Who thinks the MS3 needs a diet?

[daonly1around]

I Do... heres what i had in mind

tasteful light weight racing seats, (also will allow you to keep stock seats in great shape during storage)

CF hood, painted to match IMO

16X8 FD wheels,(for track purposes)

Take rear seats out (ditto on track purposes)

Lose crappy stock sub, replace with better aftermarket sub and box that can be taken out when at the track.

opinions please

 

[xtrememps]

I think it's fine...it still weighs less than my friend's 350Z and I can fit a lot more crap.

 

[phillyb]

i actually really like having the weight...keeps this s*** on the ground.
also, the hood weighs a lot to prevent more torque steer

 

[daonly1around]

i actually really like having the weight...keeps this s*** on the ground.
also, the hood weighs a lot to prevent more torque steer

thats why i was thinking about using about a 245/16 or 245/17 to help compinsate for that. i just think a lighter car would be overall a better car, but please keep the opinions coming

 

[phillyb]

thats why i was thinking about using about a 245/16 or 245/17 to help compinsate for that. i just think a lighter car would be overall a better car, but please keep the opinions coming

i'm with you...i mean lighter...means faster, amirite?
if you're just going to counter balance losing weight in the front by putting more in the back, are you really doing anything?
and what's the deal with the sub? is the new one lighter? or heavier?

 

[nhluhr]

the hood would be a good choice. Coming from subarus with aluminum hoods, the steel hoods on these cars are INCREDIBLY heavy to me.

Also, don't forget the battery. A small racing battery could shave as much as 20 lbs from the upper engine area.

I don't really care about losing weight to make it accelerate faster, but the extra cornering response from losing front-end weight would be a plus as well as possibly better fuel economy.

It's improper to use weight for keeping a car planted. You should use aerodynamics.

 

[daonly1around]

i'm with you...i mean lighter...means faster, amirite?
if you're just going to counter balance losing weight in the front by putting more in the back, are you really doing anything?
and what's the deal with the sub? is the new one lighter? or heavier?

just a sub better than stock, than when you go to the track you can take out. get what i'm saying? plus for every day driving you'll have better sub

 

[Kain]

I wonder if there's enough space under the jack on the left side to mount a small Odyssey battery. It would relocate the weight to the rear, shave off 20-30 lbs., and keep it hidden.

 

[FrequentFlyer]

the hood would be a good choice. Coming from subarus with aluminum hoods, the steel hoods on these cars are INCREDIBLY heavy to me.

Lets not forget that the hood is designed to absorb a head-on impact. Carbon fiber hoods are nice, but what happens when you smack into something? They shatter and provide no impact absorbsion what-so-ever. I'm not willing to sacrifice safety to save 50lb. Aluminum would have been nice. I've had both a Miata and a S2000, which both had aluminum hoods and you could lift them with your index finger without a problem, but the hoods are obviously designed to crumple in a certain way whether they're steel or aluminum.

 

[CnoTataymo]

The MS3's weight isn't so bad. But coming from a 2700 lb 03 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V and a 2800 lb Mazdaspeed Protege, it could weigh less then 3100 lbs. If it did weight around 2900, it would be a lot quicker but I think traction would suck even more. It would also make the MS3 a lot tossable in the turns. Going with lighter wheels, suspension, C/F stuff and some gutting would probably get it to 3000 lbs.

 

[coololddude]

I Do... heres what i had in mind

tasteful light weight racing seats, (also will allow you to keep stock seats in great shape during storage)

CF hood, painted to match IMO

16X8 FD wheels,(for track purposes)

Take rear seats out (ditto on track purposes)

Lose crappy stock sub, replace with better aftermarket sub and box that can be taken out when at the track.

opinions please

i betcha you should have bought a MX-5!!

 

[daonly1around]

i betcha you should have bought a MX-5!!

i have more than one passenger a LOT of the time

 

[UHATEIT]

I think it's fine...it still weighs less than my friend's 350Z and I can fit a lot more crap.

can you take him in a race or on the track???

I came from an 05 350z that was heavily modded. But the comparison between the 2 cars would be somethign I'd like to know to see if its capable of taking a 350z say in a straight line race or even on the track.

The Z handled pretty damn well. at times it felt faster probably due to how lous it was and being lowered very low i could hear and feel the ground and the car's power more so maybe that was why it felt faster at times.

Can't beat the turbo sound of the ms3 tho, lovin it!

 

[udontknowjack]

Braille Lightweight Battery/gt spec under braces/racing seat/cf hood/enkei light weight wheels about 15 lbs...rear seats/spare tire/jack....

that should shaved 150 lbs out....2900 lbs 300 + whp.....(wink)

 

[daonly1around]

whats the saying? about 10 lbs saved, equals 1 HP? or is that only on certain cars?

 

[PCspeed3]

the Cobb rear sway bar saved me roughly 5 lbs.......

 

[CWPspeed3]

the Cobb rear sway bar saved me roughly 5 lbs.......

I never though of the sway bar saving weight... I'm hoping to get one come spring. I've got to save some money, this car has already hit my savings hard.

 

[typeshluder]

whats the saying? about 10 lbs saved, equals 1 HP? or is that only on certain cars?

From what I've been told from drag racing friends.... 100lbs = .1 second

 

[ThreeEdgedSword]

Haven't checked to see what it's made out of, but a CF or Aluminum (assuming it's not aluminum already) would be nice for shaving some weight off as well as lowering center of gravity.

 

[ericrapp]

100 lbs equals one tenth of second. you are correct in that for the 1/4.