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Project Miatabusa – Part 3
by Dave Coleman
Page 3
Air Conditioning – 28 lbs
As much as I enjoy turning on the A/C on the way back from a 100-degree track day, there is no way we'll be running A/C on this car. First of all, the condenser is such an impediment to cooling airflow that there's virtually no chance we'd be able to keep the engine happy through 30 minutes of flogging on a hot summer day. I'd rather sweat than have to slow down to protect the engine.
Second, mounting the A/C compression would be another engineering headache, since the Hayabusa has neither the mounts for the compressor, nor the belt to drive it with. This lump simply has to go.
Altogether, the A/C system accounts for a massive 28 pounds of bloat. Good riddance.
Passenger's Air Bag – 10 pounds
Passenger-side airbags are huge and heavy, since they have to carry enough propellant to fill a bag stretching from the windshield to the passenger's face. At 10 pounds, this is a significant weight savings, but not one we're certain we'll be making. After all, crashes do happen, and airbags do work. The driver's side airbag will have to go simply because the giant, nasty square steering wheel disgusts me. If the system can remain functional without the driver's bag, though, this chunk of ballast may stay in the car.
So, that's it for this weekend's weight savings. You'll notice I didn't take out any carpet or door panels or any of that adolescent sillyness. There is a certain level of civility that's worth a few pounds. Gutted interior aside, where else can we save weight? Toss us some ideas in the comments.
All the Miatabusa you can handle:
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