How light can an RX 8 get?
04-22-2017, 02:02 PM
#1
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How light can an RX 8 get?
What's the lightest RX 8 you've heard of? It seems that the lightest a modern car can get is a 15-20% reduction, maybe a touch more if it was some fancy luxury barge. That would put an RX around 24-2500 lbs, from a stock weight of 3000ish. I'd think that would make a very noticeable improvement in the cars performance, not only acceleration, but also handling and braking.
I'm asking because I only use my RX for autocross and track days, so I could live without all the stuff I'd have to take out of it, like the stereo, ac, heater, etc. I've always wanted to do something like that to a car, and my RX is one of the better candidates I've had.
I think a combination of light weight, good suspension (which I already have), big sticky tires, and a stock engine would make for a fast, fun to drive and reliable toy. Only problem is if I gutted the car, it would put me in an autocross class that the car would probably be under prepared for, like XP, but I don't care that much since I pretty much just autocross for fun, not to win championships.
I'm asking because I only use my RX for autocross and track days, so I could live without all the stuff I'd have to take out of it, like the stereo, ac, heater, etc. I've always wanted to do something like that to a car, and my RX is one of the better candidates I've had.
I think a combination of light weight, good suspension (which I already have), big sticky tires, and a stock engine would make for a fast, fun to drive and reliable toy. Only problem is if I gutted the car, it would put me in an autocross class that the car would probably be under prepared for, like XP, but I don't care that much since I pretty much just autocross for fun, not to win championships.
04-22-2017, 04:59 PM
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I looked this up a few weeks ago. This is one of the better threads I found on here.
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-...weight-257318/
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-...weight-257318/
04-22-2017, 11:35 PM
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I've been thinking about all the places you'd have to take weight out to get 500 lbs out of an RX. I've heard it said that the way to remove a pound from a car is to take out an ounce in 16 different places, and that seems to be the case. Once you get rid of the low hanging fruit, you need to chip away bit by bit.
There's an excellent website called Lightweight Miata that documented someone's removal of 300 lbs from a Miata. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working now, but here's the address anyway. https://lightweightmiata.com/beast/ This guy took out every little bit and piece he could find, and weighed every part. He spent hours sorting through the harness so he could remove 15 lbs of unused wire from it. I was surprised he got rid of that much weight just from the harness. It all adds up though, get rid of the sun visors, the glove compartment door, the trunk lid bracing, etc. Alone they don't weigh much, but a pound here, a half pound there and eventually you get rid of some serious lard.
One of the most gutted cars I've seen is an older STi that I autocross with. The doors are nothing but the skins, when they are open they flop around in the breeze like they're made of paper. The dash was cut out, leaving only the instruments, etc. The whole car's been chopped up, and chopped is the right word, it looks like it was taken apart with a crowbar and a Sawzall, the level of craftsmanship is fairly low, road warrior style. That doesn't matter though, the car is extremely fast, as in top time of the day fast. The owner told me he got 700 lbs out of the car. That might be a slight exaggeration, but it's somewhat believable. Here's a couple of vids of the car, which show a little of it's guttedness, but not as much as I'd like to see.
There's an excellent website called Lightweight Miata that documented someone's removal of 300 lbs from a Miata. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working now, but here's the address anyway. https://lightweightmiata.com/beast/ This guy took out every little bit and piece he could find, and weighed every part. He spent hours sorting through the harness so he could remove 15 lbs of unused wire from it. I was surprised he got rid of that much weight just from the harness. It all adds up though, get rid of the sun visors, the glove compartment door, the trunk lid bracing, etc. Alone they don't weigh much, but a pound here, a half pound there and eventually you get rid of some serious lard.
One of the most gutted cars I've seen is an older STi that I autocross with. The doors are nothing but the skins, when they are open they flop around in the breeze like they're made of paper. The dash was cut out, leaving only the instruments, etc. The whole car's been chopped up, and chopped is the right word, it looks like it was taken apart with a crowbar and a Sawzall, the level of craftsmanship is fairly low, road warrior style. That doesn't matter though, the car is extremely fast, as in top time of the day fast. The owner told me he got 700 lbs out of the car. That might be a slight exaggeration, but it's somewhat believable. Here's a couple of vids of the car, which show a little of it's guttedness, but not as much as I'd like to see.
Last edited by Greasyman; 04-27-2017 at 11:25 AM.
04-23-2017, 10:19 PM
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04-27-2017, 11:31 AM
#7
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I emailed that guy who did the Lightweight Miata and he fixed the page, so here it is again if anyone is interested. https://lightweightmiata.com/beast/lightness/ https://lightweightmiata.com/ It's the most thorough accounting of weight removal I've seen. I got curious and added up all the stuff under 5.50, starting with the wipers, and it was 97.50 lbs saved. The stuff above that in weight was 262.25.
04-27-2017, 11:46 AM
#8
Of course, it's easy to forget that dropping ten or twenty – or more – pounds may prove easier than ripping parts off of your car. Probably better for your health, too.
Just sayin'.
Just sayin'.
