Lightening the Legacy?

[SLegacy99]

You beat me to it, but I was going to suggest he just buy a Miata. For a 5-star safety rated, AWD, 2.5l turbo - 3300lbs is already pretty light by today's standards.

Yeah it is. An A4 with the 255 hp V6 weighs 3649 lbs and takes 6.5 seconds to hit 60 MPH. Gets better gas mileage though.

[chenc544]

Well fine, I dunno bout you guys' but my '99 hood is heavy. So CF would save me a good 20 - 30 lbs.

 

That's because USDM '99 hood is made of steel not aluminum.

[chenc544]

Here is a list that someone came up with for putting the Z32 on a diet. A lot of these items of course do not apply to the LGT but it should give you some ideas as to where you can take weight off. 200 lbs is a lot of weight to lose, you are going have to make some sacrifice in terms of comfort and convenience to get there.

 

 

Stage I ( I know how much the Z community loves stages ; )

Cargo Cover………………………………...................................5

Spare Tire, Jack, Wheel Chock’s, and Inflator Can……………..…32

Rear Hatch Weight……………………………….........................3

Driver Seat (61)àAftermarket(15-20)………..………………….41-46

Passenger Seat (42)àAftermarket(15-20)…………………..…...22-27

Rear Tow Hooks……………………………….............................3.5

PRVR System……………………………….................................1.5

Center Support Bearing…………………………..……....…....….1

Stock Drive shaft (31)à 1 Piece Steel(17)…………….….………14

Battery (45-50)à Light Weight Battery(15)……………………..30-35

Pre Cats (21)à Down pipes (14)…………………………….........7

Stock Cats(26)à Test Pipes Alum(14) SS w/ flex joints(17.5)….8.5-12

Flywheel(21)à RPS (12.5)…………………………….................8.5

Under drive Pulley(11)à Lightweight Pulley(2)…………………..9

Headlight Aimers………………………………............................2

Timing Belt Covers……………………………….........................1.5

Fan Shroud………………………………......................................1

Apparently the Stock Air Box Weighs More Than an Intake……..5

TOTAL…195.5-214

 

Stage II

Window Washer Reservoir and all Associated Lines………………5

Cruise Control………………………………..................................2

All 4 Strut Actuators (do you really use them?)……………………1.5

Black Tar Sound Deadening Material………………………………33

Rear Wipers………………………………......................................3

AIV System………………………………......................................10 ???

T-Tops (14.5)à Carbon Fiber(5)…..X2.…………………………..15

T-Top Wind Blockers……………………………….......................1

T-Top Shades………………………………...................................2

Fog Light Air Ducts……………………………..….......................2 ???

Light Weight Steering Wheel………………………………...........5 ???

TOTAL…79.5

 

Stage III

Front Carpet w/ Insulation Attached………………………………15

Rear Rug and Wooden Spare Cover……………………………….8

ALL Plastic Panels with their Insulation Attached………………..23

All Tweed and Carpet Covered Panels……………………………10

*With exception to those touching the Dash

*Also Doors are intact minus the AC ducting and Insulation

Misc. Insulation………………………………...............................5

Radio, Speakers and all Associated Wiring………………………..30

Antenna and all Associated Wiring……………………………….2.5

Rear Pressure Equalizing Vents……………………………….......1.5

TOTAL…95

 

Stage IV

AC and Heater System in Car (located under dash)………………26.5

AC Condenser and Other Engine Bay Lines (in front of radiator)..10

AC Fan………………………………............................................5

The Idler Puller and belt for the AC….…………………...............13oz (round up to 1)

Air Bag Controls in Car and all Associated Lines…………………6.5

Front Wipers………………………………....................................5

EGR System……………………………….....................................5 ???

Carbon Canister………………………………...............................3 ???

TOTAL…62

 

Stage V

HICAS Removal and NA Power Steering System Install………….37.5

*AMZ HICAS Eliminator weighs 2lbs

Remove Passenger Seat………………………………....................15-20

All wires no longer in use if following Stages I-IV…………..……20 TOTAL…72.5-77.5

 

GRAND TOTAL….504.5-528 lbs

 

Stage VI

Escort FPR Doors (2+0Only)……………………………................???????????????????????????????

Speed Glass install for all Glass would probably drop……………..50-75 ???

TT Rear to NA Rear is supposed to drop a good……………………50 ???

Dash, Gauge Cluster Cover, Metal Bracket, and Din Panel…..........16

Door Skins……………………………….........................................10 ???

Your Soggy Ass Turbo Deck (I would never ditch mine)…………..10 ???

Carbon Fiber Hatch with Lexan from AMZ…………………………40 ???

Titanium Exhaust………………………………...............................15 ???

TOTAL…202-217

 

SUPER GRAND TOTAL…689.5-738 lbs

[Merc6]

Subaru made a "SUS", a Sport Utility Sedan..

 

Seriously tho, Toss some handling mods on like coilovers and sway bars, find some sportier tires.. it'll make much more of a difference than a lightber battery or taking things out of the trunk.

+1

 

stickier tires and ligher rims (ie. don't get 22's) compliment coils and sways. why buy a newer legacy to strip when you could get a older wrx to strip. To each it's own if you go beyond the removal of usless junk, spare tire, jack, trunk liner, folding rear seats down, exlax(eh...wouldn't do that same day as race) and emptying the windsheild fluid resivior.

[f1anatic]

sound insulation weighs the most

[Merc6]

sound insulation weighs the most

True, but is increasing road noise(non pleasant end of nvh) in a dd worth the weigh shaved?

[HansGT]

make it so you can operate your LGT via remote control...saving you the weight of the driver.

[Scotty]

You can always get out the drill and start making lightening holes. Turning everything into Swiss cheese will make your car lighter. Make sure you get the tires and rims too because you can easily cut the weight in half.

[Lazzydog]

poor guy ask's an honest ? and gets trashed. honestly it would be more cost effective to make the heavy vehicle handle better (springs<cheaper than coilovers> sways rims/tires lower arm bar's strut tower braces etc.) than make the bad handling (not too bad but stock tires and sways = poop) vehicle lighter.

[karlxmas]

The car handles good, but Im a little slower than my buddies Z06 on the track. Trying to even the table a little bit without spend Z06 price. Maybe im crazy. I usually dont track prep my car, other than remove the floor mats and my cd cases.

[relhok]

Start using a Subaru Card for all your purchases and use the Subaru Bucks you earn to purchase the aluminum Spec B suspension bits.

 

20202AG160 - Front RH Control Arm

20202AG170 - Front LH Control Arm

20252AG021 - Rear RH Trailing Arm

20252AG031 - Rear LH Trailing Arm

20250AG000 - Rear Forward Lateral Link (2) needed

20250AG030 - Rear RH Upper Lateral Link

20250AG040 - Rear LH Upper Lateral Link

[DiscoWagon]

The car handles good, but Im a little slower than my buddies Z06 on the track. Trying to even the table a little bit without spend Z06 price.

 

You're driving the wrong car. BTW, if you're only a little slower, they don't know how to drive.

[karlxmas]

They know how to drive but its short track. My car actually pulls on it in first and second.

[hutru01]

With all the money you would spend making the car lighter, you should just do a turbo upgrade with FMIC/injectors/fuel pump....Who cares about weight when you can just make it faster!

[2006Specb122]

That Z06 has about 500 HP right?

The subaru shouldn't pull in any gear...

That corvette is one of the highest performing vehicles under 80k EVER BUILT!

 

The only car I would want over the Z06 would be the FORD GT at about 150k, a Shelby GT Mustang (about 40K) Saleen Extreme Mustang (about 55k) or a

Saleen S7 at about 450k........

[karlxmas]

Sorry its the 405 version not the 505 version. Are you serious about the mustangs? Those things suck on the track. The Shelby is just an over-priced GT and the SC version is like 4000 lbs and still doesnt break 13's.

 

After watching the Texas Mile in Goliad I know what car are serious, but on the track with turns HP doesnt mean the win. BTW no mustang represented at the Texas Mile.

[Merc6]

I consider the LGT a light car as it is. The LGT replaced my 4400 lb car; 03 marauder 300a.

[chenc544]

They know how to drive but its short track. My car actually pulls on it in first and second.

 

Are you still on stock tires and suspension? If so get some track tires, springs and maybe rear sway bar. You should be able to give a stock z06 a good run on a short track with that. Those will help a lot more than losing 200 lbs.

[karlxmas]

I have sways, slicks, and EBC yellow stuff brakes. In short track weight is key. Z06s are light!

[vlad_b]

Light weight battery should give you another 10-15 lbs.

 

Actually it's usually more than that. On my 350z the lightweight Odyssey was around 12lbs vs 35 or 45 lbs. stock battery (don't remember now). But it was more than 20lbs for sure.

 

The other things to look for is (real) lightweight wheels and tires (like Enkei RPF1). Difference vs average stock can be 10lbs or more per wheel! And that's all rotational/unsprung mass - very good for performance.

 

Than the best bet for good savings will be light front seats (20lbs and more each). Don't know about Subie, but when I had to take out front seat in my wife's Volvo, that thing weighted a tonn. 30 or 40lbs. So 20+lbs can be saved per seat (with 15lbs cf seat).

 

(real) lightweight all-Titanium exaust and pipes - also at least 20lbs savings and usually more.

 

Spare tire - I didn't use one in...4 or 5 years I guess. Is it really worth driving around 40lbs to use once in 5 years? So for driving in city where you can call somebody for help - it can be left home with no big risk.

 

That's very realistic 160+180lbs for... don't know 4-8 grands? depens how extreme/expensive you pick lightweight replacements. The further you go the more expensive and less effective it gets.

 

 

Anyway, the small Odyssey battery is the most cost effective thing on all car (if not counting leaving spare home): shaving 20 or 30 lbs for 100 bucks - nothing can approach that.

[chenc544]

The other things to look for is (real) lightweight wheels and tires (like Enkei RPF1). Difference vs average stock can be 10lbs or more per wheel! And that's all rotational/unsprung mass - very good for performance.

 

RPF-1 for the LGT weights ~15 lbs. He has a set of 13.5 lbs wheels so it's not going to save him any weight. Lighter weight tires could also save some weight but it defeats the purpose if it doesn't offer the same grip on the track.

 

Than the best bet for good savings will be light front seats (20lbs and more each). Don't know about Subie, but when I had to take out front seat in my wife's Volvo, that thing weighted a tonn. 30 or 40lbs. So 20+lbs can be saved per seat (with 15lbs cf seat).

 

I'm sure the LGT front seats are pretty heavy, especially if you have the limited with power and heat. Unfortunately replacing them is not all that feasible. There are side airbags in them and disconnecting them is sure to cause some headache. This has been discussed a few times and I don't think anybody has yet to find an aftermarket solution to replace the front seats.

[black318i]

How much do stock wheels weigh?

[Jack ffr1846]

I am looking to lighten my legacy. I want to do so at a low budget, meaning not buying outrageously expensive carbon fiber parts. More like what can i live without and shed some lbs. I weighed my car at the track and it came in at exactly 3300. I had to road trip it there so the spare, and a few extra things were in there. I have 13.5 lbs wheels so that shed some weight. Any suggestions will help. Want to get to about 3100.

 

 

Your goal is not outrageous (dispite all the joking about it).

 

Most of what you would reduce will come from common sense and looking around in and under the car. Simple things like removal of the plastic, non-functional covers under the hood are a start. You'll find a number of brackets, guards, backing plates that you can do without. Many brackets can be replaced by zip ties. Exhaust guards and shields can be removed with no ill effect. Under car coating can be removed at the expense of rust protection and dampening. Repaint to add back the rust protection. Interior sound deadening weighs a ton. It's far harder to remove, but I'm going to guess is close to 100 pounds all by itself. (the guess from what I've removed from a number of cars being prepped to become track-only cars and the size of the Legacy). None of these will effect the safety or for the most part the comfort of your car. None is over the top (lexan, cutting sheet metal etc). Doing this stuff.....but not the coating removal shed 140 pounds in my 01 2.5RS when I was running a lot of track days and driving back and fourth between Boston and Montreal. I'm a firm believer in removing all the little stuff that won't really matter. Also, keep all that stuff and replace when its time to sell the car.

 

I plan do do similar things with my car, even though I've already got a 2300 pound 300hp Cobra and 1600 pound CRX racecar.

 

jack

[Break Beat Zen]

I heard halogen headlight fluid weighs less than regular headlight fluid. Not only is it lighter it gives off more luminescence making stuff more visible at night.

[John M]

Are you kidding me? The plastic covers under the hood? Taking a pound off the car's weight isn't going to matter. You could hold all the exhaust heat shields in one hand and it wouldn't be 10 lbs. Replace brackets w/ zip ties? Wow, there's another 6 ounce savings. Why not just require all passengers to take a dump before they enter the car?

 

Take 100 lbs off a street car and it won't matter. All you'll end up with is a loud, hot, rattling Legacy that looks like crap and drives just like it did when it was stock.

 

Besides, your car is probably already 100 lbs lighter than mine -- I weigh 290 lbs. I'm making up for that by upgrading the turbo a tad.