mlhj83 Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Hello chaps. I'm in the process of lightening my car without loosing practicality. Planning to loose at least 90-100kgs. One of the first steps for me is to change the front seats to recaro pole position ABE as they are the only motorsport recaro seat that has a TUV approval for road use. Plus, I need such seats as the standard ones do not provide enough support for track use as i'm quite skinny. They weigh only 7kgs each so it's a substantial saving over the standard leather seats. One problem being is rear seat access, and the obvious question is, does anyone know how far forward these seats can slide (or any other recaro motorsport seat for that matter) or whether there is any form of a tilting mechanism like the m3 CSL seats. Thanks a bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 I understand that the one-off Golf R-GTI has the same front seats and they managed to maintain rear seat access. However, I cannot find information as to whether they developed their own tilting mechanism or that the seats are able to slide forward enough to allow such sufficient space for rear seat access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Do you not think you'll end up spending a bucket (sic) load of cash for not much gain? (apart from the fact that you'll have some stonking looking seats). I can't see how a pair of seats weighs 100KG, esp if you're replacing them with a pair of, albeit lighter ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan32 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 They are awesome looking seats. IIRC Mook, the stock MKIV R seats are 40kg each!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Do you not think you'll end up spending a bucket (sic) load of cash for not much gain? (apart from the fact that you'll have some stonking looking seats). I can't see how a pair of seats weighs 100KG, esp if you're replacing them with a pair of, albeit lighter ones. [/ QUOTE ] I will only be spending on parts that can substantially lighten the car (or improve the performance and saves weight as a by product) and I have worked out the costs for each item making sure that it does not become ridiculous. I have carefully thought it through with APS and will be a long term plan and to be honest the parts that I'll be getting are common items other modders would get. These are the following items and the weight they will be saving: 1.recaro pole position seats ~40kg (I'm unsure of the weight of the standard MkV seats but i'll base the weight saving on the optional oem recaros that weigh 25kg each) 2.OZ 8x18" ultraleggera alloys ~30kg 3.AP racing front brake kit ~10kg 4.Milltek sports cats and catback ~3kg 5.Bilstein coilovers ~8kg 6.Removal of tools and space saver wheel for track days ~20kg So all that adds up to at least 100kg off the car, which in my opinion is a lot considering I'm not stripping the car in anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 That is quite a loss without actually losing anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 What's the damage for the seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonsko Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 [ QUOTE ] What's the damage for the seats? [/ QUOTE ] The important question. They look awesome - and hence expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 You be surprised! They are far cheaper than the leather option or cloth oem recaros on the MkV! And they cost.........~750pounds for a pair!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Fook, that's cheap! And they look great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan32 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 The only downside I can see is the version we can buy perhaps isn't as nice looking as the ones in the photo which have obviously been recovered for the demo car Page 2 is mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 They're bloody cheap, but, to be honest, I would spend the money modifying the car to make it go quicker around corners, because losing that much weight isn't going to make much difference to the speed. If you think about it, if a Mk5 R32 weighs about 1500KG and puts out 250PS, that's about 167 bhp per tonne. Lose 100KG, and the power to weight ratio goes to 172. Not a big gain for a big chunk of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin09 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 With regards to the tilt mechanism, I think somebody posted a link to a video of that R-GTI, and it was on runners, but they did say it was an absolute pain in the ass to squeeze into the rear seats. Do you need the rear seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khutula Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Can't people get in via the boot - isn't that why its called a three door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 WTF do you want to put people in the back of the car - it'll only slow it down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan32 Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Exactly. BIALI Motorsport have some new pliers........ For the record, thats 27kg removed and another 1 or 2 more if I could be bothered to remove the seatbelts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 [ QUOTE ] They're bloody cheap, but, to be honest, I would spend the money modifying the car to make it go quicker around corners, because losing that much weight isn't going to make much difference to the speed. If you think about it, if a Mk5 R32 weighs about 1500KG and puts out 250PS, that's about 167 bhp per tonne. Lose 100KG, and the power to weight ratio goes to 172. Not a big gain for a big chunk of money. [/ QUOTE ] I perfectly understand if others wish to spend their money in other areas to make their car go round corners quicker. But I am going as far as I can to lighten the car and I personally can't see which other area of the car I can spend the money on that I haven't already listed or done to make it go round corners quicker and brake better bearing in mind that I don't wish to lose practicality for those times when I need to carry passengers. I will also eventually think of cams later on once I have done lightening the car. I will also be doing the full Don Palmer course in view of attaining HPC honours level so that the "software" is able to handle the hardware. Anyway, I don't think I will be getting the recaros anymore, as I can't find an appropriate method of allowing rear seat access. Instead, I have managed to get in contact with a seat specialist that is able to make custom subframes for the corbeau pro series motorsport seat to allow for tilting/sliding. Thanks for info guys regarding the R-GTI being a pain in the ar*e to get into the rear seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Also, before anyone aks me why didn't I get a lighter and faster car in the first place...my answer would be there was nothing else on the market at that point in time that combines a good level of comfort/practicality, excellent AWD traction and decent performance that I could get insured on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Couldn't agree more with that sentiment. As I'm not a fan of the look of the Mk5 R32 at the minute, I'm completely stuck with what to replace the Mk4 with and have been for the past 9 months There is something in the pipeline, but that's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlhj83 Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I do very much like the look of the Mk4, but because I was in the market for a new car, the Mk5 with a substantially stiffer chassis and DSG absolutely sold it for me. Plus I was absolutely in love with the character of the R32. I bought it in view of substantially modifying it, although I must say the lowered stance after fitting the Bilsteins does make the car look very good indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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