[Petrus]

Been a while so not sure about the things I reported deleting last here. Do vaguely remember some puffing, huffing and red faced arm flapping about that

Apart from little things adding up to a few kgs the last thing I did was fit a 3.2 kg lighter Competition Clutch Ultralight flywheel.
Airco delete, alloy crank pully, underdrive alloy alternator pully ánd lighter flywheel adds up to a VÉRY, much more responsive engine. The by far biggest change though is how it affects the SMT. It has seriously speeded up the changes, especially the upshifting.
The clutch electronics copes effortlessly with take off. You would not know the lighter flywheel is in there from thát.
My conclusion is that if you need the clutch done or whatever, go for one. It makes the 1ZZ a lót less sedate.

Anyway, all in all about 5 kg. lightness added.

Also faffing with rally type spot lights.
Yes, I know; adding weight but less then 300 grams the pair incl. fittings seems worth the extra vision.
The Spyder being a child from the mid nineties ánd so may moaning about the headlights, it always surprised me that I see none fitted.
I want them on the hood but not sitting proud on the ubiquitous U-brackets. Thus the faffing

Will report back....

 

[RedMercs2]

Have you tried making it look like a Lotus interior? Full blasted to meal floor, removing any interior bits whatsoever?

 

[Petrus]

No, not tried to make it look like a Lotus; it is manga themed, but yes it is semi stripped; no carpets but left the door cards p.e. and bracing, whiteline arbs, silly big wing etc. added weight. Still, now wéll under 900 kg.

 

[FormInFunction]

Not sure if you are wanting better lighting or just chasing a rally headlight look but lighting doesn't get any better than the FL headlight housings with good HID (I assume LED would also work just as well) bulbs. It's an expensive upgrade & usually takes a while to wait for them to pop up used so it may not be feasible for you.

 

[hardmode]

Very cool, thanks for the update! I too am aiming for a lighter version of an already lightweight car, so I'm taking notes.

I've been considering getting a pulley kit, so hearing your feedback makes me excited to eventually feel the difference. Do you mind sharing who made it? I think Monkey Wrench Racing makes one, but I would rather get the one from Techno Pro Spirit (link) as they have more components (4) than others I've seen.

On the subject of lighter weight engine components, I also wanted to get your and anyone else's thoughts on a lightweight alternator. Saw one on JapanParts or some Japanese website awhile back and never pulled the trigger, but it's still on my mind.

 

[DrFries]

Very cool, thanks for the update! I too am aiming for a lighter version of an already lightweight car, so I'm taking notes.

I've been considering getting a pulley kit, so hearing your feedback makes me excited to eventually feel the difference. Do you mind sharing who made it? I think Monkey Wrench Racing makes one, but I would rather get the one from Techno Pro Spirit (link) as they have more components (4) than others I've seen.

On the subject of lighter weight engine components, I also wanted to get your and anyone else's thoughts on a lightweight alternator. Saw one on JapanParts or some Japanese website awhile back and never pulled the trigger, but it's still on my mind.

If you are looking at modding your alternator pulley I would take a look at this: Overrunning Alternator Decoupler (OAD) Pulley Mod
Looks like its a system that allows the pulley to spin freely when the engine is rotating slower than the alternator (think upshifting). I haven't done it myself but it does sounds like a really cool idea and the users that have done it say that it feels really good.

As for adding lightness I am over here adding anchors to my car with Phat's breastplate and a hard dog roll bar 😅.

 

[Petrus]

Not sure if you are wanting better lighting or just chasing a rally headlight look but lighting doesn't get any better than the FL headlight housings with good HID (I assume LED would also work just as well) bulbs. It's an expensive upgrade & usually takes a while to wait for them to pop up used so it may not be feasible for you.

Not rocket science: For one FL units are too thin on the ground/ costly/ too much of a hassle. Secondly both HiD and LED are illegal upgrades over here.
So indeed totally not feasible. For me that leaves spots and/or foggies. This also gives the on/off option (in series with the mains so dipping means auto off). Cheap as dirt to boot. Ah and free rally look

@hardmode the alu underdrive pulley for the alternator is MRW, the crank one I don´t remember. Came from Canada.
A lightweight alternator seems a good idea too but take care it still has enough wattage for your use!
If I remember correctly the OEM one weighs 5.3 kg and a Kubota/Denso lightweight 40 amps one only 2.8 kg.

 

[Petrus]

Btw @hardmode the Spirit stuff is frightfully expensive. The flywheel is by Toda and the metal funnel I have done in rubber with an alloy bell mouth for 20 Euros.
Please dó share your mods and stuff on a thread about you car. I am always keen to learn about the things others come up with. Not even on this US forum the wisdom is owned by anyone Like your alternator remark spurred me to look into that again

 

[hardmode]

Btw @hardmode the Spirit stuff is frightfully expensive. The flywheel is by Toda and the metal funnel I have done in rubber with an alloy bell mouth for 20 Euros.
Please dó share your mods and stuff on a thread about you car. I am always keen to learn about the things others come up with. Not even on this US forum the wisdom is owned by anyone Like your alternator remark spurred me to look into that again

Yeah, I notice the price is more than twice of any other sets I've seen, but to their credit it seems they have the most components. I figure I'll get it eventually along with their big throttle.
Sure thing, here's a link to my build thread. Yeah I have a lot of ideas, just need to put one foot in front of the other with the mods. In regards to lighter components that aren't as low hanging fruit, what do you think of lighter windshields and side windows? There's only like two vendors, but something I would eventually want to get to.

 

[Petrus]

Yeah, I notice the price is more than twice of any other sets I've seen, but to their credit it seems they have the most components. I figure I'll get it eventually along with their big throttle.
Sure thing, here's a link to my build thread. Yeah I have a lot of ideas, just need to put one foot in front of the other with the mods. In regards to lighter components that aren't as low hanging fruit, what do you think of lighter windshields and side windows? There's only like two vendors, but something I would eventually want to get to.

Thanks for the link. Will have a look in a moment.
Would not go for the throttle body. Just delete the quarter panel duct and replace the OEM trumpet ¡, keeping the OEM filter and rest of the intake.
As to pówer the 1ZZ NA pretty much is a ´lost cause´ apart from MAF mod, inlet trumpet and exhaust header. Way more effective to concentrate on reducing rotating engine mass and vehicle weight.

Side windows are a nono for daily use as you´d loose the wind down option.
The front one I´d have gone for a long time ago if shipping to Europe was not prohibitive. Ditto a lightweight bonnet.
Its about the only things on my whish list.

 

[dblotii]

Not rocket science: For one FL units are too thin on the ground/ costly/ too much of a hassle. Secondly both HiD and LED are illegal upgrades over here.
So indeed totally not feasible. For me that leaves spots and/or foggies. This also gives the on/off option (in series with the mains so dipping means auto off). Cheap as dirt to boot. Ah and free rally look

@hardmode the alu underdrive pulley for the alternator is MRW, the crank one I don´t remember. Came from Canada.
A lightweight alternator seems a good idea too but take care it still has enough wattage for your use!
If I remember correctly the OEM one weighs 5.3 kg and a Kubota/Denso lightweight 40 amps one only 2.8 kg.

Just a note to say that using a solid crank pulley in place of the torsionally-damped OEM pulley can shorten the life of the crankshaft.

 

[Funkycheeze]

Perhaps converting to a normal manual shift instead of the SMT? Will save some serious weight.

 

[hardmode]

Thanks for the link. Will have a look in a moment.
Would not go for the throttle body. Just delete the quarter panel duct and replace the OEM trumpet ¡, keeping the OEM filter and rest of the intake.
As to pówer the 1ZZ NA pretty much is a ´lost cause´ apart from MAF mod, inlet trumpet and exhaust header. Way more effective to concentrate on reducing rotating engine mass and vehicle weight.

Side windows are a nono for daily use as you´d loose the wind down option.
The front one I´d have gone for a long time ago if shipping to Europe was not prohibitive. Ditto a lightweight bonnet.
Its about the only things on my whish list.

Got it, thanks for the recommendations. I should have mentioned I would have been adding to the parts to a 2zz swap I'm currently in the process of, so I hear you on not modding a 1zz unless I'm putting on a turbo.

 

[Petrus]

@Funkycheeze and @dblotii thank you for the information.

@hardmode with the smaller alternator there will actually be enough space to fit an SC12/14 where the AC compressor goes. The OEM alternator makes fitting/routing the hoses very awkward. One coúld even copy the intercooler placing of the TTE turbo. An SC14 is not all that hard to find in the US.
It would conserve the ever so user friendly engine character of the 1ZZ, just beef the torque curve up. Way less energy efficient, but less thermal load, less additional weight and much less complicated. Is on my whish list too. Not likely though.
Good luck with the 2ZZ conversion. Plenty of experience with that so should go relatively smooth. Try get thé lowest ratio diff and LSD.

 

[Petrus]

Here a Denso alternator with the ´Toyota´ wiring

 

[Petrus]

The alternator bought and underway.
Have decided not to fit it myself but have the car electrics specialist in the village do it.
They ALWAYS help me out with odd things and more often than not don´t charge me. This is one I can pay them to do. I have no nappies fitted so they can get at the ´blind´ bits easily from below. Just the other day looked in detail up there to measure the space for a supercharger there.

Thanks for rekindling the item @hardmode It is a rather obvious one which just about nobody does.

Just noticed in Belle´s thread that it has been óver a YEAR that I deleted the smallish heat shield right rear; seemed recent! Beejeezus how time flies Hard to believe how my determination to have Covid not, nót, NOT dampen my joie de vivre has side tracked me from keeping the car mods updated.

Also have neglected corner weighing 🙄
Unfortunately no flat, less still level floor where I am now. Ah well, time flies so will have an opportunity ´soon´ enough. Would be übercool to be totalling at 888 kgs (or alternatively 1950 lbs). Highly improbable to hit those numbers on the head but coúld be; if I fast forward to the alternator fitted it would be some 15 kilos (6 of which engine rotating mass, not counting airco delete) off since the last weighing, so depends on how much power juice there is in the tank.

 

[Petrus]

Right, no MR2 today.
Off to the village, taking the resident gf shopping in the recently acquired Kei ´van´. Candy apple green, Tsurikawa and the PFL rims
Next dress up matching to my 1939 Nimbus and sidecar for the local vintage vehicle thing for the Fiesta de San Isidro Labrador júst up the road, literally; the local ´barrio´.
La vida es bella!

 

[Node]

Here a Denso alternator with the ´Toyota´ wiring

Any pics of this thing installed? What is the total weight difference?

 

[Petrus]

In transit; eta 25-28/05.
Should be 2,5 kg lighter, 1,5 of which rotating.
Not counting the airco delete, that would add up to over 6 kg less rotating engine mass.
The effect of which can be multiplied by the (overall) gear ratio, thus gear you are in. On our MR2s (depending on the gear box) it is roughly between 3 and 12 times. As in the lower gears the practical effect is lower, 3 to 5 times the % of rotational mass relative to the total mass is the most representative. Easier still is taking the car weight as 1000 kg.
In common english it translates to every kg of rotational engine mass reduced having the same nóticeable effect as 3 (to 5) times that off the vehicle.
Here the explanation; The Effects of Rotational Inertia on Automotive Acceleration (hpwizard.com) .

The féél effect with SMT is übercool. The electronics cope brilliantly and it ´only´ shifts quicker. A lót. Logically of course.

@all dó look at the parting shot; the last observation on the link I gave. It is paramount for understanding the topic.

 

[Petrus]

p.s. ´won´ two first prizes yesterday; a very nice crianza and 1,5 kg of matured goats/sheep cheese 🤩