Skrill

Thanks very much to MySunset350Z -- who sold me the battery his fabricated "home depot" style brackets for a great price. I made a couple of small improvments to the brackets (added an L-Brace to better hold down the battery) and did some dremel work on the battery tray bracket.

But overall the install was super easy thanks to Sunset's brackets. Thanks buddy!!!

I plugged everything in and the car fired right up. I think with this mod I may be below 3100 lbs.

I will need to weigh everyhthing latter. BTW, I weighed the battery, brackets, screws and all other hardware for the install on my bathroom scale -- 15.8 lbs.

As I understand the stock battery is 36 lbs. Net loss 20 lbs.

Finally -- does Pep Boys accept old batteries? The stock battery is practically new. But I don't really want a plastic box full of acid that emits explosive gas in my condo. If anyone wants it -- it's theirs. Just come get it. Otherwise, I will try to see Pep Boys will accept it for recycling.

TX-Ruben

iTrader: (1)

pics?

Skrill

Coming -- like a dummy, I was half way through the install and remembered to take pics.

But I did snap some -- then left the camera down in the car.

I used this post as a reference for the install.

Link to Post

This shows a bottom mounting bracket very similar to the one that Sunset sent me. I did a little touch up on it with my Dremel to make it fit better -- but otherwise it's exactly the same.

ReavTek

iTrader: (1)

Can you upload pics of the finished install in ur car?

TheBigShow

iTrader: (2)

r the brackets something he is sellin to anybody? we just used a block of wood, so i would like something a little more professional.

Armitage

iTrader: (15)

Nice. One of the quickest, easiest, and cheapest weight-loss mods to do.

What else do you have done that you'd lost 100+ lbs?

Tex Willer

been using the 680 for almost a year

20lbs off the front is great, very few mods has a better $ to lbs ratio.

I was able to fit mine without modifying anything.

what are you other weight reduction mods if I may ask? (beside the obvious SSR)

Also, why did you tape your car blue? chips?

nuff

Get some bucket seats, that should drop a fair bit of weight, there's not much else at the front, also flywheel might help.

Skrill

SSR's (-25lbs about -6 lbs a corner)
Spare Tire and tool removal (-40 lbs)
Rear trunk mat removed (-8lbs)
Battery (-20lbs)
Stoptechs (-0 lbs because I did the 14" kit -- )
350Evo Sways (-?? lbs)

I have the Enthusiast which is light to begin with (3188 lbs). I figure I am down close to 3100 lbs or less (but I have not put the car on a scale yet).

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

aftermarket seats don't save much total weight - maybe 10-15lbs because the mounting brackets are heavy as hell

the 350Evo sway bars are lots heavier than stock - I have them, trust me they're heavier

spare tire and tools is more like 35lbs

i'm not sure how heavy the rear trunk mat is in some Z's, but mine weighs probably a hole couple lbs

Tex Willer

real race bucket seats without a rollcage are a death trap. I also have side imact airbags on stock seats that I don't want to get rid of.

my weight saving up to now

~25lbs BBS rgr (6lbs per corner with wheels)
~20lbs Battery
~10(?)lbs injen SES
~5(?)lbs gruppe M intake
~ 40lbs spare tire and everything
~ 10(?)lbs other general stuff... (like all the plastic in engine bay, floormats, trunkmats, etc....)

I have more than 110lbs saved easy. Trying to get to 200lbs... which will require more hardcore solutions.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

why are real race bucket seats without a rollcage a death trap?

mr2fasterthanyo

he has his car taped to protect it from chips, and when racing hard you tend to send a lot of rubber all over as your tires heat up, and get soft (especially street tires- i have gotten them so soft that they suck up every rock and my fenders and wheel wells are covered).

i usually just taped up the turn signals and fogs so that they wouldn't shatter if hit with a rock (some tracks make you do this). i seemed to get a heck of lot of chips on my car racing. some tracks are pretty bad. i had to get a front lip repainted yearly........ well sometimes twice a year when i had to get a new one after killing peter cotton tail with it once.

i always used ultima batteriers. nice small and light. it is a great way to trim weight.

Tex Willer

because the stock seats are studied so they will collapse in an ugly accident. (rollover.)

With a race bucket seat, it will be your cranium and spinal cord that will collapse before the seat does. Then you get to eat with a straw for the rest of your life.

MySunset350Z

iTrader: (23)

you're welcome skrill. glad you're happy with everything.

nuff

The bucket seats can save a lot of weight, mostly if you use the side mounting brackets which are quiet difficult to adjust on the fly. But they would shed a lot of weight. You also have to remember that the stock brackets weight a fair bit as well.

Rickdogg

iTrader: (234)

Welcome to the club

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

roll cages are heavy though

Skrill

I would never wear 5 point belts without a cage. It's not the race buckets that will kill as much as it is the 5 point belts. When the roof caves -- you are held upright stiff as a board (as opposed to 3 point belts wear you will naturally lean to the center as the roll occurs).

nuff

I agree with Skrill that it's the 5/6 point belts that will hold you in place and kill you in the case of roof caving in. The 5/6 point belts will kill you also with stock seats. If you use the stock seat belt with bucket seats you'll be fine.

By the way Skrill, can we see photos of the finished install. Thanks