Lightening the beast - Page 3

#31 12-28-2003, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by svxhunter
We're giving her a new life, albeit quite a different one than she may have been built for.

*applause*

excellent!! a lot of people have talked endlessly about pulling the weight and running the numbers, but nobody has actually stepped to the plate and done it. great to see someone is seriously approaching the project. I think the EJ33 is perfectly suited for a racetrack application and am eager to see what it's capable of doing without being restricted by all that extra weight

-adam

svxhunter · #32 12-28-2003, 07:54 AM

Keene, NH- Totally Cool! I almost moved there two years ago. The decision not to is one I still regret. Of course, I wouldn't have met my SVX....

Subafreak · #33 12-28-2003, 08:03 AM

Where is the rest of the wight hiding? SUBFRAMES!! I would be a prohibitive as getting custom glass made but it would save mucho weight if you got some forged aluminum subframes, control arms, and spindels made for it, also replace the brake componets with some aluminum bits.

elninoalex · #34 12-28-2003, 09:25 AM

Check this out for the weight of each window.

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...eight+of+glass

If you were to remove ALL the glass, you're only talking about 70 lbs. not counting the windshield.

Also, the rear decklid is surprisingly light, only like 15 lbs or so, if I recall correctly.

Stephen

CigarJohnny · #35 12-28-2003, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subafreak
Where is the rest of the wight hiding? SUBFRAMES!! I would be a prohibitive as getting custom glass made but it would save mucho weight if you got some forged aluminum subframes, control arms, and spindels made for it, also replace the brake componets with some aluminum bits.

Now that would be sweet as hell. Ever see the aluminum suspension parts on the 300ZX? I'm sure there are other cars with them but they are like works of art. Would be awesome for someone to fabricate aluminum bits for the suspension.

Landshark · #36 12-28-2003, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by svxhunter
Actually, I don't think we are ruining this car. We pulled her out of a field of weeds. The dealer who owned her was in the process of crushing cars. He crushed 200 cars that week. We bought this one from him 15 cars before she got crushed.

We're giving her a new life, albeit quite a different one than she may have been built for.

This is not futile- we're having a great time and have already had huge successes!

Working on her has given me an appreciation for this car- great car. I bought a second one (a '95) which we now drive daily.

Don't worry- we'll take good care of her!!

now that is something completely different. taking a nice SVX and gutting it is just wrong, but a rescue mission on one heading for the crusher is a good deed!

good luck with your project!

svxsubaru1 · #37 12-28-2003, 01:41 PM

Has any one put aftermarket seats in there SVX to shave some weight and giive some support so your not sliding around on the seat. The stock ones are almost dangerously not supportive.

Subafreak · #38 12-28-2003, 04:53 PM

Now I have a huge problem with remarks like that. I think the SVX seats are the most comfortable and relativley supportive ones out there. Just the leather one are slippery.

svxsubaru1 · #39 12-28-2003, 07:21 PM

There horrible for me I slide into the door and center consel, and have to hold my self by the steering wheel. They are very comfortable tho and great for long trips, because they acculy have the backe support I need.

svxhunter · #40 12-28-2003, 10:12 PM

Regarding aluminum subframes- This car has no frame. It is a uni-body. The stamped sheetmetal roof, sidewalls, and floors create all the structural engineering completely by themselves. It is a truly beautiful design (speaking as one who has seen almost the entire stripped skeleton and who has an appreciation for great engineering!).

Aluminum control arms, spindles, brake components, etc. are truly works of art and perhaps worthy of the SVX. They may improve performance (better handling, braking, etc.), but will probably not reduce weight much. These components are also stamped sheet metal pieces (uni-body type suspension components).

Some actual weights for reference (yes, I have actually weighed these items):

Driver seat (leather with electric controls)- 68 lbs.
Passenger seat- 49 lbs.
Rear seat bottom- 13 lbs.
Rear seat back- 24 lbs.
Factory type spare tire- 28 lbs.
Factory wheel complete with tire, balanced and inflated- 47 lbs.
(Note only a 19 lb. difference between those meaty real wheel assemblies and the goofy temporary spare. Those wheels are fairly light.)
Standard type battery- 31 lbs.
Back glass- 20 lbs
Rear 1/4(stationary) glass- 5 lbs
Rear 1/4(moving) glass- 3 lbs
Rear window regulator- 4lbs.
Front(moving) glass- 8 lbs
Entire AC system (less ducts)- 30 lbs.
Bumper core- 28 lbs. PLEASE LEAVE THEM ALONE!!
Entire sunroof assembly (including motor, cables, tracks, wiring)- 29 lbs.
Hood- 46 lbs.
Entire trunk assembly (including lifters, hinges, lights, reflectors, and wiring)- 37 lbs. BELIEVE IT OR NOT!!

So- reasonable mods: Find some light weight seats you like (potential 87 lbs.), ditch the spare (28 lbs.), and ask your significant other to walk. Come on back to this forum and brag on the 115 lbs. you saved. It should net you approximately 1 tenth of 1 second in the 1/4 mile.

Where the heck is the weight?? It's the PACKAGE. You're driving a lot of car. AWD. 4 speed electronic auto trans. 6 cylinders. ABS. Airbag. Electrically operated everything. Sound system. Incredible engineering from bumper to bumper. Lighter weight cars simply don't have all that stuff. Note that the STI weighs in at 3263 lbs. Great performance can actually weigh a lot.

Drag racing rule of thumb is that 100 lbs. equals about 1/10 second in the quarter mile. You've got to really chop up this car to gain speed through weight reduction. Suspension mods will pay off more, better tires, nitrous if you are so inclined, perhaps a 5-speed.

Let's not cut up too many SVX's. Ours is a school project that was saved from the crusher. But nobody's cutting up the one I drive!

Subafreak · #41 12-29-2003, 09:00 PM

Um- thats why they call them sub-frames and not just frames

svxhunter · #42 12-29-2003, 09:09 PM

I'm familiar with the term subframe referring to a portion of a frame, ie: the front section of a camaro or mustang often grafted into older hot rods. You are referring to suspension components. It's just semantics, and doesn't really matter. Aluminum or other machined or billet components (or subframes) will not reduce any significant weight from the existing stamped and steel components.

Subafreak · #43 12-29-2003, 09:46 PM

OK just checking

How about carbon fiber sub frames?

How much does and empty shell of a unibody weigh? Anything added to that can be of a weight savings.

LarryIII · #44 12-30-2003, 04:34 AM

I added about 25 more pounds to my SVX by eating like a pig since Thanksgiving. I'd better pump up the tires on the driver's side by 2 psi.

#45 01-01-2004, 12:41 AM

I'm not looking to gut the car totally and make a race only car. It is my daily driver, but like fatboyfsx said (even if he was off on some of the numbers) there is some weight to be lost without sacrificing luxury. And to the cynics that are convinced i have a 300 lb stereo set up, NO i don't. I buy cars to drive not to rattle apart with so much bass my eardrums bleed. My goal is to drop somewhere in the 100 to 150+ pound range. For the number crunchers out there losing 150 lbs and adding 75 hp puts the svx at roughly the same power to weight ratio as a trans am. Talk about shocking someone who was sure they were going to win.