Importance of weight loss?

[diss7]

Originally Posted by Anthony

...What? Can you convert this to US-English?



You have a link to this? I've tried looking before - unsuccessfully. I didn't know it was called an RC pulley though. I'm looking again right now, and so far no good results.

The parcel tray, think you guys call it a rear deck. Where the 3rd brake light is. I personally don't like seeing this as baremetal, you can see it from outside when looking through the back window.

In NZ and Japan, the RC spec cars have no air con. They have a pulley in its place. Garage88 in Australia brought a few and sell them. Could also get through toyota Nz. I'll get you a part number, heck I might even get you a price.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by diss7

The parcel tray, think you guys call it a rear deck. Where the 3rd brake light is. I personally don't like seeing this as baremetal, you can see it from outside when looking through the back window.

In NZ and Japan, the RC spec cars have no air con. They have a pulley in its place. Garage88 in Australia brought a few and sell them. Could also get through toyota Nz. I'll get you a part number, heck I might even get you a price.

Hell yeah, thanks. And in regards to the parcel tray, I... don't really know what we call that. Maybe we call it a parcel tray too. "Parcel" made me think you were referring to the glove box though.

[Dr. BRZ]

Originally Posted by BlueDubbinTDI

um taking weight away from a car gives all the benefits from other parts all in 1. MPG, acceleration, and handling all improve with weight loss. That's why the most expensive performance cars are almost completely made of carbon fiber. A 500hp vehicle can make the same 0-60 times as a 1000hp vehicle all because of weight. That's where this car shines. It starts at around 2750lbs. Many cars cant dream of that weight these days. Wheels, exhaust, spare tire + tools and (heavy) battery delete can get you down another 100 easily. I cant think of a downside of losing too much weight in a car

This is true, this is why the nissan juke R can nearly beat the bugatti veyron in a 1/4 mile.

[Laika]

Originally Posted by Gary in NJ

It really is an incredible feat and the product of obsessive engineering.

Agreed. My 91 MR2 weighed about the same as my BRZ. That thing was a properly dangerous two seater with a single airbag for the driver. I can't believe they pulled this weight off for a modern car without it costing more than it does. 200hp is not much for the price but 2700 pounds is, as you said, incredible, for this price tag.

[NWFRS]

Get AAA and throw out the spare tire and jack. Find some nice 14-16lb wheels and replace the stock 20lb wheels. Get a lighter battery.

That's all I would do. When you start messing with body panels, the weight savings are likely to be offset by poor build quality and fitment. Not to mention you'll risk looking like THAT 18yo kid with the Krylon Black civic with body panels flapping in the wind on the freeway. :-)

But that's just my opinion. New modified cars can look BEAUTIFUL if done right. I don't have the money or the talent to do it right, so I'm sticking to small mods. :-)

[Gary in NJ]

Originally Posted by NWFRS

Get AAA and throw out the spare tire and jack. Find some nice 14-16lb wheels and replace the stock 20lb wheels. Get a lighter battery.

Unfortunately you'd be loosing weight where you don't want to. I'd be more inclined to loose sprung weight that would get the car closer to a 50/50 weight distribution.

And if you're thinking "I'll just move the battery to the rear of the vehicle", you'll be adding weight do the the weight of the cables.

Loosing weight strategically is a like solving a puzzle.

[Miniata]

Originally Posted by Gary in NJ

Unfortunately you'd be loosing weight where you don't want to. I'd be more inclined to loose sprung weight that would get the car closer to a 50/50 weight distribution.

Loosing weight strategically is a like solving a puzzle.

if you lose 20-25 lbs off the front with a lighter battery and then remove the spare tire and jack for 25-30 lbs off the back, the weight distribution doesn't hardly change

[industrial]

It's pretty easy to lose weight off the front too. Headers (~12), wheels/tires, (~10), brakes (~20), battery (~20), flywheel/clutch (~12) and an empty windshield wiper tank (~5). That's around 80 pounds off the front(ish). Get's a little tricky after that. Some of that weight is low or rear of the axle though so it doesn't exactly count as front or as significant in the dynamics of it all. The rear seat is in front of the axle though and that weighs a fair chunk with all it's mounting hardware.

I think you could remove a well balanced 150 pounds from the car easily.

[PoorMansRacing]

Originally Posted by diss7

Everyone obsesses about wheel weight, but then put dumb 'meaty' tyres on, so end up with heavier wheel/tyre combo than stock.

Finally someone gets it!

[PoorMansRacing]

Originally Posted by diss7

I'll get you a part number, heck I might even get you a price.

Let me know if you find the part number, please big help!

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by BRZTimeTrials

Let me know if you find the part number, please big help!

Indirectly from diss7:

[SeanBlader]

I'd just like to comment that you really don't need new brakes or pads after you make the car 50kg's lighter, not at least until you get much better grip with wider race tires. The brakes as they are now can easily hit the ABS in ideal dry conditions which is the absolute limit on braking capability for the entire car as a system. If you lose 50 kg's you're making the car easier to stop on the stock brakes. I'd suggest wheels and tires first and then a track day to properly heat them up and then test the ABS... or if you're a better driver than 90% of us forum goer's, pull the ABS fuse and try and lock them up. With good tires, and a light weight car, it's actually harder than you think.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by Stevo22

A national level driver in my SCCA region joked about when he was racing a Miata the wheel weights went down to like 8 lbs a wheel, but he was still 50 lbs over weight. He said he was shaving weight every where but himself.

You want weight loss crazy, Miata guys are them. Hell, check out a miata autox forum and see how creative those guys get. Its insane.

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by Laika

Agreed. My 91 MR2 weighed about the same as my BRZ. That thing was a properly dangerous two seater with a single airbag for the driver. I can't believe they pulled this weight off for a modern car without it costing more than it does. 200hp is not much for the price but 2700 pounds is, as you said, incredible, for this price tag.

And the power to weight for this car is still better than that of the turbo'd STI. It's still a bit anemic in acceleration, but that's due more to torque and tune than actual available power.

There's not much I'd do for weight reduction, though. 53/47 is actually a darn fine balance. Low CoG is actually even more important, I'd say.