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07-22-2013LAST POST
Hey guys looking to make the car lighter? What's my best options ? Let me know thanks ?
Front seats swap, rear seat delete, lexan glass, race battery, Akra Evo, Volk TE37SLs. How extreme are you looking to go?
Here's a great thread showing $/lb of savings for different mods. It really depends how far you want to take it.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135122

Just one soap box thing from me is don't be taken in by swapping for race seats. To safely run race seats you should also install a half-cage and harnesses. And really to be safe a HANS is a good idea as well.

Depending on track experience money would be better spent on seat time.

OP, did you ever own a Pontiac Grand Prix?
Hey, thanks for input !
dmw16 wrote
Just one soap box thing from me is don't be taken in by swapping for race seats. To safely run race seats you should also install a half-cage and harnesses. And really to be safe a HANS is a good idea as well.
Sportster CS is a good option. Nearly the weight savings of race seats, safer and more appropriate for street + track use.

http://www.europeanautosource.com/product/recaro-cross-sportster-cs-seat
Buy a Spec Miata. :)

It'll be FAR cheaper than doing all the weight reduction outlined in that thread and it's potentially 1/2 the weight.
I would go further to add that you should;

1) Calculate how much to spend per Kilo/Pounds saved for each item.

2) Prioritise Items and start with items that cost the least and shave off the most weight.

3) I would also be cautious about where you are shaving weight as this will upset the weight distribution of the car. No matter, corner weight will solve this to some extend.

4) Given that you have corner weight, have a think about how best to set the suspension up for the given weight distribution/CG.

When I was doing weight reduction on my Evo IX for tarmac rally, I got to a point where it will cost me $400USD/Kilo.

Sometimes you will find that it is more productive to save the money and invest them in seat time by entering as many events as you can afford. IE tyres, brakes, engine oil, etc. Your experience will increase markedly and this skill set is transferable to other vehicles.

If you invest in reducing the weight of the car, you may end up being limited by the number of events you can enter due to budgetary constrains.
The HACK wrote  
Buy a Spec Miata. :)

It'll be FAR cheaper than doing all the weight reduction outlined in that thread and it's potentially 1/2 the weight.
This is great advice...... unfortunately very few will listen after driving the M3. Some might have their hand forced..........I have a friend that totaled two Vipers and now races spec Miata.
Strip the interior.
The HACK wrote
Buy a Spec Miata. :)

It'll be FAR cheaper than doing all the weight reduction outlined in that thread and it's potentially 1/2 the weight.
Not just a Miata...a ///Miata.

But seriously...while it makes sense, tracking your car generally makes no sense. I really thought about it but couldn't bring myself to do it.