Name some very, very light cars

alfadriver wrote: I knew these were light- but I didn't realize they were THAT light until I read it to reply to Gameboy's post. 605 lb. Geez, that's light. Almost FSAE light.

Yeah, and they were motorcycle driven.

Talk to Mr Joshua about a Berkeley or a Citicar.

Oh and speaking of Yugo:

Party in the back:

Business in the front?:

alfadriver wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Sevenesque...into the 3-digits if you build them light enough! Modernbeat had one like this.

Keith has mentioned before that the only sub 1000lb Locosts he's aware of are bike powered. While a ton of work to make one, seems the easiest way to get a super light car. Easier than finding a 605lb Berkeley (according to the Wiki page)

According to the GRM article on the Lotus 7 (was sometime in the 90s) a Series 1 would weigh about 975lb. With an iron engine.

Of course, this is not a Locost.

There's a vintage Fiat 500 near me in a mild state of disrepair that I've had the same ideas on. The compartment behind the seats is just the right size. Wikipedia says they were around 1100lb.

In the end its something that would be a lot of work and end up as an autocrosser. I think I'd rather have something for the track.

It's only natural, being a GRM'er, that the berkeley is the obvious choice here.

If I had a berkeley, I would give it to you

In reply to Spoolpigeon:

Brilliant.

Toyota Starlet KP61. 1750lbs. Front engine RWD!

Although heavy in this crowd, I'd like to see someone do something interesting with a Honda Insight.....the first gen one, not the 2nd gen travesty...

VW bug and related models? What's nice is that since the floor pan separates from the body, you can build a very nice tube frame, suspension and drivetrain, then just plunk the body back on.

Spoolpigeon wrote: It's only natural, being a GRM'er, that the berkeley is the obvious choice here. If I had a berkeley, I would give it to you

You're a rare one, then. Most people don't give a berkeley.

1340 Hayabusa motor w/ a Bazazz ECU in your choice of Lotus 7 clone chassis. Seriously. You want room for tire and to be seated >3" from the pavement.

Kreb wrote: VW bug and related models? What's nice is that since the floor pan separates from the body, you can build a very nice tube frame, suspension and drivetrain, then just plunk the body back on.

Bet you could be under 1K lb's with this. My Riot weighed allegedly 900lb's with a duel port motor and very very minimal interior. It could have used 100lb's of cage though.

Opel Kadett 1100 models are in the 1700# range despite cast iron engine and trans and come with 4.11 rear axles. How many do you want?

Start with this. Add doors and tube frame.

I like where this is going

Just to whet the appetite a bit:

http://www.modifiedhealeys.org/Photos/126Marian/Marian.htm

Yup

Ciitroen 2CV, ~1250lbs, and the suspension!

what about a dwarf/legands race car? already motorcycle engine, ~1100 lbs, 120+ hp, good suspension out of the gate, and has a toyota rear axle so almost any gear ratio is available. Just go through the standard dune buggy process of making it street legal in your state and your good to go.

alfadriver wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: Sevenesque...into the 3-digits if you build them light enough! Modernbeat had one like this.

Keith has mentioned before that the only sub 1000lb Locosts he's aware of are bike powered. While a ton of work to make one, seems the easiest way to get a super light car. Easier than finding a 605lb Berkeley (according to the Wiki page)

Yep, modernbeat's was bike powered:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/528/

130 Pounds.

If you put a decent Mustang V8 into a TR-4 and striped out some weight, you could come up with 300hp in an 1800# car. That's 6 pounds per horsepower.

If you put a ZZ502 into a TR-4 and striped out some weight, you could come up with 500hp in a 2000# car. That's 4 pounds per horsepower.

If you added twin turbos to the 502, you could boost that to 1000hp in a 2400 pound car. (I am assuming some upgrades to the brakes and such here) and you would have 2.4 pounds per horsepower.

This doesn't help you at all, but it was fun to think about. The TR-4 is a 2200 pounds car, pretty porky in this crowd.

I thought my MK1 MR2 was pretty light, and it was 2350#.

Knurled wrote:

Spoolpigeon wrote: It's only natural, being a GRM'er, that the berkeley is the obvious choice here. If I had a berkeley, I would give it to you

You're a rare one, then. Most people don't give a berkeley.

I'm a generous guy. I like the little cars. They are deserving of a cool build thread, so I would give a berkeley for berkeleys sake

That was an interesting read.

I've narrowed down to:

• Must be rear wheel drive whether it started that way or not
• must be track worthy when done
• I like locosts/sevens but that isn't what I want here
• I'm still liking a lot of Fiats for this, but LBCs are the easy button
• The bike engine may have to be replaced with a modern FWD engine/transaxle in the rear to get appropriate power if I want the heavier pretty bodies.
• I don't give a Berkley either
• A friend said "What you want is an Exoset and drop a cool body on it, done" like that was a no brainer. He may be right. Anyone looked into the proportions to see what can be skinned onto it?

Subaru 360, rwd, 1,000lbs. Would take some doing to make track worthy.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Ciitroen 2CV, ~1250lbs, and the suspension!

Be sure to take your Dramamine before driving.