Dum-Dums Bianca GTi6

[Dum-Dum]

SERIOUSLY did you weigh the trim screws?

Yep!

Bollocks, i was the sucker stood there with the scales. :p Gotta say though, was quite interesting to see what all the different bits weighed. Also, why the feck is there 100g difference between the o/s and n/s rear quarter insulation..? They were both the same size, same thickness and dry as a bone...

Dum, why are you buying a glovebox if you're only going to hack the dash apart in a month to try and even up the weight dist. again?

Yeah those 2 bits of insulation were an absolute shocker, I just cant see how (or why) one is 25% heavier.

I will be keeping the dash untill I can afford a cage. I hate the cages that stop before the dash board.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't run a stripped out standard GTi6. The weight savings you've indicated so far just don't make it worth it, unless it was for competition. In which instance you'd be adding in a 50kg+ cage to meet with the regs anyway!

It's good that you're having a laugh and all that but I think I'd prefer a car with a full interior and just put up with the extra weight of it, as the benefits of having a full interior in this instance seem to outweigh the advantage of shaving the weight in the first place.

If you're going to do it then go all-out, strip, cage, buckets and harnesses. But you'll remember Nick!'s red Rallye from back in the day, it made little compromises to save weight and it was quite a chore to drive any great distance (such as to a trackday) - yes it's a bloody good laugh when you're having a hoon but this is never, ever 100% of the time, since we have traffic, crap roads and poor weather to contend with every day.

In a nutshell; stripped interiors look wank, are not nice to spend long periods of time in and ultimately the gains aren't worth it on the road.

Does your insurance co. know that you've shed all this weight? As a car is insured for carrying X amount of passengers (4 + driver in this case). I'd wager there's a possibility you can invalidate insurance policies without advising them.

Mine will be fully stripped with buckets, this is just the start.

Ive had modified car insurance for many years now mate, I wouldnt risk not telling them especially as it only costs an admin fee for most mods. Think theyer gonna ra*e me when I fit my nitrous though.

In my old HDi that was stripped I never felt uncomfortable on long journeys, TBH I actually found it nicer to drive distances as the seat was far enough back I could stretch my legs rather then being squished up.

IYO. Stripped interiors look the tits IMO, have it fully stripped from front seats back, with a net. Will be losing standard seats for buckets, standard seatbelts for harnesses, will also have a cage. Once done I intend to use it on as many trackways as possible. I don't see it being a chore to drive atall, infact feels better to drive, feels a lot nippier? Only down side is increased noise, but with decent tyres can be reduced

Yeah I love the look, Its defo "because racecar" I definitely intend to get out on the track more.

Of course all my opinion!

I did like the 'theatre' so to speak of the journey time spent in Nick's Rallye (you might remember I got him to drive me up to a Christmas meet after I wrote off my GTi6...) but I couldn't live with it everyday. One other consideration is to make sure you don't need to reach anything from the drivers seat if you're installing harnesses. Those sunglasses? Keep them in reach. The MP3 player? Again don't put it in the glovebox as it'll be out of reach. Want to change a CD? Keep that in reach too haha!

Fond memories of doing 80 down dual carriageway and undoing my harness so I could change the CD!

Wait til the winter too. That carpet you remove is very good at insulating the car. Without it, it's bloody cold!

Ive gotta be honest I love the drama of it all even if its only a drive to work. The climb in, set the stereo before you move off, strap yourself in, start the engine, whole car buzzes and tingles like its alive. I absolutely love it.

Winter dosent bother me, Im sued to working outside when its freezing.
Ive got an iPod and bluetooth stereo that I can operate off the stalk so thats no issue.
I know to keep the stuff that I need within reach from having had a stripped car before.