1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

FB has really heavy doors...incredible!!!

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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 11:41 AM
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FB has really heavy doors...incredible!!!

I stripped an 1981 RX7 yesterday and the doors seem to weight a ton. Does anybody know how much these weight? Non-power window type. I am doing some major weight redux in this sucker and the doors got to go...
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 11:59 AM
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I just pulled off the doors on my '84 the other day. I didn't think they were all that heavy. I mean, it is meant to absorb a little of a side collision so it has to carry a little bulk on it. But I'm doing a lot of weight reduction too, so maybe I'll leave off the doors and just put some saran wrap over the hole to keep out the wind.
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 12:23 PM
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well I'm cuttin the interior frame off of them and making an aluminum cover. Glass has to go so I'll put some lexan or if the rules allow no glass at all. Another heavy piece is the rear glass and the freaking sound insulator material.

anybody knows of a replacement hatch glass that's lighter...maybe a lexan piece would be nice there. Ahh the hood also weighs a considerable amount and so does the piece that goes in between the lamps where the Mazda emblem is located. Dash is gutted and heavy also.

Fiber hood and fenders for the front, BTW the headlamp mechanism and the lamps are heavy too...I plan to leave a lexan cover and run some hella mini round lamps, but not popup just shinin thru. Maybe a Mirah GTOI type front end would be nice. I want to tip the scales at less than 1800lbs with driver, slap a bridge port and win in N/A for drag. Possible? ahh and sneak that sucker out on the street once in a while...
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 12:53 PM
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LOL there not that bad, try the doors on a 69 lincoln/or a cadillac Or even an late 70's early 80's Camaro / TA
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 02:21 PM
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I think the doors are about as heavy or heavier than the 5-speed tranny, or maybe just more ackward, I had to carry a door and tranny down to the basement and the tranny was alot easier to heft around.
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 06:09 PM
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you can always get the fiberglass ones thourgh mazdacomp.. cost a bit but save alot of weight
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 08:03 PM
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yeah they're some heavy bastards.. but then again they DO have side impact beams in them and all that jazz.. its not like they're going to make super flimsy doors on a car though
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 08:49 PM
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I got to see those side impact beams in person in my now-retired 1982 GS. I was broadsided by a jacked up jeep cj5 with an I-beam for a front bumper. The bumper grabbed into the metal and pealed back the outer metal surface of the door before it dug into the rear quarter and spun the jeep around (into a tree ehehehe).

The jeep busted a radiator and dropped an axle.
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 08:54 PM
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I just hope I don't get into an accident like that when I'm done

I need to finish that rollcage
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 09:11 PM
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Originally posted by MIKE-P-28
LOL there not that bad, try the doors on a 69 lincoln/or a cadillac Or even an late 70's early 80's Camaro / TA

LOL! yea TA doors are heavy as hell! I swear the door on my TA is as heavy as my whole FB!!11
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 09:13 PM
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Originally posted by 82transam



LOL! yea TA doors are heavy as hell! I swear the door on my TA is as heavy as my whole FB!!11
Put that 3rd gen F body door down and pick up a second gen F body door. They have to weigh 150 lbs each.
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Old Mar 22, 2002 | 09:52 PM
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Felix, pick up anything f body related, any gen, and it's heavy. After moving some of the larger parts around my garage i'm surprised my 82 TA even moves!!
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Old Apr 10, 2002 | 10:38 AM
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Re: FB has really heavy doors...incredible!!!

Originally posted by mperformance
I stripped an 1981 RX7 yesterday and the doors seem to weight a ton. Does anybody know how much these weight? Non-power window type. I am doing some major weight redux in this sucker and the doors got to go...
I think their weight depends a lot on the year. On my 85 the passenger side door is original, but my driver's side door was replaced from a scrapyard by the previous owner. I kid you not, the scrapyard door weighs about 1/2 to 1/3 what the other door does. Both manual.

Maybe they got heavier as the years went on?
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Old Apr 10, 2002 | 09:32 PM
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If you are after light doors we (here in OZ) sometime sget the 'replacement' ones from Korea, hard to find but real light! Great for racers as long as you have a roll cage inside, I would not trust them on the road! We are not allowed to use fiberglass otehrwise that would be the way to go.
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Old Apr 10, 2002 | 10:02 PM
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hell yah.. i did the whole no door thing for a little while.. it was a hell of a lot of fun. nice breeze too.
who need a/c
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