Is the 370Z a very light car?

Ryan@Forged · 07-29-2009, 01:37 PM

[QUOTE=NIZMOZ;129934]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

Courtesy of Forge Performance, stock base 370z with manual.

That isn't a base in the pics. The wheels are sport package.

I am actually curious how much gas was in it as it wasn't a full tank exactly. My NISMO weighed in at 3324 lb on the 1/4 track scale with over 3/4 of a tank.

Nearly a full talk of gas. We weighed ours in almost exactly the same. It's somewhat irrelevant as long as there is no gas removed after the parts have been removed. Our car has not been driven since we started stripping her. This allows for an accurate weight savings calculation.

Organik · 07-29-2009, 02:06 PM

I'm not going to gut out my car, but here are a few things that I have planned.

Forged wheels + racing buckets + no spare tire or tools + ti exhaust = about 150-200lbs of savings.
Does that sound about right?

Ryan@Forged · 07-29-2009, 02:19 PM

I would be surprised to see that much savings. A good bit of it depends specifically on which wheels, seats, and exhaust you get. Different manufactures have different weights. 150-200 is much more than it sounds. With the correct parts you might be able to get close to 150, but it would be a stretch.

Remember that we only saved a little over 300 pounds by gutting the car and removing the exhaust. This was with no seats as well.

theDreamer · 07-29-2009, 02:21 PM

^Yep, you can take things out but something is going to replace it and add some weight back.
Wheels - probably will save 3-4 pounds each (16 total)
Seats - probably 20 pounds
Spare plus tools - About 50 pounds
Ti exhaust - probably takes off another 45 pounds
So you save a total of 131 about, you might get even less with seats depending on which you go with.

Organik · 07-29-2009, 02:32 PM

^
So by that logic, if I can shave 20lbs off of my gut (which I could use.). I can realistically reach 150lbs of weight savings.
But really, how much does 150lbs matter in the 1/4 mile or even a curved track? Not that much I imagine.

theDreamer · 07-29-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Organik

^
So by that logic, if I can shave 20lbs off of my gut (which I could use.). I can realistically reach 150lbs of weight savings.
But really, how much does 150lbs matter in the 1/4 mile or even a curved track? Not that much I imagine.

Weight is more about balancing the car, not just about removing it. You can take out the 150lbs but you have to make sure the car is balanced for what you plan to do with it.

Ryan@Forged · 07-29-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

^Yep, you can take things out but something is going to replace it and add some weight back.
Wheels - probably will save 3-4 pounds each (16 total)
Seats - probably 20 pounds
Spare plus tools - About 50 pounds
Ti exhaust - probably takes off another 45 pounds
So you save a total of 131 about, you might get even less with seats depending on which you go with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by theDreamer

Weight is more about balancing the car, not just about removing it. You can take out the 150lbs but you have to make sure the car is balanced for what you plan to do with it.

Exactly

Keep in mind around the corners (time attack/road racing) weight is significant. Dropping weight improves your acceleration, braking, and cornering. In time attack/road racing last year I edged out one of the cometitors by .02 seconds. Imagine if I added 150 pounds to the car. Think I still would have beat him? 150 pounds is pretty significant in competition IMO.

Organik · 07-29-2009, 02:43 PM

Ah, than I'm taking most of the weight off of the mid to back end of the car. How can I shave weight off of the front? Other than and aluminum flywheel, are there any other solutions?
I don't plan on racing, though I do plan on taking it through windy backroads at terrifying speeds.

Even weight distribution might be a good idea in that case.

SpawnAeroJohn · 07-29-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dszombiex

You guys have it all wrong! The 370z is the lightest car the human race has ever built!!11

Lighter than a 3 cyl Geo?!

But like everybody said its good to have weight distributed throughout the car evenly. But then again the engine is in the front. So removing a good amount from the rear is helpful.

Has anybody fancied the idea of polycarbonate rear windshield along with a rear carbon fiber hatch? I was calling companies to see if they could produce polycarbonate rear windshields but obviously cant start any looking into with out interest..

With the CF hatch we will soon release. If it has a polycarbonate rear window. That’s a whopper of savings right there. If anybody has ever lifted the rear hatch w/ window off the car then you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

armensti · 07-29-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpawnAeroJohn

Lighter than a 3 cyl Geo?!

But like everybody said its good to have weight distributed throughout the car evenly. But then again the engine is in the front. So removing a good amount from the rear is helpful.

Has anybody fancied the idea of polycarbonate rear windshield along with a rear carbon fiber hatch? I was calling companies to see if they could produce polycarbonate rear windshields but obviously cant start any looking into with out interest..

With the CF hatch we will soon release. If it has a polycarbonate rear window. That’s a whopper of savings right there. If anybody has ever lifted the rear hatch w/ window off the car then you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

can you expalin a little bit more about removing weight from the rear? because i was thinking if i remove weight from the rear of the car it wont slide out as much as it needs to hence causing the car to understeer. but if i add weight to the rear it might oversteer which is much better then understeer

wstar · 07-29-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by armensti

can you expalin a little bit more about removing weight from the rear? because i was thinking if i remove weight from the rear of the car it wont slide out as much as it needs to hence causing the car to understeer. but if i add weight to the rear it might oversteer which is much better then understeer

There are a lot missing factors in your question (not that I have all the answers anyways). Whether oversteer is better than understeer (or vice-versa) really depends on the driver, the track, the conditions, etc. Whether our car is more likely to change in the under- or over- steer direction by removing weight from the rear depends on driving conditions to some degree as well. I think in most common cases you're right that dropping rear weight will tend to shift the car in the understeer direction just due to basic inertial stuff. However, you also have to consider that dropping rear weight can reduce rear traction in some scenarios, which would tend to produce more oversteer.

This stuff is always way too complicated for me to fathom the complete dynamic picture. I guess that's why I'm not a car body/suspension engineer

kdoske · 07-29-2009, 06:33 PM

with new safety laws there is no such thing as a light car. Unless the manufacturer wants to go the composite route you can kiss NEW light cars goodbye

armensti · 07-31-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wstar

There are a lot missing factors in your question (not that I have all the answers anyways). Whether oversteer is better than understeer (or vice-versa) really depends on the driver, the track, the conditions, etc. Whether our car is more likely to change in the under- or over- steer direction by removing weight from the rear depends on driving conditions to some degree as well. I think in most common cases you're right that dropping rear weight will tend to shift the car in the understeer direction just due to basic inertial stuff. However, you also have to consider that dropping rear weight can reduce rear traction in some scenarios, which would tend to produce more oversteer.

This stuff is always way too complicated for me to fathom the complete dynamic picture. I guess that's why I'm not a car body/suspension engineer

we should get a pair of oil coolers and go to the track to do some testing

07-29-2009, 02:21 PM	#34 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4210	^Yep, you can take things out but something is going to replace it and add some weight back. Wheels - probably will save 3-4 pounds each (16 total) Seats - probably 20 pounds Spare plus tools - About 50 pounds Ti exhaust - probably takes off another 45 pounds So you save a total of 131 about, you might get even less with seats depending on which you go with. __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

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07-29-2009, 02:06 PM	#32 (permalink)
Organik Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: $an Francisco Posts: 7 Drives: soon to be 370z Rep Power: 15	I'm not going to gut out my car, but here are a few things that I have planned. Forged wheels + racing buckets + no spare tire or tools + ti exhaust = about 150-200lbs of savings. Does that sound about right?

07-29-2009, 02:19 PM	#33 (permalink)
Ryan@Forged The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Marietta/Kennesaw, GA Posts: 1,527 Drives: Evo 8/Evo 9 MR/GTR Rep Power: 0	I would be surprised to see that much savings. A good bit of it depends specifically on which wheels, seats, and exhaust you get. Different manufactures have different weights. 150-200 is much more than it sounds. With the correct parts you might be able to get close to 150, but it would be a stretch. Remember that we only saved a little over 300 pounds by gutting the car and removing the exhaust. This was with no seats as well.

07-29-2009, 02:32 PM	#35 (permalink)
Organik Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: $an Francisco Posts: 7 Drives: soon to be 370z Rep Power: 15	^ So by that logic, if I can shave 20lbs off of my gut (which I could use.). I can realistically reach 150lbs of weight savings. But really, how much does 150lbs matter in the 1/4 mile or even a curved track? Not that much I imagine.

07-29-2009, 02:43 PM	#38 (permalink)
Organik Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: $an Francisco Posts: 7 Drives: soon to be 370z Rep Power: 15	Ah, than I'm taking most of the weight off of the mid to back end of the car. How can I shave weight off of the front? Other than and aluminum flywheel, are there any other solutions? I don't plan on racing, though I do plan on taking it through windy backroads at terrifying speeds. Even weight distribution might be a good idea in that case.

07-29-2009, 06:33 PM	#42 (permalink)
kdoske Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Louisiana Posts: 541 Drives: 800whp Unicorn FI Z Rep Power: 16	with new safety laws there is no such thing as a light car. Unless the manufacturer wants to go the composite route you can kiss NEW light cars goodbye