free mods
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 20,933
Likes: 905
From: salem OR
Originally Posted by MAJ Z06
Weight reduction
You can achieve substantial weight reduction with the following modifications, while still having a car that's very comfortable to drive. Most of these modifications will directly increase (and decrease in a few cases) the safety of the car, while safety is indirectly improved due to the better handling and limits of a lighter car. Fighter pilots say "speed is life". Acceleration, deceleration, and lateral acceleration are all forms of acceleration, and lighter cars accelerate better in each of these ways because the tires have less mass to control....thus a lighter car is a safer car. Lighter cars have better moments of inertia which allows them to turn in more easily and roll less. Lighter cars are also easier on the tires and gas.
All the stage weight estimates are typically wild butt guesses, but it makes it easy to see what is possible. The weight listings in the separate weight posting is MUCH more reliable.
Stage I: Streetable weight reduction mods
Non-popup headlights (~40 lbs)
Braking rotors with an aluminum hat, or titanium rotors (unproven on street cars) (~20-30 lbs)
Carbon fiber hood (~12 lbs)
Z06 (thinner) windshield and side windows (~5.7 lbs)
Non runflat tires (~20 lbs)
Slicks (~30 lbs)
Z06 wheels (~4 lbs est.)
Corsa titanium exhaust (~35 lbs)
Long tube headers (~20 lbs)
Halltech aluminum alternator & bracket (10 lbs)
Carbon fiber driveshaft (~2 lbs)
Newer torque tube
Less options [HUD, elec AC, Active Stability, seat/mirror/steering wheel memory, cd changer] (~50 lbs)
Less gasoline & wiper fluid (No wiper fluid=9lbs, 6 lbs for every gallon of gas in that 18 gallon tank....~81 lbs for autocrossing)
Remove cargo net
Remove targa top (~20 lbs)
Remove BCM’s
Remove C5 "appearance mods" - exhaust plates, doorsill covers, etc.
Remove fuel rail covers
Replace stock crank pulley with aluminum aftermarket pulley
Replace steel dampener with aluminum dampener
Replace stock targa top with lexan piece (coupes)
Replace water pump with electric water pump
Replace battery with smaller battery
Replace non-stressed fasteners with aluminum or titanium fasteners
Replace leaf springs with coil over shocks with titanium springs
Replace steel shifter with aluminum shifter and delrin or titanium shift ****
Remove all loose change, CD's, golf clubs, misc. items, from center console, hatch area, and glove box
Empty your pockets of extra change, PDA's, cell phones, keys, lead plates, or whatever other junk you lug around
Go on a diet =p
Stage II: Hardcore semi-streetable weight reduction mods
Aluminum flywheel (~10 lbs)
Lighter clutch like Exedy or Quartermaster (~10 lbs)
Racing buckets (40-50 lbs)
Remove tire repair kit (Z06)
Off-road x-pipe (10 lbs)
Remove floor mats
Remove fog lights
Replace stock hood, fenders, doors, roof, hatch and bumpers with aftermarket carbon fiber pieces
Stage III: Track only weight reduction mods
Racing steering wheel & delete both airbags (~30 lbs, but get a 4-6 point harness)
Use unpadded aluminum or carbon fiber steering wheel
Run open headers
Remove column locking hardware
Remove interior – passenger seat, carpets, speaker panels, head liner, dash, center console, glove box, door panels, sun visors, rear view mirror, insulation, etc.
Remove A/C Compressor
Remove A/C controls and ducting
Remove AIR pump system
Remove factory radio, speakers, and/or CD changer, and unnecessary wiring
Remove HUD projector
Remove windshield wiper fluid reservoir and pump
Remove windshield wipers and motors
Remove stock cat back
Remove power steering pump
Remove front sway bar (drag only)
Remove ABS, TC, AH hardware and sensors (drag only)
Remove fender wells
Remove headlight assembly, turn signals, taillights and reflectors
Remove/shave side mirrors
Remove torque tunnel cover
Remove seat belts
Remove parking brake
Remove side windows and motors
Remove power locks and power windows
Remove side impact beams
Replace stock front and rear glass with polycarbonate “glass”
Rebuild motor with Al or Ti connecting rods, Ti valve spring retainers and pushrods
Port the heads
Remove all flashing from the engine, then polish
Replace valve covers with magnesium or carbon fiber parts
Strip entire car, acid wash chassis, put car back together.
Reducing unsprung weight—not all is streetable
Replace stock wheels with forged 1-piece wheels
Use 3-piece wheels by Jongbloed, Kodiak, CCW, BBS
Skinny front wheels (drag only)
Use Ti fasteners on 3-piece wheels (~1 lbs per wheel)
Use lighter non-runflat tires, or even Hoosier nylon corded slicks
Use lighter calipers
Replace stock rotors with 2-piece, unvented or titanium rotors
Replace wheels studs with titanium studs
Replace lug nuts with aluminum or titanium lug nuts
Remove tire pressure sensors
Use rubber valve stem without a cap
Balance the wheels without tires or balancing weights, and then mount tires
You can achieve substantial weight reduction with the following modifications, while still having a car that's very comfortable to drive. Most of these modifications will directly increase (and decrease in a few cases) the safety of the car, while safety is indirectly improved due to the better handling and limits of a lighter car. Fighter pilots say "speed is life". Acceleration, deceleration, and lateral acceleration are all forms of acceleration, and lighter cars accelerate better in each of these ways because the tires have less mass to control....thus a lighter car is a safer car. Lighter cars have better moments of inertia which allows them to turn in more easily and roll less. Lighter cars are also easier on the tires and gas.
All the stage weight estimates are typically wild butt guesses, but it makes it easy to see what is possible. The weight listings in the separate weight posting is MUCH more reliable.
Stage I: Streetable weight reduction mods
Non-popup headlights (~40 lbs)
Braking rotors with an aluminum hat, or titanium rotors (unproven on street cars) (~20-30 lbs)
Carbon fiber hood (~12 lbs)
Z06 (thinner) windshield and side windows (~5.7 lbs)
Non runflat tires (~20 lbs)
Slicks (~30 lbs)
Z06 wheels (~4 lbs est.)
Corsa titanium exhaust (~35 lbs)
Long tube headers (~20 lbs)
Halltech aluminum alternator & bracket (10 lbs)
Carbon fiber driveshaft (~2 lbs)
Newer torque tube
Less options [HUD, elec AC, Active Stability, seat/mirror/steering wheel memory, cd changer] (~50 lbs)
Less gasoline & wiper fluid (No wiper fluid=9lbs, 6 lbs for every gallon of gas in that 18 gallon tank....~81 lbs for autocrossing)
Remove cargo net
Remove targa top (~20 lbs)
Remove BCM’s
Remove C5 "appearance mods" - exhaust plates, doorsill covers, etc.
Remove fuel rail covers
Replace stock crank pulley with aluminum aftermarket pulley
Replace steel dampener with aluminum dampener
Replace stock targa top with lexan piece (coupes)
Replace water pump with electric water pump
Replace battery with smaller battery
Replace non-stressed fasteners with aluminum or titanium fasteners
Replace leaf springs with coil over shocks with titanium springs
Replace steel shifter with aluminum shifter and delrin or titanium shift ****
Remove all loose change, CD's, golf clubs, misc. items, from center console, hatch area, and glove box
Empty your pockets of extra change, PDA's, cell phones, keys, lead plates, or whatever other junk you lug around
Go on a diet =p
Stage II: Hardcore semi-streetable weight reduction mods
Aluminum flywheel (~10 lbs)
Lighter clutch like Exedy or Quartermaster (~10 lbs)
Racing buckets (40-50 lbs)
Remove tire repair kit (Z06)
Off-road x-pipe (10 lbs)
Remove floor mats
Remove fog lights
Replace stock hood, fenders, doors, roof, hatch and bumpers with aftermarket carbon fiber pieces
Stage III: Track only weight reduction mods
Racing steering wheel & delete both airbags (~30 lbs, but get a 4-6 point harness)
Use unpadded aluminum or carbon fiber steering wheel
Run open headers
Remove column locking hardware
Remove interior – passenger seat, carpets, speaker panels, head liner, dash, center console, glove box, door panels, sun visors, rear view mirror, insulation, etc.
Remove A/C Compressor
Remove A/C controls and ducting
Remove AIR pump system
Remove factory radio, speakers, and/or CD changer, and unnecessary wiring
Remove HUD projector
Remove windshield wiper fluid reservoir and pump
Remove windshield wipers and motors
Remove stock cat back
Remove power steering pump
Remove front sway bar (drag only)
Remove ABS, TC, AH hardware and sensors (drag only)
Remove fender wells
Remove headlight assembly, turn signals, taillights and reflectors
Remove/shave side mirrors
Remove torque tunnel cover
Remove seat belts
Remove parking brake
Remove side windows and motors
Remove power locks and power windows
Remove side impact beams
Replace stock front and rear glass with polycarbonate “glass”
Rebuild motor with Al or Ti connecting rods, Ti valve spring retainers and pushrods
Port the heads
Remove all flashing from the engine, then polish
Replace valve covers with magnesium or carbon fiber parts
Strip entire car, acid wash chassis, put car back together.
Reducing unsprung weight—not all is streetable
Replace stock wheels with forged 1-piece wheels
Use 3-piece wheels by Jongbloed, Kodiak, CCW, BBS
Skinny front wheels (drag only)
Use Ti fasteners on 3-piece wheels (~1 lbs per wheel)
Use lighter non-runflat tires, or even Hoosier nylon corded slicks
Use lighter calipers
Replace stock rotors with 2-piece, unvented or titanium rotors
Replace wheels studs with titanium studs
Replace lug nuts with aluminum or titanium lug nuts
Remove tire pressure sensors
Use rubber valve stem without a cap
Balance the wheels without tires or balancing weights, and then mount tires
Life's Short. Drive Hard.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 2
From: Chicagoland
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'09
Originally Posted by zeevette
Also the smoother shifting mod for 6 speeds. Just use washers to back out (like spacers) the shift detent bolt to minimize the notch between gears.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,060
Likes: 291
From: Pasco WA
Originally Posted by RandyVettes
Tell me more! How is this free mod compared to an aftermarket short-throw shifter?
There's no substitution for a good aftermarket shifter. I have a BPP, and the difference between it, and stock, are night and day. Much shorter throws, improved precision of gear selection. It makes the 2-3 4-5 shifts much more positive. OTOH, it can be noisier (easy to fix), and requires slightly greater effort.
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