^ prob increase engine power (i prefer to use the term 'torque'). I like the G's interior equipment, and ud have to strip out alot of stuff to reduce weight by 10%.

If u r seriously tracking it or racing the car, then thats a diff matter.

 

Let's make it strictly theoretical and say that all form and function are retained, and it's a simple 10% weight reduction or 10% increase in engine output.

(10% uniform decrease in mass, as if everything were lightened 10%, or 10% uniform increase in engine torque output, uniformly increased across the powerband)

 

Will the added power be associated with more sound?

 

well, u could use a simple formula:
F=ma
rearrange
a = F/m

let's say you increase F(engine torque/driving force) by 10%
a_new1 = 1.1*F/m
a_new1 = 1.1*a_old

reduce mass by 10%
a_new2 = F/(0.9*m)
a_new2 = 1.11111111...*a_old

 

Ah, but it's never that simple....

Which would you rather take?

 

I would take less weight any day. Less weight means brakes get equivalently bigger, tires get bigger, springs and sways are effectviely stiffer, weight distribution (f/r, cg, polar moment, etc) can be manipulated. Even better would be to downsize some components to match the pre-weight performance and you can turn the 10% into 12%, 13% etc.

 

I would take less weight..............but once again it's never that simple. Loose to much weight in one area can be worse than not loosing the weight at all as far as handling. if you watch racing weight has a lot to do with the cars but if they are handling and can keep the fuel on board many times the fewer stops can win the race. There really is a fine line. Less weight go fast and hope to make up the time on the track for an extra stop. Its works both ways. I won most of my races by handling better than the others even though they were faster. This took a ton of time on set up and on the scales etc etc.

 

weight wise...nice.....looks and appeal wise...not so much


I don't know, but if I was concerned with weight in the G, I don't think I would have purchased it in the first place? Why have all of the extra "luxiery" components that are in the G yet be concerned about weight? Kind of seems like a double negative...doing one thing but really the other type thing?

 

Weight is weight.

That's why minimum weights are enforced, but not weight balance.

Tazicon, what do you race?

 

if you lighten up the rear alot your going to need a nice big functional wing.... and how is the process going any updates???

 

Harbin9er: I actually did read up on your analysis and didnt get a chance to comment on it. It actually saved me some $$ because I need brakes and was going to buy 2 pc rotors but only ended up doing the powerslot rotors instead. I was going to ask you why rotors and pullies did not make a difference. Is it because it is very close and central to the rotation vs wheels are further away?? I did just get a set of volk g2's... going on my car labor day monday

As far as everything else, business has been crazy this year so I have not had a chance to step away and get anything done. I also have contemplated going back to stock seats. The seats I got are really comfortable, but not like the stock seats. They are so nice. I was also planning on get an FX50 and tracking this (Hence super lightweight everything), but I am going to be holding off and keeping this as a daily for another couple years (why Im contemplating going back to stock interior.) I realized I don't want another car payment. 2 years was too long to pay this off haha so I will save up some cash and buy a cash car next. I still have my 72 240z to work on as well that I could track. I am still modding this, just purchased:

Volk g2 type II's flat black
Tanabe Sustec Pro Coilovers
Powerslot f/r slotted rotors/hps brake pads
Hotchkis sways
SPC f/r camber kit
GT spec front strut brace
(All the above hopefully being installed monday) will def take pics

I also have:
Fast intentions ceramic coated long tube headers
ILghtweight crank/alt pulleys (Sorry harbing9er, purchased 3 months ago bef your analysis)_ ha
These will go on probably this winter when im driving my truck.

Im still undecided on interior, but will probably go back to stock. I can tell you that 200 lbs out of your car does make a very noticeable difference though, I can assure you. If anyone tracks, you should def get a set of race seats. You can swap them in in 15 mins for the track and then swap your stockies back in the same amount of time after and they hold you in place GREAT. Haha. Will update w pics monday of my other mods I'll hopefully be completing then

 

yup, becoz most of the mass in a pulley and rotor are close to the center, so there's not much rotational inertia. Also, the inertia that the pulley and rotor contribute to the entire rotating assembly (flywheel, clutch, wheels etc) is not very high (and this was not even taking into account the transmission (gear, driveshaft, axel, LSD, etc).

Good luck with tracking ur car!

 

It would most likely be increasing power. Even though reducing weight would help as well you are also sacrificing comfort ;-)

 

Bump for updates... Also a lot of interesting information in here for those who have not yet seen this thread. I love that someone is trying this and sharing this with us. I also love that the OP states his reasoning for this as well knowing that some would not agree and say why not a Z instead. We all want our cars to go faster, so this is always good information that should be considered in getting the most out of our cars even if it is not to everyone's taste.

A 10% weight decrease is what I would take given the option of equal distribution as the power increase of 10% over stock could be reached with the car fully bolted on with a tune and it would not make much of a difference in performance but I feel a 10% decrease in weight would be far more difficult to achieve and it will not be equally distributed most likely but could garner a better result on a track. (I talk out of my @ss a lot so I could be way off but it at least seems of logical sense to me. Please correct me if I am wrong)

 

I agree that this is, by far, one of the most interesting threads I've seen on the forum. I can't wait to see what the OP has done with his car thus far. Definitely anticipating more pics.

But I do have a question for the OP: What if you just supercharged or turbo-ed your car instead? I'm sure that all the money you've spent on your current mods and weight-reductions would be somewhere equivalent to the price of either TT or SC, would it not? Would an FI'd G37 take you in terms of performance? You'd be retaining a lot of comfort with far less PITA. I might be wrong, so anyone else, chip in on this. But wouldn't, say, a 550 WHP G37--costing about the same as what the OP has spent--be a lot faster in terms of performance? Yes, he would spend more gas, but I don't think that's a concern. Or... or is your plan to weight reduce the car and then FI it? That would be a totally different story, hence would eradicate my question.