Yep :D I weighed in with a bunch of RX-7s that weighed in at 2600 - 2880 lbs. The 2880 lbs had an LS1 engine.

Oh and this was done with a freshly glowing low fuel light. The scale was accurate, coz I tried standing on it and it showed 160 lbs. Another guy did the same and he said it was his real weight too.

I'm just excited to find out that my 8 weighs at the RX-7 range

 

How do you figure? The only car that weighed as much as yours had tons more power and probably more gas...

 

That's very interesting. According to the mazda.co.jp website, the JDM RX-8 weighs 1310 kg, that's 2888 lbs, very very close to your car's weight. The USDM model is suppose to be around 3020 lbs according to Mazda, but the base and sport models seem to be more like ~2900 lbs.

The 3rd gen RX-7 MT was quoted as 2789 lbs, but the AT was 2850 lbs. So you're close, but no cigar.

 

Close, but no cigar. We were all laughing coz we were hoping to see 3000 lbs when I weigh in. The FB weighed in at 2300+ lbs. If ours weighed in that much, our stock 170 - 190 HP would be fine :D

 

I weighed my 8 on in-floor tech inspection track scales, fancy electronic setup last time there, it was 2970lbs w/no driver, 1/3 tank gas. Mine is a GT 6spd. So 2880 sounds totally real for a base.

 

I just remember. My laptop in its case was in the trunk (~10lbs) and had a bunch of things in the car...say, ~5 lbs more. I'll clear out my car weigh it back again.

 

1989-1991 series 5 2nd gen TII weighs in the 3000 lb range btw. Series 4 (87-88 US) weighs 2845 in stock form as well. Remember, though, this is completely stock, and the stock exhaust on 2nd gens is very heavy. A new exhaust system drops a fair amount of weight.

Also s5 n/a coupes weighed ~2800+ for 5spd/auto and depending on options, s5 verts were 3000-3100 for 5spd/auto.

Very interesting number, I'm quite glad I got a Base model with the least amount of options possible now :D

 

A similar packaged RX-7 FD with the stock engine weighed 2860 lbs. His LS1 swap scaled to 2880 lbs. Gas was about the same and you're bitter on an RX8 forum with 4,300+ posts. Get some sun some time, it will make you less miserable.

 

I weighed my car as well at school. An electronic weight machine... pretty accurate as well.
3057 with me in the car (I'm 140lbs). But I also had a few things in the trunk and rear seats too. Half a tank full. My car is base with the spoorts package (foglights and DSC).

 

Got some sun, not bitter, and I still don't see the point of the thread...

 

Then if you dont see the point... leave it alone.

 

Interesting info...I'm always impressed with how rigid the car is considering how little it weighs and its lack of fixed B pillars. Mazda did one heck of a job engineering the chassis.

 

I weighed my base model with a full tank of fuel and no driver with no mods other than the MS suspension at 2960 with a CAT scale. you can see the receipt in my garage photo.

if you subtract out all the fuel 2880 is prolly about right.

 

What really surprises me is that we have 2 extra (usable) seats in the back, 4 heavy doors, stiffer chassis, and still weigh almost as much as a fully loaded RX-7 FD. I'm not sure what the FC's weighed. Surprisingly, we didn't have any FC's that night. We usually have so many of them. There were more FD's than anything. There was an RX-2, which I wished came with us to the weighing place. I wonder how much that old school rotary would weigh in?

ps. now I'm beginning to obsess about how to lose at least 100 lbs off my car. I know that switching to odyssey PC680MJT would take off about 15 lbs off, and if I transfer the battery behind the wheel line I would get more than weight savings. SSR comps with light tires would save about 32 lbs overall. I wonder if the trunk lid is heavy? CF trunk lid might not be so bad. Most FD's would be around 2700 lbs--that's my target weight :D

 

the back seats cant weight to much, its just foam, cloth/leather and some backing...maby 50lbs for both back seats total, even that sounds heavy to me. cause they dont have to have all the metal brackets and frame of the front seats.

Also we have 2 heavy doors, the rear half doors are aluminium and are pretty light.

Just having a stiffer chassie doesnt meant heavy materials, just better design of the strucute.

but I totaly agree with what your saying, our car (on the low end) comes pretty close to the rx7 (on the high end) while being bigger and more usable as a daily driver.

Its all thanks to proper design, with how heavy modern cars are getting due to emissions, saftey, style...ect...its nice to see mazda making an effor to deliver light cars that meet the same standards as others. The miata and rx8 are both very 'lean' compared to the other cars in the class.

That really is the definition of mazda (and i mean this in a good way) they pick out an engine that has good response and is light weight, they make work to make up for the lack of power thru a good transmission with well thought out gearing and a light body...the total package comes together quite well.

 

According to my old 2nd gen RX-7 brochure (I kept both my 2nd & 3rd gen brochures), the FC weighed 2700 lbs (MT), 2735 lbs (AT), & 2850 lbs (Turbo).

I've been looking for little ways to lighten my car too. IMO, all the money people are spending to upgrade the car's power could be put to better use by making the car lighter instead.

My light weight wish list would be:

- real carbon fibre hood & trunk (painted, so the look is still stock)
- light weight racing seats
- light weight rims (15-16 lbs, stock weighs about 20 lbs for the 18")
- titanium exhaust (save's another 20 lbs or so, with slight power boost to boot!)
- or maybe even a single system titanium exhaust (even lighter)
- remove all the plastic covers from the engine bay
- remove the took kit, jack, and tire repair kit from the trunk

I'm thinking this list would be good for around ~150 lbs or so, and still keeps the car very practical and usable as a daily driver.

To go even further, one could strip the back seat, carpets, sound insulation, stereo, and A/C. But then the car is really stripped of its comfort and practicality.

 

^ Yeah, strip down would be a little too extreme for me. I'd like to keep the same feel to my car even after losing ~100 lbs. That 2600-lb base model FD took off his AC, Power Steering, and other things.

What about converting the interior panels to fiber glass? I would definitely get a CF trunk lid if it saves at least 10 lbs.

 

Corksport claims their exhaust weighs 24lbs less than stock, which would be a nice weight reduction. It also only costs $550 compared to most $1000+ titanium exhausts.

 

I think the gas tank is 16 gallons, and the light comes on at...14 or so. Or at least mine does.

1 gallon of gas = 42.5 lbs. per 1 cubic foot
14 gallons of gas = 1.872 cubic feet

( source )

42.5 x 1.872 = 79.56 lbs.

79.56 of gas + 2880 = 2959.56 lb. car, with a full tank :D

FD weight (2860) is probably attainable....

*SSR comps (28 lbs. savings total)
* Wilwood brakes (13 lbs. per corner, not sure if that's rear brakes too though)
* single exhaust (??? lbs.)
* flywheel
* Charles Hill's under-car bracket, probably a good chunk of weight, once he's out of the slammer
* pullies (lol)

 

Well, every gram counts...particularly on track...every WOT, every corner.

So as to the bottoms of the back seats, they are ~7lbs each, so there is 14 easy pounds to take out for the track (I do this ). Backs of back seats are likely a bit more...and only 2 bolts each (I don't do this..at least not yet), so there's maybe 35lb total savings, not to shabby for 5 min work.

I do have the Corksport exhaust and its savings, but to compensate I have Autoexe Braces and heavier WL Anti-sways, so prpbly a wash there. At least the weight is more inside the wheelbase than the OEM Exhaust. The Oddessy battery does save ~25lbs and the relocation puts it in a better place. Plus eat less and lose weight :p

It's all good

 

Yep, I've been reading about your Odyssey battery relocation. Great work! I might copy it :D

...I can't really lose any more weight. If anything, I would need to gain some. I'm skinny for my height, just 160 lbs for a 5'11".