I was reading up on the specs, and a manual '88 GTU should be in the neighborhood of 2700-2800 lbs dry. I was wondering how I could get it down to 2500 lbs, street legal if possible. The reason is that my Legacy is rated to tow 2700 lbs, so I figure I need some leeway to add a trailer. I haven't decided whether I'm going to make the car street legal or not yet, but I'd like to have the option of driving it on the street. I'd also like to be able to trailer it so that I wouldn't have to find a driver everytime I go to and from college. I'm on a budget here, so no carbon fiber. I was thinking an aluminum hood would be a good place to start, but I don't know what else can be done.

 

Remove: AC and all components, power steering, all emissions including air pump, washer fluid resiviour and pump, carpet, all interior plastic, storage bins and housings, hatch straps, hatch shocks, radio and speakers, antenna, spare tire and jack, door panels, head liner, sunroof motor and harness, dash along with all ductwork and components except gague cluster, all sound deadening material under/behind carpet and dash, remove heatshields above exaust, remove bumper supports and reinstall bumper covers, ecu kick shield

Modify: cut off spare tire sump, cut out door supports bars, cut off rear speaker housings, go thorugh all the wiring and weed out what is not neccessary

Purchase/Make: Lightweight wheels/tires, lexan side windows and hatch, any body component made of carbon fiber/fiberglass that you can afford, single exit exaust without any cats, lightweight seats, any neccessary component that is lighter than stock

That's just about everything I can think of.

 

im at 2460 with no cats or airpump, spare removed, tool kit, jack, rear seats and carpet. still have AC and all "comforts" of interior

 

I was going to figure this out later myself, but might as well ask. Anyone know how to get weight this low without cutting luxuries, emissions, etc. and without carbon fiber?

So far I see lightweight wheel/tires, lexan windows (maybe), maybe replace spare tire & sump with flat-fixing kit, aluminum hood. Looks like 100-125lbs. saved so far. Anything else? Aluminum radiator for weight and cooling? Stainless exhaust? MMC brake rotors?

 

the rear seats and carpet weighed 25lbs so thats still 2485. the spare tire weighed 25lbs also. so you could be right at 2500 with everything in. or at least i can. 86 luxury is lighter than the 88 gtu

 

Without cutting things...hmm..

Aluminum hood

Bumper supports / foam

BBS (lightweight) rims

Aluminum radiator

Spare tire + jack removed, fix-a-flat in its place

Emissions removal, simplified vac routing..block off everything you don't need

Exhaust, removal of airpump + cats

That should set you well within you're goal range, maybe even lower. I am a fan of removing the rear carpet, sound deading, and bins, though... Theres a good 50lbs in wasted stuff back there!

 

Remember a trailer is probably going to be at least 1500 #'s.. so plan on towing about 4k unless you are going to use a dolly.. which is still probably 500#+ and then you have to disconnect the driveshaft. Also you probably want to tow some tools, tires, etc..

 

ummm... the stock FC radiator is aluminum, with plastic end tanks. everything else said is good advice, but you're gonna have to give up some stuff to lose weight no matter what.

 

No emissions and a single exit exhaust would be a good start, you'd probably be replacing the exhaust anyway, and, er, well, there's no emissions testing here, so that wouldnt be a problems either if you have that option.

I was planning on using a tow dolly when getting my 7 since the clutch is pretty much, gone. Do I really need to disconnect the driveshaft? You can't just put it in neutral?
I wonder how much it would be for a whole trailer instead.

 

Right now, my car sits at ~2480 pounds with 1/4 tank of gas.

Factory '86 Sport, minus:
-A/C
-All emissions equipment (engine mounted garbage, cats, air pump silencer, etc)
-Spare tire, jack, and tools
-Rear insulation mat
-Cold start assist
-Power antenna, stock amplifier and rear speakers
-Dual exhaust (CorkSport single, Bonez racepipe)

Also note, this car has a factory Aluminum hood, no storage bins, manual steering rack, no sunroof, manual windows, manual mirrors, and thin carpet.

The only thing I've added with a noticeable weight difference is 2+2 seats.

Go light or keep your accessories. It's your choice.

 

I need to re-weigh my car, last year with my old exhaust and stock rims I weighed in at 2444. This year I want 2399 .

 

don't take out your bumber supports. this guy around the corner bought an eclipse and the owner did that. when he hit a truck going 25 it fucked up everthing in the front of hist car and he had to rebuild a bunch of ****. better to have the weight and not be sorry.

 

So without compromising a thing, and without carbon fiber, we're left with:

Aluminum hood
lightweight rims
aluminum radiator (a lighter one)
Spare tire + jack removed, fix-a-flat in its place
Stainless exhaust
Flywheel
Lexan windows

For acceleration purposes weight in the wheel rims & tires counts double, and flywheel weight counts much more than that (5x-40x in 5th-1st gear, I think). For handling purposes wheel, tire & unsprung suspension weight are major, while I imagine other weight plays little if any part.

Are the suspension arms already aluminum? That would be a great place to add aluminum if not.

 

.....So what's the lightest vert anyone has.....

 

We have a 'vert race car that weighs in at 2379lbs wet. It could probably get down to 2300 if we removed the drysump system with all its plumbing and extra oil (it runs 12 qts). The car has no top or windshield, fiberglass everything except doors and a full cage.

Compare that to my coupe that comes in about 1975lbs wet... I call the 'vert "Fatso" or "Tubby"

 

Hmm... do you care to share a couple pics of the coupe?

 

Here is an old shot just after I painted it. There are a bunch of pics in a thread called "An Eprod car is born" I just don't know how to put a link here for you.

 

really, that doesnt exist, the stock radiator is pretty light. a koyo with its aluminum endtanks and slightly more fluid capacity would weigh more. its a good upgrade for cooling but its not a weight saver, and its definitely not a good bang for buck weight saver.

yes, thankfully they're already aluminum.

 

Don't go lexan unless you want to replace it every year...$$$

 

I believe the specs are curb weight, which includes your average driver (160 lbs.)

 

Anyone know how much louder the cabin is without the sound deadening material in there?

 

Yes.

 

got ear plugs?

Its mostly just more "rattely" you hear every little squeak and creak not to mention th fact that it does bump up the ambient noise a few DB's

 

You really really notice it more when driving through the rain.

 

lol that must be fun