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Less weight = more power; Have you lightened your Z?

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Old May 29, 2015 | 05:13 AM
  #781  
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A recent request to the SCCA comp board (by a BMW driver) has resulted in a weight change for those of us who race an HR-powered Z in T3. As of 6/1/15, our minimum weight (with driver) must be 3,500 pounds! That's up a full 100# from what they stuck us at previously.


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Old May 29, 2015 | 06:08 PM
  #782  
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Originally Posted by Row2K
How is the weight distribution with the vortech setup and gutted interior. I imagine its a bit nose heavy and if so have you done anything to shift the weight around; ie.: battery relocation.
i did have the battery in the rear but now the battery is a lithium and only weights 1kg, so the cable to the rear of the car was heavier than the battery, so now its in the passenger footwell.
yes the car is quite light in the rear and im always looking for ways to move weight back but at the moment it handles good, just doesn't launch at the start of the race as good as it should.

Originally Posted by dkmura
A recent request to the SCCA comp board (by a BMW driver) has resulted in a weight change for those of us who race an HR-powered Z in T3. As of 6/1/15, our minimum weight (with driver) must be 3,500 pounds! That's up a full 100# from what they stuck us at previously.
]
Dam thats a decent change from what you use to have to run.
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Old Jun 1, 2015 | 12:03 AM
  #783  
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Originally Posted by snobes



one from last year
AP Racing?
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Old Jun 1, 2015 | 04:26 AM
  #784  
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Originally Posted by bealljk
AP Racing?
yep front and back, they are awesome.
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Old Jun 1, 2015 | 05:59 AM
  #785  
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Originally Posted by snobes
Dam thats a decent change from what you use to have to run.
A "decent change" is not what I'd call it. The car now weighs almost as much as when it had a/c and a full cabin. While I've got my own request in to the SCCA CRB, it'll take time to consider and I'm considering just parking it for the rest of the season and forgoing the Majors and Runoffs.
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Old Jun 2, 2015 | 02:58 AM
  #786  
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Originally Posted by dkmura
A "decent change" is not what I'd call it. The car now weighs almost as much as when it had a/c and a full cabin. While I've got my own request in to the SCCA CRB, it'll take time to consider and I'm considering just parking it for the rest of the season and forgoing the Majors and Runoffs.
sorry, decent as in its as its a large change
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Old Jun 24, 2015 | 06:17 AM
  #787  
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Originally Posted by ChriZTT
My contribution to help King Baby keep this epic thread rolling!



I could fit so much more costco goodies in my car if I did this.

Subscribed to this interesting old *** thread.
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Old Jun 29, 2015 | 08:20 AM
  #788  
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Epic thread. I'm glad I read all 40 pages. The only weight savings I've done was removing the spare and jack. I want to keep my Z comfortable, as I don't race it on a circuit and I see how hard it is to remove weight from the front as opposed to removing weight from the rear.

Well, I guess my catback exhaust, aftermarket Stillen Y pipe, and test pipes saved a few pounds, but I don't count those. I'm overweight, so removing the spare and jack pretty much evened it out for me.
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Old Jul 7, 2015 | 12:46 PM
  #789  
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Originally Posted by TitaniumT8
Epic thread. I'm glad I read all 40 pages. The only weight savings I've done was removing the spare and jack. I want to keep my Z comfortable, as I don't race it on a circuit and I see how hard it is to remove weight from the front as opposed to removing weight from the rear.

Well, I guess my catback exhaust, aftermarket Stillen Y pipe, and test pipes saved a few pounds, but I don't count those. I'm overweight, so removing the spare and jack pretty much evened it out for me.
Little things add up, though.

I couldn't believe the weight of the pile of parts removed from the front of the car. OE Flywheel, OE cats, OE SAC Clutch, over the top stereo and wiring the PO installed.

What I keep eyeballing is the AC. I've removed it on every car but this current one, even though my AC belt exploded 3 times in a single week. There is more benefit to remove the AC system than anything else in the car. Not only do you increase airflow into the engine bay, but it frees space inside the bay for air to travel past the block and exit from the wheel arches or under the vehicle.
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Old Jul 8, 2015 | 05:57 PM
  #790  
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Originally Posted by Bigsyke
Little things add up, though.
absolutely!

I ditched my AC - but I understand that some people like it...The AC wasnt much more than 35lbs all in (I can't remember exactly) aside from the air flow benefits it removes that 35lbs from the front drivers side of the car.

Another easy modification is to move the battery to the trunk...I fab'd up a aluminum battery basket, bolted it into the trunk. I sourced ~20 ft of heavy duty wire and ran the wire to OEM battery compartment and moved the battery ground to the trunk.
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Old Jul 9, 2015 | 02:13 AM
  #791  
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Originally Posted by bealljk
absolutely!

I ditched my AC - but I understand that some people like it...The AC wasnt much more than 35lbs all in (I can't remember exactly) aside from the air flow benefits it removes that 35lbs from the front drivers side of the car.

Another easy modification is to move the battery to the trunk...I fab'd up a aluminum battery basket, bolted it into the trunk. I sourced ~20 ft of heavy duty wire and ran the wire to OEM battery compartment and moved the battery ground to the trunk.
Did you run any vents through the floor so gases wont vent out into the car? Every car that has a battery inside a car from the factory has some ventilation tube so the gases can escape im just wondering.
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Old Jul 9, 2015 | 11:19 AM
  #792  
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Originally Posted by dboyzalter
Did you run any vents through the floor so gases wont vent out into the car? Every car that has a battery inside a car from the factory has some ventilation tube so the gases can escape im just wondering.
Even though most of my other car's batteries have been relocated, I'm hesitant to relocate the 350's due to it's supposed sensitive electrical system. I've data logged some inconsistencies in other cars by not running a separate ground wire back up to the engine bay. I have no idea why, but my uneducated guess would be sections of the body epoxied together so the resistance is higher. In that case I felt it would negate the benefit anyway due to adding extra weight.

If you do relocate, I've had the best luck with Yellowtop D35 batteries (which is what I use in the 350z as well). No need to worry about venting with that battery.
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Old Jul 9, 2015 | 06:21 PM
  #793  
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Originally Posted by dboyzalter
Did you run any vents through the floor so gases wont vent out into the car?
I didnt...my windows are typically open slightly so it' not a huge thing...this isnt a daily so I'm not too concerned with it.

Originally Posted by Bigsyke
I've data logged some inconsistencies in other cars by not running a separate ground wire back up to the engine bay.
Pretty good point...I have some extra copper that I will try this. For what it's worth I do have extra ground cables (stillen grounding kit) on/in the engine bay, but nothing that runs back to the battery.
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 05:03 PM
  #794  
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I found this in another thread and thought it belonged up in here.

Originally Posted by bealljk
Well, despite only having to remove 8 bolts the hatch is pretty heavy...gonna be a b!tch to put it back on!! Came in at 75lbs...add another 10lbs for the wiper motor, plastic trim/misc pieces (which were previously removed) and were at an honest 85lbs...





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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 05:05 PM
  #795  
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https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...ch-weight.html

Found in that thread...
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Old Jul 30, 2015 | 06:56 PM
  #796  
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love the info on here
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Old Aug 1, 2015 | 04:33 PM
  #797  
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Stock door panals are 8.2 lbs.. Heavy bastards.

Rear glass is 14.4 lbs and is a real ***** to remove.

Last edited by dboyzalter; Aug 12, 2015 at 02:34 PM.
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Old Nov 13, 2015 | 04:43 AM
  #798  
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Originally Posted by bealljk
absolutely!

I ditched my AC - but I understand that some people like it...The AC wasnt much more than 35lbs all in (I can't remember exactly) aside from the air flow benefits it removes that 35lbs from the front drivers side of the car.

Another easy modification is to move the battery to the trunk...I fab'd up a aluminum battery basket, bolted it into the trunk. I sourced ~20 ft of heavy duty wire and ran the wire to OEM battery compartment and moved the battery ground to the trunk.
ANOTHER battery to trunk relocation pic.
Attached Thumbnails Less weight = more power; Have you lightened your Z?-water-methanol-battery-trunk-box-3.jpg   Less weight = more power; Have you lightened your Z?-water-methanol-battery-trunk-box-4-niceee.jpg   Less weight = more power; Have you lightened your Z?-water-methanol-battery-trunk-box-2.jpg   Less weight = more power; Have you lightened your Z?-water-methanol-box-almost-complete.jpg  
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Old Dec 8, 2015 | 11:48 AM
  #799  
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Because racecar....

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Old Dec 8, 2015 | 01:00 PM
  #800  
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I removed the crash bar completely in my Z, but I like your idea!
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