http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXyhPrzpi4E

They can be made to be a boat-load of fun. I'm running a whopping 250RWHP and 299 FT/Lbs of TQ.

 

Great vid Mitch, I could watch those all day



It seems a shame to strip a nice WS6, when another car would be more suited to what I'm looking for.

Hmm, my sig may be about to change..........

 

I just finished reading this thread.I must say some people need to calm down.All of this could have been avoided with one other simple question which is.Where the other mods you did worth it?I am sure you did not feel anything when you put the lid on or the other mods.But you thought it was worth it.Regardless we all will agree that no matter what a good mod is worth it.Hell I found 200 lbs in junk that I took out of my daily driver.Yea it has been raced before.Did I do it for that,no but I knew it was worth it.My point is if you want to do it, do it.If you think its worth it,do it.Every little mod will eventually add up just like your bolt ons.Don't believe me put it back to stock and drive it then let me know which way was better.

 

Here is my opinion...

If you want to outgun the AWD turbo guys, cutting 200 lbs from a 4th gen will not get you there. I race with those guys, best thing I ever did is get out of their class!

If you are considering an upgrade to a C5 or C6, definitely do not cut weight! Ditching the A/C and bumper supports will hurt resale! Lightweight carpet and seats will be money wasted if you sell.

I'm with both mitchntx and Echo... I don't think 200 lbs will be a night/day difference anyway (like Echo said). And I personally did not want to cut up my nice low mile 4th gen. I have it about as far as I can without drastic measures. So I picked up a C4, and am swapping in a LS6/T56 (sort of like mitch did by getting a dedicated race car). And I gutted it out.

So I offer, do not cut up your nice street car, pick up something faster to start with (C5/C6) or get a lower priced car and gut to your hearts delight!

 

Well, if it is worth it? How much time do you have on your hands? Are you going to add all the weight again once your done? If you have the time then yes its worth it.. I know 200 might not seem like a lot..But, its still 200 pounds.. Overall, a little less weight thrown around.
Let us know how it goes!!!

 

Agreed.
As much as I love the aggresive look of the WS6 ram air, my plans have changed and I'm now looking to buy and import a Z06.

If the car was worth less I'd keep it and gut it, but it seems such a shame to gut a nice ws6 in the UK, especially when it wouldn't make the kind of difference I'm looking for.

So NO, weight reduction isn't worth it for ME.

Thanks for all the honest advise

 

see that? after all the chest-thumping ego spasms of the 'professionals', he listened to reason and decided it wasnt worth it for him.

 

Z06 is going to be sweet, already 3040lbs I bet you could get it down to about 2500-2600 no problem. Then you would be talking

 

Same conclusion I came to as well. Good luck with the transition. But be forwarned ... a Vette will spoil you.

 

I really hope so, I prefer the WS6's awesome looks, (and it pulls great!) I just don't feel happy throwing it around corners like I do my 2.0 dd. I think it's extra weight has lots to do with it, but the diet it needs is going to ruin a good car. Time for someone else to enjoy it, and for me to move into a more 'track' type orientatied car.

I'm sure I would of felt the 240 LB weight loss on the TA, but i just can't bring myself to do it if I'm still gonna get bullied in the corners by light weight 4 bangers

Thanks for the luck wished, and keep posting those vids, it's great to see V8 car racing as it should be done

 

I felt the same way about my Camaro (my DD)... so I bought my 94 T/A and am building it into an American Iron car.

 

Of course, residing in GB, you could probably pick up and rebuild a used Ultima and tromp everything, street and track, 2 or 4 wheel drive, (that is, except another Ult). Did you purchase the C6 yet?

I will be the first to admit, the Ultima is not the most "beautiful" car in every respect. I love the lines of the C6 and WS6. But, form-follows-function and you simply can't beat Ultima GTR performance. It's a road-legal track weapon that you won't have to strip. Yes, it comes with A/C, if you want it, and reasonably comfortable seats.

Ultima and factory employee beats lap time at Top Gear Track by Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari race-prep FXX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZUdU_zYvhM

Ultima passing C6Z51 at VIR - Maybe 165mph (at 2 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRySooPqAs8

Regarding all the other BS, please let me respectfully say that pissing all over someone thread is not appropriate, pro or con. You state your opinion and let it go. If someone doesn't like it, so be it. Not everyone is going to like everything you say. No point in bickering like wee toddlers.

Had I seen this thread earlier, I would have said y'all are missing a key data point...that is to understand the long-term goal with the car. The pros and cons are both right and both wrong. As it turns out, TAWS6 is very interested in a long-term relationship with a more track-ready ride.

So, is it worth it? Darned-toot'in it's worth it to pull 200# out of any car for track use, but not for a weekend every couple of months (only to have to put it all back in). Can you tell the difference. Probably. Ratios and percentages tell the story. 200# (+/-) is harder to feel in a 4,400# car with 300hp. The percentage is small. Make that change in a 3,000# car, and the percentages change considerably.

But, here's a revelation...you are better off learning to drive in a heavier, low-power car...

A heavier car will talk to you more than a light one. I have seen so many new students get into trouble with their Porsche, Ariel, Miata, etc., because the car reacts so much more quickly than the driver. A heavier car teaches weight transfer. To drive it quickly requires mastery of car-control nuances that you may never get to experience in a light, high-performance car. It explains why the line is so important.

Everyone wants to go fast their first day at the track. A good driver in an MX-5 is going to catch and pass a new C6 driver in any technical section every time. Put that good driver in the C6 and there's no comparison.

Summary: Don't even worry about weight just yet. As a novice, you have to understand that the car (just about any car) is faster than you...and will remain so until you master it. Once you feel as though you've reached your limit and are pushing the car as far as it will go, then you can start the mods.

On a road course, suspension and tires are as important, or even more so, than brakes or power. Power is for acceleration. Your corner exit speed sets the point at which you accelerate from (down the straight to the next corner). I will beat you down the straight every time with a higher exit speed, even if you can accelerate marginally harder than I. Of course, it's all relative (power-to-weight).

Good luck and let us know if you have other questions. I would love to see any video you recorded.