Guest BIGSHOT357 Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 just wondering what some of you guys have gotten your z down to in weight. Im used to mustangs...getting them down to 2600-2700 with driver was fairly easy, these datsuns...should go lower right? Tell me how much lower..I appreciate it...Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead Roman Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 sub 2k cars dont seem to be too rare in weekend warrior trim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BIGSHOT357 Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Under 2000? thats alot lighter than I thought...thats without driver of course? I was thinking 2400 with driver? any tips on weight loss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spork Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Plenty of exercise and try to eat right...lol That being said, put in a full cage (for safety) and that will help you cut out and remove supports that aren't needed for strength anymore. You can go one more step and weld up all the seams on the car (not for the faint of heart...theres a lot of work doing this). Then theres the usual stuff, fiberglass/carbon fiber parts, light weight wheels and tires, lexan windows, and absolutely nothing on the inside that you don't need (and that includes that heavy dash). Just build your own dash out of sheetmetal. It should be possible to get a car down to 1800lbs which would be about 2000lbs w/ driver...depending the driver. Then just add lightness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 My '71 240z, COMPLETELY gutted, with entire fiberglass body (doors with no glass), hatch with lexan window, front clip, and quarters), no bumbers (basic race-only set-up) and a lightweight SBF (aluminum everything except the block) without the cage was 2060, and I felt this was as light as it would ever be able to go without some exotic materials. My goal was 2k but this was not going to happen. Then I added the cage, and it went up almost 100 lbs (to 2150). This same car in street trim, with DOT wheels and tires, headlights, and miscellaneous street items (cooling fans, alternator, wiring, heavier but more comfortable seats, etc) now weighs 2320 lbs. Thin carbon fiber body parts would have given me an additional 60-70 lbs, but then any small ding would have been certain death for that part, which is why my panels may be thicker than needed for race-only duty, but I needed durability being this body is a one-off creation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 My 1974 260Z with a full interior, 16 gallons of fuel, full interior and me (190 lbs) weighed 2800 lb in street trim. Since then I have wrecked the car, and rebuilt it with a tubular front end, subframe, and half roll cage. The new version has no undercoating or sound deadening material, no windshield wipers, no HVAC, no emergency brake, and no bumpers. The car does still have stock seats, all of the glass, the full dash and interior trim panels. The motor is a 1989 5.0L with Edelbrock aluminum heads, Cobra Intake, 24# injectors, 73mm MAF, 65mm TB and Crower cam. The transmission is a T5. I put the car on wheel scales recently and here are the results with 16 gallons of fuel and me (190LBs) in the car: LF = 648 Lb RF = 607 Lb LR = 751 Lb RR = 710 Lb. Total = 2716 Lb Here are my percentages: (LF + RF)/ Total = (648 + 607)/2716 X 100%= 46.2 percent on the front 53.8 % on the rear. (LF + RF)/ Total = (648 + 751)/2716 X 100% = 51.5 % on left and 48.5% on right. my diagonals are equal ie.. (LF + RR) = (RF + LR) -> (648 + 710) = (607 +751) = 1358. The 260 is a slightly heavier car than the 240, and I have not done all that is possible to lighten the car. The doors could be gutted (they weigh 67 lbs each in full trim. The gutted doors would weigh less than 10 lbs. each. The rear glass could be replaced with lexan, etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 74_5.0L_Z; I think we need more pics to understand what you're saying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BIGSHOT357 Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 does any one have any pics of the light weight interior route...including a fabbed dash? If so Id like to see it...I noticed when I took the dash out..It was rather heavy..I appreciate all your help..thanks Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Steve and Ian own a 72 240Z that I was sponsoring through my former business, ZF Racing LLC... Their car was a L6 powered car that was GUTTED... No glass in the doors or 1/4 window area, Lexan on the rear hatch, and NO door interior... It was just a door skin with piano hinges. The car had NO interior including the dash and it was as gutted as you can get while maintaining a pair of light weight racing seats... The car weighed in at 1995# without a cage, and without anyone in the car... They installed a cage and the car picked up 100#... They are running coil overs, my custom suspension pieces, and Marsh Racing Carbon Fiber/ Aluminum 3 piece wheels. The car is pretty darned light... Their next move is to go and install a small, lightweight fuel cell. My point to all this is that this car is missing everything you would need to run it on the street... no wipers, no windows, no bumpers (Most of us don't!) and a lot of other stuff... I'm not sure you will get a Z down to less than 2200# without losing a lot of key items listed above. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74_5.0L_Z Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Just for you Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Yeah!! Lookin' good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Typical SCCA ITS prepared 240Zs (roll cage, fuel cell, dash but no interior or passenger seat, all steel panels, all door and hatch glass, L6, SUs, 4 speed, R180, 14 x 7 wheels) weigh about 2,250lbs. My 1970 240Z in similar trim with roll bar and a full interior weighed 2,260lbs. Adding a CF hood and hatch to my car and removing the window glass and mechanism, wiper motor and arms, dropped the weight to 2,170 lbs. Under 2,000 lb 240Zs are pretty rare and I know of no street driven 240Z that weighs under 2,350 lbs. It also takes a lot of work to get a V8 conversion Z under 2,500lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Under 2,000 lb 240Zs are pretty rare and I know of no street driven 240Z that weighs under 2,350 lbs. It also takes a lot of work to get a V8 conversion Z under 2,500lbs. Must be that the early 240's really are a bunch lighter. My 5/70 with Autopower roll bar, full carpet kit over the original diamond vinyl with extra insulation, heavy Recaros, R200, rear sway bar, 5 speed and L28, full interior, full glass and ME IN IT weighed 2550. At the time it was weighed I was ~175. So the car was 2375 or so. No battery location or anything, and just to match '74, here's my corner weights: LF= 640 RF=620 LR=650 RR=640 Given that the aluminum head 302 is supposed to be ~40 lbs lighter, I think it would be pretty easy to get an early chassis like mine to 2350 with a motor swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Given that the aluminum head 302 is supposed to be ~40 lbs lighter, I think it would be pretty easy to get an early chassis like mine to 2350 with a motor swap. Well... no. You're forgetting the added weight of the V8 transmission, the obligatory R200 swap, larger rad, etc. I agree its possible to accomplish a sub 2,350 with a V8 swap but it doesn't really happen in the real world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Hell even my car is in there. 72 chassis, turbo swap, R200, heavyish recaros, roll bar, big IC, associated piping, full interior, extra sound deadening, sub box, amp, etc. 2440lbs wet. I think 2350lbs should be a walk in the park for a street driven Z! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BIGSHOT357 Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 There shouldnt be much difference in trans weight for the v8 swap should there..I know the c4 is heavier than stock datsun stuff...but a powerglide on the other hand I doubt would hold much difference being substanially lighter than the c4.Thanks for all the help...Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 The numbers I hear tossed around (in the drag racing community) is that a Powerglide trans weighs about 100lbs without the torque converter. A 4 speed Type B Datsun trans weighs 80 lbs with shifter and without clutch or flywheel. Adding the weight of the flex plate, torque converter, trans cooler, lines, and shifter to the Powerglide and you've probably got 125 lbs. Adding the weight of the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, clutch MC, lines, and clutch pedal and you've probably got 125 lbs. So, I'll agree that in a Powerglide installation you've probably not added any weight to the car as part of a V8 swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 etc. 2440lbs wet. Yeah, but those are Canadian pounds Drax. It really works out to 4,550 pounds American.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted October 4, 2004 Share Posted October 4, 2004 Steve and Ian own a 72 240Z ... BTW... They are also running the CF Hood and Hatch from the Rusty Old Datsun, complete with the aluminum spoiler that says, "Team Rusty Old Datsun - Eat My Rust!" on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 etc. 2440lbs wet. Yeah, but those are Canadian pounds Drax. It really works out to 4,550 pounds American.... Heh, or 6,000lbs in english units? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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