2013 Zl1 under 3500lbs

[TacSac]

I just purchased a silver 2013 manual zl1, I'm looking to go below 3500lbs, but keep stereo, ac, and still be streetable.

Just FYI car has a salvage title, so I'm not ruining a virgin collector car, it is a car that others walk away from anyway ,so I figure why not make it a light ,hot street car that is really fun to drive.

I'm thinking about cutting the frame rails fwd of strut towers ,race seats, no sound deadening, light battery and wheels, lots of aftermarket aluminum suspension parts. Also I'm sure under the interior panels there is a lot of structure metal that can be removed.....any I missing anything ?

[olblue75]

If you wanna ditch wheels I might be interested.

[KaBoom1701]

[Silver14]

Have you weighed it yet to see how much weight you'll need to cut to meet your target?

[TacSac]

To weigh it now wouldn't tell me much. It was a recovered theft car with no engine or trans..

[KaBoom1701]

I would bet the max weight you can take from a ZL1 without getting to crazy is around 200lbs....

[Redlineviper]

This is copy and pasted from a post 6 years ago.

You can easily lose 250lbs and keep the car complete with light wheels, seats, battery, remove back seat, etc. 600 lbs will take a bit more aggressive and creative weight loss. A complete ZL1 starts around 4100.


-6 Airbags (Side Curtain, Seats, dash) (-13.4 pounds)
Dash removed, lightened, tubular steel loop cut off of cross brace, cross brace lightened, sound deadening removed from backside of FW (-30 lbs)
Removed rear seats, belts and brackets, and sheet metal holding bracket mounts (-45.4 pounds)
Weld RT-S & tires vs stock 20s (-85 pounds)
Headers/X/Dumps at axle for weight (-60 pounds)
Tubular front crash support (-12 pounds)
Remove rear crash support (-26 pounds)
!Evap (9.7 pounds, not including evap line, which I left in)
!A/C (-49 pounds)
!Wiper Motor Assy (-9 pounds)
!Junk Block Oil Cooler/Heater, unnecessary (-7 pounds)
Lightweight Billet clutch vs. stock (-12 pounds)
Sound deadening removed from under seats, backseats, trunk, including hood/trunk liner (-8 pounds)
Braille battery (-29 pounds)
Windshield Washer Tank + Pump and lines empty weight (4 pounds)


ITEM
WEIGHT (LBS.)
LOWER REAR SEAT
10.2
UPPER REAR SEAT
28
DRIVERS SEAT
54.6
PASSENGER SEAT
44
A/C EVAPORATOR CORE ASSY.
13.4
A/C COMPRESSOR
13.2
A/C CONDENSER
6.4
A/C-HEAT BLOWER MOTOR ASSY
4.2
A/C LINES AND DUCTING
7.6
A/C FIREWALL COVER
3.6
DRIVERS AIR BAG
1.6
PASSENGER AIR BAG
5.4
SIDE AIR BAG (EACH)
3.2
FIREWALL INSULATION
2.8
FLOOR INSULATION
12
TRUNK CARPET AND WELL COVER
15.2
TRUNK COMPRESSOR
6
TRUNK-LID STRUTS (PAIR)
1
FRONT BUMPER
14.6
REAR BUMPER
26.4
RADIO
4
DOOR SPEAKERS (PAIR)
3.6
FLOOR MATS (FRONT PAIR)
4.8
CENTER CONSOLE
8.2
EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER W/CABLES
6.2
FRONT SEAT BELTS (PAIR)
6
REAR SEAT BELTS (PAIR)
3.6
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS (EACH)
25.4
REAR BRAKE ROTORS (EACH)
24
FRONT CALIPERS (EACH)
11.4
REAR CALIPERS (EACH)
7.4
HOOD
25.3
HOOD INSULATION
1.2
HORNS (PAIR)
1.4
WIPER ASSEMBLY W/MOTOR
8.6
WINDSHIELD COWL PLASTIC
3.6
DRIVESHAFT – 6 SPEED MANUAL
24
FUEL TANK SHIELD
2.8
DRIVE SHAFT HEAT SHIELD
.8
STOCK AIR BOX
7
ENGINE COVER
4.4
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY (INCLUDING FLYWHEEL)
57

[TacSac]

Im thinking alot of sheet metal can be removed in the structure of the car in a strategic ways to lessen the weight further , and keep some luxuries.

does anyone make aftermarket front and rear tubular subframes ? there looks like 200lbs to lose there, they are way heavier than they could be.

[Can'tHave2MuchHP]

No way you're getting 3500 IMO. Car is 4100+ (Even coupe manuals). If you took the entire interior out, light weight battery, and bought light weight wheels, you'd probably drop 300 pounds maybe...

The weight is in the width, height, and thickness of the car. The magnetic suspension system, the heavy duty drivetrain, and built trans. This is unsheddable weight and it's where most of it lies. Nick (GuitarmageddonZL1), took his entire interior out, and it totally wasn't worth it IMO, he dropped like 130 pounds I want to say and immediately put a good part of it back with a cage to run the times legally.

Not worth it...IMO race it full weight and accept what it is.

[Nor Cal ZL1]

If you manage to drop 1000+ pounds the car will twist into a pretzel as soon as you hit the throttle. A huge amount of the weight is the drivetrain itself. Maybe 600 pounds at best with everything swiss cheese'd. Better to just make more power.

[TacSac]

Im looking to drop around 600lbs, not 1000. 4100-600=3500

not willing to remove ac, radio or door bars. totally willing to remove alot of other stuff

[i2disturbedSS]

I think you can do it. It'll get expensive if you start doing light materials.

Do your research and you'll achieve whatever goal you want to hit.

[Redlineviper]

As a general rule on cars like the ZL1, losing 500 lbs is about equivalent to gaining 100whp. Clearly it's much easier to gain 100whp than lose 500lbs. With that said losing the independent rear suspesion, light weight seats, wheels, rotors, light battery, you will lose 300+.
Much past that and you will need to gut the AC, the interior, and cut structure. There was a company that made a tubular front "k member" but don't know if they still do.

[Nor Cal ZL1]

Originally Posted by TacSac

Im looking to drop around 600lbs, not 1000. 4100-600=3500

not willing to remove ac, radio or door bars. totally willing to remove alot of other stuff

Ug just finished doing taxes, you would think after that i could do basic math....lol
Still is easier to just add power. A hundred wheel is super easy. After 200 plus it begins to be a little more challenging.