stripped interior vs. authorities

[CMF_Turtle]

I have had 2 micras and in the first i stripped the interior out of it, i didnt have a lot of issues wit it cause i had really dark tint and painted the back black (white car). but i was pulled over once and told it was highly eleagle and if he caught me again the micra would be defected

first micra was an lx, 2nd is a slx and i want a lil more oomph. has anyone had any issues wit authorities wit an egg shell micra?

I love the simplicity of it but dont want to risk defects for a few lowely horsies

 

[CMF_Micra_King]

cant do it unless you get the car re-licenced as a panel van like cisco did with his blue monster.

 

[CMF_deNs]

Micra_King WROTE:

"cant do it unless you get the car re-licenced as a panel van like cisco did with his blue monster.

It's not necessarily a "Panel Van" in every state. When I went to VicRoads to get my car changed to a two-seater there wasn't an issue. They inspected the car and said it was fine, but should have th exposed metal covered up so it isn't sus. It wasn't illegal, but some people can be picky.

Taking seats out wasn't an issue, but re-registering it as a four-seater again requires an engineer's cert as it's an issue with "Safety". Fair enough I guess, since some people might not put everything back as it should be.

---dens

 

[CMF_maat]

ive never had any trouble with my stripped interior when ive been pulled over, its not a safety issue so you'd really have to come across a wanker of a cop or have really pissed them off to defect you

 

[CMF_deNs]

Apart from the occasional RBT (random breath test) which I could understand, unless you're being seriously silly I don't see how you could get picked on by the police for driving a micra.

I've never been pulled over for an RBT or for anything else, but maybe i've just been lucky up to this point. I'm still on my P's myself, and often that's enough to attract attention from the boys in blue. For them to defect you for that would be pretty low.. if it's still registered as a four seater then there is some merit, but otherwise it's just being nasty.

---dens

 

[CMF_Micra_King]

If a car is registered as a 4 or 5 seater it has to have the seats in or its a defect its that simple. If a cop turns a blind eye to it then your lucky. Looks crap without the rear seats in and theres no real performance gain so why bother unless your going to turn it into a track car.

 

[smidge]

yeah the rear seats really don't weigh that much anyway, especially the bottom of the back seat

its all pretty thin sheet metal...

 

[CMF_xsoarerx]

has anyone thats striped there interior weighed how much your taking out?

i rember drving around in my misty colt (1984) (full interior) with the rear seats folded down. i was told it was defectable offence to drive with them down if theres nothing in the back to warrent having them down...

he was wrong, but it give you an idea of what some cops are like. as far as im aware in QLD, if you remove the rear seats, you need to remove the seat belts and anything involved with the them, and i guess make sure all the sharp edges are covered.

 

[CMF_D1cefiro]

xsoarerx WROTE:

"has anyone thats striped there interior weighed how much your taking out?<BR><BR>i rember drving around in my misty colt (1984) (full interior) with the rear seats folded down. i was told it was defectable offence to drive with them down if theres nothing in the back to warrent having them down...<BR><BR>he was wrong, but it give you an idea of what some cops are like. as far as im aware in QLD, if you remove the rear seats, you need to remove the seat belts and anything involved with the them, and i guess make sure all the sharp edges are covered.

I brought sodaniels car fully stripped and just recieved the interior in the post the other day.
i dont remember if it had a weight on it or not...if it did i didnt read it.
But im guessing all the things that were takin out of it, i mean this car is really stripped ....must weight something around 20-25kg.
Back seats dont weigh that much but the verticle part of the back seat was a little heavier than i expected.
Once u add the carpet spare wheel+jack roof lining and everything else there is it all adds up.

 

[CMF_tris]

but in the end.... its probably not worth the hassle, and also its just that much nicer to drive with it all in... campbell took his out and it was back in within a couple of days... it makes the car heaps louder too! only if you start peeling off the tar on the floor would you be saving enough weight to be worth it!

 

[CMF_D1cefiro]

tris WROTE:

"but in the end.... its probably not worth the hassle, and also its just that much nicer to drive with it all in... campbell took his out and it was back in within a couple of days... it makes the car heaps louder too! only if you start peeling off the tar on the floor would you be saving enough weight to be worth it!<BR>

Im not too sure if the tar or sound deadener really weighs that much.
I was talking to sodaniel about how much that sound deadener weighed after he stripped it all, and he rekons that it only weighed about 5-8kgs in total.

Sure is loud inside the cabin once everything is removed though.
Not for everyone i guess....you either love it or hate it.

 

[CMF_xsoarerx]

i think it all would be worth it, your only playing with something around 50fwkw's in a 810kg car right? if you remove 25kg with just the rear seats and some interior bits it will make some difference, maybe not in stright line speed but cornering and braking would be improved, taking to sound deading would probley only remove 15kg at the most in such a small car (i only got 25kg out of my sprinter)

so, all the carpet, spare wheel, tools, sound deading and as much interior as you feel fit along with some light weight racing seats and i could see a loss of 50kg being to hard at all.

the only downer about it is attention from mr popo, and the noise.

 

[CMF_xsoarerx]

ahh only 5-8kgs... that almost wouldnt even do anything to supress sound

 

[CMF_D1cefiro]

Well my car as it sits now weighs 780kg.
Things removed were... roof lining, sun visors, carpet, rear seat, rear seat belts, sound deadener, spare wheel/ jack/tools, all plastic trimming along rear hatch and below rear windows, kick panels removed, heater/aircon removed, center console, arieal, rear wiper and motor, and drivers seat replaced with fixed bucket...light weight, thats all i can think of right now.
Basically it only has the essentials....no luxuries here.

Its really uncomfortable in the day because its f*#king hot and at night there is a draft that u can feel that comes from under the pedals.
When it rains or if u start your car in a cold morning/night...ur screwed...the windscreen fogs up and u have to wait for the hot air to come up from the engine so you can see through the windscreen.

Its a real BITCH at times but its all part of the fun.
So all that for roughly about 30kg

 

[CMF_xsoarerx]

all that and you only got 30kg :O

maybe it isnt worth it then ,

 

[CMF_Tony]

2 weeks ago turbo removed my aircon and moved the battery to inside the car,and no **** of a lie i can feel the difference!
The car feels lighter in the front and compared to a normal micra with aircon and a run of the mill battery i think the weight reduction would be just over 15kg.
Now running a dry cell under the seat.

 

[CMF_fred]

spend the money and turbo it, then it doesn't really matter how heavy it is......?

 

[CMF_Tony]

In the process as we speak buddy.

 

[CMF_deNs]

Tony WROTE:

"2 weeks ago turbo removed my aircon and moved the battery to inside the car,and no **** of a lie i can feel the difference!

The car feels lighter in the front and compared to a normal micra with aircon and a run of the mill battery i think the weight reduction would be just over 15kg.

Now running a dry cell under the seat.

Those two I can imagine being a worthwhile effort for reducing weight... but if I had aircon I don't think i'd be able to live without it, especially up there in the hotter parts of aus.

Aircon compressors can and do weigh a fair bit, and same with batteries. I've removed my back seats, but that was a functional thing moreso than a trying to save weight kinda thing.

Hang on.. turtle.. TicTac?

---dens

 

[CMF_Tony]

Well there you go,Change to a small drycell battery remove your aircon. Theres a carbon fibre bonnet for sale that will save you another 5.5kgs and pull the back seat out!

That should cut your weight down by around 25kgs.
Buy the bonnet does the same thing and weights half as much,i can vouch for the seller he's cool.lol

 

[CMF_fred]

oops sorry tony, I have been running with a/c for 18months thinking after taking so long to hook it up again, might as well take out the compressor and do the battery thing too..... bonnet would be good but I'm sure to upgrade my motor soonish and that will lighten the wallet by at least 32.5kg

 

[smidge]

what kind of dry cell battery did you guys use when going under the seat?

would be a nice thing to do just to keep it all cleaner anyway

 

[CMF_Mickb]

I have a deka drycell

 

[CMF_Tony]

There a great battery same as mine! What'd ya think of my dump pipe Mikeybbb isn't it hot as!

 

[CMF_sportsclassic]

i have used a Odyssey battery

 

[CMF_Mickb]

mate the pipe is pure sex =)
Might have to enlist the man's services for a bits and pieces..

 

[CMF_Tony]

I think he's putting off giving it to my because of the late nights with that,big huge DDDump.
You can have his services after me,wait and see the finished project and see the crowds come flocking.

 

[CMF_Dodgy Haro]

xsoarerx WROTE:
the only downer about it is attention from mr popo, and the noise.

I stripped the interior out of my MX5 and other downsides I'd add is that your music quality goes out the window (more tinny) and although a micra may not be susceptible to this, more heat down the transmission tunnel (ie. hot left leg).

I've decided not to strip the micra's interior also due to insurance reasons. I am sure that the more you strip away, the less any insurer is willing to provide cover (apart from Justcars) and you also run more of a danger of not getting coverage in the event of an accident unless it's declared.

 

[CMF_turbo march-rolling shell]

"interiors out getting re-trimmed officer"

 

[CMF_deNs]

turbo march-rolling shell WROTE:

""interiors out getting re-trimmed officer"

I think that's all we need to take from this thread. Case closed

---dens

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

1.5mm polycarbonate is much lighter than glass.
Drivers & passengers seats are really heavy compared with some other manufacturers.
The internal steel bumper reinforcings can be removed, they're heavy too.
Does the UK micra have a steel or plastic fuel tank? Weight?
You can cut out the spare tyre well & surrounding floor area, that panel is thick heavy steel.

 

[CMF_tris]

yeah we were thinking about making a back window out of perspex for an old supra rally car cos its massive and weighs a tone.... but is it legal??for road registration?

 

[CMF_sportsclassic]

nz_aj WROTE:

"1.5mm polycarbonate is much lighter than glass.<BR>Drivers &amp; passengers seats are really heavy compared with some other manufacturers.<BR>The internal steel bumper reinforcings can be removed, they're heavy too.<BR>Does the UK micra have a steel or plastic fuel tank? Weight?<BR>You can cut out the spare tyre well &amp; surrounding floor area, that panel is thick heavy steel.

UK micras have a plastic fuel tank, i removed my rear bumper reinforcement, i think it weighed around 2.5kgs

 

[CMF_nz_aj]

There are a couple of exemptions you can use in NZ for Polycarbonate (brand name example Lexan) side or rear screens & keep the car road legal. If you join for example the Auckland Car club, and obtain a race licience (easy), and race once or twice a year (circuit, drag strip etc), you are exempt for racing harnesses, windows etc. Some cars are exempt also.

Perspex (material name acrylic) is not legal. It's not strong enough anyway & shatters creating shards, not really a good idea.

You could gut the frame out of the hatch too & just leave the skin.