Aluminum or Carbon Non-pano options?

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May 8, 2021 | 04:14 PM
  #1  
Any options to replace the pano roof in the C63s coupe to a solid roof? Weight reduction is the goal.
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May 9, 2021 | 02:52 PM
  #2  
Custom job. All US-spec Coupe’s came with the pano roof. Only the early year C63S sedans had a slick top option.

Also, not worth it. This is the wrong car to try to pull weight out of when you’re already sitting at 4100 lbs with a full tank of gas.

Unless you intend on making it a drag or track car and plan on stripping the interior, all seats removed, lightweight bucket seat added, lightweight battery (which the car will hate since it’s so dependent on battery), carbon hood, lighter wheels, remove the entire exhaust and run dual downpipes through the front hood...

...maybe you’ll shed about 350 lbs which will be good for .3-.4 tenths of a second in the 1/4 mile. If you’re doing this for the track, you’ll have to corner balance and who knows how much time you’ll shave off. if you’re doing this to your daily driver, just throw the idea out the window and buy a lighter car or strip and build a salvaged C63.
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May 10, 2021 | 01:58 PM
  #3  
Appreciate the info!
Car's not a daily driver, 99% track. Interior's stripped with racing buckets, on the list to upgrade/remove -
  • battery as you mentioned but I'm seeing mixed reviews and options re correct lithium battery.
  • hood (vented)
  • roof
  • trunk (will be running a large wing)
  • light weight wheels
  • cooling options for brakes/intercooler/trans/motor (already running CFS heat exchanger)
I'm running an E50 blend right now with no meth as I need to use smaller injectors (was losing hp with meth). Heat build up under the hood and brakes is the next issue.

Any ideas welcome
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May 10, 2021 | 03:43 PM
  #4  
Good on you! Post pics sometime, I'd love to see a track set-up Coupe! In that case, you could do what I did when I deleted the sunroof on my B5 S4 ages ago - I had a custom carbon fiber panel designed with a lip to "drop" into where the sunroof was and used an automotive grade bonding adhesive. One thing to consider is the size of the pano roof on the Coupe - it takes up a lot of real estate compared to a traditional sunroof, so I'm not sure if or how much of an affect it will have on chassis rigidity.

Definitely look into unsprung weight (the smallest diameter lightweight wheels you can fit over brakes will address that), but you can go with lighter 2-piece floating rotors with stock calipers to shave some rotational mass or bite the bullet and go for a lighter caliper/rotor setup which sounds more appropriate for the track.

For lightweight batteries, I'd go with Antigravity lithium. I picked up their AH-40 (40 amp hours, 1500 cranking amps) for my 911- it weighed 13 lbs compared to the 52 lb OEM for an easy ~40 lb weight savings off the front axle. I'd imagine the C63S battery is the same weight if not heavier. I'd recommend keeping it on a CTEK lithium battery tender to keep it in good shape since it's your track toy and not daily driver.
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May 10, 2021 | 06:44 PM
  #5  
Quote: Good on you! Post pics sometime, I'd love to see a track set-up Coupe! In that case, you could do what I did when I deleted the sunroof on my B5 S4 ages ago - I had a custom carbon fiber panel designed with a lip to "drop" into where the sunroof was and used an automotive grade bonding adhesive. One thing to consider is the size of the pano roof on the Coupe - it takes up a lot of real estate compared to a traditional sunroof, so I'm not sure if or how much of an affect it will have on chassis rigidity.

Definitely look into unsprung weight (the smallest diameter lightweight wheels you can fit over brakes will address that), but you can go with lighter 2-piece floating rotors with stock calipers to shave some rotational mass or bite the bullet and go for a lighter caliper/rotor setup which sounds more appropriate for the track.

For lightweight batteries, I'd go with Antigravity lithium. I picked up their AH-40 (40 amp hours, 1500 cranking amps) for my 911- it weighed 13 lbs compared to the 52 lb OEM for an easy ~40 lb weight savings off the front axle. I'd imagine the C63S battery is the same weight if not heavier. I'd recommend keeping it on a CTEK lithium battery tender to keep it in good shape since it's your track toy and not daily driver.
Savings me hours of conflicting research, thanks! I'm running 2 piece rotors now and looking at the Victor Racing active aero to help take the load off the brakes.. The aero braking should keep the brake temps down on the longer runs. https://www.victorracing.com/product...tive-aero-wing

Battery ordered, will send pics when the roof problem is solved.

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