SoRRoW

Ok im loosing 20 lbs with the new Richard Simmons work out..



j/k j/k

Since I got my engien bay stripped to hell,I was wondering on stripping more **** off,

What do you guys think of the skid plate under the car,BUT it holds the support for the front bumper cover.

How about the brake ducts,the metal ones,mine are bent to hell and im tierd of tring to save them

specRX7_22

what does it weigh in at now?

Metallic_rock

I pulled my skid plate off.. it doesn't do much for the front air dam. I think the extra air flow under the car is better without the skid plate, but just be careful not to hit anything under your car or you will damage your radiator.

Pele

iTrader: (28)

Nah man... It keeps the air pressure behind the radiator down, so that more air will flow through the radiator.

Keep it.

SoRRoW

Last time I got my car weighed it was 2250.

I dont know if that was with me in it or what,at that time I weighed about 190ish give or take a couple more lbs

Still has full interior,Only the uneeded **** was stripped,rats nets,all emission control,heat sheilds,E fan conversion,ALL A/C components removed.

I was thinking the skid plate will help cool the car,but how is it at high speeds,do you get any drag?


How about the brake ducts

......

Maybe cut the metal to atlease go flush with the bottom of the rad?So I can get air flow to the engine?

I can get my grinder and cut that bitch

nization

Weight reduction is good. I have one of those "freind of a freind's" that claims back in the late 80's, he had an '85 GSL-SE that was only about 1700Lbs. I took out the inner fender walls, interior, I believe he had a 'targa hatch' as well....busy, he was with this one!

on that note....anyone know what I mean by Targa Hatch? I have seen pics of them but never found anywhere to get one. I found a company that used to make them, however, of course, they have been discontinued and no old stock.

SoRRoW

I have seen some 1700-1900 drag cars,and them bitches are gutted,

I dont know how the hell he got a SE to weight that much,

When I mean gutted I mean no hood supports, plastic windows,NO front or rear bumpers,NO insides, custom made aluminum/sheet metal dash.

A 13B with al the FI **** on it must still have a nice weight over any carbed 12A,

But hey..anything can be possible..right?

Show me what do you mean about Targa hatch,I know what a targa band is,and know what a targa top is,but not a targa hatch

Suparslinc

I would definately keep the skid plate. Air will always find the path of least resistance; withought the skid plate that will be underneath the radiator not through it.
Without a skid plate, I was running hot last summer; putting the skidplate back on cooled it down significantly on the hiway.

SoRRoW

Ok im glad you posted from experiance,

What do you think about cutting the plate back flush with the cross memeber so theres a little gap to cool the engine?

rotor vs. piston

I removed my skid plate and my "brake ducts" and have not noticed any difference, then again my radiator is in a different posistion than a stock Rx-7. I think the total weight to be somewhere around 10lbs. The targa hatch your talking about, I think it's the one that Mariah sells, http://www.mariahmotorsports.com . If that link is not direct, it's under extrior for 79-85 and look for hatch.

xxxHondaGuyxxx

Thats from Mariah Motorsports. I'm not sure if they still make them, but you find them on Ebay from time to time:



Anyhow......I'm 5'11'' 116lbs. I can stand to leave the interior in my car......lol.

Metallic_rock

I have absolutely no problems with cooling on my car, but I have an electric fan mounted flush with the radiator, too...

RotaryMotorDisorter

i removed my skid plate and temps are the same.

cpt_gloval

iTrader: (1)

i removed the hatch-area interior.

stage 2 weight reduction = atkins diet i've lost about 10lbs so far

Suparslinc

You might not have problems removing the plate, distorter, but I'm saying I had heating issues and the skid plate helped even the temps out.
I would have to look at it to comment on cutting the plate back, but as far as drag and weight are considered, is it really worth the trade-off?

Redwood

On that skid plate, I think it does a bit more than cooling stuff. The goal of any high speed car is to have a really smooth underside. Seems to me that the skid plate would help out somewhat if not a lot.

If you ditch the brake ducting, I'd replace it with some good quality plastic ducting. No reason to make your brakes work harder because you wanted to bring along a couple extra CD's

Another note. Everything in weight reduction is a trade off. I chose to ditch my heater and, as a price, I freeze my *** off when I have to drive in the winter. This is an extreme case, but I think it can be applied to just about everything (except for the damn stock exhaust manifold, that thing should not have ever been made!).

Rx7carl

Yes, it is for cooling while standing still, keeps the fan from recirculating the same air. And if you look at or study aerodynamic race cars youll see he's right on about the undertray effect. Even better would be a front belly pan.



I disagree, I dont think those stock ducts really do much of anything but support the fender.



Well put, especially on a street driven car.

SoRRoW

Thanks,Carl and others..

Looks like I will be leaving it on,just painting it though.