Weight reduction for track days

[Mark]

Im trying to strip some weight out of my e12 for mild track days, without it looking like an all out race car, any ideas of what else I can take out to reduce weight, car doesnt have air con, so far taken out the following,

Rear trunk lid panels and tool box
Wood from spare wheel cover
All side and rear light trim from trunk
Centre console sides and gear lever gaiter
Door shut grey plastic scuff panels
Rubber matting under carpets
Rear speakers

Lost about 40 lbs so far, there was some unnecessary hi-fi cabling thats gone too.

Going to try to replace my 4 electric windows with manual, as well as the unfortunate 7 series sport electric seats, heavyyyy.

Any ideas ?

Thanks,

Mark

[Mike W.]

Going to try to replace my 4 electric windows with manual, as well as the unfortunate 7 series sport electric seats, heavyyyy.

Power comforts are about 80 pounds each. I don't know if you have E28 sports or what since E23's never came with sport seats, but even they are heavy, but not as bad as the power comforts. Something like 40 pounds heavier than manuals, EACH! Heavy suckers as I find out each time I go to move one

[T.Hanson]

When I stripped the 635 interior for rust attack the car sits an inch or two higher on the springs. Wouldn't surprise me to see 300 pounds total for the rear and stock passenger seats, carpet, pads, panels.

Very Walter Mitty race car sounds without all that, too.

Do remember the engine is up front and necessary, so removing things aft will get you a more waggley tail.

Not sure I'd go to the trouble of roll up conversion just for weight. Maybe if the electrics are toast beyond repair, or pure preference.

Or, weld the doors shut, add cage and plexiglass bolt-in (dark tinted) window panels.

[Mark]

Thanks for the advice guys, the seats are out of a 7 series sport, I took the arm rests off the seats last night, wow, even the arm rests are heavy on their own, and judging by the amount of motors, pulleys, levers and pumps etc I could see, they must weigh a lot. Im trying to find some alternatives, maybe just simple early 325is seats, in black cloth, im sure I can make most BMW seats fit as my 7 series seats have had special angle brackets made up. If im saving 40 lbs a seat, thats another 80 lbs right there. My battery is in the trunk as I am aware that taking from the middle forward may upset things. As for the windows, im not sure how much 4 electric window motors weigh, but im guessing a reasonable amount. If I can get all the right parts I may be able to loose say 200 lbs with no spare wheel in the back on a track day, mmmmm,
Any advice on which seats would be a good alternative would be appreciated.

Mark.

[pappentl]

The euro e23 cars came with sport seats as an option, I have a set of pearl, manual sport seats out of my old '84 735i sitting in the garage. I'd look for manual sports seats from an e28 or e23 or go with the manual e30 seats (which I am currently using in my e12). You can also find actual Recarro seats occasionally, these only need a mounting bracket to work in the e12.

Going to try to replace my 4 electric windows with manual, as well as the unfortunate 7 series sport electric seats, heavyyyy.

Power comforts are about 80 pounds each. I don't know if you have E28 sports or what since E23's never came with sport seats, but even they are heavy, but not as bad as the power comforts. Something like 40 pounds heavier than manuals, EACH! Heavy suckers as I find out each time I go to move one

[Mark]

My current seats have the seat belt buckle bolted to the seat itself, the seats ive been offered dont have that I think, are there threaded holes on the transmission tunnel to bolt them on to in an e12.

Been offered a pair of e30 black leather recaros for $50, but they need re-covering so im going to have to work out how much that would cost, I think ive seen new covers on ebay, but im thinking I might go for the black cloth instead of leather (Lighter .

Alternatively ive been offered a pair of lightweight racing seats from a Porsche 914, they weigh about 10-15 lbs each, kind of a plastic bucket type with inserts, they need re-covering too, and they have no runners so that may be an issue, and theyre $100, but.....30 lbs max in total is intriguing.

If anybody knows a cheap source for recaro cloth re-cover sets, let me know,

Thanks,

Mark