Livable Weight Reduction Options

[Coomer]

Tonight was a sad night. On the way home I was on the freeway alone and a gutted, loud EF Civic hatch got next to me and revved for a minute. We slowed down to 60 or so, I dropped it down to third, and floored it until about 75(This was in a 70 MPH zone.) Sadly, the gutted EF pulled on me...I'm confident that it didn't have a B16 because it wasn't too fast, but it was obviously modded.

But anyway, it made me sad, and the whole way home I was thinking about what I could remove to save some weight off of my car. Here's what I came up with so far. Keep in mind that I want my car to still be daily-drivable and comfortable.

• A/C compressor, condensor, lines, and whatever else is hidden away in the dash that's related to the A/C (A/C doesn't work anyway)
• 2 10" Xtant subs in my very heavy MDF box and my JBL BP300.1 amp
• Spare tire (Fix-a-flat has worked fine for me before.)
• Passenger airbag (I don't think it'd deploy anyway since I have no driver's airbag)
• Airbag and cruise control computers
• That sound deadener stuff that's stuck to the metal of the floor (will be replaced with Ensolite foam)
• Added RaamMat sound deadener

I'm keeping my power steering/dash/carpet/seats for sure. I also am looking into buying some lightweight 16" or 17" wheels. What do you guys think? Is there anything not too important to comfort that I'm missing?

[Dr_Tweak]

Well, you're going to have a hard time with the compressor. The way the belt is routed and the way the tensioner works makes it so you either have to keep it, or loose both that AND the power steering.

Which, isn't bad, once you get used to it.

For around $400 you could put a nitrous setup on there and have no more troubles

[Coomer]

Well, you're going to have a hard time with the compressor. The way the belt is routed and the way the tensioner works makes it so you either have to keep it, or loose both that AND the power steering.

Which, isn't bad, once you get used to it.

For around $400 you could put a nitrous setup on there and have no more troubles
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I know...I'm looking into setting up a custom tensioner and using a smaller belt. I've driven the car without power steering for a while and it sucked big time.

And I don't want nitrous. For $400 I'd go Megasquirt.

[Dr_Tweak]

Well, that's a good idea too

[Hanyo]

you dont really need back seats. There isn't much room for people anyways. Removing the passager air back is really hard, I dont think its worth the trouble. I can't think of anything else that can really help with the weight.. this is the yelli celi, right?

[SimmaDownNow]

I have to agree with removing the back seat. I rode in my back seat ONCE, and I almost had a panic attack! I've ridden on submarines before that didn't feel as cramped as that back seat. Anyway, one night on a whim, I took a dremel to that bad boy (Obi Wan with a lightsaber = Lewis with a dremel). It's really easy and you lose a good deal of weight. Then, just cover it up with black carpeting or something like that...
- Luís

This post has been edited by SimmaDownNow: Jul 5, 2005 - 6:47 AM

[ghostdog]

the back seats in our cars are not that bad. try sitting in the back of a carrera, now thats unatural.

but yeah coomer. that seems like a pretty complete list. whats the estimate on how much weight that'll drop?

I have to agree with removing the back seat. I rode in my back seat ONCE, and I almost had a panic attack!  I've ridden on submarines before that didn't feel as cramped as that back seat. Anyway, one night on a whim, I took a dremel to that bad boy (Obi Wan with a lightsaber = Lewis with a dremel). It's really easy and you lose a good deal of weight. Then, just cover it up with black carpeting or something like that...
- Luís
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[playr158]

fender mounted intake stuff....you can get ride of
not much weight but its some...
jack..
plastics in the back...
anything you can unbolt pretty much is what i did?!?!

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

I say keep your comfort intact. Sure, things like the spare tire and jack and big heavy subwoofers can be ditched to save some good weight, but overall it wont make you noticably faster unless you go to extremes. (i.e.- removing passenger seat and back seat, removing the dash and trim, all audio, trunk panels and door trim, etc.)

If you arent to attached to your audio stuff, you could sell your subs and amp setup to somebody on here and use the money to buy the Megasquirt...or anything to give you more potential for power.

[Digndoug]

I think what you said already is the only thing that makes sence. Cause much of anything else dosnt weight much and not worth removing. Id say go for the megga squirt..

An at least im not the only one that cant make my mind up of what to do with cars.

[macavely]

ok coomer (and i'm saying this to be and ass or funny ) ... go to the gym and lose some weight drop like 40 lbs.... the drive is usell the heviest thing in a car other then the engine and frame ...

[Coomer]

whats the estimate on how much weight that'll drop?
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I think 100+ lbs. I'm going to weigh everything that I take out and everything I put back into the car, so I'll know for sure.

fender mounted intake stuff....you can get ride of
not much weight but its some...
jack..
plastics in the back...
anything you can unbolt pretty much is what i did?!?!
[right][snapback]308543[/snapback][/right]

I've already got the fender mounted intake stuff removed, the jack is a good idea too since it's not much use without a spare. Coupes don't have plastic in the trunk, but rather paper-thin carpeted pieces...all three probably weigh about a pound. I'm removing the false floor that covers the spare though.

I say keep your comfort intact.  Sure, things like the spare tire and jack and big heavy subwoofers can be ditched to save some good weight, but overall it wont make you noticably faster unless you go to extremes. (i.e.- removing passenger seat and back seat, removing the dash and trim, all audio, trunk panels and door trim, etc.)

If you arent to attached to your audio stuff, you could sell your subs and amp setup to somebody on here and use the money to buy the Megasquirt...or anything to give you more potential for power.
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I bet my subs, amp, and A/C components alone weight more than those three seats and every plastic panel in the car combined. I've had two sixth gens. stripped, one to almost nothing, and I know most of the cosmetic stuff is pretty light.

ok  coomer (and i'm saying this to be and ass or funny ) ...  go to the gym and lose some weight drop like 40 lbs....  the drive is usell the heviest thing in a car other then the engine and frame ...
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I've already lost 25 lbs. in the last few months.

[ArizonaRed]

-you could gut the ac compressor.
-the pass air bag weighs a lot....prob 20lbs. if you do that take out all of the wires and sensors in the front and computer.
-cruise control box would be good and it would give your engine more breathing room.
-you could take out your windshield wiper fluid/container.
-you could take out your antenna parts (motor etc).
-get lighter rims.
-put on a lighter steering wheel.
-keep only 1/4 tank in your car.

[Dr_Tweak]

Don't forget too that rotating mass is by far more important that the dead weight in the car. So think about getting a lightweight flywheel, clutch kit, rims, even using synthetic tranny fluid... But that all costs money whereas stripping stuff out of the car doesn't

[blu94gt]

Don't forget too that rotating mass is by far more important that the dead weight in the car. So think about getting a lightweight flywheel, clutch kit, rims, even using synthetic tranny fluid... But that all costs money whereas stripping stuff out of the car doesn't
[right][snapback]308950[/snapback][/right]

exactly, get a light flywheel and rims. i don't know how light you should go on the flywheel or how much ours weighs stock, but it will give a bigger difference than gutting the car.

[Coomer]

-you could gut the ac compressor.
-the pass air bag weighs a lot....prob 20lbs. if you do that take out all of the wires and sensors in the front and computer.
-cruise control box would be good and it would give your engine more breathing room.
-you could take out your windshield wiper fluid/container.
-you could take out your antenna parts (motor etc).
-get lighter rims.
-put on a lighter steering wheel.
-keep only 1/4 tank in your car.
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I'm just going to take out the compressor altogether. The cruise control box is already gone, and I removed the computer for it last night. I use my windshield wiper fluid sometimes, so I want to keep that. My antenna motor is already removed. I'm hoping I can find a good deal on a lighter set of rims. I already got a new lighter steering wheel, and I often drive with less than a half tank in my car.

Don't forget too that rotating mass is by far more important that the dead weight in the car. So think about getting a lightweight flywheel, clutch kit, rims, even using synthetic tranny fluid... But that all costs money whereas stripping stuff out of the car doesn't
[right][snapback]308950[/snapback][/right]

I had a lightweight flywheel and didn't like it...I prefer a stock flywheel more for comfort reasons. Do they make lightweight clutch kits? I have an Exedy kit right now and I like it, so there's no changing that. See above about the rims. And I have synthetic tranny fluid already.

[SimmaDownNow]

Just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about the lightweight flywheel?

[Digndoug]

Just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about the lightweight flywheel?
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From what i have heard, it makes it harder to drive, sence less rotating mass the rpms will jump and drop much faster which means you end up riding your clutch more.

[MonsterBOX]

coomer is your 4age working again or do the have the ole 7 back in?

[Coomer]

Just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about the lightweight flywheel?
[right][snapback]309202[/snapback][/right]

I just didn't like having to rev to 1,700-1,800 RPM to start from a stop. I kind of miss the way the RPMs used to climb though.

coomer is your 4age working again or do the have the ole 7 back in?
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Yes, it's working. It's been working since it was swapped in...there were some electrical issues but they were hardly engine-related.