Calling Jenny Craig

[decoupe]

We have automated public weigh scales on the highway between Canmore and Calgary and I finally ran the car (73 CS) over it. Front only, car, rear only and converted from metric - reveals some interesting facts ( to me anyway) and dangerous conclusions.

Total weight = 3235lb (with no occupants and 3/4 tank of gas).
Front = 1747 lb (battery in rear)
Rear = 1488 lb (no spare - pump and latex sealer kit)

F/R Weight Distribution = 54/46 (so much for 50/50 - ever wonder why the rear occasionally passes the front ?)

So to make a perfect world, 130lb has to move from the front to the rear or just remove 260lb from the front and get the added bonus of less overall weigh to move and stop.

4 Cylinder transplant? (sounds like a turbo'd m10 or an s14 to maintain the current horsepower). Get rid of the bumper, change to composite fenders, doors and hood? Barbells to go into the trunk? Lessons to eliminate driver induced rotation?

Doesn't make much differnce in a straight line though.

 

[tripower]

Total weight = 3235lb (with no occupants and 3/4 tank of gas).
Front = 1747 lb (battery in rear)
Rear = 1488 lb (no spare - pump and latex sealer kit)

F/R Weight Distribution = 54/46 (so much for 50/50 - ever wonder why the rear occasionally passes the front ?)

The R&T test drive for the 73 put the Curb Weight at 3175lbs and the test weight at 3480lbs with a weight distribution of 57/43.
http://www.cscoupe.org/press/rt_july_aug_1973/page91.jpg

So, I don't know why you are surprised at this. With the exception of a few high performance and race cars BMW’s have never been know as lightweight machines. The e46 M3 is in the same weight range and is a very fast and maneuverable car. The racing version of the CS was approximately 1000lbs less than the street version.

 

[Arde]

So to make a perfect world, 130lb has to move from the front to the rear

Well, we pondered that question at Scott Andrew's place over beers and the solution is obvious. Remove the front seats and drive the car from the rear seats. Amazing how beers open up creative insights.

 

[Philip Slate]

So to make a perfect world, 130lb has to move from the front to the rear

Well, we pondered that question at Scott Andrew's place over beers and the solution is obvious. Remove the front seats and drive the car from the rear seats. Amazing how beers open up creative insights.

How much beer does it take to create the illusion of weighing 130 lbs?

 

[Arde]

How much beer does it take to create the illusion of weighing 130 lbs?

Ah, by the third round one realizes that driving from the back seat does not move your entire weight to the rear of the car... You can solve the integrals or ask TJ about weight shifting in motorcycles.

 

[ScottAndrews]

Ah, by the third round one realizes that driving from the back seat does not move your entire weight to the rear of the car... You can solve the integrals or ask TJ about weight shifting in motorcycles.

True, but after all that beer, I weigh a lot more than 130 LB!!!

S

 

[corsachili]

Shifting weight on a motorcycle huh? Interesting analogy. The primary reason for "hanging off" as it is called, is to reduce the required lean angle at a given speed through a corner. The greater the lean angle the smaller the contact patch (as the tire gets close to the edge). The smaller the contact patch, the less traction, and the less traction, well...........you can imagine. With the motorcycle in a more vertical position, the rider can be on the gas earlier and more agressively as he exits the turn, thus reducing laptimes and perhaps passing fellow racers.

Current road and race machines make so much horsepower that acceleration is limited not by available power, but by traction. Most any 600cc sportbike will spin the rear tire on corner exits if the throttle jockey puts the spurs to it in a rude fashion. Given these situations, and the fact that traction control is now legal in many race classes, the way you execute a pass is not on corner exit, but on corner entry, under braking. At that point it's a true test of rider skill and the size of his cajones.

See? It's actually not about horsepower at all.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Obligatory CS reference.

"Coupes are cool"

"Motorcycles..........yeah............they wanna fall over"-Burnham

"It's better to enter a corner slow and come out fast than it is to enter a corner too fast and not come out at all"-Roberts

 

[velocewest]

How much beer does it take to create the illusion of weighing 130 lbs?

How much did it look like she weighed before you started drinking? And remember, it's not linear, it's progressive -- the first three beers together will only take off 10 lb or so, but after 5 or 6 you might lighten her up by as much as 10 lbs per beer... :wink:

 

[ScottAndrews]

How much beer does it take to create the illusion of weighing 130 lbs?

How much did it look like she weighed before you started drinking? And remember, it's not linear, it's progressive -- the first three beers together will only take off 10 lb or so, but after 5 or 6 you might lighten her up by as much as 10 lbs per beer... :wink:

ROTFLMAO!!!

S