Took the zed for a spirited drive..........

[stamford]

First time since stripping the interior and my god what a difference. Went down a few twisty country roads, gave it some beans. It is so much quicker on pick-up and reaches silly speeds in seconds. What I found really strange was that I felt slight torque steer at times which I have never really experienced before.

Cannot wait to get the clutch mechanism adjusted and Matt to tweak the map for 98/99RON.

[Ritchy]

nice one!:)

[Marky Mark]

Nice one Mick, glad you are pleased, be starting my stripping out soon, but very slowly. The map sounds very interesting also :thumbsup:

[Jay-ZS+]

Yer when dave took me out in his it seemed to pick up speed, and stop very rapidly! Glad the zs is getting another breath of life :)

[Dave MGT]

Nice one!
I remember when I 1st took mine out after taking bits out.....
Get a lightweight flywheel in there now and you will feel that differance again :)

[StragglaSteve]

nice one fella!

how far did you go with the weight redunction? did you chuck in a roll cage?

bet it was a whole new beast!

[Maxfly]

top stuff, you planning any other tweaks prior to the map tweak?? )

[stamford]

I have been in talks with a roll cage manufacturer but even the cheapest welded in version was silly expensive. If I am just to do track days I may look at making my own. I used to make them for my oval hotrods or worst case buy a second hand SD one and modify it. When I ran SEGTO hotrods the standard supplied cages were not enough for our regulations as we have to add bars etc. All I need to do is borrow an hydraulic pipe bender from a mate who still races. Not a five minute job as the bends need to be perfect in every plane, a bit of design work required. My only gripe with current cages is the door bars, I much prefer the curved ones that enter the door skin just kissing the inner skin as this gives more protection from intrusion, today's are angled as the skins and cards are generally still intact depending on regs.

As for other tweaks, I have a list but it costs alot of money so biding my time for items to come up and do it on the cheap! I'm currently hunting down some 4 pot calipers to beef the brakes up for track use. Suspension mods and a diff are on the list ;) But money is a luxury at the moment so as always I am having to be patient.

[StragglaSteve]

so with regards to stripping out the car, it didnt effect your chassis stiffness without a roll-cage put in?

only asking as im soon to be doing this. looking to take out the rear seats/seat mounting bars. along with the rear seatbelts and the bar they are mounted in which runs along the parcel shelf.

this should leave the whole back end open and i assumed it would effect the stiffness?

or did you not remove those bars?

[Marky Mark]

Mick you have started something here, sounds like it is catching on! lol Your car sounds like an interesting project with all the bits you want to do, be great to get her on track soon... :cool2:

[stamford]

so with regards to stripping out the car, it didnt effect your chassis stiffness without a roll-cage put in?

only asking as im soon to be doing this. looking to take out the rear seats/seat mounting bars. along with the rear seatbelts and the bar they are mounted in which runs along the parcel shelf.

this should leave the whole back end open and i assumed it would effect the stiffness?

or did you not remove those bars?

I have removed all the above, left the bolt in side fabs, you'll see when you remove the rear seats. Chassis stiffness is not affected by any of this, just soundproofing! Suspension braces inner and outer will improve the rear end stiffness. Roll cage will indeed stiffen the whole car up as long as it is fitted well and uses the 'A' pillar plates. You can improve this further still if you project the front and rear cage to the suspension turrets.

When I built my V8 Chevette, this was a semi-space frame design as I removed the whole front end including the bulkhead and tunnel leaving the front crossmember. I projected the front cage through the new bulkhead to include front suspension mounts. That stiffened it up nicely, the rear end was turreted as it was modified to group 4 HS spec.

[StragglaSteve]

Aha! this is good to know! i wasnt looking to increase the stiffness, just maintain the current stiffness :)

but if removing these parts wont effect that then i wont be looking for a roll-cage ;)

might be tempted by some Suspension braces though!

its funny how you notice even the smallest of weight saved! i dont know how much i will be saving with removing the rear seats and seatbelts etc... but i got about 35kg out of the car by removing the spare wheel, sub box, amp and some random junk and that was already noticable!

[stamford]

The rear seat back is latched to the rear fabs as they fold down, hinged to each side and 4 off M6 bolts the split to the floor. The lower seat section is bolted with one fixing and the steel front fabrication just lathces the front of the seat assembly. Seat belts are just dead weight and easily removed. I have left the spacesaver and jack as piece of mind as I dislike the foam cannistors.

Next is to move the battery to inside behind the passenger seat, I found my old race battery box, might invest in a newer one. This opens up some room to re-route the BMC and CAF. Then look at the remainder of the dash and see what can go and what needs to stay. Heater and controls will stay! Air-con will be on the hit-list but I need to see what needs to come out and what needs to be made up in its place etc. I know a specialist will be required to de-gas the system.

[p_b82]

sounds good... wish i could go for a spirted drive atm :(

[Jay-ZS+]

Next is to move the battery to inside behind the passenger seat, I found my old race battery box, might invest in a newer one. This opens up some room to re-route the BMC and CAF.

Or room to possibly consider turbo :fishing::evil:

[StragglaSteve]

sounds like its gonna be a beast stamford!

is the car gonna be used for track only then?

[stamford]

Or room to possibly consider turbo :fishing::evil:

No thanks, I'll leave that to people with deep pockets!

sounds like its gonna be a beast stamford!

is the car gonna be used for track only then?

No not really, it'll be tame compared to those already been there and done it. I'm doing it for fun and a little project to keep me out of the way! It'll be for track use and occasional days out :D I don't think I could cope with it being a trailored zed!

[Jay-ZS+]

No thanks, I'll leave that to people with deep pockets!

Ive got deep pockets but theres always bu99er all in them :slap:

[StragglaSteve]

Ive got deep pockets but theres always bu99er all in them :slap:

deep pockets and short arms? :tease:

[TjP]

Hehe, the OP sounds a lot like my initial reaction to stripping out the ZS, too!

At first I thought I had completely unbalanced the car (95% of the weight was lost from the rear,) because I was getting so much oversteer round corners. It wasn't long, though, until I realised that I was getting the oversteer beceause I was entering corners SO much faster, because of the extra acceleration. :ohmy:

I timed my 0-60 with a gtech the other day, and I after a couple of runs my average was around 6.6 sec, with the best being 6.51 sec. I'm not sure how accurate the gtech is, but I tried it when the car was standard and I got a best of around 7 sec (IIRC.) :bow:

Bloody noisey though.

[Maxfly]

So if you remove the air-con, obviously all pipework and compressor etc goes which i am sure will be a nice wee saving in itself but after losing the compressor do you make up a 'dummy' pully so original drive belt size suffices or do you just get a different sized belt thats shorter to take into account the missing ancillarie? I guess all you would need just a blanking plate for where comp used to sit?

[stamford]

This I need to check out and do the easiest option.

[p_b82]

think you an just get the non ac belt that your swap once you remove the AC\ pully.... matt asked repeately to take my A\c out so he could fit the FMIC that bit easier.... i refused to let him :laugh:

[StragglaSteve]

would love to take my AC out!...

if anyone knows how and wants some AC for theirs.. please feel free to come and help yourself to it ;) lol

[stamford]

I've hardly used mine in the 5 years I have had the car, so it won't be missed!

[Supercharged_Z]

cant take it off, i think the engine mount or some casing gets in the way to not have the belt there, there were also no AC models. ideas iv seen are too gut the air con pump and just have the pully. its not actualy that heavy, neither is much of the air con stuff but it all adds up

[Jay-ZS+]

I'd be interested in moving the battery as a load of audio cabling left over from the 120's boot. Any weight removed from the front has got to be worth while.

[stamford]

I've always wanted to move the battery in order to free up some space to play around with the induction system.

[Marky Mark]

Sounds interesting, but is the air-con removal a straight forward job, looking in the Haynes manual it sounds complicated, think you will save about 10kg removing it? :unsure:

[Jay-ZS+]

I've always wanted to move the battery in order to free up some space to play around with the induction system.

Wouldn't have thought your setup could get much better certainly produces good results, unless you loose one of your head lights like Ross did with ASBO

[stamford]

Wouldn't have thought your setup could get much better certainly produces good results, unless you loose one of your head lights like Ross did with ASBO

I did that back in the early 90s when developing the VECTIS system which later made its way into the BTCC. Track tests showed 15% improvement in top end and improved laptimes. Headlamp aperture is the best way to get air in, big surface area and nearest to the inlet.

[Jay-ZS+]

I did that back in the early 90s when developing the VECTIS system which later made its way into the BTCC. Track tests showed 15% improvement in top end and improved laptimes. Headlamp aperture is the best way to get air in, big surface area and nearest to the inlet.

Plus possible on the zs with the twin lights without loosing complete functionability. Not sure it would be MOT worthly though!

[Roverdose214]

Wish i got these sort of responses on Rovertech when i stripped my ZS lol.

Everything was improved from stripping the car bar the noise, but just turn the radio up

Simples... :)

[Jay-ZS+]

If you had a radio it wasn't stripped :laugh: that's what iPods are for!!

[stamford]

I've left the door cards in for now, along with an old head unit just to drown the noise! Not quite ready to lose the stereo yet, don't own an ipod. My phone has 16gb so that'll do for me.

[Marky Mark]

Lol Mick.

You have got to have some sort of sounds whilst driving your car. I'm ditching my rear speakers now once the back is all stripped otherwise putting more weight back in again with MDF!!

Have you removed any soundproofing yet? :D

[stamford]

I am leaving the floor as is for now. That stuff is messy to remove and will leave it untidy, seeing that it is painted over I won't gain much by scraping it off. Roof lining is still in place, again no gain to remove, it'll probably add to the droning and condensation. Just the bulkhead panels to remove and what I can find under the dash and the bonnet lining.

Saying that, when I get stuck in I do get carried away! :laugh: Kathy will be in for a shock when she goes in it again!

Need to get some aluminium chequer plate for the floor for heel protection.

[Jay-ZS+]

Need to get some aluminium chequer plate for the floor for heel protection.

That what I was goin to use and though about aluminium/ fiberglass or carbon fibre door cards. All in good time though

[Murray203ps]

Blimey Mick sounds like you really going to town. Good that the Zed still holds so much interest for you. Would defo have given my old ZS a run for it's money on track now. Would have loved to have done the stripping out thing when i had mine but the wife would never have gone for it.:evilmad:

[stamford]

Blimey Mick sounds like you really going to town. Good that the Zed still holds so much interest for you. Would defo have given my old ZS a run for it's money on track now. Would have loved to have done the stripping out thing when i had mine but the wife would never have gone for it.:evilmad:

Kathy has her MGF now and we have the Discovery for everyday/family/dogs so I can do as I please now :D

[Jay-ZS+]

Would have loved to have done the stripping out thing when i had mine but the wife would never have gone for it.:evilmad:

My Misses hates the car, is says it's too fast and the ride hurts her back, and she can't stand my driving. Lol I tell her it's quick, handles well and is good fun!! But either way whenever we go anywhere together we take her car. So It will be stripped :)

[Murray203ps]

My Misses hates the car, is says it's too fast and the ride hurts her back, and she can't stand my driving. Lol I tell her it's quick, handles well and is good fun!! But either way whenever we go anywhere together we take her car. So It will be stripped :)

Glad that you can fulfill my dreams for me Jay.....My god that sounds gay.:huh: