Fat 944 Spec Drivers Rejoice!

[Sterling Doc]

Building a new car over the winter, I took the time to see what can reasonably be done on weight reduction with the new rules.

 

First - the car has a full Hanksville cage, with dual Nascar bars, a rear diagonal, extra roof bar, and still has the door bars in place, so no corners were cut with safety. Also, the car has an (empty) cool suit cooler, radio, rubber bumper pads, and no undercoating was stripped.

 

85.5 Chassis, weighed in at 2308, with tank drained. If the cooler, radio, and bumper pads came off, it could be under 2300 lbs.

 

Weight loss vs my old cars came from:

 

1) Ditching the OEM wiring harness and fuse box (nice mod, but a bit time consuming to wire) - worth 33 lbs

 

2) Replacing OEM sunroof with aluminum panel (definitely worthwhile) - worth about 15 lbs.

 

3) Cutting out the rear tire well (not worth it, would not do it again) - worth about 18 lbs.

 

4) Less bulky exhaust/muffler (worthwhile only if you need the weight)

 

5) Aluminum dash board (my old cars had this, with a stock cluster, but it's worth quite a bit on oval dash cars)

 

Anyway, anybody should be able to make weigh these days, and you don't have to go crazy. I'm going to add a passenger seat & some ballast to make weight.

[Karl Zimmermann]

We have a wonderful guy in Spec Miata who would say...

 

"Double Meat, Double Cheese will sleep well tonight"

 

I had a feeling we could get these cars down there. I'd really like to get a Spec to the legal limit for Cup and see how it does.

[comatb]

We have a wonderful guy in Spec Miata who would say...

 

"Double Meat, Double Cheese will sleep well tonight"

 

I had a feeling we could get these cars down there. I'd really like to get a Spec to the legal limit for Cup and see how it does.

That would be very interesting, but would that be on R888's or RA1's?

 

Bill

[jaje]

I will note that I'm not a big fan of the autopower cages b/c they are designed to fit with the interior still in. It makes the cages much closer than they need to be especially for a racear. I think after this season I will be having the front of the cage modified from the rear section forward (basically from the cage advances forward to around the driver / passenger) and have the cage go all the way to the floor near the firewall and add the nascar sides. Being tall puts my head too close to the upper part of the roll cage and too close to the sides. I would advise those who are building racecars to spend a little more and buy a cage designed for a gutted 944.

[Sterling Doc]

Agree, and I have been very pleased with the Hanksville pre-bent cage. It may worth starting from scratch with this versus modifying the Autopower, especially if you know/have access to a good welder. Custom fitting a cage yourself is hugely time consuming.

 

If you want to go fully custom, look up Izzy's cages - he's done some nice work on 944's.

[loftygoals]

If you want to go fully custom, look up Izzy's cages - he's done some nice work on 944's.

 

 

Yeah, Izzy's did my cage and I am extremely pleased with the work. Scott Rhea, owner of Izzy's, is great to work with. Even though you'd have to tow across the state on I-70, it is well worth the trip. http://www.izzyscustomcages.com/

 

-bj

[944-Spec#94]

I think after this season I will be having the front of the cage modified from the rear section forward (basically from the cage advances forward to around the driver / passenger) and have the cage go all the way to the floor near the firewall and add the nascar sides. Being tall puts my head too close to the upper part of the roll cage and too close to the sides. I would advise those who are building racecars to spend a little more and buy a cage designed for a gutted 944.

 

I suggest removing the Autopower entirely and going either custom or Hanksville. Really tall guys are probably best going custom to ensure they fit in the car. If you are over 6'2" any prebent cage may not fit you perfect. We have a racer here who is 6'5" and the autopower did not fit well at all. Custom was the right way to ensure he fit as you can get harness bar set right and main hoop set right.

 

If you are merely tall rather than super tall Hank's prebent may be fine as it is a nice design.

 

Now the big reason to remove the autopower entirely is two things. Main hoop position and you can try to sell it complete. The autopower works great for what it is any many racers have them. I'd bet you can sell it for a high percentage of what you paid and it will make another racer quite happy.