Hi all, I just got a fiberglass hatch reproduction that looks to save substantial weight over the standard one. If you have ever lifted your hatch without the assist of the spring/struts, you will know how stinkin' heavy that peice is. I replaced the glass in my hatch with polycarbonate a while back, which helps some, but the metal factory hatch is quite heavy even without the glass. A friend in Canada built some molds for his racer's hatch, but has since moved-on(backwards?) to a pro-built 911 from his 928. I suppose he could be talked into making more of these, which (guessing) seem to weigh about 10-20lbs. He fabricated the peice so it has a standard looking interior edge that will take the factory weather seal, making the hatch usable on a street car also.

 

Don,
What kind of price tag and any pics available?
Glenn

 

Pics!

(If you don't know how/can't post pics, email them to me.)

 

Nice to hear from the GNARLY 928 again on-list .....

 

IMHO the hatch itself is not heavy at all. The huge pane of glass is what makes it so heavy.

 

Shouldn't be hard to figure this out. Someone get out the scales.
Glenn

 

I feel somewhat personally experienced in this, as I have carted a few hatches around in my day (about five actually) - to greyhound to ship, from greyhound, to the barn to paint, to the garbage when I found it had body filler like Pam Anderson has ***** - too much.

So I can safely say that the hatch is not light, and the window makes it REALLY heavy. But then if you replace the window you need support straps and you can't really tint it.

The problem is that when you really do a moderate job of removing weight from the 928 - it all comes off the back end. This is why I have tried to find ways to also remove weight from the front. On the erly cars this is difficult. Maybe try the lighter starter, lighter AC, take out the headlights ( - Hi Porken ) remove the headlight washers, maybe the front lights in the bumper. The front bumper on the early cars is WAY heavier then the newer S4s and later.

The replacement AC radiators are heavier then the porsche ones because they use copper.

The fenders weigh nothing.

Sorry - I guess I hijacked this into a general weight discussion.

 

Interesting.

To continue the hijack... How many people empty their window washer reservoirs before heading to the track? How much FRONTAL weight would this be worth?

 

Hell, I removed mine. On both cars. A small on with a small pump is fine. 'Course, it doesn't rain here for about 6-7 months.

 

yes, that hatch is very heavy. i forgot how much, but i want to say in the 30lb range, without the glass!! i have the lexan window ( 1/8" or something) and the advantage there is you loose the 15lb piece of glass!! Then, you only need ONE shock to keep the hood open. (see holbert racer!) However, you still need a shock to keep it up! i would rather carry 3 gallons more gas down low than have the 25lbs or so up high! actually, ill gladly be more tail light to loose 20lbs no matter where it comes from. already, the 928 racers are close to 56% / 44% anyway!

Glad to see Gnarly 928 is back too

lets see the pics

ONE huge question though, how do you mount the wing now!??

MK

 

Heh, heh, he said *****.

If I had a composite hatch, I might be tempted to bolt the frame down, and hinge just the glass (lexan). Then you could add bracing for a wing/spoiler.

Regarding the washer tank; I (and others) have removed the big tank and converted the intensive washer tank to act as the primary. Even here in Oregon, I haven't had to fill it more than once a month.

 

Who was the visionary that gave you that idea??

 

I will be using the small tank as a primary and the area for the main washer bottle as my reserviour for dry sump. I also have a spare hatch and I was thinking a carbon fibre/kevlar hatch. It is only a two piece molding, also the sunroof weighs 6 kgs and the hoodlining weighs 6 kgs also, all in a very high part of the car.

 

I'd be curious to see a price on the hatch. Are these made by Dean? It all adds up to be DK.

 

Brendan- The hatch I sent you wasn't full of filler was it? With the box I built for it (10 lbs?) Greyhound weighed it at 56 lbs, no window in it. So 40-45 lbs is close to what a hatch weighs...