So where do you keep your keys then? :eek:

 

If weight is that crucial to you, then you could drive a quart low on oil, never have more than 1/8 tank of gas (or better yet, remove the gas tank and install a fuel cell), empty the glove box, remove the spare, and for God sakes man, do NOT drive with sunglasses on.



you people always crack me up. but having a cf hood wood make abig diff, right???

 

Thanks LL.

The first 100 pounds seem doable, but anything beyond that I would not be willing to do, at least not at this time (i.e. moving to manual rack, racing seats, hood & body panel replacements, etc.).

Just like losing human weight, losing car weight becomes exponentially harder without more extreme measures.

 

I'm driving without a spare tire at the moment and I removed my dual 12-inch woofers from the trunk and mounted the stock Pioneer free-air back in. It handles 500 watts rms pretty well for a seven-year-old factory speaker. So I basically dropped over 100 pounds from what I was used to before ,and I just recently got an oil change and fluid top off. With all this done, I only notice that it's easier to do burn outs and drift across street corners, but otherwise I can't feel any gain in acceleration. I even ran with less than a quarter tank of gasa few times. Maybe I'm not paying enough attention, maybe I had too high expectations, or maybe I'm just a doofus??? What I really need is lighter wheels!

 

A 100 lbs difference in the 1/4 mile is worth 1/10th of a second, which is also equal to about 10 HP.

On a 3500+ lbs car with 225 stock HP already, I would not expect to feel much difference at all, other than as you said in burnouts or in squealing the tires in shift changes (on the manuals).

The other thing is 1/10th of a second is much less than most driver's tolerance, especially on street tires. At the drag strip, if you can always come within 1/10th of your elapsed time, you should be bracket racing every weekend and cleaning up against most other competitors (in the non-electronic classes at least, i.e. the stock/stock-type classes).

So, in my opinion and experience, until you get enough weight or HP difference to make up at least 3+ 10ths or 30+ horsepower on a stock SC3, it will be very hard to feel and appreciate.

 

If yoo want a drag monser ,start with a new car.
losing 100lbs of 'new weight' wont do much since it wasnt there from the factory.

The base is just all wrong to build a drag car. By the time it gets to an acceptable speed it will lose what makes it a LEXUS.
May as well get a Honda or Acura because thats what it'll feel like when you shed those extra LBS......and at half tha cost.

I'm trying to figure out where to draw the line myself


~Em

 

Em, couldn't agree more, that's why I have a Mustang dedicated for the drag racing.

I really want to work up my coupe for roadracing, so if anything I would probably want to strategically lose weight where I would need to. Though, I would really like to keep it VERY streetable, and not touch the interior. I'm thinking a brake upgrade, coil-overs, and supercharger (with intake, fuel system, and exhaust mods to go with it) should do the trick.

 

YES IT DOES....I could'nt pick up a stock hood by myself












I feel like Super-Girl now

 

Em, how's the vented 'glass bonnet on weight? Did you get a chance to weigh that other thing for me?
Thx-
Jon

 

If all you guys replaced the wood with CF - anyone selling your wood pieces for cheap?

 

Once Em makes them for me
I'll be happy to get rid of my wood pieces!

Let me know Em!

 

I'm changing the look of the 400 (again ) so ALL of the CF is coming out. ...I may need 'clean' wood pieces soon.

Jon: I'll get those numbers to yoo as soon as I can.
I'm really not sure 'how' to weigh it because of the odd shape???

I've only seen the mock up of the vented one. Everyone is in 'Bimmer land' at the moment

~Em

 

Em, tu tienes mail...

 

speaking of coil-overs, how much would they cost for an IS??? My friend needs them and is willing to pay cash.