Lupo Spaceframe Build

[1 Litre Screamer]

Yesterday i decided to really go to town on cleaning the interior of the loop, i took the rear seats out and alot of the carpet from the boot. Now on removing all of this i was suprised at how heavy it was and curiosity got the better of me so out came the bathroom scales! What a shock, 46 kg of 1 litre engine killing weight. Anyway that has got me thinking about taking the interior out altogether and going down the race car route with 2 seats and a dashboard. Even with the sick engine the car is much more agile and really does notice the missing weight on accelaration. Has anyone on here done or got experience of a stripped out lupo?

Edited December 27, 2009 by 1 Litre Screamer

[Mitchell]

me ...... my lupo when building it i drove with one seat and the clocks tied up on the dash until i was happy all was well, now its fitted up its very easy to see the difference it has so its all coming out. also i am changing all the bolt on panels to alloy items 2 gti doors and 3L wings and gti bonnet.

[1 Litre Screamer]

its an amazing amount of weight in such a small car. So once i have the engine back on song it should be very fast if i can get the weight down. as well as the stripping out process i think i'm going to be fitting lots of carbonfibre bits, carbonfibre driveshafts first,that will help on acceleration no end.

[LINCOLNSHIRESLUPOGTI]

When I was doing my retrim I drove with no interior trim panels and just a drivers seat and car felt much more agile. The hides of leather used on my interior were too heavy to lift and when everything was refitted the car felt noticably slower...but much quieter...lol

Not sure the expense of carbon driveshafts is worth it. They are such a small diameter the inertia is not that great. With a big heavy lump that is a big radius like a flywheel you would notice much more effect on the rate the engines revs rise and fall. Think you would not notice driveshafts to be honest.

[1 Litre Screamer]

When I was doing my retrim I drove with no interior trim panels and just a drivers seat and car felt much more agile. The hides of leather used on my interior were too heavy to lift and when everything was refitted the car felt noticably slower...but much quieter...lol

Not sure the expense of carbon driveshafts is worth it. They are such a small diameter the inertia is not that great. With a big heavy lump that is a big radius like a flywheel you would notice much more effect on the rate the engines revs rise and fall. Think you would not notice driveshafts to be honest.

you would be very suprised at how much difference carbonfibre shafts make, they really do change the rotating mass a huge amount. Plus they aren't that expensive either.

[Al]

Why even have a dashboard? Carbon panels are the way forward if you want lightweight and looking good.

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[VWR Lupo]

When the lupo cup cars were built they were ultra light weight.

There was no underseal or sound deadnind and even the dash boards have been cut to loose weight style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

You wauld not beleave how much that all weights. Another thing that you cauld loose weight if your rearly serious is remove some of the wireing loom like electric windows, central locking and airbag.

It rearly all does add up style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

[Al]

You wauld not beleave how much that all weights. Another thing that you cauld loose weight if your rearly serious is remove some of the wireing loom like electric windows, central locking and airbag.

It rearly all does add up style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

I removed a full black bin bag of superfluous wires such as the looms that are there but never had the options fitted to the car - e windows, heat seats, quick clear relays etc etc.

[1 Litre Screamer]

When the lupo cup cars were built they were ultra light weight.

There was no underseal or sound deadnind and even the dash boards have been cut to loose weight style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

You wauld not beleave how much that all weights. Another thing that you cauld loose weight if your rearly serious is remove some of the wireing loom like electric windows, central locking and airbag.

It rearly all does add up style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

i'm lucky in that i have the E model so it doesn't have the toys like central locking and electric windows,although there are still the odd redundant loom lurking in there! I will leave the dash in simply because it there already and i dont want to go to the hassle of rewiring a dash panel, i know it would save on a huge amount but i'm sure i can get it elsewhere whilst keeping some comfort!

Edited November 18, 2005 by 1 Litre Screamer

[Al]

i'm lucky in that i have the E model so it doesn't have the toys like central locking and electric windows,although there are still the odd redundant loom lurking in there! I will leave the dash in simply because it there already and i dont want to go to the hassle of rewiring a dash panel, i know it would save on a huge amount but i'm sure i can get it elsewhere whilst keeping some comfort!

Removing the dash of a car is something I would never to again - way too much hassle with hiding/lengthening the looms etc. Most cars have a standard loom for all models with the connections only made when the options installed. Just cheaper for the manufacturer.

[Ramirez]

This is how I roll:

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And yes is does make a huge difference (but much more noisy!)

[Al]

-->

QUOTE(adam b @ Nov 18 2005, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And yes is does make a huge difference (but much more noisy!)

Noise is all part of it. A rollcage would look nice in there.

[Tigz™]

lmao last year I ripped the whole interior out except the drivers seat.

Took it up the sprint track.

Still didnt manage to reach 60mph before the speed trap!

0-54mph in 15 seconds!

[Ramirez]

Noise is all part of it. A rollcage would look nice in there.

Yeah I will get a cage (hopefully in the spring)

lmao last year I ripped the whole interior out except the drivers seat.

Took it up the sprint track.

Still didnt manage to reach 60mph before the speed trap!

0-54mph in 15 seconds!

Yes but just think of what it will be capable of style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[BigMon]

Sounds like a good idea. Are you going for engine mods too?

[Petrified]

I've stripped the whole back out of mine, seats, seatbelts, wheel, carpet, panels, boot panels, plastic trim, grab handles the lot, I need to get started on the front of the car too but at the moment I'm using the car quite a bit.

As mentioned the difference is amazing, luckily I can afford to have the inconvinience of the extra noise and no spare wheel as it's not my main car. I've got a gti boot, wings, bonnet and front bumper to go on soon too so that should help. Also replaced the standard alloys with the oz superleggras which are a lot lighter. Wouldn't mind getting the car on a weighbridge sometime to see the difference. it should be around 890kg's now (948kg standard) it's going to be over 100kg's lighter by the time it's finished. I'll take some pics when it's done.

This was taken a month or so ago when I first started stripping it.

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[bossjohnc]

GTI boot is identical to all of the others! (Except for the spoiler of course)

The early 3L lupos had a magnesium alloy boot though.

[Al]

Going to have to wait a while before I can do anything to mine, in fact might start another post on the subject I'm not too sure on.....

[1 Litre Screamer]

I have got all of the interior out over the last 2 days, the only things left in are, the dash, headlining, front door pockets and a drivers seat. The cage is on order and will be around in 4 weeks, made to order, the carbon race seats with titanium sidemount subframes are going to appear in the next day or so. i have weighed the interior and found it is 106kg!! and more weight to come out with the PAS and rack, replacing with a non power lighter version. Then its seriously deep into the car mechanicals. i'm aiming to get the whole car down to 600kg or less! pics soon.

Edited November 22, 2005 by 1 Litre Screamer

[Ramirez]

Sounds like a good idea. Are you going for engine mods too?

Not shore if that was dirrected at me but... no

Putting in a 2L 16v instead

I have got all of the interior out over the last 2 days, the only things left in are, the dash, headlining, front door pockets and a drivers seat. The cage is on order and will be around in 4 weeks, made to order, the carbon race seats with titanium sidemount subframes are going to appear in the next day or so. i have weighed the interior and found it is 106kg!! and more weight to come out with the PAS and rack, replacing with a non power lighter version. Then its seriously deep into the car mechanicals. i'm aiming to get the whole car down to 600kg or less! pics soon.

Sounds interesting, but try and put as much in the boot as poss (ie battery) as the back end becomes extreamly light and promotes alot of over stear

[Crusoe]

you would be very suprised at how much difference carbonfibre shafts make, they really do change the rotating mass a huge amount. Plus they aren't that expensive either.

sorry PMSL at this on a 1lr lupo, sure you haven't been playing GT4 too much?

[1 Litre Screamer]

sorry PMSL at this on a 1lr lupo, sure you haven't been playing GT4 too much?

I wish i had GT4!

i make carbonfibre drivelines for a living, we supply basically all of the gt Lemans series cars,F1,Marine and alot more that i cant name. we are developing a carbonfibre driveshaft at the moment which shows a huge gain in the moment of acceleration over the standard steel item, not to mention the actual mass, and what better mess around than my little lupo!

See http://www.torqline.com/

as for the rear end weight issues, i can actually lift the rear of the car and walk around with it in the air!! the battery and a few other movable parts will be moved into the boot, including myself and the passenger seat. i am aiming to get the seats as far back as possible without having to mod the pedals. watch this space!!!

Edited November 22, 2005 by 1 Litre Screamer

[Crusoe]

fair enough if you have access to the parts, still doesn't really make sence to me with a 1lr though but guess an engine change might be a future mod? Lighter drive train with less mass will make it rev better but probably harm what little torque the engine develops?

Edited November 22, 2005 by Crusoe

[1 Litre Screamer]

fair enough if you have access to the parts, still doesn't really make sence to me with a 1lr though but guess an engine change might be a future mod? Lighter drive train with less mass will make it rev better but probably harm what little torque the engine develops?

i would be fairly suprised if i found large gain in performance on the 1 litre motor but its the overall and unsprung mass that will be hugely effected. From the development work we have done with a GT team we have found a consitent improvement in handling and laptimes. As for how this will transfer over to a raod car in traffic is anyones guess!

[Crusoe]

probably quite a bit more drive line shunt too if you don't balance up the weighting of the other moving parts at the same time with a lighter fly wheel etc.?