How to get a 10:1 Power to Weight Ratio?
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How to get a 10:1 Power to Weight Ratio?
Here's a fun little riddle. You have a 3300 lb. car (with driver and gas) and you need a 10:1 PWR for Time Attack. Math's easy. Just build a 330 hp motor, right? Or drop the car to 3000 lbs and gain some hp, in my case, 50.
Here comes the hard part. How the heck do you do that? Looking through the N/A parts online, I would need to spend a crapload of money to gain 50-80 hp. Any forced induction would throw me into <10:1. I already have exhaust work done and a tuneable piggyback. Cams don't seem to offer much gains. Bumping up the compression, getting balanced, forged, hi compression internals would cost several thousand. Even heads are $4000. I don't know the legality of N0x in time attack events, but it may be the cheapest option. I am keeping up in the corners, gaining in braking zones, and losing in the straights.
I can probably drop enough weight with a flywheel, seats, and race battery to get about 75 lbs lighter, putting me at 3225.
Is anyone out there in the 10:1 range?
Here comes the hard part. How the heck do you do that? Looking through the N/A parts online, I would need to spend a crapload of money to gain 50-80 hp. Any forced induction would throw me into <10:1. I already have exhaust work done and a tuneable piggyback. Cams don't seem to offer much gains. Bumping up the compression, getting balanced, forged, hi compression internals would cost several thousand. Even heads are $4000. I don't know the legality of N0x in time attack events, but it may be the cheapest option. I am keeping up in the corners, gaining in braking zones, and losing in the straights.
I can probably drop enough weight with a flywheel, seats, and race battery to get about 75 lbs lighter, putting me at 3225.
Is anyone out there in the 10:1 range?
#2
hatersgonnahate
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When i autox'ed we classed my car as 10:1 since I had the vortech SC with 340whp and roughly a 3400lb car.
Im currently selling the kit that will get you there too, great price as well.
bolts on would be really difficult to increase 50whp depending on the year of your car. You could gut your interior, remove the spare, get some lightweight wheels. Remove some of those extra engine bay plastics, passenger seat, seatbelt, glovebox, stereo system ect. Probably 300lb worth of stuff right there.
Im currently selling the kit that will get you there too, great price as well.
bolts on would be really difficult to increase 50whp depending on the year of your car. You could gut your interior, remove the spare, get some lightweight wheels. Remove some of those extra engine bay plastics, passenger seat, seatbelt, glovebox, stereo system ect. Probably 300lb worth of stuff right there.
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bingo. fastest way to drop weight.
i laugh at the MX racers that buy all these titanium pegs and **** to save a few ounces and they are 5'9" and weight 200lbs. It's amazing how fat some of these people can be. They could easily lose 50lbs from their own body and it's free (actually would save them money on their fast food addiction)
to be technically correct wouldn't it be a 10:1 weight to power ratio? 10:1 power to weight would be a rocket
i laugh at the MX racers that buy all these titanium pegs and **** to save a few ounces and they are 5'9" and weight 200lbs. It's amazing how fat some of these people can be. They could easily lose 50lbs from their own body and it's free (actually would save them money on their fast food addiction)
to be technically correct wouldn't it be a 10:1 weight to power ratio? 10:1 power to weight would be a rocket
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I have done quite a bit of weight reduction already, all of the simple stuff you can remove or buy replacements for, such as cats, exhaust, spare tire and jack, upper plenem, wheels. That probably dropped 160 lbs. It needs to stay civilized. Like I said, all I have left to lighten is the flywheel and seats. I weigh about 170, and I'm pretty lean. I suppose I could get a CF hatch and move the battery back to balance the weight, but I can't see how people are getting under 3000 lbs. without gutting the car.
Anyway, I guess a clutch/flywheel and midpipe will both lower weight and increase power, so that's a start. It's not like I can afford to do much more at the moment. And yes, it would be weight to power ratio.
Anyway, I guess a clutch/flywheel and midpipe will both lower weight and increase power, so that's a start. It's not like I can afford to do much more at the moment. And yes, it would be weight to power ratio.
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#9
Cranky FI Owner
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Years ago I did a light weight battery and a JIC full Ti exhaust. That cat back system only weighed 9.8lbs!
Little things like that and light weight wheels, could get you into the 30XX lb range EASY NA.
My car weighed 3125lbs with the above mentioned parts AND a TN kit that added weight.
Get creative, good luck.
Little things like that and light weight wheels, could get you into the 30XX lb range EASY NA.
My car weighed 3125lbs with the above mentioned parts AND a TN kit that added weight.
Get creative, good luck.
Last edited by Alberto; 03-22-2010 at 04:10 AM.
#10
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I don't think getting to 290-310 whp NA is a msytery but it will take some serious cash (however it is less than FI). The research, trial and error has been done so the formula is out there. The only question I would pose to myself - Is what way do I want to go, a mild SC kit (in the range of 330-350 whp), or a full blown NA setup with headwork, cams, HC pistons, rods and all the supporting hardware (290-310whp). The ladder would require a little weight reduction, but that item will also be determine by the rule of the class (some will force you to run an interior).
Last edited by Zazz93; 03-22-2010 at 07:51 PM.
#11
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What type of brakes are you running? Going with a stoptech or wilwood 13" setup will save you substancial amount of weight over OEM calipers with additional fade resistance. Paired up with Giro disc/stoptech/etc lightweight 2 pc rotors will save you quite a few unsprung lbs.
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I'm pretty sure the 2pc rotor weighs less than OEM and you are definately saving weight with the aluminum caliper vs cast iron stockers.
As for rotating mass, I guess that's debatable, the stoptech rotor has a bit more mass and is a bit larger on the outer diameter..
As for rotating mass, I guess that's debatable, the stoptech rotor has a bit more mass and is a bit larger on the outer diameter..
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#17
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I don't think getting to 290-310 whp NA is a msytery but it will take some serious cash (however it is less than FI). The research, trial and error has been done so the formula is out there. The only question I would pose to myself - Is what way do I want to go, a mild SC kit (in the range of 330-350 whp), or a full blown NA setup with headwork, cams, HC pistons, rods and all the supporting hardware (290-310whp). The ladder would require a little weight reduction, but that item will also be determine by the rule of the class (some will force you to run an interior).
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Thanks for the link. I won't be buying a Cosworth intake then. Maybe very mild FI and some ballast is the least troublesome solution. I'd hate to add weight. Some bracing and a roll cage would add back some weight, so would a fire bottle. Looks like any power over 270 whp will require a lot of cash going the NA route.