I'm considering the installation but I would like your comments on the following which shall be directed towards a mostly track car.

1. What is the weight diff of stock hatch glass vs FAL only (keeping stock hatch)?
2. What is the weight diff of stock hatch vs CF only?
3. What is your opinion on the fact that the factory steel hatch serves a purpose of safety as part of the body in case of an accident or roll etc.? Does the stock hatch helps in rigidity and/or plays a role as part of the overall body design?
4. Why is the mazda stock hood alum to save weight but the hatch was kept steel?
5. Related to #1, is the FAL only modification a good consideration or middle ground approach?

Sorry for the many questions, hope you guys can help me decide...

Thanks in advance...

 

I'll answer the questions I know.

1. ?

2. ?

3. The stock hatch adds no rigidity to the chassis structure, it is an unstressed part. The B pillars and the roof handle that.

4. I'm sure it was because of price or possibly because the stamping of the hatch has much more draw in the metal. This could have been an issue with aluminum body parts at the time.

5. Any type of plastic window will save weight over glass. Problem is that on a daily driver the plastic will scratch much more easily and without thorough care (polishing out of scratches) over time the plastic will appear dull or hazy due to fine surface scratches.

 

1) the weight savings for the lexan over the stock glass is 11 or 12 lbs according to the guy I e-mail at FAL a year or 2 ago.

2) if the total weight savings for the CF hatch and lexan windows over stock is 26 lbs according to Damian in another thread. SO that means the CF hatch is about 14 or 15 lbs lighter than stock.

Tim