Weight reduction?

[Skyer]

Originally posted by monkihead+Jul 11 2005, 09:03 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (monkihead @ Jul 11 2005, 09:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

you could after replacing the back window with some light weight material move the battery to the back to compensate.
(you can also replace the seats with light weight high performance seats. Again, weight reduction = $$$$$$

you could, but it wouldnt be street legal and its a biatch to clean. when you get scratches, you'll need a blow dryer or heat gun to take em out. eh, while your there take out the take and get a fuel cell. i wouldnt waste time or money on seats, you'll only lose 40lbs, if that. for every 100 is a tenth of a second. [/b][/quote]
is it me or did I get burned?

[monkihead]

Originally posted by Skyer+Jul 14 2005, 12:48 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Skyer @ Jul 14 2005, 12:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Skyer@Jul 11 2005, 10:18 AM

you could after replacing the back window with some light weight material move the battery to the back to compensate.
(you can also replace the seats with light weight high performance seats. Again, weight reduction = $$$$$$

is it me or did I get burned? [/b][/quote]
how much did you pay for your seats? if you buy the name brands that are actually worth it that are decent on the street, no. the lightest seats i've seen to date, weight in roughly 5-10lbs. the downfall is that they are very uncomfortable and designed for short distances(drag racing). they run anywhere from 100-150$.

I haven't done any mods to my cars as of yet (I got two) a red 88 manual and a white 91 automatic
the white one doesn't run yet, so first things first I got to make them run. then I'll worry about lightweight mods.
About the plastic windows, I know a couple of people in the street racing scene that have replaced some windows on their Hondas. now, as long as the cops don't know you have replaced the windows it's not street illegal is it?

[faheemo]

My yellow monster got the following mods to lighten up ...
Striped out Rear - no back seats carpet or side paneling.
and it gets really noisy back ther..
A/C done away with ...
No spare wheels.
Relocating the battery to the boot.

Thinking of ditching that big skid pan underneath the engine as well.
Also loosing some weight on those heavy doors !

Remember less weight better accleration less braking and less weight round the corners.

[faheemo]

My Car at an Auto Cross Meeting

[Isphius]

Yes, I stipped my monte carlo and just the sound material and floor carpet was a tremendous ammount of weight. It had to be like 200 lbs. Also, Replace the front and rear bumpers if you dont drive in traffic too much, or just dont crash. I made some of styrofoam and plywood. Get lighter wheels/tires/driveline parts too. Thats always what i look at first.

[f00g00]

DC motors are heavy too. I havn't heard of anyone that got rid of their window motors and replaced them with some sort of manual crank ones but the motor for the hatchback wiper should shed 10-15 pounds

[Isphius]

I took my whole rear wiper assm. and wiper arm off, and it probably does weigh about 15 total. The power antenna is another 8 or 9 pounds too.

[theWeezL]

Originally Posted by Isphius

I took my whole rear wiper assm. and wiper arm off, and it probably does weigh about 15 total. The power antenna is another 8 or 9 pounds too.

you're dreaming! I happen to have a wiper motor/arm assembly right here in my hand. Using a postal scale it weighs in at a WHOPPING.... 2pounds15ounces

...and to the person that said take out your rear interior and replace with board covered with carpet...have you ever weighed the plastic rear panels? I have cause I have em up on ebay right now. All combined, if you took out the 7 panels (and not including the seats) you would have taken out right around 22 pounds (the quarter window trim being the heaviest at 2.5lbs). I wish I had a 4x8 sheet of, lets say you used wallboard (gonna be lighter than masonite by about half). I would bet your net weight reduction would be about....+20lbs. Adding weight is not what were looking for here. That stuff is far heavier than plastic.

Lets say you rip out your seats (leaving only one fiberglass racing bucket in the drivers side), A/C unit, run no spare, replace the hatch with lexan, pull your window regulators, weld in a shorty exhaust (side exit), go to an aluminum radiator, and strip out all the sound deadening. Now lets add a set of super lightweight rims, but forget about safety and forego the roll cage, racing harness, fire extinguisher, battery box, driveshaft loop, bellhousing blanket, or any of that other useless stuff.
My best estimate and being quite generous I would say you dropped 500lbs? While that may translate to a full half second at the strip, you now have a non-street legal race car, that will be loud enough to wake the dead, rattle like Cessna in a hurricane, and cook you like a Christmas goose in summer. Not that you'll ever get to sit in it much 'cause sitting in a racing bucket is about as much fun as pounding your balls flat with a wooden mallet!

Yeah sign me up for that!

All Im trying to say is be reasonable. If you want a full blown race car with Zero amenities, great! but if you think you're gonna shave enough wieght out of a daily driver to gain a whole half second at the track you're gonna be dissappointed, and in the end your gonna have a car that no fun to drive to the store and back, much less take a trip to the mountains or coast or wherever you like to go to get away. The Supra is a pig, face it! you're FAR better off spending your time and money on HP upgrades.

[Isphius]

actually yah i picked up the wrong electric motor. The supra wiper motor is tiny. I just saw that today. I was about to go weigh mine and take a picture of it to prove it but then i was like ahh crap wrong motor. oops lol.