dilemma

[aerosport]

hi everyone, i'm new on this forum so i don't know if there already exist sth like this.

i'm planning to buy a westfield 2l 200 hp (which i saw in another topic only has 175 bhp?) aerosport. i want to use it on the track and cruising on the road.

i want it to be freaking fast so i'm planning to replace the aluminium parts with carbon (would it make a lot of diffrence?, how many kg?). but when i saw the westfield interior i tought it looked rather awesome,(how much does all the carpets weight?) but then i don't want the car to be some kind of compromise i want it to be as good on the track as it can be, and i also would like to fit a boot+lid, i'll figure sth out for the rac roll bar , will that also compromise the performance?. so i'm actually completely lost i just want it to be nice to sit in, but awesome on the track (is the westfield without interior a good place to be in?)

oh and one more question is there any diffrence between the sport and the aerosport suspension

thanks a lot guys, i know, a lot of questions, but i'm never gonna figure it out on my own

[pistonbroke]

Yep taking the carpets out will help , gives you another 25 bhp at least  

seriously though any reduction in weight will improve the power to weight ratio , unfortunatly westfield ally panels and westfield carpets dont weigh a lot in the first place .

replacing with CF would cost large amounts of dosh which could be better spent elswhere in the search for more power . Also paying for carbon then adding a boot lid is kind of counter productive IMO  

[Hammy]

Buy it, drive it,  and think about it  and don't be in too much of a rush to throw money at it.

There are all sorts of options:

* Getting the handling spot on and a set of track wheels and tyres may give a much faster car/£ on the track than a power upgrade, but may add oil surge problems.

* A hugely powerful motor may be more peaky (not sure) and give worse drivebility on the road.

* other items such as close gear ratios can make a bigger difference  in terms of using the power band available.

good luck ,have fun!

[JohnCh]

My (worn) carpet set weighed a little under 4.2kg.  If you are in a weight savings mode where every little bit counts, then it is an easy target.  In isolation, however, it is only 4kg.  

If you like the aesthetic of the factory carpet, but want the weight savings, then why don’t you install it in such a way that it is easily removed for track days?  By not placing the carpet under the seat runners, and by creatively using snaps and Velcro, you should have a carpet set that you can remove/reinstall in just a few minutes.  Best of both worlds

-John

[brindle]

I plan to lose about 30kg from the gross weight of the westy over winter.  its going to be tough, but should be worth the effort and not cost too much / change the appearance of the car.

This shows you in more detail how it can be achieved

add lightness

[Hammy]

This shows you in more detail how it can be achieved

add lightness

Excellent !!  

On a more serious note if your car weight say 700kg and produces 175 Bhp then that is 175* 1000/750 bhp per tonne or 250 bhp/tonne.

At this weight *incremental* weight loss is worth .25bhp for every 1 kg you lose, or for example 2.5 bhp for dumping 10kg of weight, so its tough going for a big increase..

Carpet is worth about 1BHP, driving naked might be worth about the same although the performance increase may seem more.

Weight loss in wheels has the double wammy of improving handling due to reduced unsprung weight and Gyro type forces plus.. and... I can't do the sums, an even more dramatic effect on performance due to the energy stored in the rotating mass ( flywheel effect) which is more effective in adding BHP than just due to static weight alone ( 0.5Mrw^2  anyone?) . (basically you have to spin up the wheels which takes power)

[devans414]

This shows you in more detail how it can be achieved

add lightness

Excellent !!  <!--emo&

On a more serious note if your car weight say 700kg and produces 175 Bhp then that is 175* 1000/750 bhp per tonne or 250 bhp/tonne.

At this weight *incremental* weight loss is worth .25bhp for every 1 kg you lose, or for example 2.5 bhp for dumping 10kg of weight, so its tough going for a big increase..

Carpet is worth about 1BHP, driving naked might be worth about the same although the performance increase may seem more.

Weight loss in wheels has the double wammy of improving handling due to reduced unsprung weight and Gyro type forces plus.. and... I can't do the sums, an even more dramatic effect on performance due to the energy stored in the rotating mass ( flywheel effect) which is more effective in adding BHP than just due to static weight alone ( 0.5Mrw^2  anyone?) . (basically you have to spin up the wheels which takes power)

I am impressed!

[markcoopers]

I'm afraid this is the wrong question to ask, let me explain by putting it this way?

Does sir want his 200bhp hatch to be Honda civic Type  R fast or BMW 123d fast? They both produce 200bhp, but will drive and feel very different.

Ignore the claimed bhp figures, they are to all intents and purposes a waste of time to everyone but the owner who can see what improvment any mods have yielded. No two RR's will give the same result, let along the same Rr on different days and some of the claims made on here and other sites are a little optermistic, quoting parts catalougs as gospel.

I realise that is a sweeping statement, but seriously try a few cars and look at the whole package.

An areoscreen is said to be worth 20 or so Bhp, but only when wind resistance is an issue at the higher mph. 0-40 i doubt it has a measurable effect, getting from 90-120  a hugh one.

Close ratio gears or better still ratios that match what you need will be a massive speed advantage over a standard type 9 or MT75. Likewise the diff ratio and the tyres. Idealy these should all be talked about as one component as they all effect each other.

A well set up chassis will pay a massive dividend on track when you know just how much more grip you have and thus speed through any given point. Confidence in these cars is pretty paramount to getting a good lap time.

[Blatman]

i want to use it on the track and cruising on the road.

i want it to be freaking fast so i'm planning to replace the aluminium parts with carbon (would it make a lot of diffrence?, how many kg?). but when i saw the westfield interior i tought it looked rather awesome,(how much does all the carpets weight?) but then i don't want the car to be some kind of compromise i want it to be as good on the track as it can be, and i also would like to fit a boot+lid, i'll figure sth out for the rac roll bar

Sounds like a lot of compromising to me!

If you want a properlyll good track car, chances are it'll be hard work on the road. Likewiese a good road car won't be setting lap records on the track. But what are you used to? If, like many people, you're new to RWD and higher than usual power to weight ratio, then you're going to be blown away pretty much whatever you get. I'd go to your local meeting and chew the fat with some owners. Some may even take you for a spin, just don't go on a full stomach