Weight again
Turbo Mini Forums

I can see this is something we'll never realy agree on...

I've been thinking about it a little though and can see where Ben is coming from;
A solid mounted subframe securely fixed to very rigid (assuming they're not rusted out) points on the rear toeboard, will add a great deal of rigidity to the rear of the vehicle.
I was (in hindsight) thinking about it wrong - from the point of a bare shell. Of course this isn't the case - and it's the whole assembly that is how i should have been looking at it.


If you rigidly mount the subframe like Miglias (ie without the trunions, rubbers, or support pins, instead with a piece of angle in each corner - Jimster has pictures) then the subframe will be adding strength to the body.
Heavy cornering forces will all be absorbed into the rear toeboard - just like if you had one of these rear 'beams' that your radius arms hang off.
I could see a situation arising however if you peppered your subframe with holes to the point it had little corner-to-corner rigidity - ie the 'legs' in which the trumpet sits weren't rigid about the front crossmember of the rear subframe. You'd have to go pretty far for this to be a problem however - but again - the front crossmember is what is taking all the sideways forces from cornering. All the rear corners are then effectlvly doing is hodling up approx 1/4 of the weight of the rear wheels - and the boot floor makes no difference to that of course.

I'd not be cutting out my boot floor unless I'd properly solid mounted my subframe. That done - It's open season. Of course there is nowhere to put your shopping or 'bass cannon' but i guess you could be hapy drinking from the winners cup instead - and use your mondeo for going shopping in!!!

Edited by turbodave16v on 27th Dec, 2005.

I think Dave is spot on with what he says about the subframe. But I dont have a subframe so the boot floor is a sructural member of my car that takes load from the coilover effects upon the rear inner arches.
What i am toying with is fabricating an alloy boot floor to resemble the original from a good quality alloy, then using DB9 and Vanquish style adhesives (the chassis are all bonded alloy) and solid rivets, replace the floor. DB9 are one of the most rigid structured cars there are, if it works for them it could work for me.
What do you think? I am sure it must be as rigid as it is now

Edited by paul wiginton on 27th Dec, 2005.

I seriously doubt it!

My subframes going nowhere!

Removing the boot floor is not just a wieght saving. Fitting a carbon-fiber boot floor gives a nice flat serface for mounting a cell tank and takes the hollow out of the subframe and a lower cg.

So on a race car this is very practical as every little helps. I wouldn't bother on a road car though.

Only my view.

You don't wanna know all the other bits that have been cut off my shell, TD & BR will go mad!!!

Edited by mini300bhp on 28th Dec, 2005.

Its only a bit of metal. If it blows it blows!

http://www.putfile.com/mini300bhp

mini300


A long time ago my mini was called "pointless" by TD. hehehe

Its your mini you do what you want!

Alex

AlexF

Agreed

I seriously doubt it!

so true alex

but its nice to be able to debate all issues on minis & place your own reasoning on the issues

there is no two peeps the same in thinking!

its you mini .......like you said

good luck!

Each to their own! I supose it depends on what the car is used for. ie, if the car is used for shopping an/or banger racing, keep the boot:)!

Edited by mini300bhp on 28th Dec, 2005.

Its only a bit of metal. If it blows it blows!

http://www.putfile.com/mini300bhp

pmsl ...pointless ...lol.

Everyone knows that instructions only have to be read if the thing doesn't work....

Its only a bit of metal. If it blows it blows!

http://www.putfile.com/mini300bhp

Fuck road we are talking 1/4 mile with a little tiny weeny bit of road. I make no compromise for road
Paul

I seriously doubt it!

my mini is very simular to Mini30000000bhp, with a huge input from Endaf Owens who is very good friends with Mark Wanstall who built Mini30000000bhp's shell. Anyway, back on topic. I agree, cutting the boot floor out of a standard mini is dodgy. My subframe is not only solid mounted in the standard places, but also in the middle of the heal board, and also the rear section of the subframe has removed and replaced with t45 tube. IMO stiffer than it left the factory. Having said that, the curly carbon boot floor is a bloody heavy.

Team Racing

thats it jim...

any excuse to show the bling bits off

hehehe

Alex

AlexF

Its not just bling bits that Jim likes to show anybody, well that is if his recent exploits are anything to go by................

Bling bling indeed

looks as though theres been more wonga spent on one rear quarter of Jims car than ive spent on mine in 9 years!!! Looks v nice

Edited by T3Tone on 29th Dec, 2005.

-MINI CLUBMAN 1380 TURBO-

And if those arms weren't painted black you'd also realise they're KAD ones aswell !!!

weight ,weight ,weight ,is that all you fuckers talk about ,my car weighs 670 kgs and jou dont here me wineing on.


carl

WWW.FORCE-RACING.CO.UK PLEASE CLICK HERE

I remember the first thing you ever said to me Carl
"what does your Sprint weigh?"

I seriously doubt it!

I remember the first thing Carl ever said to me...


And he still calls me a wanker to this day.

I seriously doubt it!

Im lovin that subframe jimster. Does that disc conversion save much weight over alloy drums?

Its only a bit of metal. If it blows it blows!

http://www.putfile.com/mini300bhp

i meant 570, btu whats 100 kgs between wankers dave,lol.


carl

WWW.FORCE-RACING.CO.UK PLEASE CLICK HERE

100kg? Well one fat f**ker that's what...

Team Racing

nice

Its only a bit of metal. If it blows it blows!

http://www.putfile.com/mini300bhp

hoping this works, its my first attempt at posting pictures...

this:


weighs nearly dead on 4.16 Kgs according to the PO's scales

didnt weigh my c/f floor before it went in, but off another forum someone mentioned they weigh 650g.



so its a saving of around 3.5 Kgs....

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"