Weight Reduction - What have you done?

[strings1732]

I'm wondering what all of you have done for weight reduction. I've been losing a lot of weight in the past couple days but figured I'd see what everyone else has done, so let's hear it?

 

[SASHO91]

My most recent, and probably very minimal, was plastic idler/tensioner pulleys. These saved alittle over 1lb. Like I said, minimal.. but it is rotational though.

I've got an AL flywheel(hopefully) that will be going in, and some lightweight seats as well. These have allready been covered, and you allready have them IIRC.

I've also pulled off misc. bolts and brackets that are on the motor, and around the car that are non-essential. I've replaced some of the brackets with HD zip ties that only hold certain-non-supportive items.

When I start to get real **** about weight, i'm going to look into lightening the crank, making AL timing gears, try and afford lightweight rotors(11.6''), go to coilovers, remove the rest of my interior(what's left), pull the dash and replace with an AL panel with SL gauges, maybe even going to full plexi-glass.... Just some ideas.

Your best bet is to find a lightweight car to swap your drivetrain into.. say, a Fiero or possibly an MR2. That would knock off a few hundred extra pounds right there.

What turbo are you going to Scott?

 

[SinisterSHO]

I took out my antenna, does that count?

 

[Toolman]

My next car will be a track oriented beast, with anything not essential being removed. Your easiest and quickest way to remove a lot of weight is to get lightweight racing seats, much like the ones I have for sale in my classified ad!

 

[sho_ted]

remove rear window regulators?

 

[strings1732]

Josh, The turbo upgrade has been put on the back burner again. I'm now looking into stage 5 axles. I've wanted these forever now, but have never really wanted to part with $1K to get them. Now it looks like I will be getting them.

Tim, see there's a problem buying things from your classified ad... It's just not feasable for me at this point in time. Reason being is that not only would I want the seats, and the cams, and the headers and the control arms and the HIDS and...... See, not able to afford that so I've just decided that the axles are more important.

Keep the ideas coming guys I'd like to know what else has been done.

 

[yamahaSHO]

My most recent, and probably very minimal, was plastic idler/tensioner pulleys. These saved alittle over 1lb. Like I said, minimal.. but it is rotational though.

LOL Josh, it's not the same as removing rotational weight from the driveline.
:wave:

 

[SHOZ123]

Dump the fog light brackets, also you can go to manual seats and save about 10 lbs per seat. You should be able to retain the air operated stuff on the seats. I just replaced the bottom part of the seat frame and removed the motors.

 

[shomethe$$$]

I'm wondering what all of you have done for weight reduction. I've been losing a lot of weight in the past couple days but figured I'd see what everyone else has done, so let's hear it?

rather not say, most of it has to do with safety of the vehicle and i don't want to be responsible for well, u get the point

 

[SASHO91]

LOL Josh, it's not the same as removing rotational weight from the driveline.
:wave:

Oh I know. Guess it sounded as if I was implying such. Either way it's still weight pulled from the car. But, the engine does rev alittle faster now.

 

[Shoaz]

remove rear window regulators?

I did that recently and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. The fronts, not so much.

Since the rear windows run up and down on a rail/track thing, removing the regulator is straightforward and then the window can be held up just by running a bolt or something through the track.

If you want to keep the front windows (I do so that the car can be closed when it's on an open trailer), some other method is needed to keep the window in place. I think I have that sorted out, or at least something that will work, which means I can now gut the front doors, too, and just put the windows in when the car is being transported.

The ways to reduce weight are too numerous to list. My next steps are gutting the front doors and replacing the rear door glass with Lexan. I don't think I could list all the previous steps, just because I've probably forgotten half of what I've done to this car. There's always more to do, too. Competition weight is still in the 3300lb range, minus me and some fuel and it's around 3100lbs. Lots of room to go, and I can remove another 100lbs or so without getting reclassed.

 

[PAracer]

If it doesn't help the car go, stop, turn, or pass inspection, it's gone.

 

[ManySHOs]

I'm thinking of going to the gym again now that summer is here...

oh wait..

Ian

 

[blue2ndgen]

Is it strictly going to be a track car or do you will want it to be comfortable on the street? That will help me give you better ideas.

 

[strings1732]

Well, the passenger seat is manual, and the air stuff has been removed. The rear bumper is just a cover that's screwed to the body, all the brackets and supports are gone. fog lights/brackets have been gone for some time. The a/c has been removed along with the condenser and every line associated with it in the engine bay. The hood and decklid have been slightly gutted as well as the sunroof box in the roof. a lot of sound deadening material has been removed along with rear speakers and brackets. Many brackets and bolts have been removed along with the antenna not to mention a long list of other things through out the car.

shomethe$$$, When I say weight reduction, I don't mean taking the motor and putting it into a lighter car. LOL!

Shoaz, I wondered how people were holding the rear windows up. Thanks for filling me in. I could not, however, do that to the fronts, drag racing needs windows shut, and driving to the track on a 110 degree day with no open windows and no a/c would be unbearable.

blue2ndgen, The car is a street appearing car. It's by no means a daily driver, but it does see time on the street. Comfort is a thing of the past though. I will keep some things but not many. I want it to appear close to stock interior.

My plan right now is to go try and remove the air bag, but leave the cover there. and then the rear window motors.

 

[frosho]

My passenger airbag was pretty easy to remove. Mine had blown, but I dont think that makes a different in the way you remove it from the cover bracket. I don't remember if I did the driver side yet. But that passenger side cylinder was pretty heavy. I imagine they're quite a bit heavier when they're still functional. You can drill out the rivets that hold the cover on the bracket if you want to remove the bag itself too, but they're relatively light.

 

[strings1732]

I got into the airbag on the drivers side and removed the cylinder and bag. I also cut up the frame a little to save some weight there as well. I did drill all the rivets and re-riveted the cover to the frame. The airbag chime and light were bothering me, so I cut the connector off the cylinder and hard wired it to itself to get all of it to stop. Worked like a charm.
I do not have a passenger airbag to deal with... Soon I hope to remove a lot of the bracing for the dash. My goal for this month was to lose ~100 lbs. I'm almost there. I'm at about 60 to 70 right now.

 

[shomethe$$$]

I know our cars are different but

I know my ABS system weighed 30 lb
Air bags and glove box 10 lb

I met a SHO member at Carlisle who said he gutted it down to 2500 pounds

 

[PAracer]

I met a SHO member at Carlisle who said he gutted it down to 2500 pounds

That might have been me. Mine was the gutted white one. There's no way it's down to 2500. 2850 is more likely without a driver and empty gas tank.

 

[SASHO91]

Scott, have you weighed your car yet?