1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

Fiber Glass

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-15-04, 12:11 AM
  #1  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
mustang85GT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: orange
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fiber Glass

are there any fiber glass body panels like front fenders or front bumpers, rear bumpers, fiberglass anything? i want a light FB.

so tell me guys where can i find these body panels?


~Steve
Old 04-15-04, 12:16 AM
  #2  
add to cart

 
Manntis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saskatoon, SK & Montreal, PQ
Posts: 4,180
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The stock fenders are already very light. The metal is so thin you can dent it by leaning against them too hard.

Similarly, the front and rear bumper covers are neoprene - hard to get lighter than that with hand-laid FRP.

However, I'm working on a kit to replace the front bumper hydraulics with shorter aluminum tubes to recess the bumpers and allow for smoother bumper caps. By deleting the hydraulics one should realise substantial weight savings while still having a functional bumper - it just won't 'spring back' after a collision.
Old 04-15-04, 12:22 AM
  #3  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
mustang85GT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: orange
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
oh i see, very cleaver. ok then, what can i do to drop the weight to 2000lbs?
Old 04-15-04, 12:26 AM
  #4  
add to cart

 
Manntis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saskatoon, SK & Montreal, PQ
Posts: 4,180
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Removing your interior and bituthane (that tar-like mat substance used for sound deadening) is a good start.
Old 04-15-04, 12:37 AM
  #5  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
mustang85GT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: orange
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
so just freeze it with dry ice and hammer at it until it cracks off? am i going to hurt my car by doing that, like, can i accidently put the hammer thru the bottom of the car into the ground? thanks for the responses.
Old 04-15-04, 02:27 AM
  #6  
Full Member

Thread Starter
 
mustang85GT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: orange
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
what about lexan windows? that could drop tons of weight right?
Old 04-15-04, 02:30 AM
  #7  
Are you gonna shift?!

 
AdrenalifeRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Well u will be chiseling at an angle so I doubt you'll pound thru the bottom of the floor. Be prepared to accidently dent the floor pan. You don't have to hit the tar that hard. In some cases you can break a piece off and then peel some larger sections out by hand.
Old 04-15-04, 02:34 AM
  #8  
Are you gonna shift?!

 
AdrenalifeRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you use lexan windows I doubt you'll be able to roll them down. A lexan rear hatch glass is a nice idea though. It won't dump tons of weight but it'll shave a decent amount. Start removing things you don't need. My first major step in the weight removal process was removing the entire AC system. That shaves a lot of weight.
Old 04-15-04, 02:34 AM
  #9  
The infamous number guy!

 
O 16581 72452 5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Terre Haute, IN.
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Remove all accessories under your hood, PS, A/C, Cruise, etc. sound insulation under carpeting, dash, passenger seat, spare tire, lexan windows, fiberglass hood (though stock hood is pretty light).
Old 04-15-04, 02:35 AM
  #10  
Are you gonna shift?!

 
AdrenalifeRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't remove your dash.
Old 04-15-04, 02:37 AM
  #11  
The infamous number guy!

 
O 16581 72452 5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Terre Haute, IN.
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Why's that?
Old 04-15-04, 02:39 AM
  #12  
Are you gonna shift?!

 
AdrenalifeRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Because its dangerous if he's still gonna be driving it on the street.
Old 04-15-04, 02:51 AM
  #13  
The infamous number guy!

 
O 16581 72452 5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Terre Haute, IN.
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How is it dangerous?
Old 04-15-04, 02:51 AM
  #14  
Rotary Freak

iTrader: (6)
 
Kill No Cone's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Olympia WA
Posts: 1,989
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
That all seems like a lot of work for a small increase. How about generating more horse power?
Old 04-15-04, 02:57 AM
  #15  
The infamous number guy!

 
O 16581 72452 5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Terre Haute, IN.
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Kill No Cone
That all seems like a lot of work for a small increase. How about generating more horse power?
What i listed would be around 200-300lbs of weight reduction, not only will it makes the car faster, it will make it handle better and stop quicker.
Old 04-15-04, 05:30 AM
  #16  
Are you gonna shift?!

 
AdrenalifeRX7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Go on a diet...i'll bet that Whopper and fries weighs like 2 lbs...
Old 04-15-04, 07:47 AM
  #17  
Heck Yes!

 
anthrax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Chatham, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by AdrenalifeRX7
Go on a diet...i'll bet that Whopper and fries weighs like 2 lbs...
ROFLMA!!!

That is too funny

what about taking out the rear storage bins and the steel fram that makes them, and all the junk underneath ie. the radio amps?
Old 04-15-04, 08:42 AM
  #18  
Senior Member

 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: TN
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ok here are some weights of items in lbs.:

Front Bumper 20.65
Rear Bumper 20.3
Hood 32.65
Front piece that has
mazda emblem 6.85
gslse rim 13.9
se rim with Yoko Es100 33.5
12a rim with crap tire 27.7
exhaust pipe
(muffler to manifold) 9.6
air pump 8.8
door panels (both) 13.6
stereo boxes (both) 7.3
A/C compressor 13
condensor 5.95
A/C storage canister 1.05
A/C pipes 5.3
charcoal canister 1.1
rear sound deadening 8.5
spare 26.5


I ask you to think and have plans for your car before you start taking things off. I took the a/c off of mine when I first got it to try and save some weight. Now I am going to have to buy another system to install. If you have a working a/c system and decide to take it off I would be interested in disposing of it for you.
Old 04-15-04, 10:52 AM
  #19  
And Best of All it's FREE

 
cheapasaurus REX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally posted by Nick-7

mazda emblem 6.85


[/B]
Ummm? What the hell are your emblems made of? LEAD??
Old 04-15-04, 10:54 AM
  #20  
add to cart

 
Manntis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saskatoon, SK & Montreal, PQ
Posts: 4,180
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
he said 'front piece that has Mazda emblem' - as in the header panel between bumper and hood
Old 04-15-04, 10:56 AM
  #21  
Senior Member

 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: TN
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
No, they are actually plastic (believe it or not). I was talking about the metal piece that is in front of the hood but behind the bumper. The piece that the Mazda emblem is mounted to.
Old 04-15-04, 11:04 AM
  #22  
And Best of All it's FREE

 
cheapasaurus REX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ahhh you're refering to the entire nose piece (between the lights) ...wouldn't it's removal f&%$ up the aerodynamics of the front end?
Old 04-15-04, 11:59 AM
  #23  
love the braaaap

 
85rotarypower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Bognor, Ontario
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
He's not saying to remove it. He was simply stating how much it weighed.
Old 04-15-04, 12:39 PM
  #24  
And Best of All it's FREE

 
cheapasaurus REX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ahhh i c
Old 04-15-04, 01:22 PM
  #25  
The infamous number guy!

 
O 16581 72452 5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Terre Haute, IN.
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Weigh the A/C compressor mounting bracket if you can, i removed that and was surprized.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:39 PM.