Project 1:10

Hites · #1 02-25-2009, 07:11 PM

How light can you get an SVX? How much money can you get from parting a decent one out? I ask all this, because I may have found a good running SVX for under $2k (I know about the transmission, brakes, and wheel bearings). Now the plan for this car is to strip it, and don't mean that lightly. All that would be gone would be the entire interior (sans drivers seat, steering wheel and shifter), doors, hood, trunk/hatch, front fenders, bumper covers, bumpers, exhaust, ps pump, engine cover, windows, windshield, and all lenses. I know that there's a regularly stripped SVX around that's down to 2750lbs, but that's just way too heavy for me. So... what do you think I could get the weight down to, and how much do you think I could get out of the parts listed? A 1:10 power:weight ratio would be mighty fine.

Crazy_pilot · #2 02-25-2009, 07:25 PM

*sigh* do a search, this question has been asked about once a month since this site was created.

Long story short, you can't lighten the car beyond 2700 lbs or so. Not without going ballistic and cutting out structural parts. The simple fact is that this car is heavy because it was built like a tank. Thick, heavy steel everywhere. Someone actually cut one in half a while back and took pictures of the cut members. We're talking 1/8"+ metal, everywhere.

If you want a sub 2500 lb SVX...Mold the body out of carbon fiber and build a tube frame to put that on.

What do you need an SVX with that many parts missing for?

ensteele · #3 02-25-2009, 07:49 PM

The SVX is a grand touring car, not a dragster, so even if you get some of the weight reduced, it will not make that much difference in speed.

Hites · #4 02-25-2009, 09:03 PM

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=38068
post #6

Explain to me how benebob managed to get his weight down to 2750lbs without removing the doors, hood, trunk, front fenders, bumper covers, bumpers, exhaust, windows, windshield, and lenses. Are you telling me all of that combined only weighs 50lbs? I'll be the first to say that sounds like malarkey.

Also, to save you from reading, that SVX squeaked out a 14.2 1/4mi time.

Crazy_pilot · #5 02-25-2009, 09:20 PM

What in the world do you intend to do with the car? I can understand removing most of those parts, but the doors?

Sacrifice all that and you might hit 2500 lbs, maybe a bit under that. The doors are quite heavy, the hood and trunk are a good chunk of weight, but the fenders weigh almost nothing (5 lbs perhaps?) and the bumper covers also weigh very little.

Seriously though, at this point there's no reason to use an SVX. If it's the EG33 you really like just throw it into an Impreza and lighten that thing, you'll get a much lighter car once you're done, and early Impreza's with nuked engines can be had for next to nil.

zavikan · #6 02-25-2009, 09:29 PM

I was going to make a 'he likes the windows joke'. and I wrote it all out. And it was moderately funny. until I realized he wanted to remove the doors too...which made my joke stupid...

Go buy a civic.

Wikedjuggalo · #7 02-25-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hites

How light can you get an SVX? How much money can you get from parting a decent one out? I ask all this, because I may have found a good running SVX for under $2k (I know about the transmission, brakes, and wheel bearings). Now the plan for this car is to strip it, and don't mean that lightly. All that would be gone would be the entire interior (sans drivers seat, steering wheel and shifter), doors, hood, trunk/hatch, front fenders, bumper covers, bumpers, exhaust, ps pump, engine cover, windows, windshield, and all lenses. I know that there's a regularly stripped SVX around that's down to 2750lbs, but that's just way too heavy for me. So... what do you think I could get the weight down to, and how much do you think I could get out of the parts listed? A 1:10 power:weight ratio would be mighty fine.

If you want more power, check into the Hydra EM system but like others stated, the SVX is not by any means a power house. Its not cheap to modify.

Hites · #8 02-26-2009, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy_pilot

What in the world do you intend to do with the car? I can understand removing most of those parts, but the doors?

Sacrifice all that and you might hit 2500 lbs, maybe a bit under that. The doors are quite heavy, the hood and trunk are a good chunk of weight, but the fenders weigh almost nothing (5 lbs perhaps?) and the bumper covers also weigh very little.

Seriously though, at this point there's no reason to use an SVX. If it's the EG33 you really like just throw it into an Impreza and lighten that thing, you'll get a much lighter car once you're done, and early Impreza's with nuked engines can be had for next to nil.

This is mainly an experiment. I want to see how much weight I can take off and how it effects acceleration and possibly even handling. I might get into aftermarket suspension work. Idk yet. With no fenders, some mighty big meats could be stuck under it. :P

Honestly, it looks like I can get an SVX cheaper than any Impreza I can find around here, not to mention the labor would be significantly less. I've thought about doing this experiment with a Cadi Eldo with the N* engine, but they still seem to be fetching over $2k with the cheapest one worth a damn within a reasonable distance being $2.5k. Wheelspin would be a ***** though, and I know the SVX could probably get a good launch down, so I've pretty much been lookin' at both.

Hites · #9 02-26-2009, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zavikan

I was going to make a 'he likes the windows joke'. and I wrote it all out. And it was moderately funny. until I realized he wanted to remove the doors too...which made my joke stupid...

Go buy a civic.

Lol, no no no, go ahead and tell it. We'll just assume I don't want to remove the doors. :P

STeeL25T · #10 02-26-2009, 06:28 AM

Sounds interesting actually, other than the fact that you'd essentially be destroying an already fairly rare car to make a screaming metal death trap

Hites · #11 02-26-2009, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STeeL25T

Sounds interesting actually, other than the fact that you'd essentially be destroying an already fairly rare car to make a screaming metal death trap

Yeah, I know. But the one I found has some body rust on the rear quarters and the drivers seat is quite warn, so I'm not that concerned. Plus, by reducing the weight, I'd be increasing the reliability of the tranny and brakes. :P

STeeL25T · #12 02-26-2009, 08:24 AM

I'm looking to reduce the wieght on my car as much as I can, but I'm not about to drive around with no hood or doors lol. I plan to lose both front seats, stock cast wheels, auto tranny, visors, steering wheel, hood, and maybe all the stero stuff, in the very least the double din is going. I need some place to mount switches and what not. If you go ahead and do this and find anything else to remove thats not terribly drastic I'd like to hear it.

sicksubie · #13 02-26-2009, 08:32 AM

Get rid of the driver seat and sit on a milk crate. You can also get rid of the heavy seat belts too as there is no windshield to worry about smashing your head into when you crash....

Mike621 · #14 02-26-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hites

Yeah, I know. But the one I found has some body rust on the rear quarters and the drivers seat is quite warn, so I'm not that concerned. Plus, by reducing the weight, I'd be increasing the reliability of the tranny and brakes. :P

And this means its ready to be cut apart?

SoCal LS-L · #15 02-26-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sicksubie

Get rid of the driver seat and sit on a milk crate. You can also get rid of the heavy seat belts too as there is no windshield to worry about smashing your head into when you crash....

Hahahahahahahahahahaha this is the funniest damn thread ive read since the NASOIC one about M&M battles..... What a great way to start out a morning