280Z weight reduction

[spawpoet]

4. Stock fuel system stuff, you've got a cell, you don't need to have that mess.

When we re-did our shell I was suprised how much just the hard fuel lines weighed. It was a couple of lbs. Ron's list has some great suggestions (a few I'd never heard), and Paul is right about the undercoating and wheels (we are still VERY heavy here at 17 lbs.wheel). Undercoating should be several lbs. One thing not mentioned is gutting the door IF you add nascar bars to your cage. You add a little weight back on with a bit more cage, but if I remember correctly we saved around 17lbs a door when we put in the nascar bars. The biggest thing is to look at EVERY aspect of the car in the most minute detail possible. It all will add up.



Edit: Somehow I missed Rom mentioning the nascar bars in his post. I guess I didn't look in the most minute detail possible.

[Knestis]

Pay attention to everything you add. I see a lot of brackets (e.g., for kill switches) that are way too heavy. Dash panels, etc., etc., etc. Lots of little pieces add up and if you are doing them as you go, they don't cost much to make lighter than you might.

We got about 30 pounds of undercoating off of the Golf when we built it. I don't know how a Z compares but the Thug is the right tool for the job. I found a pair of old shoes when we moved this last time, that STILL had crumbs in them...

K

[lateapex911]

In addition to the good suggestions above:

Fasteners are free, some folks use other materials that are lighter. Of course, optional things like radiators needn't be held in with 6 stock bolts, two small tabs and two small bolts will do. That's just and example.

Suspension rules are pretty open. does the car run struts? those are pretty open, and significant weight can be saved there, Look at the inserts too. Swaybars. Big savings possible here. Hollow bars, with alum arms.

Stock systems that are optional. Everything goes. (although I don't buy into the 'remove the heater core because it's attached to some housing that the AC air ran through' mentallity). Anything that is open for removel, remove. Anything that is optional, (mirrors) consider weight when replacing.

Tires. They don't all weigh the same, and their weight 'costs' more as it's rotating and unsprung.

Exhaust. Stainless and or titanium. Significant potential for loss, and it can last longer.

On the Nascar door bars, read the rule carefully. Your right side should be the bare minimum to meet the exact words of the rule. (example: When they say "project into the door opening" they don't say by how much...you don't need the crush space, so 1/8" projection with ONE bar is enough to satisfy the rule requirement, IIRC. )

Seat. Buy smart and save 7-pounds or so.

Clutch and PP ...there are some savings available there, and again, thats rotating weight.

Guages. Remove all stock ones, replace with small dash panel and data aq system. Saves a bit of weight, but gives you a record of things you might be missing on track. (An oil pressure fluctuation in left handers that could rear it's head later, or a voltage fluctuation that explains that weird miss) AND you can review your driving which always makes you faster._

Sorry about this one, but eat more fruits, salads and exercise regularly. Or more. Helps during a three hour stint too.

Finally, read the rulebook, start to finish and think about weight in regards to every line.

[MIKEL]

Another thing are all the brackets in the engin compartment for the air canister and other junk. buy a drill to remove them (spot weld drill?). Depending which year you have some of the bumper mountint points were much beefer and an area to look at removing/lightning. Ron was right about the dash the 280s were a lot heaver than the 240s if possible pull it and gut it they had a lot more material and braces inside and if the dash is out remove some of the mounting brackets for the ac and other interior parts you are removing (drill again). And like everyone said the undercoating. When we built our IT 240 we weighed the undercoating from the floor pans and interior got 12lbs out.

[Mike Mackaman]

A huge aluminum radiator saved over 10 lbs for me. Nascar door bars saved 24 lbs on the right side. Speedway tubular sway bar was over 10. Ron's light weight crank pulley was 2.5. Read the cage rules again for minimum size and wall thickness on non required bars. Seat mount can be very heavy if you are not careful. also other things like cools suits, mounts for coolers and drink bottles. Replace your airbox/air cleaner housing with fiberglass. Steel is about 2lbs per square foot, aluminum is about 1, glass can be under 0.5, and 0.25 if you really do it right with vacuum bagging.

Taking weight out of the driver might sound easy for you little guys, but trust me it is not as easy to take it off as to put it on!!!

Mike

[kthomas]

Aftermarket windshields often weigh much less than the old factory windshield, and it's high up weight which is double good to remove.

Also, focus not just on weight removal but where the remaining weight is. Move everything you're allowed to move. Example: our Jacobs ignition box was on the passenger footwell rocker beam.

Plus what everybody else said.

[joeg]

Oil Cooler lines/ accusump?

Oil is heavy