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I find that regular, intense excerise reduces my body weight. So I go the gym when I can to improve my gas mileage. On the other hand, the extra miles on the car to transport me to the gym may actually increase gas consumption.
For your case.
(1) ditch the back seats & AC. There's an additional weight savings. The serpintine belt will need to be shorter, you'll need to cut it (1 oz), but use super-duper-duper glue to make a new one out of the remnant (+0.05 oz).
(2) no need for a roof (my F250 doen't have a cap, e.g.)
(3) chuck he spare tire (add cell phone weight to compensate, or accept the risk).
(4) gas is heavy, so always drive with a nearly empty tank.
(5) remove the passenger seat.
(6) remove passengers!!!!
(7) toss radio
(8) center caps on wheels (bye)
(9) ash trays -- good time to quite smoking (always a good time, also reduces weight to the butts -- another 1.0 ounces!)
(10) run the car with low oil level
(11) at that matter, keep all the fluids very close to the "min", this may save SEVERAL ounces
(12) sun visors are for squinty wimps, toss 'em.
(13) since te roof is gone, why not toss the door windows
(14) don't need fromt passenger door, or rear doors (now we're talkin'!). But you may need to add plastic to cover the holes, but maybe not.
(15) you say its a "work" car. my F250 is a "work" truck (w/AC!). I haul heavy stuff now and then. This hurts gas milage (in an 10 mpg truck its hard to notice). In your Saab, I suggest you never haul anything heavy.
ok back to weight loss.
(16) get a small battery
(17) not sure, but the 110 amp alternator may weight a few milligrams more than the 80 amp. why take a chance, make the swap/
(18) WOW, I almost forgot. Power steering --> toss the pump, hoses, res. I hope you do this at the same time as tossing the AC, otherwise you'll have to add more weight for the glue to modify the serp belt
(19) the driver seat (only one left, right?) has all kinds of useless stuff for a work car. there's 4 motors to move it this way/that way, and seat heaters. These silly things do not belong in a work Saab.
(20) the gas tank as two straps. you only need one since you'll always drive with low fuel level. So, toss the long one, and while at it, cut the hort one in halve along it length.
(21) toss the air filter, and fuel filter, but you'll to add (sorry) WEIGHT for a coupling of the fuel lines near the pump)
(22) glove box
(23) air bag(s) -- work cars don't need to be safe
(24) side and rear view mirrors (what's behind a work car doesn't matter).
(25) headliner, if its not already done and saving gass.
(26) rugs, sound insolators
(26) all the center console nonesence.
(27) replace stock exhaust system with one side pipe, no muffler (its a work car, they tend to be noisy anyway). Think of all the rubber exhaust hangers that don't need to be carted around.
(28) cabin filter, aquarium cover, windshield washer stuff (a gallon of fluid is ~8 lbs!)
(29) remove heater core, cabin fan, ACC electronics
(30) the front hood has two (!!!) locking latches. remove the most distant one and shorten the cable (now we're talkin).
(31) why not remove the hood support struts. A single wooden stick store inside the work car will weight less. You'll need to make sure your fluids are low to save weight, so you HAVE to check in the engine compartment from time to time -- maybe the stick can be stored at home, why carry it around?
(32) hood only needs one hinge, you're choice which one to toss.
(33) hatch is already gone with the roff, right, otherwise car will look a litle silly.
(34) run the tires at 18 lbs (air has weight too!), well, maybee not, this may use more gas. You'll have to experiment.
(35) inside the front well wheels there are useless, weighty plastic liners. remove them (you'll be there anyway on the passenger side while tossing the power steering pump, AC, down grading alternator, and shortening the serpt belt.
(36) wheel speed sensors, all four
(37) do you really need windshield wipers in a work car.
(38) get a very small battery
(39) there's a lot of heavy interior bulbs that need to go
(40) since the radio is gone, the speakers should go too.
well, I'm close to out of any further suggestions. I'll repost if I can think of anything else. Good luck. And remember, keep ALL of the fluids just below the "MIN" mark.
posted by 69.251.159...
, Fri, 11 Aug 2006 07:53:37
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