Gutted daily driver...
Gutted daily driver... I have a 1999 amaro Z28 that I daily drive. I am thinking about really getting into gutting the car. Well I did dd it for a while and someone pulled out in front of me and it got totalled. I bought it back and it now sits in my driveway, waiting on body parts that will soon be on order within the next 2 weeks. I want to gut the car. The mods are lid, ms3 cam, kooks L/T headers, y-pipe, tune, and 347 FORGED motor. I will be spraying on it...prolly 150 or 200 shot. My question is how far would you guys gut a daily driver car for weight reduction? Both of the airbags deployed and I am NOT going to purchase new ones(too expensive).
I want to remove the following:
1.stock seats for aftermarket seats
2.front sway br
3.all a/c components EXCEPT heater and defroster
4.front & rear bumper supports
5.getting prostars soon
6.all carpet and inside panels EXCEPT for dash and center console
7.thinking of radio but not sure on that
8.batery rolocator with optima battery
Now would you guys remove the front & rear bumper supports?
I want to remove the following:
1.stock seats for aftermarket seats
2.front sway br
3.all a/c components EXCEPT heater and defroster
4.front & rear bumper supports
5.getting prostars soon
6.all carpet and inside panels EXCEPT for dash and center console
7.thinking of radio but not sure on that
8.batery rolocator with optima battery
Now would you guys remove the front & rear bumper supports?
Last edited by posz28; Oct 18, 2009 at 08:44 PM.
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please don't run no interior...at least put in the light weight racing carpet...adds very little weight and looks good.
all that is fine...prostars aren't exactly light weight.
to add to that list.
K-member
door bars
drag brakes
steering wheel
depending on what seats your wanting you'll need at least a belt bar to mount the seat to (kirkey's)
power steering/manual rack
ABS block, if your running skinnies it won't work w/ the height difference in tires.
battery relocation actually adds weight but it puts it in the rear of the car.
a "light weight" battery maybe an option.
tubs...take a ton of weight out
speed glass.
etc. depends how crazy you want to get.
Chad
all that is fine...prostars aren't exactly light weight.
to add to that list.
K-member
door bars
drag brakes
steering wheel
depending on what seats your wanting you'll need at least a belt bar to mount the seat to (kirkey's)
power steering/manual rack
ABS block, if your running skinnies it won't work w/ the height difference in tires.
battery relocation actually adds weight but it puts it in the rear of the car.
a "light weight" battery maybe an option.
tubs...take a ton of weight out
speed glass.
etc. depends how crazy you want to get.
Chad
You can do it the ghetto way and you can do it the right way. My car should be around 2875-2900lbs with me in it once it is rolling. That's with stock front seats, all of the interior panels, AC, PS, carpet, stock suspension, wheels, and tires. Eventually, I've calculated around 2680-2750 with AC, PS, carpet, and all of the interior panels.
Don't take the door bars out unless you have at leat a 6 pt weld in cage, you get hit in the side, and everything will be coming in the car with you if there's nothing there to stop it.
Other then that, and what was added above looks good.
Other then that, and what was added above looks good.
I wouldn't think twice about removing the sway bar, removing mine was one of my first mods and I don't miss it. Helps with weight transfer, and the car is definitely still driveable. Unless your "daily driving" is on an autocross course or something you won't miss it.
Leave the front/rear/door impact bars in for safety. Rebuild them with tubular components if you like but put something there
Door bars must stay regardless of having a cage or not. Dragstrips require a cage and nothing else because you will never encounter and front/rear/t-bone impact. A side impact without the stock doorbars and having some form of interior roll bar door bar will obliterate your ribcage/hips. Look up some pics of crashed cars missing the front/rear impact bars and compare them to cars that still have them. Usually the damage is similar to doubling the speed of impact and the driver/passengers usually dont fare so well
What you do with your car is your business but please plan for the worst as your life and your passengers may be at stake
Door bars must stay regardless of having a cage or not. Dragstrips require a cage and nothing else because you will never encounter and front/rear/t-bone impact. A side impact without the stock doorbars and having some form of interior roll bar door bar will obliterate your ribcage/hips. Look up some pics of crashed cars missing the front/rear impact bars and compare them to cars that still have them. Usually the damage is similar to doubling the speed of impact and the driver/passengers usually dont fare so well
What you do with your car is your business but please plan for the worst as your life and your passengers may be at stake
Pulling the door bars with no cage is just asking for huge medical bills.
Most of the stuff you want to pull does not weigh much really. With the interior the only things that really weigh anything is the stock carpet and the seats.
The big weight mods are things like race brakes, K-member, ect ect.
To many people hack up cars and pull saftey stuff but don't think about what will heppen in a wreck..... you might not get hurt but someone else might and when the insurance adjuster and or lawyer finds out that you pulled saftet stuff (IE things like door bags, crash bumpers, ect ect) you better buy a lot of lube....
There is a local that had a Honda hatch that he DD'sd and cutted, no center console, no door pannels, no WHIPERS, no nothing........... it felt very unsafe and you were affraid you would cut yourself..... get in a wreck that is just a fender bender and if the insurnace guy sees it is gutted and all they may start to look at the car a little closer..... wheels is one thing but no door pannel's and all????????? Those pannel's weigh next to nothing.
Most of the stuff you want to pull does not weigh much really. With the interior the only things that really weigh anything is the stock carpet and the seats.
The big weight mods are things like race brakes, K-member, ect ect.
To many people hack up cars and pull saftey stuff but don't think about what will heppen in a wreck..... you might not get hurt but someone else might and when the insurance adjuster and or lawyer finds out that you pulled saftet stuff (IE things like door bags, crash bumpers, ect ect) you better buy a lot of lube....
There is a local that had a Honda hatch that he DD'sd and cutted, no center console, no door pannels, no WHIPERS, no nothing........... it felt very unsafe and you were affraid you would cut yourself..... get in a wreck that is just a fender bender and if the insurnace guy sees it is gutted and all they may start to look at the car a little closer..... wheels is one thing but no door pannel's and all????????? Those pannel's weigh next to nothing.