25 am

man alive, this shit is getting expensive. I guess I need to start thinking in terms of cost per pound...... I'll start with the Lexan windows. Seven or eight hundred bucks for wheels that may trim about 30 lbs is very costly. They are beautiful though........its a drag only fat chick, not a show car. I wish I had all the money in the world, or if I wasn't married.....

Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:15 am

Ellis' Bug wrote: man alive, this shit is getting expensive. I guess I need to start thinking in terms of cost per pound...... I'll start with the Lexan windows. Seven or eight hundred bucks for wheels that may trim about 30 lbs is very costly.

When it gets "down to brass tacks", you may end up taking a 1/100th of a pound off of 100 things to get a pound. You could always start replacing the Steel bolts that require strength with Titanium ones, and the Steel bolts that maynot require as much strength with Aluminum ones! LOL

Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:29 am

Ellis' Bug wrote: man alive, this shit is getting expensive. I guess I need to start thinking in terms of cost per pound...... I'll start with the Lexan windows. Seven or eight hundred bucks for wheels that may trim about 30 lbs is very costly. They are beautiful though........its a drag only fat chick, not a show car. I wish I had all the money in the world, or if I wasn't married.....

It's a "well known fact" that bling wheels are a Must on every hot rod! :D

Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:11 pm

The point of those wheels is not that they are shiny (though it does help). It also is a HUGE reduction on unsprung AND rotating weight, which is a big factor on your ability to accelerate. The weight reduction here is a lot more influential than simply dropping weight elsewhere. Exactly by how much is not known, and varies from car to car. Some say that dropping a pound off your wheels is akin to losing 8 pounds of unsprung mass. Let's say your wheels are 5 pounds lighter, that's like 40 pounds per wheel or 160 off of the car! Not necessarily accurate but you get the idea. Not to mention the tighter handling and response.

Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:58 pm

You can loose a lot of weight in the doors by swapping them for some 68-69 door that dont have the heavy safety brace in them and removing as much metal under the door panel and window regulator.
Tim

Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:47 pm

Once you start replacing glass things lighten up. There is alot of weight in the door glass and regulators. The rear 3 windows are a start to the weight savings. Those stock Chromies are heavy. You have all winter to shave pounds. Look some race cars over on the forums and get a few ideas. Take a good look at the doors under the panels. I got 9lbs a door out by removing the factory braces.

Tue Nov 18, 2008 6:34 am

All good advice, thanks. In reference to the lighter wheels though....... With budget in mind, it seems I would gain the most by replacing the rear wheels....much more than the front. (rotating mass) Having disk brakes in front seems to limit me in choices anyway.

I'm going to go ahead and purchase the Lexan windows all the way around and then cut the guts out of the doors. I'll take the car down to weigh it before, and then after just to see.