GLHS

I raced this turbo talon and he barely beat me, he inched away. I started to pull him back in @ 100 mph.


I need to lose some serious weight of the car. I wanted to start cutting off metal, but I am a bit scared that I will weaken the car structure.


Can the list provide me with pictures and ideas on things I can removed, without making the car weak. I am not worried about getting into an accident. I just don't want the doors to not open one day.

Ichiban

how about all the wiring for the air cond (removing the whole system)
power windows

cbrock

iTrader: (1)

please tell me it was atleast a modified tsi

PuppyDoc

Do you have any mods on your car?

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

You didn't say if you have a turbo or an NA, but I'm assuming since you're talking about weight removal you have an NA - if you had a turbo, you'd be asking about upping the boost.

You're lucky you were that close to the guy - 1st gen DSM turbos are WICKED fast. $300 in mods and they're running consistent 13's in the quarter.

IMHO, if you try to go nuts removing weight from the car, all you're going to accomplish is killing any resale value the car might have, not to mention making the car obnoxious and uncomfortable.

If you have an NA, go get nitrous - you'll get much better returns than ripping stuff off of the car.

Dale

Suds7

Sounds like it is an N/A. I agree with dcfc3s, go with nitrous for power rather than weight removal. Or if you are a real man, bridgeport like it did Then hit it with nitrous

Ryde _Or_Die

Come on now, don't push him away from the smartest thing to make your car faster.

Now have you removed anything yet? If not you can remove the airpump, power steering pump, spare tire/jack, everything that has to do with the a/c, the egr valve, acv, the padding in the rear of the car, and any other stuff you feel like.

Rotorific

iTrader: (1)

Im sticking up for the dsm man those things are fast and they have some serious weight on us (GLHS what the hell is your car turbo i hope) because even with their weight dsms are some of the easiest and cheapest cars to get in to the 12s and even lower i would get a dsm if i didnt have a rotary and it would be turbo of course
As far as your car goes i would look for some exhaust mods instead of weight issues your gonna have the weight no matter what unless you strip out everything like a straight drag car

GLHS

Okay let me start over.

The car is a SE 1988 with every part I can imagine removed. I am never going to sell this car, so that is not a concern. Yesterday I cut the tops of the rear shock towers, the metal that holds the speakers.

I have removed enough out of the front end structure to run a 2 4" ducts for cold air.

I have a custom intake with a K&N, into a Cold air box with 2 cold air ducts.

RB header and single 2 1/2" SS straight pipe.

Give me some ideas on what I can cut out.


This Talon had lots of money in it. I big FMIC ,very loud exhaust, and all the rice goodies.


I actually had this guy till I missed third gear and he caught me and pulled about a fender.

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

There's things you can remove weight-wise that make the car lighter and easier to work on, and there's turning it into a beater. There's a guy around here with a 2nd gen that he ripped out the carpet and a lot of the interior to save weight. Guess what? Car looks like a big pile now.

Save the full-on gutting for a track or dragstrip only car. If you're gonna drive it on the street, don't turn the thing into a beater - there's not a lot of good RX-7's on the road, and the number gets fewer every day.

Dale

Ryde _Or_Die

Ya I know what your saying. Notice the things I told him to remove. Only thing in the interior is that heavy *** rear padding thats there for no reason. The rest will just clean up the engine bay.

GLHS

Guys its too late for all that pretty stuff, it has been gone out of the car for at least a year now.


I am not looking for more power, I have a nice setup I can add to the car for that. I want to lose weight, in other words I want to cut metal out of this car.

The car gets driven to the illegals and legals every week.

I live in southern Florida, so emmissions is not a concern.

I have had this car since I was 18, so I have driven the **** out of this car for 9 years now. It still looks great and I am now just wanting to make it faster for no more money.

HALO

Swap the hoods out. There was someone posting a fiberglass hood on here a week ago. That would save you several pounds. Rip the back seat out if you haven't done so.

It sounds like you have done a pretty decent job of cutting wieght. I would have to agree with the other two. NOS or NX.

Halo

GLHS

I don't like using Nitrous, it makes the car lose traction @ any speed. I had it kick the car sideways @ 110 mph and I took it off right after that day.

Nitrous is great, don't get me wrong, But I enjoy the fact that this engine has lasted this long, and I know I can blow it up @ any over redline run with Nitrous.


I like the faces I get when I tell them its N/A and no Nitrous.

Also I already have a lightweight hood.


I need some cutting diagrams. Doesn't the hardcore racers do this stuff? Cut out metal so they can light a smoke on the header?

wpgrexx

take out the interior, i think you already have only one seat don't you? There is alot of stuff under the hood, all the emmisions, cold start, all the vacuum spider ( reroute fuel lines etc.) change the gas tank to a fuel cell, and only run like $2 of gas in it. ditch all the freinds, remove the heater core and drill out some metal, check out the interior thread there is a guy with some serious metal removed. lexan windows, cf anything, if you know the weather is good take out the windows and the sunroof(maybe screw up aerodynamics?), make a sheet metal dash and remove all the luxury items unneeded

Suds7

Sounds like he has done everything everyone has recommended to him. Do you have the FSM off of Fc3s.org? there is a body section that might have what you are looking for, cut that **** up! Do you have sunroof? remove the motors and rails and weld it shut. Lexan hatch (does cost money though). Remove shocks remove headlights! cut the front structural support out heh. Just start cutting.

Suds7

Go carb and remove all of the heavy manifolds, the ecu, remove the dash remove the bins, make it a 3/4 body

Ryde _Or_Die

Not sure what all you've done so far:

Well take the door panels off, cut out the interior part of them. Take all the carpeting out, headliner, etc. Get a lightweight battery. Take out the entire dash and just mount the gauges(lol, just an idea). Maybe take the front bumper off and cut out the actual bumper support(not safe, but will drop some weight).

Rpeck

I agree make a sheet metal dash with nothing but a Tach in it

rx7_ragtop

Remove the sound deadener from the floors (about 30 lbs of crap there!) (Dry ice and a hammer works wonders!)

Remove the center console. Replace the seat(s) with lightweight buckets. Those seats are 30-40 lbs each- you can get aftermarket seats in the 12-15 lb range.

Take the sunroof out, remove the mechanism, and put the panel back in with screws/rivets/whatever, and seal it with silicon. Better yet make a lexan panel for it.

Make a lexan hatch "glass." That will save you at LEAST 50 lbs. Remove the power antenna. Remove the rear spoiler if you have one- it does NOTHING at the speeds you would run. Take the bumper covers off and cut lightening holes into the actual bumpers... if done properly, this wouldn't reduce strength by much, but saves a LOT of weight. It is NOT as safe though, so do so at your own risk. LIGHTER WHEELS AND TIRES. No, not 17" or 18" monsters... 15" rims can be had as light as 11-12 lbs each. This reduces both rotating mass (a lot more effective than just weight reduction!) and unsprung weight (improves handling!) Change to a lightweight exhaust- my single probably saved me 30 lbs.

Brad

GLHS

These are great ideas. I was looking to see what parts of the meatl I could remove. Like the area where the spare tire goes and maybe the metal over the fuel tank.

I was also thinking about cutting the inner fenderwells out of the front of the car, but keeping the plastic inner fenders, to keep rain and rocks and such from getting into the engine area.


Can anyone get a hold of a structure sheet that shows were the factory made the frame to hold the car together vs metal that was used to close up the car.

In other words, I assume I could cut up the car and have it appear like a dune buggy, but still be strong enough to hold itself together.

Rpeck

Okay now I think your on drugs...

HeavyFoot86

dude...you're hardcore

Roy James

sweet lord man. You are ******* nuts, haha, oh well, as long as you are radical, take your fuel take out, and replace it with a plastic, in hatch tank. remove all your glass and bolt in plexi-glass. cut your left hand off, remove some teeth. ****, drive butt naked to the races that way you'll save the 4lbs for the clothing. or.... just put some N20 on there or turbo swap and be comfortable

CrackHeadMel

iTrader: (2)

I wouldnt mind finding a lightweight dash, i KNOW that thing is heavy, mines hanging from my wall =]