Like I mentioned in another thread, I'm about to start working on a battery box that uses Odyssey batteries. If anyone wants to use an Optima Redtop, talk to Stuart about sourcing the kit from the GT4 race car. I should be able to drop 10, 20, or 30 lbs from the car depending on the battery used (PC1200, PC925, or PC680, respectively).

The thread I made for the battery box got deleted due to breaking forum rules (I was basically starting a group buy, which is a no-no for members and definitely not allowed for moderators).

I'm prototyping one on my car and once completed we'll go from there.

 

Little off topic, but putting a classified section in the sub forum(Aston Martin) for "regular users" , and make it so above a set amount of posts can sell..should be allowed or setup. Would make finding and selling parts easier for that brand. Or at least in the user classified section, have it broken down into sub forums..that way you can post in that sub forum and browse in the sub forum for stuff like ..ex: your group buy

 

You can do that by searching within a forum section. This will bring up private-party sales of Aston parts:

Click on "Search" then "Advanced Search"
Type in "Aston" for the search term, then select the sub-forum to search within. In this case, "Automotive Parts & Accessories For Sale/Wanted"

But even then, by setting up the group buy I was acting like a vendor. It wasn't really just me unloading some parts - it was me selling a brand new product. Vendors pay to advertise and sell on the forums, and that's what keeps the forum free for users. I didn't really think about the group buy when I made my post. Rather, I was entirely focused on the project itself. Sooo I just glossed over the fact that I was breaking forum rules.

 

Looks like the PC925 is *wider* than the OEM battery by 0.2"... not much but kills the idea I had for the modular design. The PC680 is tiny and will be an easy fit.

To replace the PC925, I'll be designing for a Braille B3121. It's smaller and more powerful than the PC925, but more expensive (completely within reason, in my book).

So, unless I get a surprise thrown my way as I dig into this project, I'll be designing for the Odyssey PC680 and Braille B3121, giving me an option for both a small- and medium-sized battery and dropping (respectively) depending on what I want to use at any time.

 

Just wanted to get some notes down...

I weighed my OEM 19" 7-spoke wheels and my spare MPSS tires.

Front 19x8.5" wheel: 25.0 lbs
Front 245/40R19 tire: 24.2 lbs
Total front: 49.2 lbs

Rear 19x9.5" wheel: 26.6 lbs
Rear 285/35R19 tire: 27.4 lbs
Total rear: 54.0 lbs

For accuracy's sake, Tire Rack lists these tires at 25 lbs (f) and 28 lbs (r). Between them having a slight amount of rubber missing from use and [presumably] Tire Rack rounding to the nearest pound, I'm going to assume the numbers are accurate. I didn't have time to weigh my current wheel/tires but I'll be doing that Sunday morning and posting the total weights for comparison. This should give me my wheel weights within a pound, since I didn't weigh them before mounting the tires. I'm sure others have weighed these wheels before, but I wanted to get a weight comparison between my OEM wheels and custom 5-spoke wheels. Using the same scale for both measurements will help with accuracy.

 

why haven't you considered the flywheel/clutch option? Saving 17 pounds off your driveline is no joke. Add another 27 pounds (as another member mentioned with brakes and tires) is a significant 44 pounds off the driveline. And if there's one thing the v8 driveline needs it's less reciprocating mass

 

Definitely will, but waiting for my clutch to go.

 

I just got a brand new vantage GT and I heard replacing the clutch/flywheel is a HUGE job (as in they even need to drop the engine a bit).

Is this true? And do you think it's worth it for a brand new car?

How soon do the stock clutches go out anyway? (For a car that's taken to the track)

Just curious. 17 lbs is a nice savings!

 

Front wheel and tire: 45.4 lbs
Rear wheel and tire: 48.0 lbs

So a loss of 3.8 lbs per front wheel and 6.0 lbs per rear wheel, for a total weight reduction of 19.6 lbs

EDIT: The 19.6 lb weight loss is wheels only. Accounting for the MPSS tires compared to the OEM Bridgestones, I've actually lost 26-27 lbs. Pretty awesome considering I'm using larger tires and wheels with a more aggressive offset!

I think it's worth it to do when you need to replace your clutch. If money is less of a concern, go for it. I don't have that luxury so I'm waiting lol

Lifespan of the OEM clutch varies wildly, anywhere from 15k to 50k+. I think it depends on how you drive it.

 

I'm sorry, I don't know the labour costs involved, but you can PM Stu@velocity, he's a helpful chap.

Is it worth it? Well, that's a subjective question; the V8 vantage has rather a lot of reciprocating mass, hence the lack of throttle response. If you're able to get 40 pounds off that with the clutch/flywheel, brakes, wheels, and tires, that should make a significant difference to how the engine revs/responds.

 

No!

..it's only a few nuts and bolts, Well then again "only a few" might mean more to others..LOL

Trans and torque tube come out and an exhaust manifold..Volla, you have access to the clutch!

 

Battery & seats are your next two big ones.

Here is the special battery boxes I used to use for my odyssey battery back when I ran them in my BMW M3 race cars. Odyssey PC680 is fine and will do the trick, mine rarely ever drew down unless I didn't drive it for over a month. As long as you drive the car once every two weeks zero issues. It's also waaaay cheaper than the lithium ion battery

http://www.apexhyperformance.com/partners/wiles.html

http://www.apexhyperformance.com/partners/wiles.html

 

So. Friggin. Heavy.

OEM battery weighing in at 53.6 lbs, give or take 1/4 lb.



So it should be easy to drop around 30 lbs with a custom mount and lighter battery.

 

The bar that goes across the luggage shelf is aluminum and is actually really, really light. The carpeted shelf itself is slightly heavier than the metal bar.

The bracket clamps that hold the battery in place are also lightweight aluminum.

The base that the battery sits on is a permanent fixture - it's got a rivet and chassis epoxy keeping it there. The clamp-style design complicates my plans for the custom battery box substantially, but should still be doable so long as my fabricator is up to it (and doesn't break my wallet lol). I'm hoping to know by the end of the week.

Regardless, the larger of the two batteries I'm designing for will drop about 30 lbs from the car. The lighter battery will drop about 5 lbs more than that.

 

Cross post from the DIY battery thread to keep the info together:

I'm going to be putting in a Braille B3121 using the custom mount I'm designing right now. I was going to dual-design for both the Braille and an Odyssey PC680, but the risk for the extra weight savings is a bit much...

OEM Varta: 53.6 lbs, 90 Ah, 2 hrs 50 mins reserve
Braille B3120: 21 lbs, 31 Ah, 1 hr 15 mins reserve
PC680: 15.4 lbs, 16 Ah, 24 mins reserve

My goal for all the stuff I'm developing is to make it a reasonable compromise. I think the Braille fits the bill for that - 30 lbs weight loss without as much concern for the battery going flat from non-use. The Odyssey's added risk for only a little extra weight savings is too far from what I'd consider a compromise.

The Braille can be bought from a number of vendors for about $230. The Odyssey is about half that but again, not worth the risk in my book.