Lightening a Vehicle

[pzablocki]

I have been out of the Solo 2 circuit for over 20 years and am now getting ready to feild a school car. We are building a 1992 Golf 1.8 8V and need some clarification on the points system.

Please note this will be a Solo 1&2 car only and will NOT be driven on the street.

I believe we start in Stock H and move from there.
We are going to try to fit into Street Prepared with 15 points.


Can someone clarify what points we will take if we "gut" the interior including the complete dashboard assembly and rear seat but leaving the passenger seat.

We have removed ALL wiring out of the car except what is required to run and start the engine.

We are welding the doors and tailgate and adding strut bracing.

We have lowered the suspension by 4.5".

We are removing the exhaust from the manifold back and putting a 65db "straight pipe" in.

We have removed the wipers.

We have left the light fixtures but removed all wiring.

We will be putting in a fire extinguisher.

We are thinking of replacing the air intake from the top of the throttle body to the side of the car.

We are thinking of replacing the bushings for the suspension.

We are thinking of putting in a short shift kit.

We are thinking of replacing the power steering with manual steering.

We are thinking of making new sway bars and mounts.

This is a class project in the Georgetown District High School auto shop. We have a budget of "Zero$"

Any technical help would be appreciated.

Any donations would be greatly appreciated. We are looking for good used Slalom / Solo 1 tires and rims.

We have been getting help from Halton Automotive in Georgetown.

Thank You

Paul Zablocki

[Wedge]

I count 7 points in that mod list. Still plenty of room left if you want to be in Street Prepared.
Sounds like an interesting school project. I wish I had something like that in high school.
If you've got no budget, I'd suggest you make it light, make it stiff, and set up the suspension perfectly.
Good Luck!

[spoonie]

mostly good ideas. you wont win any friends in the turning department by dropping it 4.5". let the suspension do its job - if your budget is $0.00 you dont want to force the issue of needing to rebuild your suspension geometry from scratch :) i'd wouldn't drop any mk2-3-4 vw more than 15mm if you're planning on doing solo2. anything more and you're destroying your roll centre - and even 15mm is on the edge. a solo1 car is a completely different animal.

if you want some great free advice and reading, checkout www.shineracing.com

~spoonie

[andrew1984]

how the hell are you lowering it 4.5"?


are you doing anything else besides just lowering?

[Tony Kloosterma]

i had a look and i see it this way
gutting interior 2 points
rear seat 1 point
if you lighten any panel, ie door, window mechanism, panel they are 1 point each
springs 3 points
sway bars 1 point each
removing the dashboard in its entirety would be 1 point
leave the wipers on in case it rains

careful the exhaust will pass the noise limitations

Tony

[andrew1984]

i believe removal of dashboard is included in gutting of interior.

2 points any or all.

[Tony Kloosterma]

agree removing the dashboard is included in trim.

removing hardware for windows or doors is a point per panel though

Tony

[gatherer]

got curious so I took a quick look through the rulebook

(I didn't read all the replies in this page)

but I see lightening as the following:

6.8.C.6 Interior trim removal, defined as interior body panels, dashboard, headliner, sun visors, carpet, underpad, sound insulation, and any other interior dress-up or comfort items.

2pts for any or all of that

assuming you remove the passenger seat:

6.8.C.7 Removal of or substitution of the front seat. 1 pt. each

also the above applies if you change the driver seat.

With taking out the interior you will most likely remove the back seat so the following below applies:

6.8.C.8 Removal of or substitution of the rear seat. 1 pt.

As for welding the doors.. is that allowed???

also if instead of just adding bracing you build a proper cage in accordance with the rules you get 2 more points to offset some of the points used in stripping the car's interior out.

anyways thats how I see it.

[Wedge]

Welding the doors should be considered part of "Any chassis, frame or engine reinforcement". Which is free in SP.

[gatherer]

Originally posted by Wedge
Welding the doors should be considered part of "Any chassis, frame or engine reinforcement". Which is free in SP.

yes but I was thinking of the safety aspect of getting out of the car easily.

[J.C.]

Originally posted by gatherer
also if instead of just adding bracing you build a proper cage in accordance with the rules you get 2 more points to offset some of the points used in stripping the car's interior out.


Cage? I thought all the rules asked for was a roll bar.

[gatherer]

Originally posted by J.C.
Cage? I thought all the rules asked for was a roll bar.

yes you are correct.

However witht he talk of welding doors shut... I figured they were going for even more rigidity then a bar provides heance the cage suggestion.

however Yes you could go with a roll bar for 2 points to offset the gutting of the car.

[pzablocki]

The removal of interior trim should cover the door and tailgate trim panels down to the vapour barrier and roof liner should it not?

I thought when they say removing the door/hood tailgate panels they meen the metal parts. As for the mechanical window parts do they not meen the regulator tracks etc?

Also is there any way of measureing the noise level myself so we can be sure we are clear on the noise limit?

[reelbigcow]

Originally posted by pzablocki
The removal of interior trim should cover the door and tailgate trim panels down to the vapour barrier and roof liner should it not?

I thought when they say removing the door/hood tailgate panels they meen the metal parts. As for the mechanical window parts do they not meen the regulator tracks etc?

Also is there any way of measureing the noise level myself so we can be sure we are clear on the noise limit?

You can ask local audio shops if they have a db meter that they will lend you.