redzedturbo Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 My 83 280zx turbo 5-speed weighed 2900lbs even on a cat certified scale yesterday. I was shocked till i got to thinking about what the thing weighed from the factory (2960) with all power options. please correct me if im wrong about this. I weighed in with a half tank of fuel and me (200lbs) in the car and my tool box at 78lbs because i weighed it and me when i got home. so my car with a half tank weighs 2622. My new goal in life is to get under 2500 lbs with a half tank. From the seats back my car is stripped and i have a heavy super strut tower bar. All sound deadening/carpet/speakers and radio are removed. I have a/c removed and run 2.5'' mild steel exhaust with no cat of muffler (BECAUSE RACE CAR) Also a 3.5 in thick intercooler up front with 2.1/4'' piping stock air box is long gone and all engine wiring gone because i run megasquirt. any ideas how i can shed some more pounds OTHER THAN BUMPERS because im thinking of making aluminum ones to replace the steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FricFrac Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 IIRC the last time I weight my stock (ish) 280ZX turbo with t-tops and AC almost a full tank of gas and my 170lbs self in the car we weighed in at 2800lbs. Hood is around 54lbs - fiberglass is around 16lbs. Bumpers are one of the major ones for weight on the 280ZX... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Yeah I was 2640 lbs with me in the car (was 200 then). I am NA and I had a full tank of gas, car is stripped similar to yours., I have headers and a 2.5" pipe all the way to a muffler. I have two sparco seats with sliders. At the time of weight I did not have my front bumper on, but that was because I had the Gnose front end. I have hand crank windows. I do have a urethane ZXR wing which is 25lbs. I also have steel diamond racing rims. They weight about 200lbs collectively. I just bought some enkies and they weigh about 40 lighter total (10lbs per wheel). Lastly I also normally autoX with half a tank which in itself is 60lbs lighter. Doing an engine swap in the future so after that I will really see how much it weighs in at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skirkland1980 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 If you race only then gut the dash and the doors and get light seats. I'm doing this to my race only camaro now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesmc Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 My 240z racer is coming quickly and I am glad to see this thread. I was getting ready to start one in the competition section. Rules allow me to run the car at 2180 with me in. Car is a 71 240, this seems like a tough number to get down to, but I'm guessing. Does anyone know for sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) Depends on how far you are willing to go. At that weight I would expect fiberglass doors, hood and hatch with lexan all around. Gutted interior, dash, and fg seats hard mounted. I don't think you have the lighter series 1 240z, so you have about 400lbs to go to get there. If I didn't drive my car to school, or on the road in general, I would not have bumpers and would cut out the safetly crash bars in the door and replace everything with lexan. Edited February 1, 2013 by BluDestiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69sroadster Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I think I need to rescale mine but the last time it was 680lb at each corner with me not in it and about half a tank. This is a 2+2 JDM manual steering, with a stock SR20DET engine & tranny, 3" SS exhaust with CAT and muffler...and a working A/C. I've since swapped out the front seats and done some other things so it's probably a bit off now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 69 roadster, do you have a build thread? I'd like to see how you mounted the SR and did all the piping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69sroadster Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 BluD, I started one a long time ago and didn't do a good job with it. I can still take some pictures to post up for you to look at. If I was better at fabrication and had more patience I would have mounted it a little farther back than I did. I don't want to thread jack so I'll just say in this thread that the two big issues are #1) the SR20 front sump vs cross member/sway bar and #2) for LHD bodies the turbo vs steering shaft/brake booster. I'll work at updating my build thread since it's sooo outdated by now I'm sure. Expect that to get some loving later today after shopping and superbowl fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Whisky Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 2460 w/o me in it. No front bumper, fender exit exhaust no muffler, no AC parts, no PS pump, z32 seats, no hvac under the dash, 1/4 tank of gas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I weighed my 1980 280ZX with AC, 5spd, no t tops (slicktop!), but PW, PL and PS and it came in at 2960 with me in it (around 180, at the time) and couple of P90s in the hatch as well as tools to pull said P90s and a 1/4 tank of gas. these old 280zx "PIGS" are not nearly as porky as people think. I have since swapped to a manual steering rack, taken the heads, tools, spare, jack and some other things out, but I my self have put on 20lbs. One of these days I will make it out and re-weigh it with nothing in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zphilly Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 This is going to be another little side project of mine once I get back from the desert. bumpers and supports are heavy, I also intended on removing all the wiring from the car and re-doing only what I need, namely lights and my aftermarket computer. A previous owner already removed the a/c and heating systems from the car so thats weight off my shoulders. Perhaps you could run a lightweight driveshaft and flywheel? Lighter wheels and tires? smaller more efficient battery? Ounces add up to pounds. cut excess metal out of the inner doors, behind the seats, wheel wells, there are some skid plates under the car that could get cut out of there. Theres always a little more fat to be trimmed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 For things you listed, you can easily get an aluminum flywheel, have an aluminum driveshaft made, and get some lightweight custom rims made, an run slimmer tires to reduce weight (that's what I did, going from my steelies to some forged wheels), and a drycell battery will save 20+lbs. Those are skid plates, that's a heat shield in the tunnel (which I deleted since I'm running a 2.5inch pipe) and a splash guard up front which just gets in the way or oil changes. Biggest quick difference will be removing the front and rear bumpers. That's almost a 100 difference right there. The car just looks fugly then. I've also thought about removing the crash bar under the door skin, but then what happens in an accident? Same with the rear bumper. Which is the only reason I keep them on. Maybe if I got to an autocross very early, or trailored my car I would remove that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zphilly Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Ultimately the weight goal is just free speed, putting the car on a diet will make the car faster. However the alternative to being lighter is making more power. Or both lighter and more powerful, I guess thats the real goal. Those bumpers save the car, not your life, so I've never had issue with removing them... Really I have always opted for the type 2 msa font on some self made mounts a-la home depot (saves atleast 50 lbs) and the rear low speed collision shocks are heavy pieces too but i always leave the bumper skin on for cosmetics. As far as door skins are concerned thats really in the eye of the beholder, its a chance I have taken in the past but probably wont on this particular car. Im not as young and resilient as I used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyfeel Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 1982, 2580 lbs with a half tank of gas. I have some fiberglass on the car, but I did NOT remove the bumpers, I installed over the top of them for safety. You never know what kind of crazy stuff is about to go down on the roads. I eventually would like to build new bumpers, lighter and stronger than original. Ac removed including under dash parts. Power steering removed for manual rack and pinion. Odyssey battery, Al 13lb flywheel. Stock seats, power windows, mirrors still there. All interior pieces still there (minus the rear tailight cover and the rear headliner part) with full carpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redzedturbo Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 Well i am swapping my new t04e 50 trim turbonetics compressor and center housing in this weekend using the stock turbine. going to xnke's house to use welder and fab up a 2.5'' down pipe to get rid of the heavy stock dp but also to install a flex joint after it. have to straighten my manifold because its warped. (fun!!!) with my manifold sealed up and not leaking on #6 and soundings like a coal train under the hood i should be able to finish my tune and tune for new compressor. any ways i will weigh dp and the new one to see how much i lose stay tuned. if i get this done in time i will try to install my proportioning valve also i know some of you guys been waiting on me to post the how to for the zx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zxNick Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I put my 280 on a scale the other day came out to 2980 with me in the car i wieght about 140 and nothing is stripped all power options and T-Tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger280zx Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I put my 280 on a scale the other day came out to 2980 with me in the car i wieght about 140 and nothing is stripped all power options and T-Tops. What year? I'm assuming manual trans. What trim level? Turbo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davek Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Hey guys Does anyone have before & after pictures of your flywheel lightening? Love to see them. I have the ability to machine the flywheel but not sure where the material is being removed? Sizes/dimensions would be great? Much thanks Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zphilly Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 2880 no driver, full tank of gas, bone stock plus intercooler, tools, and spare parts (thats my race weight) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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